Okocha: Bundesliga Better than Premier League

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Former Super Eagles Captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha has described the German Bundesliga as a better league than the English Premier League in terms of statistics.

Speaking with sports journalists at the Bundesliga Legend Tour with Austin Jay Jay Okocha, organised by foremost digital television company, StarTimes and DFL Deutsche Fussball Liga, Okocha, insisted that in terms of tactical approach, technical approach, discipline, stadium attendance and number of goals scored per week, Bundesliga was better.

“Bundesliga is better than Premier League in terms of tactical approach, technical approach, discipline, stadium attendance and number of goals scored per week,” observed Okocha whose stint as Eintracht Frankfurt remains talking point to date.

Okocha also insisted that the Bundesliga has the best youth development programme in Europe. He attributed the youth programme as one of the reasons for the successful development of German football in recent years.

Bundesliga usually attracts more than 18 million spectators in total to the stadiums every season. The Bundesliga’s current average attendance of about 42,000 fans per match is the highest in a professional football league worldwide and only second after the American National Football League (NFL) compared to all professional sports leagues.

According to StarTimes Marketing Director, Mr. Dare Kafar, “The Bundesliga Legends Tour is a continuation of the journey that was started more than twelve months ago when StarTimes signed the exclusive broadcast right of the Bundesliga for five years in Nigeria.”
He further reiterated that, StarTimes is also using this platform to allow subscribers and fans to interact with their Bundesliga legends.

Okocha while in Lagos and Accra will share his experience on the Bundesliga during live studio shows and serve as co-commentator for Bundesliga matches. He is to also take part in various activities like football clinics and autograph sessions for African football fans.

Another Bundesliga legend, Sunday Oliseh will visit Kenya between December 20 and 22 where he will appear as an analyst and guest with media partners, holding training sessions with local football managers and meeting with football fans in Nairobi.

Speaking on behalf of the Managing Director, DFL Sports Enterprises, Mr. Daubitzer, Tobias Ross stated that, ‘Bundesliga is very proud to partner StarTimes and Austin Jay-Jay Okocha.
He underlined that it is very important for them to take the Bundesliga experience out of Germany with activities such as the Legends Tour. “We want to be close to our international supporters and show them what makes the Bundesliga so special,” Ross noted.

StarTimes Bundesliga Legend, Tobias Ross, Manager for International Marketing–DFL, Henning Brinkmann, Manager for Sales and Marketing – DFL, Bundesliga and Jana Bernhard, Manager for Events and Promotion – DFL alongside many other dignitaries attended the event which held last weekend in Lagos.