Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma is thrilled to link up with the Super Eagles for the first time, reports Completesports.com.
The versatile defender arrived the Super Eagles Hotel Die Ziet, Austria camp on Monday.
The 25-year-old is now eligible to play for Nigeria following clearance from the world soccer ruling body, FIFA.
Akpoguma represented Germany at youth level and once captained their U-20 team.
Read Also: Eagles Training Report: Musa Bags Brace, Onuachu, Tijani Also On Target
“It’s a great experience to be with the guys. Everyone is happy and nice,”Akpoguma stated in a short video interview posted on the Super Eagles Twitter handle.
“We are looking forward to the two friendly games against Algeria and Tunisia. We are preparing for the qualification game in November, so I am excited to be here.”
The Super Eagles will take on African champions Algeria in a friendly game at the Worthersee Stadium, Klagenfurt on Friday night.
The three-time African champions will face the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in another friendly at the same venue next week Tuesday.
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
Welcome back home.
Akpoguma my brother pls don’t kill yourself biko… There are some ingrate of FULANI, SUDAN, TOGO, CAMEROUN ORIGIN on this forum claiming to be nigerians but are not that never like good things….
Discriminating our own blood and real nigerians up-and-down just bcos they were born abroad….
Biko, offer what u can, don’t do anything to please any TOGO, SUDAN, CAMEROUN & NIGER ORIGIN that are pure INGRATES & ENEMY OF PROGRESS….
Welcome to the Super Eagles brand,Kevin Ufuoma Akpoguma. The Eagles will offer you more in your international career than the Die Manshaft of Germany.You made the right choice.
Statistics do not lie .Now Let us look at German-Nigerian players who laced their boots for Germany and how they fared
1.Patrick Owomoyela(11 caps,all in international friendlies, no World Cup,European Championship appearances)
2.Dennis Aogo(12 caps,just 1 World Cup game ,Third place playoff versus Uruguay at the Brazil 2010 FIFA World Cup)
3.Sidney Sam(5 caps,3 of them in international friendlies and the other 2 in World Cup qualifiers)
So the question is this:Where is the attraction?
Players with German connection who chose Nigeria
1.Leon Balogun(Nations Cup Bronze medal winner,potential AFCON winner)
2.Maduka Okoye(1 cap versus Brazil with a bright international career ahead,potential AFCON winner,Possible World Cup appearance at Qatar 2022)
3.Kevin Akpoguma (potential AFCON winner and World Cup appearance at Qatar 2022)
So Felix Uduokhai,Jordan Torunarigha, Felix Agu,Chima Okoroji, Noah Sarenren Bazee, Emmanuel Iyoha,Noah Atubolu,Karim Adeyemi,Ogechika Heil,Deji Ousman-Beyreuther,Jonas David,Noah Salau,Chinedu Ekene,Ufumwen Osawe,Kevin Bassey Effiong,Fabian Senninger,Felix Nmecha,Lukas Nmecha,Kimberly Ezekwem,Cotrell Ezekwem,Pharrel Nnamdi Collins,Joshua Chima Eze,Armin Olayo,Bob Okezie,Isaak Nwachukwu,Tim Megafu,Midhat Bajric and many other young German-Nigerian footballers should emulate Akpoguma by choosing Nigeria ahead of Germany.I rest my case.
Welcome to the Super Eagles brand,Kevin Ufuoma Akpoguma. The Eagles will offer you more in your international career than the Die Manshaft of Germany.You made the right choice.
Statistics do not lie .Now Let us look at German-Nigerian players who laced their boots for Germany and how they fared
1.Patrick Owomoyela(11 caps,all in international friendlies, no World Cup,no European Championship appearances)
2.Dennis Aogo(12 caps,just 1 World Cup game ,Third place playoff versus Uruguay at the Brazil 2010 FIFA World Cup)
3.Sidney Sam(5 caps,3 of them in international friendlies and the other 2 in World Cup qualifiers)
So the question is this:Where is the attraction?
Players with German connection who chose Nigeria
1.Leon Balogun(31 caps,Russia 2018 World Cup appearance,Nations Cup Bronze medal winner,potential AFCON winner)
2.Maduka Okoye(1 cap versus Brazil with a bright international career ahead,potential AFCON winner,Possible World Cup appearance at Qatar 2022)
3.Kevin Akpoguma (potential AFCON winner and World Cup appearance at Qatar 2022)
So Felix Uduokhai,Jordan Torunarigha, Felix Agu,Chima Okoroji, Noah Sarenren Bazee, Emmanuel Iyoha,Noah Atubolu,Karim Adeyemi,Ogechika Heil,Deji Ousman-Beyreuther,Jonas David,Noah Salau,Chinedu Ekene,Ufumwen Osawe,Kevin Bassey Effiong,Fabian Senninger,Felix Nmecha,Lukas Nmecha,Kimberly Ezekwem,Cotrell Ezekwem,Pharrel Nnamdi Collins,Joshua Chima Eze,Armin Olayo,Bob Okezie,Isaak Nwachukwu,Tim Megafu,Midhat Bajric and many other young German-Nigerian footballers should emulate Akpoguma by choosing Nigeria ahead of Germany.That is presently where the attraction is.I rest my case.
@Hillary oga boss, you should be up there assisting Tunde Adelekun_ cos’ what you do here with ease demands you get some wages bra
Big Ups mawn.
Hillary, good on you brother. I know only a few of the names you listed here. Imagine the possibilities. Look at someone like Midhat Bajric. That’s a Balkan name, likely from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina or perhaps Montenegro. One of his parents comes from one of these Balkan countries, so he is eligible for that country.
He was born in Germany, so he is German by birth. But also linked to Nigeria by blood. Interesting to note that in his transfer market profile, he is listed as being of Nigerian citizenship.
As you said, these young players stand to gain a lot more playing for Naija than any other options, because Naija will afford them a bigger window to sell themselves. Look at what playing in the world cup and Afcon has done for Leon Balogun and Willian Troost Ekong.
Well done Hilary.
Thank you for your kind words @Igbekun Abo. May God bless you.
You forgot to mention the ones in Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malta, who would also love to play for the Super eagles. Or are they not qualified also. What are we turning the eagles into. Where is the opportunity for the local breeds. Why is Adelakun scouting from Europe alone.
@Hillary my man, you are too much oh. Where did you get all these names? I think Samchi has said it all. Well done bro
Thank you so much @Samchi,Pompei and Paschal for your kind words. They are deeply appreciated. When you love the round leather game,you will be open to a lot of possibilities. Gernot Rohr is fast turning the Super Eagles into an enviable brand and we must queue behind him to enable him soar with our national team. God bless you all.
@hillary, bro u too much… This ur tenacity for research nawa o… Thanks for exposing more options for our scouts and coaches, I believe the NFF will contact you shortly o… Naija is great brand for these players… Up SE
Some of this hairstyle that our boys are wearing is very funny and clownish… what is with all this funny looking attachments they are using… can someone advise Kalu and Simon to carry clean mature looking haircuts please?
@JimmyBall, God bless you for saying this out. I noticed that too. I was thinking about it and we can see the difference between Simmy, Apokuma and Simon, Musa, and the rest of the squad.
NFF need to educate them. NFF still have a lot of work to do.
At the world cup in Russia if you noticed, Nigerian team wore white boots that matches our national colour, I called the attentions of the NFF to that after watching real Madrid match and they worked on it.
After the world, NFF couldn’t care no more. No room for continuity in this country.
It may sound funny but yes I did.
Descency must be there in the team. The appearances of most of our players in this current team have to be changed because they are representing their Country not themselves.
Like I said this week, NFF doesn’t have a solid structure in place. All they have now is a short term goal. Seeing Alanpasun, Musa
Simon, Iwobi and the rest of them like this is nothing to write home about.
They even corrupted Ebuehi to the extent that he looks almost like a woman. Although, it’s a free world but decency must be there.
They are representing Nigeria not that Nigeria is representing them. Good observation and I hope NFF are watching.
This is what we needed on this forum. We should keep improving the team. Why fighting each others is what I don’t understand. I wish Oga Rohr and his team the best. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
But you people love it on Taribo west back then right?
@Sean, I know you go talk am bla bla and comoti. How did you know that everyone loves to see Taribo hair style back then?
Just a quick question ni o. Maybe you read our minds? Hmmm. Interesting lol. God bless Nigeria!!!
@omo9ja….
Oga sanitary prefect; abi na sanitary scout…
Nawaooo….
Have you finished your scouting work????
Now you are into sanitary….
The world is watching u o!
@UBFE, oh yeah right. Thanks for the compliments. I am hiring now though lol. God bless Nigeria!!!
Hello @Omo9ja, its been a long time coming. I remeber your ID on KickOff website. Men it was nice banter there with collins providing us the gists. I miss those days.
Perhaps some of the commenters annd internet coaches back then from kickoff are now here on complete sports. Anyway I have now joined now. Topstarz is happy to join this platform.
Yes it was bro. Whenever I remembered those days on Kickoffnigeria.com, I give thanks to God and I’m very happy seeing my people on here again.
Welcome on board @TopStarz. I’m so happy for you my man. God bless Nigeria!!!