Former Super Eagles captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha has shockingly confessed that his time as chairman of the Delta State Football Association (DSFA) was a complete failure.
Okocha, 51, had a sensational career playing for Bolton, PSG, Hull city, Fenerbahçe and Frankfurt but his time as a football administrator was one that he will never forget.
Okocha, who hung up his boots in 2008, took on the Delta FA leadership role in 2015 replacing former NFF President Amaju Pinnick.
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Okocha admitted during an interview with Sports Zone on Lagos Talks FM that he “achieved nothing” in the Delta FA Chairman position.
“I failed woefully as Delta FA chairman. I didn’t complete my tenure and walked away,” Okocha revealed. “What I encountered there was not what I expected. The environment wasn’t conducive for me to work, and the people I worked with had differing views. The best decision for me was to leave, which I did. I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t accomplish anything as the chairman.”
Okocha also spoke candidly about the widespread corruption in Nigeria, which he believes made it impossible for him to succeed.
“The structure simply wouldn’t allow someone like me to thrive. Corruption in the country is just too much. When you’re surrounded by people with selfish motives, it won’t work.”
Jay Jay during his playing days with the Super Eagles
Okocha’s tenure ended in 2020 when he was succeeded by Kenneth Nwaomucha as the substantive chairman of Delta FA.
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The former Nigerian international capped 73 times has since left football administration to concentrate on punditry and football business.