Hoffenheim midfielder, Diadie Samassekou has admitted that his club team-mate, Kevin Akpoguma would make the Nigerian national team, Super Eagles, a much stronger side in African football.
German-born defender, Akpoguma is a strong centre-back who can give the likes of Eagles stars, Kenneth Omeruo, Semi Ajayi, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun a good run for their money.
Gernot Rohr and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) have been following the progress of the 25-year-old of Nigerian descent with a view to making him pledge his international allegiance to the West African nation.
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Rohr did try to land the services of Akpoguma before the Russia 2018 World Cup but his effort came to nothing as the centre-half remained committed to his dream of featuring for his country of birth, Germany.
While club-mate, Samassekou believes the 25-year-old would be a good asset for Rohr’s side, he’s attempted to dissuade the towering defender from committing to Nigeria.
“I think he would be a great help for [Nigeria],” Malian international, Samassekou told Goal, “so for me, it would be better if they didn’t have Akpo.
“[I haven’t really asked him about it] because I’m not Nigerian,” the midfielder continued, “but for the development and improvement of African football, it would be great if he goes there.”
Akpoguma hasn’t represented Germany at any level since 2017, having worked his way up from U-16 level to the U-21s, but is yet to formally be introduced to the Nigeria set-up despite opening the door to a switch in 2018.
“I don’t know what he’s thinking,” Samassekou concluded. “This is a question you should ask him, and he’ll give you the right answer.”
Akpoguma signed for Hoffenheim from Karlsruher in 2013, but has taken his time settling in the first team.
This season, however, having previously had loan stints with Fortuna Dusseldorf and Hannover 96, he has made 16 appearances in the Bundesliga including 12 starts.
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COMMENTS
That will be another great addition to SE.
At 25 he is still waiting to be begged to play for Nigeria. Pitty him! Is his waiting game over seeing wather he will get German call up. Pls he is not welcomed to the supee eagle. All of them that will waste their yeaes waiting for their country of birth to make the world best should know that days are gone when Nigeeia lacked players in many departments but these days no more shakara. He should wait because I know that Geemany will take him to Euro next year
pls forget abt the guy shakara, NFF should work hard to get him, we need good defender not all this blunder defenders in Super eagles
Pls point of correction ww don’t have blunders as defenders. All our backline are first team players in euro top 5 leagues and none of them is sitting on the bench or do you want to tell us that their teams are also collecring bribe to play them?
Did you watch his Blunder in Match day 27 in Bundesliga?? That kinda blunder has never been committed by our present Super Eagles defender in there club sides. So if you’re looking for a Good defender, not Mr. Shakara Akpoguma that thinks he’s world best..lol. The guy is not half as good as Felix Uduokhai of Augsburg to start with before comparing him to the Defenders we have at the moment in the Super Eagles
abeg kelvin should retire from there. we dont need him again. we beg him since he was 19yrs he refused, now he is 26yrs still want us to beg him. leave this guy and go for felix one more.
Kelvin feels German but Germany don’t feel Kelvin as Akpoguma sounds Nigerian. Shame Kelvin is losing the best part/days of his football career, as he kinda fails to hear the sound of Akpoguma.
He’s a right footed centre back, like the others we currently have in d team so I doubt we need this guy.
We need a left footed centre back like Felix Uduokhai to provide balance to d team’s defense.