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Okocha misses Caf awards (30.04.2004)
Nigeria and Bolton Wanderers captain, Austin `Jay-Jay` Okocha has ruled himself out of the African football awards ceremony scheduled for Yaoundé, Cameroon on Friday, 30 April.
Okocha, among the contenders for the award alongside Cameroon`s Samuel Eto`o Fils and Ivorian Didier Drogba, told a local radio station in Lagos that he must meet his English Premiership commitments to Bolton.
"I will not be in Cameroon for the awards ceremony because Bolton will be playing an important game against Leeds United on Sunday," he said.
According to the midfielder, it will be difficult to make the trip to Cameroon and return in good time to play against Leeds.
"It is a situation that is clear to me. I have to choose between going for the awards and [playing for] Bolton.
"My club desperately needs me now and I can understand their situation," said Okocha, who was included in Fifa`s list of the world`s 100 top players, as selected by Brazilian
legendPele.
But Okocha, who narrowly lost the Caf award to Morocco`s Mustapha Hadji in 1998, is optimistic of picking up the honour this time.
"I believe I have put in everything I could to be the winner. It`s up to Caf to decide but I think have done enough.
"If Caf thinks otherwise, then the purpose of the award and all my effort has been defeated," Okocha said.
The 2003 BBC African Footballer of the Year received rave reviews at the last Cup of Nations in Tunisia, scoring the 1000th goal of the 47-year old championship during Nigeria`s 4-0 thrashing of South Africa.
He was also picked as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Okocha, who has played a key role in Bolton`s side since joining the club, was the their joint top scorer in the 2002 season.
The 30-year-old was also one of the six players shortlisted for the 2003 `Player`s Player of the Year` award by England`s Professional Footballers Association.
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