Barnes was a guest on SuperSport along with Thomas Mlambo and Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe for a ‘Premier League GOATs African XI’ special, where the panelists selected their African PL XI of all time in celebration of 30 years of the Premier League. 

The broadcast featured interviews, stories and features on some of the African stars past and present that have plied their trade in the English Premier League, including the likes of Tony Yeboah, Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah, Jay Jay Okocha, Lucas Radebe and more. 

Barnes said on Okocha, “About Jay-Jay, formerly he was in Paris when he was young and no one really knew about him, then he came here in the last part of his career. If he had come as a 19, 20, or 21-year-old it couldn’t have gone any better. 

“When you talk of two of the most naturally gifted skillful players, the most skillful player in the world, there are two, Ronaldinho and Jay-Jay Okocha, who is naturally the most skillful player because the things he does on the football field are what you do in the playground, what you do in training you’re not supposed to do in matches. He does it better than Messi, Ronaldo, anyone in terms of pure skill. 

“I don’t think he won much at Bolton but talking about an individual who entertains and who is a fantastic footballer, Jay-jay has to be on it.” 

Okocha joined Bolton in 2002 after spending four years at Paris Saint-Germain where he made 84 appearances scoring 12 goals. 

He spent another four years at Bolton, racking up 124 appearances and scored 14 goals. Okocha instantly became a fan favourite and dazzled the crowd with his fantastic dribbles, great free-kicks and top-notch playmaking abilities.