Nigerian football legend Jay-Jay Okocha has revealed the surprising reason behind his decision to join Bolton Wanderers in 2002, admitting he signed for the Premier League club without even researching them.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast with former Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel, Okocha explained that Bolton's sporting director convinced him by describing the club as being just “10 minutes from Old Trafford,” leading him to believe it was the perfect opportunity to play in England.
He said,
“I signed without doing any research”
Okocha said he had already decided to leave Paris Saint-Germain after the 2002 FIFA World Cup and was weighing up his next move when Bolton came calling.
“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 Nigerian icon admitted he knew little about the club at the time but trusted the project presented by Sam Allardyce's side.
How did Okocha's transfer change Bolton history?
What initially seemed like an unlikely transfer became one of the Premier League's greatest success stories.
Okocha spent four seasons at Bolton, making 124 league appearances, scoring 14 goals, captaining the team to the 2004 League Cup final, and becoming one of the club's most beloved players.
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