Jay Jay doesn't want to be hurt again

The Nigerian international, warming to the Premiership after a nightmare start to his career in England, lost a relegation battle during his days in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt and is determined not to suffer the same fate again.

"It was the lowest point in my career," he admits, looking back on that 1996 Bundesliga blow. "But it helps because you've lived it before. You know how it feels and you get yourself more prepared than other players who have never experienced that kind of situation before."

Okocha - one of the most famous players in world football - admits to finding it difficult adjusting to the pace of the Premiership but wasn't helped by a groin injury he picked up in the opening day defeat at Fulham where, along with his former Paris St Germain team-mate Bernard Mendy, he was withdrawn at half-time.

But he impressed on his return to the starting line-up at Birmingham and, with Sam Allardyce tipping him to come good, he is looking forward to bringing his enormous influence to bear at the Reebok, starting tomorrow in the basement battle with West Brom.

"The last two or two and a half months has been the most difficult time in my career," he concedes. "I was expecting to have a good start and not to have any problems in adapting. I was a bit unlucky that I was set back due to injury, which made my situation even more difficult. I could not help the team but I hope that now I am fit I am able to help."

As befits a player who commanded a fee of £10 million when he moved from Fenerbahce to PSG in 1998 and who last summer became the first African to play in the final stages of three World Cups, Okocha has a certain confidence in his own ability but he stresses that he alone cannot steer Wanderers to safety. Nevertheless he has seen enough to know that, if they can tighten up at the back, they can give themselves a chance and he believes he can help Michael Ricketts end his goal drought!

"We are conceding very cheap goals and that is costing us," he explains, having assessed the situation from the sidelines and from the heart the action at St Andrew's, where his stunning equaliser counted for nothing as Birmingham exposed the flaws that have cost Wanderers so dear so often this season.

"Apart from that I think we have been playing quite okay. If we could limit our

mistakes we might have a better chance."

Ricketts, who is coming under increasing scrutiny after failing to score in open play since January, could be the man to benefit most from Okocha's emergence as a key player in the survival stakes. The scourge of Premiership defences in the first half of last season, he should not be short of service if the 29-year-old African has his way.

"He needs more balls and I think I can give him more of the balls he needs," Okocha says. "He has not been playing so badly but it's always difficult for a striker if he doesn't score. Michael Owen had the same problem at the beginning of the season but he's come out of it and is scoring again.

"There are some strikers who are giving their best but if they don't score it seems like they don't do anything. I think that has been his (Ricketts) situation."

Okocha is now hoping to make up for lost time and make an impact on the Premiership which he regards as more physical, more up-tempo and more passionate than the top leagues of Germany, Turkey and France where he built his reputation.

But he is not promising miracles. "Without the help of others, I can't do anything. Only as a team can we get ourselves out of this position.

"I can only try and give my best. If they make me the best player that is a bonus but my main aim is to get Bolton out of the bottom three."

As befits a player who commanded a fee of £10 million when he moved from Fenerbahce to PSG in 1998 and who last summer became the first African to play in the final stages of three World Cups, Okocha has a certain confidence in his own ability but he stresses that he alone cannot steer Wanderers to safety. Nevertheless he has seen enough to know that, if they can tighten up at the back, they can give themselves a chance and he believes he can help Michael Ricketts end his goal drought!

"We are conceding very cheap goals and that is costing us," he explains, having assessed the situation from the sidelines and from the heart the action at St Andrew's, where his stunning equaliser counted for nothing as Birmingham exposed the flaws that have cost Wanderers so dear so often this season.

"Apart from that I think we have been playing quite okay. If we could limit our mistakes we might have a better chance."

Ricketts, who is coming under increasing scrutiny after failing to score in open play since January, could be the man to benefit most from Okocha's emergence as a key player in the survival stakes. The scourge of Premiership defences in the first half of last season, he should not be short of service if the 29-year-old African has his way.

"He needs more balls and I think I can give him more of the balls he needs," Okocha says. "He has not been playing so badly but it's always difficult for a striker if he doesn't score. Michael Owen had the same problem at the beginning of the season but he's come out of it and is scoring again.

"There are some strikers who are giving their best but if they don't score it seems like they don't do anything. I think that has been his (Ricketts) situation."

Okocha is now hoping to make up for lost time and make an impact on the Premiership which he regards as more physical, more up-tempo and more passionate than the top leagues of Germany, Turkey and France where he built his reputation.

But he is not promising miracles. "Without the help of others, I can't do anything. Only as a team can we get ourselves out of this position.

"I can only try and give my best. If they make me the best player that is a bonus but my main aim is to get Bolton out of the bottom three."