Former Warri Wolves goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has revealed to Sportinglife that an urge to play in a more organised league forced him to move to South Africa.
The former Junior international who had his debut with Chappa United in the South African League last weekend, said it was his desire to move ahead after putting in almost a decade in the Nigeria League was the major reason he moved .
[pull_quote_left]“I wanted a new challenge, having been in the Nigeria League for almost 10 years, and I don’t think I have anything to prove again in the League, and moreover, to have a taste of a more organised league system, that was the major reason why I moved over to South Africa”.[/pull_quote_left]
He further confirmed that the two year contract with Chappa United is juicy enough, and promised to bounce back to the national team.
Daniel Akpeyi, who was born in Nnewi in 1986, began his career with Gabros International of Nnewi and was promoted to the first-team in 2005, but moved to Nasarawa United in January 2007. He was an undisputed starter for both clubs.
Akpeyi joined Heartland of Owerri for their 2010 CAF Champions League campaign, and was again first-choice. In February 2014, it was announced that he had left Heartland to join league rivals Warri Wolves but a few days later, Heartland denied the move by an official statement, stating that they had no intention to sell their first choice goalkeeper.
In the following month, however, the deal was confirmed again and Akpeyi joined Warri Wolves.
Akpeyi was a member of the Nigeria U-20 team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Holland and was in the 22-man squad before the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but did not see action in either tournament. He was also called up to the 23-man squad for the CHAN in South Africa as a backup to Chigozie Agbim.
On May 6, 2014 Akpeyi was named in the 30-man provisional squad ahead of FIFA World Cup.
He made his first full cap in 2015, called in for the friendly vs. South Africa as a replacement for an injured Vincent Enyeama. He saved a penalty and was praised for his strong keeping in his Man of the Match performance.
