Nigerian Football
I Still Crave for Super Eagles’ Action, says Babatunde Michael
Though he is yet to be invited to the Super Eagles squad since Franco-German tactician Gernot Rohr took charge, Qatari Sporting Club striker Michael Babatunde was amazing in the just concluded season as he scored 25 goals along with 10 assists that ensured his side gained promotion from the Qatargas league to the elite division, Qatar Stars League.
The 24 -year old spoke to thenff.com on his performance in the just concluded season, the current Super Eagles under Coach Rohr, his aspiration and much more.
Excerpts:
Q: How was the just concluded season for you?
Michael: Well, it was a fantastic season for me I must say. Initially moving to Qatar was a big decision I had to make and My family and I reasoned together and when we were convinced that the challenge and offer was good, I moved to Qatari SC. I scored a total of 25 goals for the club this season with 10 assists in the just concluded season which was good enough to qualify us from the QatarGas League to the elite division, the Qatar Stars League.
Q: A lot of people wondered why you chose to go to Qatar at a very young age despite having played for the Super Eagles at the FIFA World Cup in 2014?
Michael: After the World Cup in 2014, I had a deal to move from Dnipro in Ukraine to Morocco, and that was Raja Casablanca, which I did. I played just five months where I scored 12 goals with 15 assists and I won the award of the best player in the Moroccan league. A whole lot of offers especially from Eastern Europe surfaced but you know, the experience I had playing in Ukraine was not palatable at all and I didn’t want to go through that again. A situation where the club isn’t fulfilling their contractual agreements and where they owe players, i couldn’t have continued there just because I wanted to stay in Europe. So I moved to Raja and it was a good experience for me because I was able to add my quota to help the club from the 14th spot in the Moroccan league up to the 4th position before I left. The football in Qatar is highly competitive and being a rich country, the clubs competing in the league are very strong with very good players too in the league. I’m glad we have qualifed for the Qatari Stars League where we have top players like former Barcelona captain Xavi, Ivory Coast’s Yannick Sagbo, Mali’s and former Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita and Imoh Ezekiel of Nigeria.
Q: Let’s talk about the Super Eagles. What do you think about the Super Eagles under German tactician Gernot Rohr?
Michael: It is a fantastic set-up. The recent results of the team in the matches they’ve played shows it. The players are young and technically sound. I commend the Nigeria Football Federation for the appointment of Coach Rohr and I foresee better things to come for the Super Eagles.
Q: The last time you played for the Eagles was the friendly between Nigeria and Mali in France, do you still crave for a chance in this Eagles?
Michael: Well, my invitation to the national team is in the hands of the handlers. I really still crave for a chance in the Super Eagles especially among this young set up. I’m just 24 years old and at least have had some experience playing with the team in the past so I’ll jump at any chance to feature for my country again. I think I need to focus on my job and that is playing consistently and performing too. At least now I’m back in the elite league in Qatar, I hope I’ll be given a chance soon, I really do look forward to it.
Q: What do you think about the Super Eagles’ 2019 AFCON qualifier against South Africa and the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Cameroon?
Michael: We are Nigeria and from the record I know, South Africa have never defeated us in a competitive game so I believe that trend will continue when we play them in June. The last time we played, they stopped us from qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and its time to take back our pound of flesh. The players we have are very good, i have no doubt that the team will perform very well. For the Indomitable Lions, they are currently the champions of Africa and we must have that at the back of our minds. But, I think the technical crew of Coach Gernot Rohr will see how they perform at the FIFA Confederation cup and with that have more knowledge of the team. I believe we have the players to beat Cameroon home and away. I’m not boasting but I believe the Super Eagles will qualify in style for the World Cup.
Q: Finally, the transfer window will soon be thrown open, do you have offers that may take you out of Qatar SC?
Michael: For now I have a running contract with Qatar SC and now that we have qualified to play in the Qatar Stars League its a good thing. So for now, I’m a player of Qatar SC. Yes, I already have 8 offers, four from the Chinese Super League, two from the German Bundesliga, and two from Turkey. Soon myself, my agent and Qatar SC will decide about my future.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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