Super Eagles interim technical adviser Augustine Eguavoen has revealed why Hoffenheim defender Kevin Akpoguma was not listed for the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against Ghana, reports Completesports.com.
Akpoguma made his debut for the Super Eagles under former head coach Gernot Rohr and made two appearances in the qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 26-year-old was however omitted from the squad to the competition in Cameroon.
The centre-back was also overlooked for the two-legged qualifiers against the Black Stars despite his impressive form in the German Bundesliga.
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“I’m a very reserved person, because our people, not just Nigeria alone, the entire world, people twist words. Yes, Akpoguma was out of the list that went to the Africa Cup of Nations,” Eguavoen told Elegbete TV.
“But slightly after the list was released, we still had opportunities to bring in one or two, and then Balogun was hurt- he couldn’t go because of his injury, and then we sent for Akpoguma to come. He didn’t, his club said no.
“I want people to know that if you miss a call-up, that does not mean that you can not be recalled. I think I’ve not worked with Akpoguma, but I have seen him closely. He is a very good player, no doubt, but for me, he couldn’t replace Balogun, Troost-Ekong, or Omeruo.”
He has made 20 league appearances for Hoffenheim this season with two goals and three assists to his name.
67 Comments
Thank you for clearing the air coach because we were wondering why he was deliberately left out of the team. Meanwhile, we are contented with the present defense lineup of Ekong, Balogun and Omerua. Good luck coach, God bless Nigeria.
Seriously!!! He didn’t and His club said no. Some people already want to kill this man for not inviting Him not knowing that he was invited before.
I think we need to sometimes chill before we make comment on bribery aligation against our national coach. Many tot the guy couldn’t pay bribe that why he is being ignore.
But must you even run into conclusion if not that you are stupid? .. I think we need to sometimes chill, you are who chilling? We should thank our stars that we have a coach who is communicative, goat. Probably this Akpogoma doesn’t deserve an invite for now.
Taiju, you said it all. Just look at what he posted as comment, he is an idiot. Eguavoen should go it how best it suits him. Bunch of scallywag.
OUR LOCAL COACHES ARE NOT TRUST WORTHY.AT FIRST, WHY AKPOGUMA’S NAME WAS NOT INCLUDED.
** AWAZIEM FAKE INJURY TO AFCON. IT WAS COVERED BY EQUAVOEN WHICH LED TO ANOTHER SHORT ONE IN AFCON.
NO BE TODAY, OUR LOCAL COACHES ARE SENTIMENTAL AND BRIBE-TAKERS.
NIGERIAN SHOULD NOT BE DECIEVING THEMSELVES.
God bless you @Talk UR OWN
And when we talk, all these BOOFHEADS will we be raining insults and abuses on themselves..
But only God knows..
They think we criticize Eguavon based on hate??
We know what we are doing and this is the best chance to use this medium to fight corruption in the glass house
LMFAO!! If not that you are a CLUELESS COACH, that hardly watch your players play, why would you make a world class defender(AKPOGUMA) your second option!!
If it was you, would you honour the invitation.
I mean for a coach to only think of a world class defender only because his favorite Average player is hurt.. SMH..
God save us from all these bribery and corruption in the Glass house..
Tell your parents to pray for you to see if you can be cured, that is if. The curse we placed on you is real and it is certain you are aware. Were you expecting the so-called Akpoguma to bench Balogun or who in th Super Eagles defense? C’mon listen to your coach or remain quiet.
@Osunde.
I think part of that curse is restlessness.
I like the manner Austin Eguavoen relates to us on how his business is being done. At least a total departure from the relationship we had with the former Super Eagles coach. I would like him to beam his searchlight on the midfield because that is where the game between Ghana and us is going to decided. Eguavoen must be ready to ruffle the hornets net and give us a more proactive, goal minded midfield that would also serve as a buffer to the defense and also be catalytic to the deliveries expected of our forwards. The name of the game should be goal, goal, goals from the blast of the whistle. I wish you well, coach.
Meetings total 56
All-time series Ghana: 25 Draw: 19 Nigeria: 12
Largest victory Ghana 7–0 Nigeria Jalco Cup (1 June 1955)
5 more rows
It don’t matter how many chickens he invited they ll still be beaten lol
The chickens are our wives lol
@Francis Eluba.
Amoo Akinwumi will solve the M/F problems you so eloquently highlighted. Bless you.
a
Amoo is a right winger not a natural midfielder though he sometimes drifts to the midfield,I don’t see Amoo as a midfielder or long-term solution to our midfield quagmire.
Eguavoen and Amunike are on the lookout for attacking midfielders in the mould of late Thompson Oliha and Mutui Adepoju.
Searches in Europe and local leagues has yet to yield fruit.Converting Amoo to play a strange role because of lack won’t bring out the best in him.Since the coaches are unsuccessful in their search for quality attacking midfielders,we should just make do with what we have on ground.
The likes of Etebo and Aribo could play both central and attacking midfield respectively so this two should henceforth assume that role hoping more promising attacking midfielders emerges in the nearest future.
Etebo as attacking midfielder! I honestly do not know where we come up with these things. From Las Palmas to stoke city to Watford, none of the coaches at these various clubs have used etebo in such capacity and these are people who watch him daily in training. It is only in Nigeria you hear such things. Some fans will continue to clamour for iwobi in AM but at his club, different coaches have never deemed him fit for that role.Most don’t deem him good enough to start, it is already happening with the new coach but trust Nigeria , they will insist he not only makes the team but starts.Yet in their delusion, we will win the wc.
On Amoo playing the AM role, it is clear that you did not watch Amoo historics at the u17 afcon. He was the play maker for the side. Messi started out playing on the wing at Barcelona then played in the middle later on. He is the undisputed trequatista for the Argentine national team. What the qualities of an AM ? Final ball, passing range, dribbling/creativity, peripheral vision, scoring from midfield. Can you honestly beat your chest to say that etebo has the qualities? Even Aribo would be limited there. Amoo is the best fit for that role and if he performs like I know he can, that my spell the end of iwobi.
Etebo started his youth days back in Nigeria as an attacking midfielder a role he played so well.
Let’s go back memory lane his days with the under 23’s he was so good we won the African playoff tournament with his solo goals against Algeria making sure we went home as champions.
Etebo was converted to play more centrally by Rohr because of his energy as well versatility,then we also have an Iwobi from Arsenal who was good as well he took the attacking midfield role with Ndidi in the holding midfield.Thst was the composition of the super eagles midfield under Rohr.
I disagree with you on Iwobi,his preferred position is the attacking midfield he has echoed it severally and he has done so well in that role for Nigeria.We didn’t see the best of him in Cameroon because the coaches preferred him on the wings,it’s a strange decision for a player who has excelled in the national team as a number 10 then getting to a tournament proper the new coaches decided otherwise.
Apparently,the trio of Etebo,Aribo and Iwobi could function at both the attacking and central midfield roles respectively.
Aribo is versatile too he could play from the wings,centrally and number 10 roles.The three players mentioned above are experienced and are good enough to play the role of attacking midfield at least for now until we find better ones,in situations like this you have to make use of what you have on ground since there are scarcity in that position.
Amoo from his youth days in Nigeria has functioned as a right winger not a midfielder.I have seen him play severally in his former club Hammarby in Sweden he plays from the right side of the midfield he drifts into the midfield that’s his style but he isn’t a traditional number 10,not that I know of or has seen unless he has played that role growing up or could function in multiple roles,that is possible but we have to see him do that to confirm.
Amoo is no Messi,Amoo is Amoo.Two different players one is some of the best in the history of football and the other is just at his early days in football but you never know what the future holds for him,meanwhile,a player could inspire his team just like Amoo did for the eaglets from the wings.Inspiration could come from a striker too.
Salah inspired Egypt from the right wing but a twist by the Egyptian gaffer to play him in another role against Nigeria backfired.Mahrez inspired Algeria to win the Afcon in Egypt from the wings.Same Mahrez may not function as a number 10 should Belmadi experiments to use him there.
Same may apply to Amoo,it’s best he starts his national teams career in a position he is used to otherwise he may struggle in a strange role and Nigerians don’t forget easily and this may not be good for his confidence going forward as a young and promising footballer.
@Greenturf,
You missed the point I was trying to make. Playing a certain position in age group competition does not define competence in a certain role. Ndidi played as a central defender in flying eagles but is established today as a DM. Do you see Etebo giving a defence splitting pass? I doubt it. Say what you like about Eguavoen, he is cerebral, there is a reason why he listed Amoo in midfield and not in the wings. What etebo brings to the team is energy, marking and non stop running. To play him as an AM is to see the Eagles struggle for goals. Aribo would do a better job but even he is not a natural AM. Besides, let us see him play there first and then we can criticise later. Still on Eguavoen he is reported to have said he is looking at Alhassan Yusuf as a box to box midfielder and he has declared he will invite him at the slightest opportunity. The coach knows what he wants let us support the team. Take it from me that kid is the missing piece , I just hope the invitation is not too early for him.
Also on iwobi, Emery a 4 time europa league winner, Ancelloti a serial champions league winner,lampard & rafa benitez also a champions league winner all disagree with you. Even when he is played in his preferred position , iwobi disappoints and he is quickly tossed back to the wings. But trust Nigerians, we know more than these coaches and keep saying we will win the world cup.Group stage knockout awaits if we qualify for the wc.
“Trust Nigerians”you are also a Nigerian don’t forget that and you are not in anyway different.
Back to the argument Amoo has not played as a number 10 yet for the super eagles neither does he play as a number 10 at his club what Eguavoen is doing is mere experiment which could backfire I hope not,your assessment of Amoo as a number 10 according to you is based on his performance as a youth international even at then he functioned as a winger who likes to cut in through the midfield we have to wait first and see what role Eguavoen will play him.
I careless your assessment of Iwobi at club level but you can’t deny Iwobi’s flair,quick passes and vision as our attacking midfielder under Rohr he played that role so well and we suffered when the new manager played him from the wings.
As for Etebo I knew he was our attacking midfielder in the all African games and the Olympics.His performances in that role was terrific.If he could do that a few years ago he could do it today.Mind you he’s a professional,at some point he was used as a winger at his club and he didn’t struggle.
@Greenturf, it is particularly fine, it is your opinion and you are entitled to it. If Iwobi is the designated playmaker for the eagles then we should be measured with our expectations at this world cup. His competition at the world stage 1. K De Bruyn (Belgium) 2.Jack Grealish(England) 3.Messi (Argentina) 4. Paul Pogba (France)
5. Pedri (Spain)
6. Bernado Sylva (portugal if they qualify)
7. Kai Havertz(Germany)
8. Modric (croatia).
That’s the competition for Iwobi but I am sure it will be a walk in the park for Iwobi and Nigeria is on her way to the 1st ever world cup ROTFL! We will learn someday.
Iwobi may not have the stylishness,panache or elegance of the players mentioned in your post but he turns out brilliantly for Nigeria that’s what matters.Or will you compare Amoo with the world class players you mentioned?If you have the choice to pick between Amoo and Iwobi to represent Nigeria against the ones listed above who will you see fit?
The truth is we haven’t got players in the class of the ones you mentioned but with a very good coach ingenious enough to apply good tactics to win difficult games then we can boast of having a chance,we should.
We may not have players as good but we aren’t far behind in quality.
I think we have stretched this debate to it’s limit,so let us leave it as it is.Have a nice day
If our president @JimmyBall can say he has lost confidence in Eguavoen. Who are we floor members?
Too much ego and arrogance about Eguavoen and too little technical substance about football. Nigeria is heading for disaster!!
LMFAO! Ironically they are heading for the place(disaster) that they sacked GENERAL ROAH for.
But it we only take men with boldness and courage like us to fight it off no matter the bully..
Lolz. No body is bullying, you are an idiot. You hide away behind your keypad to to insult the skeletons of your dead parents to criticize who? Fool, and which corruption are you fighting in NFF? All because the people there are not your tribesmen. Ewu, your poor elders and children are being roasted in your community, go there and fight. Cursed race.
I tire. Even the women in his community in the east are daily being raped, some kiled and the mumu so much like Nigeria to the extend of hiding to fight corruption. Wetin we no go hear.
The same way they fried them in 2002 WC QUALIFIERS….
The same way the black stars fried super chicken in Egypt in 2006….
Super Eagles will break you people’s hearts again….
The same Eguavoen that almost kill Ghana in Egypt in 2006.
He did it when it matters most…. He’ll repeat it again.
Be calming down.
Its just about 2 weeks to go .
https://youtu.be/5nyG7Ap61Uw.
Relying on your Juju right? It failed you guys badly at Afcon 2022 and it will fail you again.
Coach Egu I support you every day all day but on this assessment of akpoguma i don’t agree. How can he not be able to replace ekong or balogun. Ekong for instance is currently warming the bench at watford, and balogun seems to be injured every now and then.. Akpoguma on the other hand plays regularly and even scores more goals than ekong and balogun combined.. Akpoguma to me right now is better than both of them, he’s more versatile, athletic, can recover faster if beaten by an attacker.. But what do I know, coach egu will make the final decision. It’s well..
My brother all these NUMBSKULLS will not know that it is a clear case of Bribery and day light robbery for him to pick Balogun or whoever ahead of Akpoguma.
@MonkeyPost. Do you even read what you type before you post it? You talk like an ignorant child who is still breastfeeding. So who exactly is bribing who here to get a place in our central defence? Is it Ekong who was born and bred in the Netherlands and plays at Watford or Balogun who is German born and is quite vocal? You really are a delusional person to the point that you love Rohr more than you do love your country.
I see your comments most times here and just whisper, ‘who is this overgrown child who throws tantrums whenever there’s news about Eguavoen?’
You really can’t wait for him to fail like if he does all your problems in life will suddenly go away
Hahahaha. Thank you and no thanks. Una cry just started warming up.
Eguavoen is going to eventually be a disaster even if we qualify. Hos utterances of late has shown how inept he is. How can a coach come out 2 weeks before a crucial tie and say I already know my first 11 he said this without barring injuries, drop of form to some players, and most importantly Ghana’s unrevealed squad which I know will be an upgrade to the shambolic team they presented at the Afcon. This man talks too much and he is a yes boy and is beyond compromised. I lost faith when he said he invited some players to pacify certain interests…..Are u kidding me??? Claims he hasn’t watched Dessers live. And all types of bullshit he has been saying in the last week.
And the Dumba ass released the list way to early giving the Ghanaians alot of time to do a player to player assessment and how to curtail our players as the squad is not too different from the afcon except for 4-5 returnees. Now as at this morning I heard Victor Moses is coming back…This is a bad precedent for others to labor for WC qualification and then others would stroll in especially using the eagles to get a market as Russia does not suit him anymore…What happened to his insistence on staying retired besides we are not lacking in his area. I knw Moses is a good player but sometimes we just have to move and look at development that just a short patch to a problem..After the WC now Ighalo, Musa,and Moses will retire and waste sports that a budding talent could have used to secure a move to a top club and will thereby serve us for years..
There is nothing wrong in releasing our squad early, if a team is good and better, no matter how long you assess the players they will still win. Ok, go and assess the Brazilian or Argentine teams player by player for 3 months before a game , they will still win. Nigeria is better than Ghana at the moment, is only Nigeria that can eliminate themselves in this qualification. Ghana is did not release their squad early because they are confused and disorganized on the players they will use to beat the Super Eagles, not for any games or tactics as some people think. However, i quite agree on some of the point you made.
Ho ho h0 ho, Na your disaster? Leave am for we are satisfied with our own.
t’s been a while I have commented on this forum. But I have to say this: Eguavoen with his cohort cannot take us to the dreamland. I have my reasons. More than ever, Eguavoen has shown his biases towards certain players. Now, he says Akpoguma is out because he was not with them at the AFCON and that he doesn’t think he is better than Balogun, Ekong, and Omuero. Olisa Ndah was part of AFCON squad. What this means is that he saw Ndah as better option to Akpoguma even when the former was not on the pre-liminary list submitted. Another dumb excuse usually given by Eguavoen on why certain players were omitted is that he hasn’t watched them play LIVE. He hasn’t watched Dessers played LIVE. I’m really curious because must a coach watch all players LIVE before they can get potential call-ups? Why do we have scouts then? This is the same man that tampered with the list to smuggle in Kelechi Nwakali because in his words, “I like the kid.” Would Eguavoen tell me he watched Amoo LIVE before he handed him a call-up? Did this same man watch Onazi play LIVE in the Saudi Arabian Second Division League before he placed him on a standby to “pacify everybody”? Etebo that’s battling with match fitness can be called up because the coach has not seen Innocent Bonke played LIVE. Wasn’t Eguavoen the Technical Director when Bonke played in the win against Cape Verde? Did he, as the TE, not watch the game? All these dumb excuses of him that undermine meritocracy. All these players are part of team and have trained together with them: Akpogma, Dessers, Bonke and the rest of them and as long as they are doing well Ibn their clubs, they deserved to be called up. Eguavoen cannot keep his biases because if we were to go by his I-haven’t-watched-them-play or I-have-not-worked-closely-with-them then some players would not be there. A coach that shows his biases cannot take this team to greatness. A coach that failed at the AFCON for that matter. Eguavoen HAS nothing to offer even with Amunike that serves as the assistant. But they all should know that their shenanigans MUST soar us past Ghana, or else….
Does CSN now delete comments?
It’s been a while I have commented on this forum. But I have to say this: Eguavoen with his cohort cannot take us to the dreamland. I have my reasons. More than ever, Eguavoen has shown his biases towards certain players. Now, he says Akpoguma is out because he was not with them at the AFCON and that he doesn’t think he is better than Balogun, Ekong, and Omuero. Olisa Ndah was part of AFCON squad. What this means is that he saw Ndah as better option to Akpoguma even when the former was not on the pre-liminary list submitted. Another dumb excuse usually given by Eguavoen on why certain players were omitted is that he hasn’t watched them play LIVE. He hasn’t watched Dessers played LIVE. I’m really curious because must a coach watch all players LIVE before they can get potential call-ups? Why do we have scouts then? This is the same man that tampered with the list to smuggle in Kelechi Nwakali because in his words, “I like the kid.” Would Eguavoen tell me he watched Amoo LIVE before he handed him a call-up? Did this same man watch Onazi play LIVE in the Saudi Arabian Second Division League before he placed him on a standby to “pacify everybody”? Etebo that’s battling with match fitness can be called up because the coach has not seen Innocent Bonke played LIVE. Wasn’t Eguavoen the Technical Director when Bonke played in the win against Cape Verde? Did he, as the TE, not watch the game? All these dumb excuses of him that undermine meritocracy. All these players are part of team and have trained together with them: Akpogma, Dessers, Bonke and the rest of them and as long as they are doing well Ibn their clubs, they deserved to be called up. Eguavoen cannot keep his biases because if we were to go by his I-haven’t-watched-them-play or I-have-not-worked-closely-with-them then some players would not be there. A coach that shows his biases cannot take this team to greatness. A coach that failed at the AFCON for that matter. Eguavoen HAS nothing to offer even with Amunike that serves as the assistant. But they all should know that their shenanigans MUST soar us past Ghana, or else….
HO HO HO HO, coach Eguavoen is winning Silver in Qatar. Meanwhile, leave am for us and keep your lamentation to youself. LMFAO
Na lie. The guy didn’t bribe you guys 5000dollars. We know local coaches how they collected bribe. That’s how them dey take chop they own. I still want white to coach our national team because they are sincere in chosen players
Eguavoen has no tact and finesse. One thing that never happened under Rohr was players refusing to honour a national call. Ith Pinnick support, Eguavoen isn now polarizing Nigerian Football along tribal, religious and skin colour lines. He has forgotten that the Super Eagles are a national project and not a cult nest
Uuhmm thank you. Leave am for us, he has tact and you will soon know what is polarity in selecting the very best players and not the available.
Continue changing your handle….Retard of the highest order lol
@Hanssy, he he he, u get handle? how much?
@Senula, the idiot will soon be clapping for our lads.
No be only national project, for add ‘asset, lol
It’s a shame Akpoguma didn’t have a chance to prove his mettle in his preferred central defensive role under Rohr.
Super eagles then was on a very precarious course,and there was no room for experiments so the gaffer kept faith with his tried and trusted.So when he did get a chance he was used as a right back where he struggled.
So he was judged on his performances as a right back for the super eagles which wasn’t good enough.Incidentally,every player was disappointing as Sierra made a huge historic epic come back against an ill-starred super eagles who watched in horror as the boys from Freetown came back from a 4 nil first half rout.The second leg was played on a millet farm like pitch which didn’t present an exciting viewing to the fans.
Hopefully,this lad will be giving a chance to play from the central defence,only then we can be sure the trio of Omeruo,Balogun and Ekong are better or not.
Based on current form Ekong doesn’t deserve to start our match except he grinds out one game before the play offs but based on experience I guess he will be fielded as we cannot experiment with those 2 games…
It remains to cry. You will enter Egulafon pocket to select players for him.
aaaah. Where have I been??? Hahaha sorry, it just started. ‘Mr’. Eguavoen already knows his first eleven. Hahahaha
Cerozo should have forgiven him same way he did for Denis.. they both committed the same offense..
We should not lose akpoguma because of a personal issue.. same way morroco has lost the Chelsea wonder boy.
Have a meeting with him and discuss the issues , coming to the media to stylishly blast him won’t do us any Good.. if you can go and see a Denis in england do that for him..
We need our best legs
Na today. Come enter ‘Egulafon’ pockit to select akpogomu… Hahaha, dey wait.
Only this one and some are shedding tears already. There’s the need for a bowl on the side.
Ukpokuma, was given an opportunity that he fluffed and we ended drawing a match we were 4 goals up largely due to defensive errors. Some of you think that club football is the same as playing for the national team.
…..and tell them to have a second thinking coming.
You can change your handles but your writing gives you away cuz you’re a retard and that is why is is so easy to decipher your writings….Fool!
Why has Nigerians just begin to become abusive. Everything little thing, they are abusing and cursing. I am not surprised. Probably the effect of the bad economic situation and the evil our government has inflicted on Nigerians. Too bad. Must you curse and abuse because you want to comment.
Please tell them. That’s why I rarely comment on the forum. The level of abusing and cursing is unprecedented. Haba!
@footballfanatic, my brother no mind them ojarie. Where I go see handle buy now bcoz it’s like Egulafon already get him starting 11.
@Jide o, ha ha ha ha, he wants to select his tribesmen for “his Egulafon” LMFAO!
Jide he said handles? Hehehe so funny and little wonder you are all laughing, it’s fun anyways…. I will be with ‘Cerozo’ to beg him to include Mr. Handles selected players in our own list. Ha ha ha ha… LMFAO…
Kevin is actually not playing that regularly for his club hoffenheim he is not the first choice in his position and comes on as a substitute most times yes Hoffenheim is sitting on 6th position in the Bundesliga however he has not cemented a place in the team. however in saying that he is playing more regularly than Shehu and they play similar position plus he is versatile, I don’t think people should blame Egu for this because out of all the backline invited Shehu is in the worst form and did not deserve to be there only for Quota system. SO stop blaming Egu and blame your Nigerian Government
HAHAHAHA!!! ALL of you are haters can’t wait for Eguavoen to shut you all up!. This is the strongest team assembled by any Coach of SE in Recent years barring Victor Moses and Michael Olise for obvious reasons (god willing they will be there WHEN! we qualify), Abdulahi Shehu is the weakest link and yes, you can argue that he is the one Kevin and Obviously Awaziem should have replaced but, blaming that on Cerezo is unfair that is down to Quota system PeroidT!..
So Semi Ajayi is better than Awaziem???
With all honesty can you say Onazi deserves to be called up???
Onazi definitely does not deserve a call up. Definitely not but in all honesty I commend Cerezo for bringing to light the fact that he only included him on stand by list to pacify some people Possibly NFF and government Officials which has subsequently blocked Onazi’s path to the main list.
Eguavoen lied. If what I read on owngoal.com is correct, then something is wrong. Egu was quoted to have said that he had to invite Ndah after Akpoguma refused to honour the invitation to the Afcon team. We all know that this is not true. Olisa was part of the 28-man team released in Dec 2021. You invited an uncapped Ndah for a consistent Bundesliga defender and u call that fairness? Eguavoen, this is unfair. With this u can’t take us forward.
”But I must say I have watched Ekong, Balogun, I have
watched Omeruo, I have watched Ajayi and made me say
he isn’t ahead of them. Now that Balogun isn’t available, I
sent for him, he didn’t come and his club replied that he
won’t be coming. That was why I went for Olisa Ndah. A
very good young player who isn’t in the list at the moment
but he is still in our plans”, he concluded.
That was Eguavoens comment according to Owngoal.com