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Akpeyi Retains Kaizer Chiefs Spot Despite Khune’s Return From Injury

Akpeyi Retains Kaizer Chiefs Spot Despite Khune’s Return From Injury

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has stated that Nigeria goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi will keep the gloves for the forseeable future despite the availability of Bafana Bafana’s Itumeleng Khune.

Amakhosi are at home to Phunya Sele Sele in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) this weekend and Khune is set to spend time on the stands, with the manager adding that Bruce Bvuma will deputize for the Nigerian.

On the other hand, the German mentor jokingly stated he had been annoyed there were no questions from the media on the club’s fan favourite.

“I am so happy that…I was really irritated and confused that no one is asking about Khune,” Middendorp told the media as quoted by Phakaaathi.

“As I said, he is not injured, he is in training now. We have to make a decision about who now from a point of competitiveness is best prepared for this game we have on Saturday evening.

“It is Daniel Akpeyi and it is he who will play. The second best prepared at the moment is Bruce Bvuma and he will be the second goalkeeper.”

Since sustaining his injury against Golden Arrows in December last year, Khune made his return away to AmaZulu in September this term before facing Baroka FC in a match they won 1-0 at FNB Stadium.


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COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 6
  • Ololo 4 years ago

    This is no easy feat, for a Nigerian to bench South Africa number 1… Akpeyi deserves some praise for this.

    This is a massive confusion coming down to super eagles, should we trust akyeyi fully again or should we hurt for more younger options.. Do we even have good young keepers again in this country.. The truth be told we are very deficient in that area

  • The main things Daniel Akpeyi suffers from are his poor demeanour and propensities for errors.

    However, beyond his poor public image is a goalkeeper who knows the basics of goalkeeping.

    He is:
    – an excellent shotstopper.
    – an accomplished penalty saver.
    – a decent ball distributor.
    – conceded the average number of goals of international goalkeepers.
    – saves at point blank range.
    – dives low.
    – has decent reflexes.

    Plus, Akpeyi has played top flight football for over 10 years at very high levels.

    He has won team and individual awards.

    He has bags of experience.

    All of these are also irrefutable facts which speak to the narrative of Akpeyi being a decent goalkeeper despite his image shortcomings.

    However, upon returning from injury layoff, I expect If Uzoho to regain his number one shirt at the Super Eagles.

    It will now be whether Ezenwa will be dropped as I also expect Okoye to be invited.

    For now, I think the pecking order of goalkeepers is Uzoho – – Akpeyi or Ezenwa – – Okoye.

    Now that Okoye is becoming an established International goalkeeper, it will make sense for him to push for a move beyond the level he is.

    Playing in the German division 2 league will be a positive move for the young goalkeeper.

  • Nonsense!

    Keep paying media to blow your trumpet; and keep being a howler at goal.

    Media power or GOD father influence cannot make u a good keeper.

    We know u r a “basket”
    Zero confidence
    Zero good keeping ability
    Zero reflex.

    We are seeing your media power; always on the headlines.

    But I am sure people like us will never be deceived . we care about what u do at the post.

    Rubbish.

    Worst keeper ever with the loudest media publicity- Akpeyi

    • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

      “…Zero confidence, Zero good keeping ability, Zero reflex…”

      Eheenn…???

      See hatred at work…!

      Akpeyi must be the highest earning Nigerian player, to have so much money to bribe CSN, Kickoff, Soccer Laduma, Goal.com, Sporting life and all other media that says anything good about him when he performs.

      Make no mistake about it, i’m not a fan of Akpeyi (or any other 30 yrs + old back-up goalkeepers in Nigeria now), i’ve never been his fan and will never be.

      But come on…give it to the lad. To put South Africa’s No 1 and no 2 goalkeepers on the bench, in a traditional team like kaizer cheifs is no mean feat, knowing the attitude of those people towards foreigners. Certainly, he doesn’t have “Zero confidence, Zero good keeping ability, Zero reflex”

      He even won player of the Month….yes player of the Month in the entire league last week. Maybe he bribed the League organizers too

      Lolz.

      Hatred is a bastard o. I makes sane people say insane things…LMAO.

      Just eat a humble pie jeje and congratulate the young man and stop being an enemy of another man’s success.

  • Ololo 4 years ago

    Oga calm the earlier we start appreciating what we have the better for us… Many of us don’t really like him as well but do we have an option.. NO we don’t.. He is the best we have for now and that’s the truth.. Do you know what it means to bench South Africa number 1 in his own country league. My brother it’s not easy..

    If you don’t like akpeyi who should we call upon to play for us, izoho is injured, which other keeper do we have, I know people would start mentioning those in Israel second division and others in second division in other places.. So those are the ones we should call for a great nation as Nigeria and how are sure those ones would not disgrace us even more than akepy did… African as a whole don’t have good goal keeper apart from some lucky nations like Cameroon and others..

  • Asoko Emmanuel 4 years ago

    Very unrepentant Iszy,always in the same category with Omo9ja,zero analysis,pointless remarks, senseless conclusion.Now what is the difference between you and Akpeyi in your head? Yes the Akpeyi in your head resides in your head alone.Cos the actual Akpeyi does not bribe media as that will be alterly impossible in S.A,more so you are in contention with S.A. first choice gk if you are not good you can’t stand a chance.The best way to describe your comment is hatred and witch hunting,cos there is no reasonable conclusion reached by your analysis.Deo said his own with fact that is verifiable rather than learn from it you chose to sink deep in hatred.Na you know ooo while Akpeyi is making his money and getting rave reviews you are there hating on him, ohhh poor you you better purge yourself of this self inflicted hatred before you die and sink with it.
    Purge yourself.

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