'I'm trying to be great as Okocha' - Alex Iwobi

Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi has commented on the effect that having Super Eagles legend Jay Jay Okocha as his uncle has had on his career.

The relationship between Iwobi and Okocha has been well talked about with the former Bolton star being the maternal uncle to the current Everton midfielder.

Iwobi has often credited Okocha with a big role in his football career, alongside carrying the expectation of matching the heights that Okocha reached with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

However, Iwobi has revealed that Okocha is now more involved with his off-field life rather than his on-pitch activities as he grows older and goes further in his career.

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The Super Eagles star told The National that for his on-pitch performances, Okocha just tells him to 'enjoy' himself.

Iwobi said: “When I was younger, he used to give me advice about football. But he only speaks to me [now] about off the pitch, just making sure I handle myself well. On the pitch he just says 'enjoy it' really, the same thing he was doing."

On comparison with Okocha, Iwobi stated that he is striving to meet the high standard that his uncle has set during his career, with the Everton midfielder also confirming that Okocha is his role model.

“He wants me to do the same. He was a great player. I'm trying to live up to his standards. It's a high standard to push up to but he's a great role model for me," Iwobi stated.

The Nigerian international will be hoping to continue his resurgence at Everton under Frank Lampard after seeing an uptick in his performances towards the end of the 2021/22 season.