Jay Jay Okocha Prays For World Cup Miracle For Nigeria

Ex-Nigeria skipper, Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha has admitted it will take something of a miracle for Nigeria to qualify for the 2010 World Cup after they failed to beat Tunisia in Abuja earlier this month.

Tunisia lead Group Two with eight points, two more than Nigeria, after four matches. Only the overall winner of the group will qualify for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

“We need a miracle to qualify for the World Cup. The ticket is already out of our hands after we failed to beat Tunisia here, but we don’t need to give up," Okocha told Nigerian newspaper, The Tribune.

“But to be honest, it will take a miracle for us to qualify for the 2010 World Cup because of the situation we find ourselves now.”

Okocha has since been appointed a technical assistant to Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu.
 
“The new role will give me the opportunity to be closer to the players than before when I had to first seek the consent of the coaches to speak with the players," he said.

The former Bolton Wanderers midfielder has also rejected calls for him to come out of retirement and help the country qualify for the World Cup.

“I can’t play football forever, I am not a greedy person. Leaving the stage would pave the way for younger players to come up too. People may want to see me back in the national team but I don’t plan to return. I have got my pride to defend,” said Okocha, who featured at three World Cups.

Samm Audu, Goal.com