The young England-born midfielder’s career has been exciting till date and his desire is now
to play for the national team of his parents' country of birth, the Super Eagles
EXCLUSIVE

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The recent success of the young, vibrant Super Eagles team has, it seems, not only acted as
an inspirational force for Nigeria fans worldwide; the triumph, and the new direction of the
vibrant national side, has encouraged a reaffirmation of Nigerian national identity across the
globe.
It looks as though the team may be primed to benefit from the pride that the victory has
induced within Nigerians overseas. Reading midfielder and Premier League star Hope Akpan
was moved to declare himself available for the Super Eagles—and Stephen Keshi’s revolution
could take another major step forward with the inclusion of this exciting young talent.
Akpan may not be a name familiar to many Eagles fans, but his meteoric rise of late deserves
acknowledgement; having been released by Everton as a 19-year-old, the youngster was
picked up by then-League Two’s Crawley Town.
A promotion-winning campaign was the perfect antidote, helping Hope move on from the
‘heartbreak’ of being shown the door by the Blues after 11 years of service. Beginning 2012-13
in England’s third tier, Akpan quickly adapted to the ‘rough and tumble’ of the lower leagues,
learning his trade, appreciating the realities of the game further down the pyramid, and
imbuing him with a hunger to return to the upper echelons of the sport.
He didn’t have to wait long. Clearly a cut above the rest in League One, the dynamic midfielder
was picked up by Premier League club Reading in January of this year. Speaking to Goal.com ,
he admitted there had been rumours about bigger clubs coming in for him, but despite this, it
was still a massive surprise when reported interest became a concrete move.
Only days after Reading knocked Crawley out of the FA Cup, Akpan had gone; Exit League One,
Enter Premier League.
While recent weeks have been stymied by injury, Akpan has adapted well to the EPL in his
nine games to date. Having already notched up three assists, early signs suggest that he is
well capable of taking the step up to a higher level and cementing his status as one of the
country’s finest young midfielders.
Unfortunately, his immediate future may not be in the top flight. With Reading struggling to
escape from the relegation zone throughout the season, it has long seemed inevitable that the
Royals will tumble. Descent to the Championship would cap a rollercoaster few years for
Hope: Release, promotion campaign, Premier League, relegation battle—we joked that, at 21,
he was already among the most experienced campaigners in Reading’s squad!

The natural progression for Akpan appears to be international football. He was candid about
his desire to break into the Super Eagles set-up, and there was a distinct twinkle in his eye
when the prospect of accompanying Nigeria to the 2014 World Cup was raised.
It’s clear that despite being born in Liverpool, Nigeria runs through the veins of this young
star. “I remember watching the World Cup vividly when I was a kid, and being in awe of the
Nigeria team—our house filled with shrieking aunties and uncles, just going crazy when the
Super Eagles came to play.”
It seems Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and their mesmerising performances left a deep
impression on 6-year-old Hope.
There is a definite joy at being Nigerian; it was evident in Akpan’s recent BBC interview, as
the youngster talked with genuine pride at seeing the Super Eagles back at ‘the top of the
tree’, and it is evident as he enthuses about the quality of some of Nigeria’s personnel,
particularly former teammates Joseph Yobo and Victor Anichebe.
“Of course, they were a massive influence and major role models for me back at Everton—the
club was so ‘Nigerian’, with those two, and Stephen Pienaar, who tried to be Nigerian!”
Growing up and training with the Nigeria captain Yobo must certainly have made an impact,
while Akpan envisages Anichebe as a key man, a ‘big player’ in the future of both Everton and
the national side.
Akpan was also open about what an important influence Victor Moses’s recent rise has had on
his desire to force his way into the international set-up. Seeing his dazzling performances in
the Afcon, particularly in crucial bouts with Ethiopia and Mali, spurred Hope on to throw his
hat into the ring with the Super Eagles.
Moses’s rise, and the central role he now occupies for Nigeria, is clearly an appealing model
for Akpan to follow. Despite turning out for England’s youth sides, including the U21 team, the
Chelsea man opted for Nigeria and is flourishing in his role as a national idol—he is an
emblematic component of Stephen Keshi’s youth revolution.


Akpan is aware of the movement, conscious of the national team’s change in direction and
approach, and keen to become a crucial part of this exciting project. Like Moses, he is acutely
aware of the way football allows African players based in Europe to ‘reconnect with their
roots’, and this is clearly a major motivating tool for him.
For those Eagles fans unaware of the player’s qualities, he identifies himself as a midfielder
who can keep the ball moving, recycling possession and preserving a team’s control on the
game, but at the same time as having the physical presence—the dynamism and energy—to
drive forward through the centre of the park and develop the side’s play.
Having scored ‘8 times in 22 games’ for Crawley Town—Akpan has also demonstrated he
knows how to find the net and it’s no coincidence that he once cited Yaya Toure and Patrick
Vieira as key influences.
The prospect of the Reading midfielder joining Nigeria’s current stable of talented midfielders
is tantalising. Naturally, there was one name that stood out from the others when considering
the men who he may one day share the centre of the park with.
“John Obi Mikel, what can you say? He’s a guy who plays week in week out at the top level,
with a major Premier League side, and is also a Champions League winner—it would be a
privilege to play alongside him.”
Perhaps it won’t be too long before Stephen Keshi decides that Akpan’s qualities might be the
perfect foil for Mikel in the heart of the Super Eagles’ midfield.
source: Goal.com