Football Dynasty

Given Ronaldo's lackluster performance—and the way he looked like he needed an oxygen tank—Robertson had seen enough. He made his move, bringing on Henry to replace the fatigued winger.

Moments later, Shevchenko was also subbed off, making way for Okocha, who was about to mark his official Premier League debut.

Talking about Okocha—it's actually a bit funny.

Naturally, before a player signs for a club, there are several layers of checks and clearances that must be completed. The club itself must first conduct a thorough background screening, followed by fulfilling the Disqualification and Suspension Review requirements. This internal process ensures that the player meets both ethical and sporting standards.

Then, there's the Premier League's own compliance checks—covering eligibility, international clearance, and disciplinary history. Only after all of that can a deal be officially ratified.

Thanks to this, Richard already knew a bit about the Nigerian prodigy.

Okocha's journey to European football was nothing short of serendipitous. He had originally traveled to Germany on holiday, visiting a friend who played for the third-tier side Borussia Neunkirchen.

As fate would have it, Okocha had brought his boots—because, of course, he never left home without them. He joined a few training sessions for fun… and impressed so much that the club signed him on the spot.

After a couple of seasons dazzling at Neunkirchen, the bigger clubs started circling. He even landed a trial with Bayern Munich, but despite showing promise, he was ultimately deemed too young to be offered a professional contract.

Enter Eintracht Frankfurt.

They worked around the age restriction by offering him an amateur deal until he came of age. It was a gamble—but one that paid off. Within two years, Okocha burst onto the global stage, especially after that unforgettable solo goal against Karlsruhe: a breathtaking moment of trickery, balance, and audacity that instantly etched his name into football folklore.

It was also thanks to that goal that Karen—who definitely wasn't a football expert but knew brilliance when she saw it—decided to recommend Okocha to Richard. If City didn't move quickly to sign him, Bordeaux were already waiting to snap him up.

Thankfully, Richard made the first move.

Signing him was relatively straightforward for Manchester City.

With Frankfurt having been relegated, City paid £7 million—setting a new record for an African player, immediately surpassing the previous high set earlier that same year when Finidi George moved from Ajax to Real Betis for £6 million.

The question most wanted to ask was: why?

The short answer was that Okocha wanted to play in England, and Manchester City made him the best offer—while Marina Granovskaia delivered the most convincing pitch after a long conversation.

In this transfer, you could truly see how high-profile Richard's decision had become.

So when Henry and Okocha entered the pitch—after exchanging high-fives with Ronaldo and Shevchenko—naturally, the camera immediately focused on them.

Martin Tyler didn't miss a beat. "And here come the changes from Robertson—Thierry Henry and Jay-Jay Okocha stepping on. It seems the current City boss isn't impressed with what he's seen from Ronaldo and Shevchenko so far."

Andy Gray added with his usual punchy insight: "Aye, Martin, and it's exactly what they need. Ronaldo looked gassed, and Shevchenko just hasn't found his rhythm today."

As the two subs took their positions, the energy in the stadium lifted—fans were curious, hopeful, and maybe even a little anxious to see how this fresh pairing would change the flow of the match.

That was until… Zambrotta was fouled on the left, just 20 meters from goal, cutting in dangerously before being clipped by a mistimed challenge.

The whistle blew sharply, and the referee immediately pointed to the spot of the foul, awarding a free kick.

Okocha, who had just jogged into position to replace Shevchenko, was momentarily taken aback when the ball bounced toward him.

From the touchline, Robertson immediately cupped his hands and yelled toward the pitch.

"Jay! Take it!"

Living and playing together for more than a month had already made people familiar with the nickname "Jay." But the truth is, Okocha's real name is Augustine Azuka Okocha—not Jay-Jay Okocha.

He wasn't given the name at birth, nor was it originally his nickname. In fact, the name "Jay-Jay" actually belonged to his elder brother, James Okocha.

Okocha came from a family of footballers—James, Emmanuel, and Augustine.

James, the eldest, was so talented that people on the streets began calling him "Jay" (short for James). Over time, "Jay" evolved into Jay-Jay.

Unfortunately, James Okocha's promising career never reached the spotlight due to recurring injuries.

When James could no longer continue, their other brother, Emmanuel "Emma" Okocha, stepped up. He was good enough to make seven appearances for the Nigerian Super Eagles, even earning a spot in the squad for AFCON 1990. However, every time Emma played, fans and commentators alike would refer to him as "Emma, the brother of Jay-Jay."

Now, as Augustine Okocha grew up, he started his career on the streets, then moved to Enugu Rangers, before eventually heading to Europe.

Just like Emma, he was often introduced as "Austin, the brother of Jay-Jay," because their eldest brother had become so well-known in their local football circles. But Austin turned out to be the most fortunate of the three brothers.

He carved out a successful football career in Europe, and by that time, he made the decision to adopt the name 'Jay-Jay'—not just as a nickname, but as a tribute to honor his eldest brother and carry the name beyond the streets and onto the global stage.

Okocha, hearing Robertson's instructions, nodded as he picked up the ball and ran toward the spot where the free kick was supposed to be taken.

Actually, what was going through Robertson's mind was that there was no way someone would take a direct shot from that angle—it was far too tight for a proper free kick and too wide to expect a realistic attempt on goal.

That angle—it just didn't make sense. Given that, everyone had the same thought: Okocha, being the closest to the ball, was the most logical choice to make a short pass.

The City players thought so too.

Zambrotta had already positioned himself just behind him. Neil Lennon was on his right, with McManaman not far off—options were available, and everyone expected a quick set play.

But Okocha was different.

After carefully placing the ball, his eyes never left Newcastle's goal.

"Jay, here!" Lennon shouted, already signaling with his hand, anticipating a short pass and positioning himself to receive it.

PHWEEEEE!

Just as the referee's whistle pierced the air, Okocha took a deep breath.

And then—magic.

What happened next was something utterly mesmerizing. A moment frozen in time, destined to be replayed on highlight reels and whispered about by fans for years.

The free-kick had been awarded at an improbable angle—on the left-hand side of the Newcastle penalty area, far from ideal for a direct attempt on goal.

Most players would've looked for a teammate, perhaps curled it into the box for a header, or laid it off for a second-phase play.

But not Okocha.

With a calmness that bordered on arrogance, he stepped up and struck the ball—not with brute force, but with technique so audacious it defied logic.

The ball arced around the wall in a whip of swerve and spin, curling impossibly toward the near post.

"No way..." Andy Gray gasped from the commentary box.

A Roberto Carlos–esque strike—curved from an impossible angle—sealed the night for the Citizens.

It wasn't just a goal. It was a statement. A debut. A warning. And a memory carved into Manchester City folklore.

The ball slammed into the top corner, kissing the underside of the crossbar as it ricocheted in.

The net bulged. The stadium erupted.

Pavel Srníček, the goalkeeper, frozen to the spot, could only turn in disbelief.

Okocha stood still, arms wide, face expressionless for a beat before breaking into a grin as the crowd behind the goal exploded into cheers.

"Oh, how he can shoot!" Martin Tyler's voice broke into a roar.

Richard gaped. City's players froze in disbelief. Robertson was momentarily lost for words. Even O'Neill, still recovering as he watched from the hospital, was speechless.

And then… the reaction erupted. The entire stadium surged to its feet. Fans roared as if the net had exploded.

After scoring, Okocha rushed toward the northwest corner, where a sea of 3000 ecstatic City fans stood up, raising their arms and cheering wildly for him. They were so overcome with joy, words could hardly capture what they felt inside.

"Andy, are we dreaming? One of the best teams in the Premier League is facing a newly promoted side for the first time, and they're two goals down at home? Is this really Newcastle United?"

Newcastle United 0 – 2 Manchester City

Once the celebrations faded, the camera, with a gentle zoom, panned over to Kevin Keegan, who stood with a grim expression on the sideline, clearly dissatisfied with his players' performance.

Newcastle United suffered a crushing blow despite playing at home.

First came Henrik Larsson—probably scoring the fastest goal ever recorded—and now a stunning, almost unbelievable free kick from Manchester City's new debutant. Not only had they lost control of the game's rhythm, but they had completely surrendered the match.

Kevin Keegan has every reason to justify that grim expression basically.

Because just when everyone thought 0–2 was a settled scoreline, once again on the right flank, Okocha, Henry, and the retreating Larsson combined to orchestrate a beautiful move that left Newcastle United scrambling to keep up.

In the 81st minute, it all started with a promising move from Newcastle United.

David Ginola, drifting infield from the left, spotted Alan Shearer dropping between the lines to offer a passing option.

Trusting his instinct, Ginola threaded a pass toward him—but just as Shearer opened his body to receive it, Mark van Bommel read the play brilliantly.

With perfect timing, the Dutch midfielder lunged forward and intercepted the ball cleanly, catching both Ginola and Shearer off-guard.

Van Bommel wasted no time. With a sharp touch forward, he released the ball diagonally toward Thierry Henry, who had already peeled off his marker and raised his hand to signal the run. The ball zipped across the grass, landing perfectly in Henry's stride.

Henry took a measured first touch near the left touchline, just beyond the halfway mark. Glancing up, he saw Newcastle's backline backpedaling, still in transition.

Without breaking stride, he sent a beautifully weighted switch pass across the pitch toward the right flank, where Jay-Jay Okocha had drifted into open space near the edge of the final third.

A beautiful counter-attack!

Okocha brought the ball down effortlessly with a velvet touch near the right sideline, just outside the final third.The crowd leaned forward, sensing something special.

He found himself one-on-one with John Beresford, Newcastle's left-back, who squared up cautiously, wary of committing too early.

But Okocha was in his element.

With a sudden shift of weight, he executed a drag-back spin that momentarily froze Beresford, then added a quick deceptive flick—sending a second defender, tracking back from midfield, sliding the wrong way.

In just a few seconds, Okocha had turned a tight situation into a wide-open opportunity.

Now inside the final third and with space to operate, he took a touch toward the edge of the box.

Newcastle's backline, already rattled, scrambled to reorganize. But it was too late.

With the outside of his right foot, Okocha bent a perfectly weighted pass between the centre-backs—a ball that curved beautifully into the path of Henrik Larsson, timing his run to perfection.

Larsson didn't even need a second touch. With composure, he struck the ball low and hard into the bottom corner, beyond the reach of the diving Pavel Srníček.

Goal. 0–3. Manchester City.

On his Premier League debut—the highest stage of English football—Okocha took center stage, scoring a stunning free-kick and providing an assist in Manchester City's 3–0 demolition of Newcastle United at St. James' Park.

No Cafu to charge down the right wing, dribbling past defenders and creating chaos?

'It doesn't matter. We have Jay.'

No Roberto Carlos to smash in volleys or unleash thunderous free-kicks?

'It doesn't matter. We've already found his replacement—Jay-Jay Okocha.'

With such accuracy, technical brilliance, and fearless long-range shooting, Okocha showed every sign of becoming one of City's most potent attacking weapons.