Michael Obiku

Michael Obiku

Personal information
Full name	Michael Edirin Obiku
Date of birth	(1968-09-24) 24 September 1968
Place of birth	Warri, Nigeria
Height
Position(s)	Striker
Team 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)
International career
1988–1993	Nigeria	5	(1)
1988	Nigeria Olympic	2	(0)
Managerial career
2007–	Sparta Rotterdam (youth)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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.

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 J. 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, played in two World Cup qualifying matches and played 12 minutes at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He played his final international match in April 1993 against Ethiopia.

Club career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Nigeria			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total
1986	Flash Flamingoes	Premier League	15	6					15	6
1987			14	7					14	7
1988	Iwuanyanwu Nationale	Premier League	5	4					5	4
Portugal			League		Taça de Portugal		Taça da Liga		Total
1988/89	Marítimo	Portuguese Liga	0	0					0	0
Cyprus			League		Cypriot Cup		League Cup		Total
1989/90	Anorthosis Famagusta	First Division	24	6					24	6
1990/91			21	11					21	11
1991/92			24	16					24	16
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Total
1992/93	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	21	7					21	7
1993/94			16	3					16	3
Sweden			League		Svenska Cupen		League Cup		Total
1994	Helsingborg	Allsvenskan	14	9					14	9
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Total
1994/95	Feyenoord	Eredivisie	13	6					13	6
1995/96			18	7					18	7
1996/97			3	0					3	0
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Copa de la Liga		Total
1996/97	Mallorca	Segunda División	26	14					26	14
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Total
1997	Avispa Fukuoka	J. League 1	15	7	3	1	0	0	18	8
1998			10	2	0	0	4	2	14	4
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Total
1998/99	AZ Alkmaar	Eredivisie	13	2					13	2
Cyprus			League		Cypriot Cup		League Cup		Total
1999/00	Anorthosis Famagusta	First Division	21	14					21	14
Country	Nigeria		34	17					34	17
	Portugal		0	0					0	0
	Cyprus		90	47					90	47
	Netherlands		84	25					84	25
	Sweden		14	9					14	9
	Spain		26	14					26	14
	Japan		25	9	3	1	4	2	32	12
Total			273	121	3	1	4	2	280	124

National team statistics

Nigeria national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1988	1	0
1989	3	1
1990	0	0
1991	0	0
1992	0	0
1993	1	0
Total	5	1

External links

• Nigerian Players.com
• Michael Obiku at National-Football-Teams.com
• Michael Obiku (Seguimiento Bermellón) (Spanish)
• Real Mallorca bio (Spanish)