Chima Akas on captaining Belenenses, national team snub, Zaidu Sanusi, Nigeria vs Ghana

Chima Akas has insisted that he is not bothered about being snubbed for the upcoming 2022 World Cup playoff matches against Ghana, despite playing in one of the top six leagues in Europe.

Nigeria's caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen has handed invitations to two left-backs in Rangers ace Calvin Bassey and Porto star Zaidu Sanusi and a third player, Ola Aina could provide cover in that area if required.

The 27-year-old Akas has spoken of his happiness at captaining his Portuguese top-flight club Belenenses SAD in a couple of matches at the start of the 2021-2022 season.

"I think the reason I was given the captain's armband is because of my experience and maybe they saw I've captained the national team before with the home based Super Eagles," Akas told allnigeriasoccer.com.

Akas has been in the international wilderness for more than five years, with his last cap for the Super Eagles earned in an international friendly against Tunisia on January 22, 2016.

"Everybody has his qualities. We play differently. I won't say this is the quality that I have that the other players in the current Super Eagles don't have, maybe their style is different from mine.

"It is what the coach prefers, what he wants, what kind of team he's building.

"The national team snub does not bother me because I have been there before so I know how everything works, maybe I need to keep working hard and someday they will recall me to the national team.

"I have been there 2014-2016, it is a privilege to play for your own country.

"I think Zaidu Sanusi is getting called up because he's playing for Porto but I'm still playing in the same Primeira Liga but that doesn't bother me much.

"Every time I pray for the national team so that everything goes well. The coaches know the best," Akas added.

The former Enyimba defender shared his thoughts on the upcoming 2022 World Cup playoff with the Black Stars of Ghana, and has sent a message to the coaching staff and players invited.

"We are playing the next two weeks against Ghana, this is a difficult game.

"The players in the team called up know what they are facing, they know it's not a normal game in football because there's no normal game in football, every game is important.

"They need to play to the coaches' instructions because the coaches know the tactics they want to play and they have to field the players in their best position so that we can achieve what we want.

"The players should play where their strength is higher, where they will give maximum on the pitch.

"We have quality players and I believe and hope we can beat Ghana with what we have. Experience is very important, psychologically we need to be ready."

Belenenses are the basement team in the Primeira Liga with nine matches to the end of the season and one of Akas' goals is to help the Blues beat the drop.

"We are struggling this season. That is the situation we find ourselves and everybody is working hard to make sure we are out of the situation.

"Now is nine matches to go so we are working hard as possible as we can. The main target is not to get relegated, move higher so we are not relegated," he concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel