THE burden of expectation is weighing heavily on the shoulders of Jay-Jay Okocha.

The hopes of his fans, the reliance of his team-mates and the burning desire to meet his own personal high standards are demands he normally takes in his stride - being, as he is, one of the world's great talents. But, for the moment, he is struggling to cope.

The Reebok idol looked an unhappy man as he walked disconsolately down the touchline at St Andrew's on Saturday after suffering the rare indignity of being substituted with little more than an hour on the clock.

So disappointed with his own performance in what turned out to be a woeful 2-0 defeat, he had rejected a seat in the dug-out and headed instead for the privacy of the dressing room. It did not look good to see the captain, whose future at the club has become the subject of almost daily speculation while the issue of his contract drags on, choosing not to stay on the sidelines to give his moral support. But it was no snub to either his manager or his team-mates, he explained later, just a personal thing.

Okocha is having a difficult time as he struggles to get back into his Premiership stride after a hectic winter schedule, which included a six-match African Nations Cup programme with Nigeria, and has found it hard to get over the bitter disappointment of the Carling Cup Final defeat, in which he made little impression.

Wearily he admits to being "a bit tired" and concedes that the Nations Cup, coming on the back of a busy domestic league and cup programme, has taken its toll.

But he accepts he has an obligation to Wanderers and is determined to get back to his best. In the meantime, however, he would not mind a little help from his team-mates.

"You expect your co-players to help you," he said appealingly. "They might have forgotten that I might need some help as well.

"I am not at the top of my game now. Hopefully I will have enough rest to get back to my level, but the problem is that, for me, the expectation from myself and others as well is too high.

"I need to be performing week in and week out.

"Maybe I am going though a very difficult period, but it's left for me to pick myself up and get back to my game."

Wanderers were grateful to Okocha for delaying his departure for Tunisia and for signing off with such a decisive display in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. In the end he only missed four games but Allardyce's concern over his involvement in the African tournament has, unfortunately, been justified.

"He has to be at full tilt in the Premiership, as everybody has, but you don't have to be full tilt in the African Nations Cup," the manager explained. "And that transition has been difficult for him.

"Three games have gone by now, and he is finding it a little difficult."

Okocha maintains he has not been distracted by his contract issue but admits the disappointment of the Carling Cup Final has been difficult to overcome.

"The whole of last week was difficult," he added. "When you've wanted something so desperately and you've worked so hard for that thing, it is always difficult, no matter how hard you try, to get yourself motivated."

And in an honest appraisal of the Birmingham defeat, he conceded: "I don't think most of us did enough to have won the game - and that includes me.

"I wasn't happy with what I put in. I didn't help the team but sometimes, when you are not doing well, maybe others can carry you.

"You can lose, but the manner in which we lost was very disappointing."