Akpeyi Has To Play Regularly To Prove His Worth – Peter Rufai

Ex Nigeria goalkeeper, Peter Rufai has said Daniel Akpeyi will continue to grow when he plays consistently and regularly for the Super Eagles and in the Premier Soccer League with Kaizer Chiefs.

Daniel came back to Gernot Rohr’s squad for their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers after missing their last two international friendly games against Ukraine and Brazil.

Akpeyi returned to the team in Eagles’s 2-1 victory vs Benin and Peter Rufai has shielded him from critics.

His words, “In football, you can never say you have overgrown challenges that confront people in your position,”

“You can be doing well as a striker, what about if they bring you against the best defender in the world? You can be the best goalkeeper in that season but if you have strikers like Drogba and Messi are approaching your defence, it is a different situation.

“It depends on your era, like when a goalkeeper plays against a top side and he does not perform very well, people will think he is not good.

“Goalkeepers cannot overgrow their challenges, Akpeyi is still a goalkeeper and he is doing well at the moment, training day in and out to show his qualities. As long as he is playing, he will keep growing and keep showing his qualities.”

“I know we still have confidence from the win against Benin. I believe when the going is like this for a team, they become formidable just like the Super Eagles. They have a way of coming out from difficult situations but people think football is the same as the past. All the nations playing are candidates for qualification so no match is easy.”