Former Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has disclosed the reasons behind Michael Olise’s decision to represent France instead of Nigeria on the international stage.
The Bayern Munich winger, now 24, was born in England to a Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, making him eligible for four national teams: Nigeria, Algeria, France, and England. However, he ultimately pledged his allegiance to France.
Speaking in an interview with Brila FM, Rohr revealed that Olise had made up his mind years earlier. He recalled a meeting with the player and his assistant Tunde Adelakun back in 2019. ‘We tried to invite him, but he did not want to join us at the time,’ Rohr said. ‘He was already playing well. When we saw him six to seven years ago, he was so strong, and unfortunately, he refused to play for Nigeria.’
Rohr’s comments shed light on how long the decision had been in the making, confirming that the talented attacker’s choice was not a recent one.