Why I Retired Early from Football – Okocha

Former Super Eagles captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha’, has revealed that his decision to retire early from active football, was due to lack of enough playing time.

Okocha made the shock decision to hang up his boots in 2008 at 34.

“I must confess that [not getting a lot of playing time] was one of the main reasons why I retired from playing at a very young age,” Okocha told media men at a press conference organised by Star Times.

“I believe that it is not worth it to train from Monday to Friday just to have 20 minutes on the pitch or sit on the bench on Saturday. I am very competitive.”

The midfielder who last represented Nigeria in 2006, made 75 appearances for the Eagles and scored 14 times.