JAY-JAY Okocha goes into tomorrow's Reebok clash with Spurs knowing he commands the respect of his Premier League rivals.

The Wanderers captain is one of six players nominated for the coveted PFA Players Player of the Year award - the first time a Bolton player has been shortlisted for the trophy.

Ironically, the latest accolade of the Nigerian's glittering career comes at a time when he is striving to get back to his influential best and beginning to wonder whether he is fated to end the season without a league goal.

Nevertheless, Sam Allardyce says the votes of his fellow professionals are thoroughly deserved and have been well received at the Reebok.

"It's a huge honour to pick up and Jay-Jay should be very proud of it," the manager said. "I know I am.

"It just shows what an impression he has made on the Premiership. It's the players who play against him who have voted for him. They know what he produces, they know how good he is."

Okocha's commitment to Wanderers, delaying his departure for the African Nations Cup until he had played such an inspirational role in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final triumph over Aston Villa, earned the respect of many of his fellow professionals, while the fact that PFA members cast their votes early in the second half of the season suggests that the loss of form he has suffered since returning from Tunisia, has not come into play.

"Everything he did up to the semi-final showed that he was much stronger, much fitter and much more understanding of what the Premiership is all about," Allardyce added. "It was only the African Nations Cup that killed his season. That was the turning point for Jay-Jay because when he came back he was exhausted.

"But his level of performance has been good, very good or brilliant - not so often below par.

"When you produce genius, people want to see genius all the time, but that is not possible. We saw a bit of genius from Thierry Henry against Liverpool but we don't see that every week - not even from him - and Jay-Jay's the same, although without the goals, because he's not a goalscorer."

Nevertheless, memories of his one man show at White Hart Lane might just be the inspiration Okocha needs to break his Premiership duck tomorrow.

He could not have come closer to scoring when he tormented Spurs with a virtuoso performance in November, hitting the woodwork three times only for Kevin Nolan to take the scoring honours in the most emphatic of 1-0 wins.

His three Carling Cup goals - most notably the second of his brace in the 5-2 Reebok victory over Villa - might have influenced the PFA poll but he has spent so long looking for that elusive first league goal of the season he is beginning to wonder if it will come at all.

"I wouldn't bet on it," he said. "I'm not even sure if I could score a penalty, but I'll keep wishing."

The fact that Okocha can joke at his own expense is a sign of the contentment he feels now Wanderers have crossed the 40-point threshold.

The mood has lightened and he feels he is now able to negotiate a new contract, knowing there is no danger of any distractions jeopardising the quest for Premiership survival.

Smiling at the mention of his latest near-miss at Wolves on Monday, before Kevin Davies scored in injury time to secure a vital three points, he added: "I thought I'd done enough but the goalposts seemed to get smaller as the ball was going towards them.

"But I don't care who scores as long as the team is doing well. If the team does well, I've done well.

"I'm not bothered - but I will keep on shooting."

Arsenal's Thierry Henry is favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year award for the second successive season. Henry's Highbury team-mate Patrick Vieira, Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Newcastle's evergreen Alan Shearer are also on a shortlist, which is notable for the absence of any Manchester United players.