Jay-Jay Okocha is a crucial player for both club and country

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is preparing to ask Jay-Jay Okocha to retire from international football with Nigeria.

Allardyce is incensed that his captain will miss the Carling Cup semi-finals because of a training camp ahead of the African Nations Cup in Tunisia.

"The rules are so unfair, it just shouldn't happen," said Allardyce.

"If I could get a court order, I'd go and get one tomorrow and slap it on Nigeria."

"The only thing I can do is if he retires and I will put the question to him."

"It's probably a better thing that he doesn't go there and stays with us and takes us through to the final."

Okocha is due to fly out shortly after the match against Manchester United on 7 January and could be away for five weeks.

"It's been a magnificent effort and once you get this far, you want your best players.

I think he'll understand the reasons behind why I'm asking Bolton boss Sam Allardyce

"He will probably say 'no' to me because it is the African Nations Cup and it would be like asking a European player not to play in the European Championships. But he will have to have a serious think about it."

The final is being played in Cardiff on 29 February and Allardyce said: "He hasn't played at the Millennium Stadium and I think it would wonderful for him to have it on his CV.

"If he gets there and sees what I mean, I think he'll understand the reasons behind why I'm asking."

Nigeria, who have the Nations Cup finals twice before, have been drawn in Group D alongside Morocco, South Africa and debutants Benin.

The Nations Cup gets underway in Tunisia on 24 January and will end on 14 February.