Posted by By Osasu Obayiuwana, BBC Sport on
Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha has denied claims he was forced to travel home for their final World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe.
It is unfortunate that I cannot feature in the game but I have to be in Nigeria to play my role
Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha has denied claims he was forced to travel home for their final World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe.
Okocha is unable to play in Saturday's qualifier, as a result of an injury suffered during Bolton Wanderers English Premiership game against Wigan last Saturday.
But he told BBC Sport that as captain of the national team, he had to provide "moral support" to his team mates.
They must defeat Zimbabwe on Saturday to have any chance of qualifying for Germany 2006.
"It is unfortunate that I cannot feature in the game but I have to be in Nigeria to play my role in what is a key qualifier for us," Okocha told BBC Sport from Lagos on Tuesday.
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce had told PA, a UK-based news agency, that Okocha had been compelled by the Nigeria FA - using their rights under Fifa rules - to travel home.
"We tried to persuade the Nigerian authorities that it would be better for Jay-Jay to stay here, but they said no," Allardyce was quoted as saying.
"It is frustrating but we have to respect their wishes."
But Okocha told BBC Sport that he was in Nigeria of his free will.
"I was not forced to travel. It was my wish to come to Nigeria at this time and provide moral support at a crucial moment."
Okocha, who made his debut for Nigeria 12 year ago, is the only active international from the squad that won the 1994 African Cup of Nations and made their debut at the World Cup finals in the same year.
Should Nigeria qualify for Germany, Okocha will become the only African player to feature in four successive World Cup finals.