Jay Jay Okocha has opened up on the less glamorous side of his Paris Saint-Germain career, revealing that the club’s environment during his early years in France did not match the level of ambition he expected, Footynaija.com reports.
The former Super Eagles captain joined PSG in 1998 from Fenerbahce in a deal that made him one of the most expensive African players at the time. He spent four seasons in Paris, making 84 league appearances and 112 appearances across all competitions.
Okocha was also surrounded by some outstanding players during his stay. Mauricio Pochettino, Gabriel Heinze, Mikel Arteta and Ronaldinho all crossed paths with him at PSG. The Nigerian also played an important role in Ronaldinho’s early development after the Brazilian joined the club in 2001.
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Yet Okocha says the quality of the players did not always translate into the right team mentality. Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, he looked back at a period when he felt some of his teammates were simply happy to be at PSG rather than driven to win more.
“I went to PSG at the wrong time. Imagine going now,” Okocha said.
Okocha reveals what made PSG difficult
The Nigerian explained that his first few years at the club were not as enjoyable as the final season, when the squad had started to change and he found himself playing alongside players such as Ronaldinho.
“It was the wrong time because when I got there, I met players that were just happy to be there. So, the mentality wasn’t the same,” he said.
Okocha also had problems with then-manager Luis Fernandez. He recalled how Fernandez would question why he and Ronaldinho were laughing in the dressing room before training, even though they were still struggling with the little French they knew.
“We didn’t like that he was picking on us, so why shouldn’t we smile before training?” Okocha said.
By his fourth season, however, Okocha says he finally enjoyed his football at PSG. The club wanted him to stay for another year, but he had already decided to leave because he wanted to test himself in the Premier League.
That decision took him to Bolton Wanderers in 2002, where his career in England would become one of the most memorable parts of his legacy. His first season included seven Premier League goals, and he later became Bolton captain.
