Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma has been granted permission by FIFA to make his switch to the Super Eagles with immediate effect, reports Completesports.com.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick announced the good news on the social
media.
”Coach Gernot Rohr might be a bit light in the middle. However, I’m extremely happy to announce that @FIFAcom has just granted Hoffenheim defender and former German U-20 national team skipper Kevin Ufuoma Akpoguma permission to make his switch to Nigeria with immediate effect,”Pinnick tweeted on Monday night.
The centre-back recently disclosed his intention to switch allegiance and represent Nigeria at senior level.
Read Also: Akpoguma Pays Visit To Super Eagles Camp In Austria
The 25-year-old represented Germany at youth level playing for the U16, U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 teams.
Akpoguma was the captain of the German U-20 team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.
The tough tackling defender stormed the Super Eagles Hotel Die Ziet, Austria camp on Monday ahead of Friday’s friendly encounter against African champions Algeria.
He is in camp to familiarise with the Nigeria set-up and bond with other players.
By Adeboye Amosu
15 Comments
Congratz Kevin, wishing you a successful SE career…. Welcome home!
That was fast!!! Hope to see you in action for the Super eagles very soon.
The league you play for has probably boosted your rating among super eagles fans.
This is good news, wishing you a successful super eagles career…… You are welcome Kevin
Congratulations to you Kelvin. I wish you a successful career with the super eagles. I wish you a successful football career at all ramifications.
I think by the time the switching process of other players like Lookman, uduokhai, Ehizibue, Ejaria and Adarabioyo are finally completed Nigerians can then watch the super eagles of Nigeria with peace of mind.
Who says Rohr is not working? Employed as the national team manager but adding the scouting as well as mobilization of players to his job is a sign on how he really wants to succeed as the national team manager. May God empowers you Rohr to doing much more for us. You shall be remembered for glorious career with the Nigerian super eagles. Ameen.
This’s a great news for Nigeria soccer, thanks Coach Rohr, this’s big.
God bless you in all ramifications Kevin Akpoguma and bless Rohr too for all what he is doing and will continue to do to make the team strong and competitive. I know with the way the the team is been organised, the Nation Cup trophy for 2022 is within reach by God’s grace. Amen
The most exciting thing y’all didn’t know is that he (15yo then) Kevin wrote a letter to Nigeria proposing to join our U17 team but he was apparently *aired*
He waited for about five months before he represented Germany at the U16 level .via ayodeji
Someone dropped this news even before CSN made announced it and a Certain DR.DREY went attacking saying it will still take time. He claims he knows all things yet he doesn’t know Jack. He thinks it takes everlasting before a switch process can be done.. smh. Csn experts
Information coming from Austria camp of SE this morning is that a certain LAWAL is the best keeper in camp and the young man might displace UZOH as number 1 choice.
Hahahahaha…..Anonymous indeed…..why are you hiding your face…LMAO. Hide your face all you can, you cant hide your signature and ignorance. I have told you before, go back to primary school and learn simple English….You obviously don’t comprehend English…! Pls show us where it is written in this report that Akpoguma just applied last week…LMAO
You dont need to hide your face….Here is the thread you are referring to.
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Chairmanfemi 2 weeks ago
Felix Uduokhai is even a better defender than Kevin Akpoguma. I watch Hoffenhiems game well. He makes silly mistakes as a Defender, scores own goal well, Unwarranted Red cards. Compared to Augsburg Uduokhai, young left footed center back with great composure than Kevin. Anyways, the Coach has seen something in him to invite him so he’s welcome.
As for some people on this forum that once said it takes up to 8-12 months to complete FIFA Switch of Allegiance, Hope una eye don clear now?? Am sure Kevin has not filed this stuff since January yet he’s going to be available for November qualifiers if FIFA work on it ASAP. So you guys can see now that Ejaria can file this month and be available even for November Friendlies that’s if he has not even filed.
And here are the responses
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Akin Sambaki 2 weeks ago
It takes up to 12 months or even more for an English-capped player and less for players capped by other countries.
Dr. Drey. 2 weeks ago
Hahahaha…you think FIFA is just a post office that just appends a stamp on every document that comes its way…??? LMAO. Oga calm down and dont be in a rush.
Please show us anywhere in the above report that shows he applied only last week or last month. Clearly stated in the report is Rohr indicating he had been having contacts with his family for a good deal of time… “….I had a good conversation with him and his family while watching SEVERAL games in Hoffenheim…” Several is not 2 or 3 games…several is say from 5 and above……so definitely those “several games” weren’t this season or post corona season when fans were not allowed near the stadium. Oga read between the lines and use your tongue to count your teeth.
We all know Rohr always wants this nationality switch thing to be discrete, especially at the initial stage. He has frowned severally at publicizing after just 1 dinner and instagram photoshoot with a player. That of Ehizube took EVERYONE by surpise….but it wasnt a day’s job. It wasnt just one meeting. Just as he stated watching several hoffenheim games, he also watched and met the kid severally too at Koln. Those who will play for us in 2021 are already in the process as at now. That is why no matter how much we clamour for Saka’s invitiation, and no matter how much he is willing to play for us, the earliest he can do so will be in 2021.
Before a switch is approved by FIFA a panel must sit on a periodic and adjudicate on the application after due diligence have been carried out on the players former and later football federations. Then before the said player will now also apply for and obtain ID documents of the Nation he is switching too. The final notification of approval is only but the final stage of a lengthy painstaking process…..it is not all as straight forward as purchasing recharge card on the street bros….Lolz. The earliest switch I know of is that of a French-Algerian player and it took a lot of fast tracking from both FA’s and Immigration officials to make it happen in 6 months in time for the 2014 world cup in Brazil.
Ejaria can never apply this month and get approval by next month even if he was infantino’s son…LMAO….person wey don apply since last year….Lolz. Some of those who have applied even since last year have not even been approved yet. Aina applied in 2017 after the London camp and got his in 2018 (about a year and few months after).
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Specifically, Articles 8b of the FIFA Regulations Governing the Application of the International Allegiance Statutes states;
“….Any player who has the right to change associations in accordance with
par. 1 and 2 above shall submit a written, substantiated request (SUBSTANTIATED BY THE FIFA SECRETARIAT AFTER CARRYING OUT THEIR INVESTIGATION AND DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES) to the FIFA general secretariat. The Players’ Status Committee shall decide on the request. The procedure will be in accordance with the Rules Governing the Procedures of the Players’ Status Committee and the Dispute Resolution
Chamber. Once the player has filed his request, he is not eligible to play for
any representative team until his request has been processed…..”
PLAYERS STATUTES COMMITTEE is not one person or two persons…and they dont meet everyday….DISPUTE RESOLUTION CHAMBER is not one person or two persons too…and they dont meet everyday too….they meet during fifa council meetings which happens biannually (I stand to be corrected on the frequency of the meetings). That’s why its often said that the earlier a player can get approval is 6 months. And per normal administrative processes, before the council decisions are finally ratified (after several due diligence processes must have been implemented too to confirm the authenticity and eligibility of the player’s application and the documents submitted), approved, gazetted and then communicated to the respective FAs and the players involved, that too is not done in a week. Those who know high level administration will relate with theses things.
And apprarently, it is not only Dr Drey that knows that FIFA approval of international switches takes time (min 6 months) from commencement till final approval. I dont need to explain anything any further to you again. I stand by my earlier response.
Go and educate yourself and stop being cynical and exposing your ignorance.
Here is a link to the FIFA statutes book 2019 editionresources.fifa.com/image/upload/fifa-statutes-5-august-2019-en.pdf?cloudid=ggyamhxxv8jrdfbekrrm
…go and read it. But I doubt you will read it. Many like you will still come back here and argue blindly next time.
Mr Anonymous coward…read the links below and educate yourself
Lookman has applied since January, no approval yet. Akpom started his own September last year. Ejaria’s switch took up to 1 year of processing
Intenational switch is not instant banking.
owngoalnigeria.com/2020/05/01/ejaria-keen-on-super-eagles-debut-after-getting-all-clear-from-fifa-to-switch-from-england-to-nigeria/
owngoalnigeria.com/2020/01/23/rohr-we-are-waiting-for-fifa-to-approve-ademola-lookman-switch-from-england-to-nigeria/
owngoalnigeria.com/2019/09/25/chuba-akpom-three-others-sign-switch-of-allegiance-document-to-represent-nigeria/
Dr Anonymous….if you are not informed, you will be deformed. read wide and get informed so that ignorance may not deform you.
The international switch process also involves modalities like FIFA writing to the FG and FG responding. It also involves series of communication and administrative processes between FIFA, the former FA and the new FA. Processes that are not completed in just a matter of mere days or weeks. CSN Ignoramuses…!
owngoalnigeria.com/2017/05/02/exclusive-chelsea-ola-aina-cant-play-for-nigeria-against-south-africa-until-england/
owngoalnigeria.com/2017/09/01/how-delay-by-fgn-stopped-ola-aina-from-making-super-eagles-debut-against-cameroon/
Specifically, Articles 8b of the FIFA Regulations Governing the Application of the International Allegiance Statutes states;
“….Any player who has the right to change associations in accordance with
par. 1 and 2 above shall submit a written, substantiated request (SUBSTANTIATED BY THE FIFA SECRETARIAT AFTER CARRYING OUT THEIR INVESTIGATION AND DUE DILIGENCE PROCESSES) to the FIFA general secretariat. The Players’ Status Committee shall decide on the request. The procedure will be in accordance with the Rules Governing the Procedures of the Players’ Status Committee and the Dispute Resolution
Chamber. Once the player has filed his request, he is not eligible to play for
any representative team until his request has been processed…..”
PLAYERS STATUTES COMMITTEE is not one person or two persons…and they dont meet everyday….DISPUTE RESOLUTION CHAMBER is not one person or two persons too…and they dont meet everyday too….they meet during fifa council meetings which happens biannually (I stand to be corrected on the frequency of the meetings). That’s why its often said that the earlier a player can get approval is 6 months. And per normal administrative processes, before the council decisions are finally ratified (after several due diligence processes must have been implemented too to confirm the authenticity and eligibility of the player’s application and the documents submitted), approved, gazetted and then communicated to the respective FAs and the players involved, that too is not done in a week. Those who know high level administration will relate with theses things.
Go and educate yourselves and stop being cynical and exposing your ignorance.
Here is a link to the FIFA statutes book 2019 edition…go and read it. But I doubt you will read it. Many like you will still come back here and argue blindly next time. https://resources.fifa.com/image/upload/fifa-statutes-5-august-2019-en.pdf?cloudid=ggyamhxxv8jrdfbekrrm
Why are you always fighting and insulting people. You can state your facts and move on. We’re here to learn and enjoy ourselves not to win arguments.
Oga…I come in peace, its just that the jealousy and hatred in some people cannot restrain them from wanting to score a point over Dr. Drey…. if you fight me, i will fight you back, I i dont think that should offend anybody….but I will still state the facts so that you learn to at least educate yourself a little even if you hate the fact that it is Dr.Drey that is schooling you. I engage a lot of intelligent guys on here in fruitful discussions time and again…but Ironically, its the ones that know nothing that will come with guns blazing, to fight and argue blindly.