Former Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has opened up on why Michael Olise opted against representing Nigeria at the international level, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Olise, who currently plays for Bayern Munich, was eligible to feature for multiple nations, including Nigeria, France, Algeria, and England, due to his diverse heritage. Born in Hammersmith, London, to a British-Nigerian father and a Franco-Algerian mother, the winger had several international options early in his career.
Rohr revealed that he first identified Olise in 2019 while the player was still developing in England. The former Nigeria boss, alongside his assistants, monitored the then-Reading FC youngster closely and made efforts to bring him into the Super Eagles setup, including placing him on the standby list ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
However, the move never materialised, as Olise declined the opportunity, with Rohr suggesting the player had already set his sights on representing a European national team.
“In 2019, we saw this player and tried to invite him, but he didn’t want to join us because he already believed he had a big future with a European team,” Rohr said on Brila FM.
Olise has since gone on to represent France national football team at the senior level, making his debut in 2024. He was also part of the squad that claimed a silver medal in the football event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Rohr admitted that while the player’s potential was evident early on, Nigeria ultimately missed out on securing his international allegiance.