Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha has opened up about his decision to join Bolton Wanderers after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2002, revealing that he knew very little about the English club before signing.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast with former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel, Okocha admitted that he made the move without properly researching Bolton.
“I signed without doing any research”
Okocha explained that he had already decided to leave PSG after the 2002 FIFA World Cup when Bolton approached him with an opportunity to play in the Premier League.
“I signed for Bolton without doing any research. The sporting director told me they were 10 minutes from Old Trafford, so I thought, why not?”
The former Nigeria international said the club’s sporting director mentioning Old Trafford played a part in convincing him that Bolton was the right place to continue his career in England.
Despite knowing little about the club before making the move, Okocha went on to become one of Bolton’s most celebrated players.
He spent four seasons with the club and recorded 124 Premier League appearances and 14 goals. Okocha also became Bolton captain and led the team to the 2004 League Cup final, where they lost to Middlesbrough.
What started as a decision made with little knowledge of the club eventually became one of the most memorable chapters of Okocha’s career and helped establish him as a fan favourite at Bolton.
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