Alex Iwobi wants to echo his outrageous uncle Jay-Jay Okocha
Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi wants to emulate his silky-smooth uncle, Premier League legend Jay-Jay Okocha and become a role model for youngsters.
Iwobi has been flourishing under Frank Lampard at Everton since being moved by the former Chelsea boss into a central midfield role.
The Blues midfielder worshiped his uncle Okocha from an early age and admitted he wants to “emulate” the flashy former Bolton man.
“He was an entertaining player to watch, and the skills he used to do were outrageous skills, that you only really see freestylers do,” said Iwobi, as quoted by the Independent.
“So, yeah, hopefully, the younger viewers will learn a bit more about him and understand why I chuck in some skills too.
“I mean, that’s what kids want to see, you know – people having fun. He was a fun guy to watch.
“Sometimes I feel like I’m just that same kid that wants to express myself and play football but when I do realise that ‘Wow, I have an influence on kids’. It’s mad. I just want to put positive things out there for them.
“It’s nice that kids look up to me and try to imitate me and play like me because I was once that kid who used to look up to my uncle.”
Transformed.
Lampard’s arrival at the Blues last January breathed life into Iwobi and transformed his fortunes as a professional footballer for the better.
Iwobi has been taken from the fringes of the team to become a regular first name on the team sheet for Lampard, a testament to the 26-year-old.
The midfielder has shown his ability to adapt this season, playing in various central-based roles within the Blues midfield and has been thriving.
He’s ranking alongside some of the Premier League’s best and there’s no denying his ceiling has gotten a lot higher this campaign.
Alongside an unforgiving work rate, Iwobi has a turn of pace and dynamic dribbling style that is wreaking havoc on opposition teams.
The Super-Eagle has been the Blues’ best player this season and a lot of the good they’ve achieved can be credited to the former Arsenal man.
Iwobi’s rise has been magnificent to witness, and Toffees will be hoping it continues for the foreseeable.