They escaped the drop in his first season and have prospered ever since

They escaped the drop in his first season and have prospered ever since. But this summer could see yet more changes at Bolton, with Allardyce linked to the England job Okocha feels he deserves the chance "I think Sam is a very good manager," he says "He picked up Bolton from down there It takes a lot to bring a club to where they are now I would be happy to see him as England manager. It would be a big step for him, he deserves it."Okocha could also move on. He could accept one of the offers to play in the Gulf that have come his way."There wouldn't be anything wrong with going there and making some money You don't want to be a plumber when you finish your career. "I see that African football is heading away from flair and more towards the team. I see African countries playing more like European ones."Since losing the 2000 Nations' Cup final on penalties in his home country, the national side have been in a slow decline, while Okocha's club career followed a similar path.

"Because of a lack of concentration or a lack of professionalism. Looking back on that day, there is a large degree of regret in Okocha's voice."At that World Cup we should have done better, but most of us were very young. We didn't realise the opportunity we had at that time to really create history Against Italy we were lacking experience. If it was today, I might have held on to the ball for two minutes."Having won Olympic gold in the 1996 games, the team qualified for France 98. They won their group comfortably, thanks in part to a famous win over Spain and were faced with a distinctly winnable last 16 match against Denmark. Again, they failed to make that step up to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and Okocha blames himself and his team-mates for being complacent."That was where we really blew it," he admits.

Then I realised that the only thing left was the Nations' Cup and I had the ambition for myself to win it," he says. They were 1-0 up with two minutes to go before conceding a late equaliser and then losing in extra time. But against the holders, Tunisia, in Port Said tomorrow Okocha is set to start.If the north African side do bring an end to Okocha's international career there would at least be some symmetry. It was with victory in Tunis in the Nations' Cup of 1994, that his career with the Super Eagles took off, followed five months later by Nigeria's World Cup debut in the United States.Having topped a group in 1994 that included Argentina, they had to play Italy in the second round. Thereafter his club career alone will occupy his mind and he will return to Bolton.His first-team place there will be far from certain due to growing competition for places while his fitness has been a problem in Egypt. A thigh strain prevented him from playing in any of the group games, all of which they won. Despite that Nigeria have shown only glimpses of their potential as they rebuild after failing to reach Germany.