JAY Jay Okocha will go into the new season free from the pressure of having to balance his commitment to his club and his country.

The Wanderers skipper has been aiming for some time to reduce his workload with Nigeria, and now the Super Eagles have reluctantly accepted they can no longer guarantee his availability for every international fixture.

Ibrahim Galadima, chairman of the Nigerian FA, says the time has come to look for a successor to the man regarded as one of the most talented African players of all time.

Okocha, who has already missed two of Nigeria's three qualifying games for the 2006 World Cup, has stopped short of retiring from international football, but says he wants to concentrate on his club career after 10 years as the talismanic captain of his country.

"I've told them that I cannot commit myself to playing every game," he said. "They find it difficult to accept but I have made up my mind that in future when I feel OK I will play, but if I don't feel OK I will not."

This summer appears to have been a watershed in the career of the super skilled Wanderer, who will turn 31 when the new season kicks off on August 14.

He drew criticism from supporters and team-mates alike when he did not show up for the Unity Cup Tournament in London, where Nigeria played friendlies against Jamaica and the Republic of Ireland, then missed the World Cup games against Rwanda and Angola, which also count towards qualification for the African Nation's Cup. Although he returned to play in Nigeria's last qualifier against Algeria, which they won 1-0, there is speculation that he will not make himself available for the game against Zimbabwe in September.

Okocha has grown accustomed to the demands of being a Premiership star and a leading light in African football, but he is determined to take more control of his footballing life, which means concentrating more on his commitment to Wanderers and rationing his appearances for his country.

"Last season I played almost every game, except when I was away at the African Nations Cup, where I played all the games there," he said.

"It was really too much for me and I just can't continue playing as many games for the national team as I have in the past.

"I need a break. That was why I missed some of the games over the summer. If I had turned up for the two friendlies, there is no way they would have let me get away without playing in the three qualifiers and that would have been five more games which I really didn't want.

"I have to think about myself now, I'm not as young as I was, and it's time for me to be more cautious with how I use my body. In the past I have played too many games. There have been times when I have gone two or three seasons without having any break. That's the way it is when you are doing well -- everybody wants to have a bit of you, especially managers, because they don't want to lose you.

"But I can't carry on like that."

His announcement has come as a bitter blow to Nigeria, but Galadima has taken an understanding line.

"Okocha is aging and is not as energetic as he was 10 years ago," the NFA chief said.

"If he says he cannot play in every national team game, we have to respect his decision and begin to groom a replacement.

"He has given good service to his country for the last 10 years and we must appreciate what he has done for us. I feel bad about Okocha's decision, but it's a natural development."