German Footballer, Mario Gomez says JJ Okocha is his idol

German international and Wolfsburg striker, Mario Gomez says he wanted to play like former Super Eagles captain, Austin ‘Jay’ ‘Jay’ Okocha after watching him while he was at Eintracht Frankfurt.

He said Okocha’s impact on his career was great, adding that the Nigerian was a delight to watch in his playing days.

Okocha, who also played for Paris Saint Germain, PSG, in France, and captained Bolten Wanderers, featured in Germany for over seven years playing for Borussia Neunkirchen and the Eintracht Frankfurt.

And the former Bayern Munich star, who spoke out his boredom for games shown on the screen, said his fascination for football matches grew when he watched the midfielder take on an opposing team’s defence.

Gomez wrote on Players’ Tribune, “I didn’t like watching football on TV. It was always so boring to me.

“Why sit in front of the screen, when you could go outside and play the game for real?

“’Papi, let’s go outside!’ I’d say, tugging on his arm. ‘Let’s play!’

“One evening when I was about seven or eight, he had finally had enough. Instead of shooing me away, he sat me down right next to him.

“’I want you to see this, Mario. Just watch.

“’Nooooo! It’s boring.’

“My father pointed at the television, ‘look! There! Right now!

“When I looked up, there was an Eintracht Frankfurt player on the screen. He dribbled the ball around the other team’s goalkeeper, then around a defender, and then around another defender — just toying with them — until he chipped it easily into the goal.

“’Woahhhhhh,'” I said. ‘What did he just do?

“’See?’ my father said. ‘That’s Jay-Jay Okocha. And there’s no one else like him.

“From that moment, I dreamed of playing like Jay-Jay. He was my idol.

“The way he moved the ball — he was like an artist. He did things with a ball I couldn’t even imagine. And after seeing that dribble and that goal, I watched the highlights with my father every Sunday.

“I even started watching matches with him as well.”