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Magician and idol Okocha revered by defeat-wearied NigeriansPosted: Tuesday April 30, 2002 1:04 PMABUJA, Nigeria (AP) -- His face adorns Pepsi billboards in crowded Lagos slums. His sleek Jeep Cherokee is mobbed by adoring fans whenever he visits his home city of Enugu. Austin Okocha, better known as "Jay-Jay," is more than a soccer star in his soccer-mad West African homeland. He is both magician and idol. Known for his electrifying dribbling skills, a swift touch and saucy style of play, the 28-year-old Okocha is the emotional engine of Nigeria's beloved but troubled national side, the Super Eagles. Okocha is also known for partying. Lavish late-night binges at elite hotels have raised eyebrows of other, more staid countrymen. Yet so far his mental and physical fitness has not seemed to suffer, sparing him the condemnation that Nigerians seem to enjoy heaping upon their elite. With age, his dangerous habit of losing concentration during dribbling runs down the field have also improved, as has his ability to deliver precise and powerful shots. When he scores, the goals are likely to make highlight tapes. An 81st-minute strike playing for Eintracht Frankfurt against Karlsruher in 1993 was declared Goal of the Year in the German Bundesliga. Later, Okocha joined Turkish side Fenerbahce before settling down with Paris Saint-Germain, where he currently plays. Okocha has been named captain of the latest version of the team, traveling to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan even though the final roster has not been announced. Okocha expresses confidence that Nigeria will perform respectably despite the team's chaotic preparations ahead of the tournament, including money squabbles and dismissal of the coach. Nigeria has been drawn into the "Group of Death" with Argentina, England and Sweden. Group F will play in Japan. "Come June 2 when we play Argentina in our first match, everybody will take Nigeria seriously," he said.
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