Dalkurd FF midfielder Omoh Michael has been on fire in Sweden, scoring goals week-in-week-out. In this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA, he talks on his form and challenges in Europe, why he models his game after Ronaldinho, growing up in Warri and lots more
How are you finding the season?
Things are better than last season. I made up my mind to leave this season because I know I should be playing in a higher division. I almost moved in the first round of the season but something happened and I had to stay back. I have been doing well in every game, scoring goals as well.
Have you had any offers from the top clubs in Sweden?
Within Sweden, there are speculations everywhere but no concrete offers. Djurgardens and Sundsvall have tried to contact my agent but the others are just speculations.
You have scored so many goals this season as a midfielder. How have you been able to make it?
My mentors in football, I mean the likes of Frank Lampard and Ronaldinho, are midfielders who believe in themselves. You just have to make sure you can score goals at the top level. Some players are scared of trying because they don’t want to be jeered by their teammates or coaches. But I am not that kind of a player. I always try to score goals; I am a goal scorer. I always try to be in front of the box or inside the box. But most of my goals come from outside the box. I know how to shoot. If Lampard and Ronaldinho can score goals, why can’t I? I believe in trying and it’s been working so far.
Michael (right) celebrating a goal.
What is your relationship with other Nigerian players in Sweden?
The city I am is small but in the big cities like Stockholm, there are lots of Nigerian footballers. But I have Nigerian friends I hang out where I am and we eat Nigeria food like eba sometimes. But they are not football players. We just got to know ourselves and we became friends. We do a lot of social activities together.
What were the challenges you faced as a young African boy in Sweden?
I needed my family but I told myself that since I chose football, I must make something out of it. I saw so many good footballers while I was growing up but they didn’t have the zeal and drive to get something out of the game. So, I told myself I must make it no matter how young I am. But the major challenge I faced was missing my family and the weather. The weather is not so friendly here, especially when you come directly from Nigeria. I came at a wrong time, the winter period, when there was snow everywhere. It was -8 degrees. It was really cold. But I said to myself, ‘You are not going back (to Nigeria).’ I needed to start football from somewhere, so I pushed myself. My fingers, toes and ears were all very cold but I coped. There were some players who didn’t want to go back because of the cold but the weather didn’t make them play to their full potential. But my case was different.
Did you encounter racism?
It (racism) really brings down the morale of some people but I am different. It’s quite disgusting. They call you names sometimes during games. They say ‘Black monkey go back to your country.’ It’s crazy. Recently, we slept in a hotel for an away game. I was walking to the hotel and this man, who probably is in his early 50s hit me in my stomach and started walking away. I walked up to him and asked him, ‘Why did you do that?’ And he said, ‘Go back to your country; we don’t need you people here.’ I started laughing because it’s one of those things. Some other Africans might want to slap him but I won’t do that. I have seen it several times. I don’t think racism is going to stop.
You have been doing well since you moved to Sweden but you have not been able to attract the attention of national team coaches. What do you think is responsible for this?
I think the coaches want players from mainstream Europe: Spain, England, Germany and France. You know Sweden is not as big as these countries when it comes to football. Another thing is the contact. I was in Nigeria in December, and I trained in FHA inside FESTAC and people were just asking about me. I trained with Super Eagles forward Nnamdi Oduamadi and I saw the respect he had for me. He asked me, ‘Where do you play?’ And I told him Sweden. People ran onto the pitch to hug me. I don’t believe you have to play in England before you are invited to the national team. They will say, ‘If he is so good, why is he playing in Sweden?’ But I believe you have to start from somewhere. I know I’m a good football player. If you know how to do something, you have to be proud about it. I’m not a proud person but I know I can do my job very well.
Do you think you can displace Eagles midfielders Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi and others if you get an invite?
These are big names no doubt. I can play in front of them but it depends on what the coach wants. They are fantastic players playing for the big clubs in Europe. So, it’s not going to be easy to displace them. It will be an honour to play alongside these great players.
You were virtually unknown before you moved to Europe, as you didn’t play for any top Nigerian club…
Am sorry to say this but I never liked to play football in Nigeria. I made a move to Gateway FC of Abeokuta in 2007/08. I signed but I was not given a chance. Some officials wanted money from me before I could play. I think it didn’t work out because of my desire. I’ve always desired to play in Europe. If I don’t have the talent, I won’t still be here. Even though Sweden is not a big footballing country, their level is still higher than that of Nigeria.
Did your parents support your choice of football?
We are so many in our house. My parents have eight children. Two of them were football players. Yes at point they wanted me to stop football when I started having injuries but I never listened to them.
You were born in Warri. How was growing up in the city like?
I would say God favoured me; He made me unique. I am not easily influenced by people around me. The nature of the city affects a little bit: the way I talk and react to people. My family isn’t rich. I knew if I got involved with bad gangs, the end may be either getting arrested or even being killed. So I never wanted to be violent or hang out with bad people. I was living with my elder sister and her family and they helped shape my life. They sort of caged me: they gave me time to be home and time to go out. Then I felt I was being treated like a slave, I didn’t know they were making me a better person. When I came to Sweden and started living alone, I saw the effect of what they did in my life.
Warri is known for producing top sports stars. Did it help you as well?
It’s a sports-loving city, blessed with very good football players. I was born there and I saw a lot of very good players in the city. Some very good ones didn’t make it to the top but they were really talents to behold.
With a large family of eight kids, would you say poverty pushed you into playing football?
To an extent, I would say yes. My siblings were going to school and I know what it took to pay school fees and survive in school. So many of us wanted to go to school but how would our parents cope with the fees? I discovered my talent at a very young age while in primary school. When I got to secondary school, I was in JSS 3 playing Principal Cup for Dore Numa College, Warri. It had never happened in the history of the school. I was the only pupil who was wearing shorts and playing football for the school. The others were in the senior classes, so they wore trousers to school. The Games Master used to give me transport fare to come for training. That’s when I felt I had football in me and that is why I keep pushing. So, when I got to SSS1, I told myself I will face football after my SSCE exams. That was what I did.
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