Michael Obiku

Michael Edirin Obiku (born 24 September 1968 in Warri) is a retired Nigerian football striker. He is currently coach at Feyenoord Rotterdam's Soccer Schools.

Michael Obiku
Personal information
Full name Michael Edirin Obiku
Date of birth (1968-09-24) 24 September 1968
Place of birth Warri, Nigeria
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Feyenoord Rotterdam (Feyenoord Soccer School coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1987 Flash Flamingoes 29 (13)
1987–1989 Iwuanyanwu Nationale 40 (28)
1989–1992 Anorthosis Famagusta 69 (33)
1992–1996 Feyenoord 71 (23)
1994 → Helsingborg (loan) 14 (9)
1996–1997 Mallorca 26 (14)
1997–1998 Avispa Fukuoka 25 (9)
1998–1999 AZ 13 (2)
1999–2000 Anorthosis Famagusta 21 (14)
Total 308 (145)
National team
1988–1993 Nigeria 5 (1)
1988 Nigeria Olympic 2 (0)
Teams managed
2007– Sparta Rotterdam (youth)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Obiku started his career with Flash Flamingoes in his native Nigeria and earned a move to highfliers Iwuanyanwu Nationale. From there, he moved on to become very successful in Cyprus. Then Feyenoord Rotterdam chairman Jorien van den Herik, who had a house on Cyprus, lured him to Rotterdam. On club level he won the Dutch Eredivisie in 1993 and the KNVB Cup in 1994 and 1995 with Feyenoord. He later became the first Nigerian to play in the J1 League. In 1999–2000 he returned to Cyprus and to his favourite team Anorthosis Famagusta FC. He scored 13 goals and helped his club to win the Championship for the 4th time in a row in Cyprus. After so many years Obiku is still one of the legends of Anorthosis Famagusta FC and he is considered one of the all-time best players who ever played not only for the club but also in Cyprus. The fans never forgot his first spell in the club in 1989–1992 scoring 36 goals and gave him the nick "Black Diamond".

Memorable moments

When Obiku scored for Feyenoord, he usually took off his shirt, threw it on the ground and danced around it.

During a match against Willem II he jumped in the fences surrounding the pitch and injured his hands while grabbing the barbed wire. He did play on but had to have treatment on his bleeding hands first.

On 8 March 1995 he won over the Rotterdam supporters when he scored the golden goal in the KNVB Cup quarter-finals against eternal rivals Ajax Amsterdam. Ajax won the Champions League that season but were finished off by Obiku thanks to a marvellous solo effort.

International career

He represented the Nigerian national team at the 1988 African Cup of Nations,[1] played in two World Cup qualifying matches[2] and played 12 minutes at the 1988 Summer Olympics.[3] He played his final international match in April 1993 against Ethiopia.

References
  1. 1988 MATCHES AFRICA - RSSSF
  2. FIFA World Cup Qualifiers - FIFA
  3. Men's Olympic Football Tournament - FIFA
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