Former Super Eagles Coach Rohr Explains Why Bayern Munich Star Did Not Play for Nigeria
- Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has explained why a Bayern Munich star failed to represent Nigeria at the senior international level
- The German tactician managed Nigeria between 2016 and 2021 before he was relieved of his duties by the former president of NFF, Amaju Pinnick
- Rohr guided the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia during his stint
Former Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has revealed why Bayern Munich star Michael Olise did not play for Nigeria during his time in charge of the national team.
Rohr, alongside former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick, successfully convinced several foreign-born players to represent the country, including Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina and Joe Aribo.
The 72-year-old tactician qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and later guided the West African giants to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Source: Getty Images
How Nigeria missed Olise
Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr disclosed that French forward Michael Olise had been invited to feature for Nigeria during the qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
According to OwnGoal, the current Benin Republic manager explained that the COVID-19 pandemic played a significant role in preventing the winger from travelling to Nigeria at the time.
The former Burkina Faso coach said the situation ultimately affected the chances of the Super Eagles securing the player’s commitment. He said:
“The COVID-19 virus played a vital role because he (Michael Olise) was willing to come to Nigeria.
“There was no competitive football for a while, and when he moved to the English Premier League at the end of the season (2020/21), he had other options and eventually made his decision.
“I am happy that he is currently doing well with the French national team.”
Meanwhile, Gernot Rohr had extended an invitation to Michael Olise when the winger was playing for Reading FC in the EFL Championship.
The Olympic silver medallist was placed on the standby list for Nigeria’s matches against Benin national football team and Lesotho national football team due to the absence of a Nigerian passport at the time.
However, during the COVID-19 outbreak, Olise eventually opted to represent France national football team after securing a move to Crystal Palace in 2021.
Source: Getty Images
The 24-year-old is currently playing for Bayern Munich and won the Bundesliga title in the 2024/25 season, per FC Bayern.
Brief stats of Olise this season
France international Michael Olise has been a key player for Bayern Munich in the 2025/26 season, scoring 10 goals and providing 16 assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances.
Olise has 3 goals and 7 assists in 9 matches, maintaining an 87% passing accuracy in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season, including a brace against Atalanta in the Round of 16, per Sofa Score.
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Rohr advises Super Eagles
Legit.ng previously reported that Rohr advised Nigeria on what to do to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite having three points from the first four games.
The manager who guided Nigeria to qualify for the 2018 edition in Russia admitted that it is difficult from where they are but have a chance not to miss out on two consecutive tournaments.
Source: Legit.ng
