By John Egbokhan

Former Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha has rated the German Bundesliga higher than the English Premier league.

Speaking at an interactive session with reporters in the StarTimes, DFL Deutsche Fussball Bundesliga Legend Tour in Lagos yesterday, Okocha said the Bundesliga was a more complete league than the Premier League.

From left, StarTimes Marketing Director, Dare Kafar, Austin Okocha and Tobias Ross, Manager of DFL

Okocha said, ‘the Bundesliga is better than Premier League in terms of tactical approach, technical approach, discipline, stadium attendance and number of goals scored per week. It is more complete league and actually contributed to my rapid football career because the foundation I had there shaped me for the successes I attained in other leagues in Europe.

“I always tell people that I got to Germany as a boy but left as man. It toughened me, shaped me and turned me into the mercurial player that fans around the world adored”, added the former Eintracht Frankfurt star midfielder.

He added that the Bundesliga has the best youth development program in the world, hinging the success story of German football in recent years to its strong and vibrant youth development initiative

Tobias Ross, Manager for International Marketing, DFL, Henning Brinkmann, Manager for Sales and Marketing,and Jana Bernhard, Manager for Events and Promotion were also on hand to speak on the contributions of the Bundesliga to African football

According to Ross, “the Bundesliga’s current average attendance of about 42,000 fans per match is the highest in a professional football league worldwide and only second after the American National Football League (NFL)compared to all professional sports leagues.

Continuing, Ross said, “Bundesliga is very proud to partner with StarTimes and Okocha. We want to be close to our international supporters and show them what makes the Bundesliga so special.’

Also speaking, StarTimes Marketing Director, Dare Kafar said, ‘the Bundesliga Legends Tour is a continuation of the journey that was started more than twelve months ago when StarTimes signed the exclusive broadcast right of the Bundesliga for five years in Nigeria.’