My vision for the Super Eagles convinced Kevin Akpoguma to switch his allegiance to Nigeria – Coach Gernot Rohr reveals! Details 👇

Gernot Rohr said it wasn’t his job to convince Kevin Akpoguma to switch his allegiance to Nigeria, he said he only spoke to him about the vision he has for the Super Eagles.

He said Akpoguma realishes the dream of representing the Super Eagles at major International tournaments like the FIFA World Cup as well as the Nations Cup.

According to Rohr;

It was not my job to convince [Kevin] Akpoguma to come and play for Nigeria.

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I had a good conversation with him and his family while watching several games in Hoffenheim.

After the matches we met and could talk. I presented our projects and I could speak about the team, about this incredible period in the Super Eagles and my vision for the team.

He was sold on this and would love to be a part of the team and play in big international competitions like the Africa Cup of Nations or even the World Cup. 

He was part of the German team that defeated the Flying Eagles 1 nil in the second round of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand in 2015.

Born in the western town of Neustadt an der Weinstraße in Germany to a Nigerian father and German mother, Kevin Akpoguma is set to joins a long list of Nigerian players born abroad who have already featured for the Super Eagles after they switched their allegiances.

The Super Eagles manager also added that Akpoguma has already written to FIFA about his switch of allegiance from Germany to Nigeria.

He has fulfilled the written request to switch and we only await the good news that he can finally play for us.

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It’s too soon to expect him to play our two friendlies in October, but hopefully for the Nations Cup qualifiers in November.

Kevin Akpoguma, the 6 ft 4 defender currently plays for Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga.

Quote via BBC Sport