Akpoguma: "We need to get fire in our bones" | OneFootball

Kevin Akpoguma has been under contract with TSG Hoffenheim for more than ten years and has gained a lot of important experience during this time. He has competed in Europe with TSG, experienced the unique challenges of the relegation battle, and matured into a leading player. In fact, the 29-year-old has probably been more important this season than ever before. A lot has also changed at TSG since the German-Nigerian's arrival. In a SPIELFELD interview, the defender talks about the club's development, his experiences with changes of coach and his evolving role in the team.

Akpo, you've been in the football business for a long time and have already experienced several coaching changes. What is the impact on a player?

‘It varies from person to person. You also have a closer bond with some coaches than others, it's like in real life. In the office, you don't get on equally well with all your colleagues. You have to see football as a business. We are professionals and have to do our job - no matter who the coach is. After a change of coach, it's about adapting to the new things quickly as a team, putting the past behind us and focussing on the present.’

After all these years, is a change of coach something you're used to, or is it still a unique experience?

"In the end, it's probably ‘business as usual’. I would describe myself as an empathetic person, but unfortunately that's the way it is in the football business. You can't mourn the past, otherwise you fall by the wayside. I'm a contracted player at TSG Hoffenheim and if there are changes, I have to accept them and make the best of them. A change like that can also be an opportunity. In the end, we all want to be successful."

Has this idea evolved over the course of your career or have you always viewed it in such a professional manner?

"I had my first real change of coach during my loan at Fortuna Düsseldorf (2015 to 2017, editor's note). There were two within one season - one positive and one negative for me. Nevertheless, I never had the feeling: ‘What am I going to do now, I'm lost’. And of course you become more mature and professional with experience. There is a new leader who wants to set new impulses. And you orientate yourself accordingly. We are professionals and earn a lot of money in our job. In return, personal issues sometimes take a back seat. Instead, we want to fulfil our expectations and those of the fans with our performances."

A new coach brings new opportunities, especially for the players who were previously deployed less...

"Definitely. But you need a lot of confidence in yourself. If you perform well in training, then there will be opportunities. You just have to make the most of them. The coach gets to see 30 new players and only knows a few of them personally. He has to form an impression in a very short space of time. Football is a results-based sport and the coach ultimately decides based on performance. You can only try to get the maximum out of yourself."

How would you characterise Christian Ilzer as a coach?

"Chris is very analytical and does a lot of observation in training. He is rather reserved during the sessions and the assistant coaches take on more than in the past. His speeches are very motivating, but also clear at the same time. It's not just about motivation, but also very much about football-specific and tactical matters. He strikes a good balance. Chris is very clear in his philosophy and has a very pleasant way of going about things."

Are you nervous on the first day with the new coach, as you don't know what to expect?

"That has subsided, I've probably been through too much already. (laughs) Every coach has their own ideas and of course our daily routine changes. But you quickly get into the new rhythm. In the end, we're all in the same boat and want to be successful with TSG Hoffenheim."

You've been under contract with TSG since 2013. It seems that nothing will surprise you anymore...

"I've grown with my career. I'll be 30 next year, so I'm slowly approaching the autumn of my career. My body feels wonderful, but at some point we might reach a point where the club prefers to focus on young players. That's the club's philosophy and the TSG way. I've travelled this path myself. I may never have been a top talent like Niklas Süle, Joelinton or Christoph Baumgartner, who were sold for a lot of money, but I delivered my performances. And as long as the club wants to go down this path with me, I will continue to give one-hundred per cent for TSG."

Only a few players in the squad know TSG as well as you do. How has the club developed in recent years?

"TSG have been hugely shaped by Julian Nagelsmann. He took this club to a new level as a coach. Under him, we qualified for Europe for the first time, achieved the best results in the club's history and delighted fans across Germany with the way we played football. For TSG, playing on the international stage was and is not an everyday occurrence. However, the Nagelsmann years have raised the bar, we can set ourselves higher goals and have become more ambitious. Nevertheless, we must never forget where we come from. Our most important feature is and remains the academy. That's what makes TSG Hoffenheim what it is. There are also numerous examples of the TSG approach in the current squad. And when the boys develop, they move on to bigger clubs. And we are proud of that. Baumgartner, Süle, Maxi Beier - I could name so many players."

How can you get interest in TSG to grow again?

"We have to get some fire in our bones. I completely agree with Andi Schicker. Our fan base is smaller. We have to set an example with our style of play and the club's philosophy. How can we get neutral spectators interested in TSG? The best way to do that is with attractive football and good results. We have to build on our time with Julian. It's about everyone. The players, the coaches, the staff, the employees. We all bear responsibility. If that works, we'll launch an initiative and inspire the fans."

You are in the top ten players in the club's history with the most Bundesliga appearances. What does that mean to you?

"I've been an integral part of the professional team since 2017 and, as I said, I've experienced a lot here. From relegation battles to the Champions League, I've seen it all. Sure, I'm proud of the games. I'm proud of what we've achieved as a team with different players and different coaches. Let's see what the future holds together. As long as I wear this blue and white crest on my chest, I will always strive for maximum success. The TSG jersey means responsibility and pride. I want to live up to that. I've had many companions along the way and I'm sure there will be many more. There are some people to whom I owe a lot."

In the public eye, despite your impressive stats, it sometimes feels like you're flying under the radar. When it comes to a possible starting XI before the season, you rarely appear in discussions, but you always end up getting your playing time. How do you see that?

"The people in charge know that I know the club very well and that they can rely on me. That's definitely an advantage. I'm a fan of healthy competition, I think you get better performances from it. May the better player play. And it's also perfectly clear that if money is spent on a player in my position, there's an expectation that this player will be used. When a new player comes to the club, he has to show what he can do, he has to show that he is ‘worth his money’. And to remain valuable, you need playing time. That's how the transfer market works. That also applies to a club like TSG, where it's always about young players. I came from KSC as a youth player and didn't cost much in transfer fees. So it wouldn't be such a big loss for me if I were to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of my contract at the age of 31. But I believe that I have always emphasised my value with my attitude and my performances. I always want to play - and I do that very well, as the statistics show. If I was unhappy, I would no longer be here. But I feel at home here and I still have big plans for TSG."

Has it ever been different? Have you ever thought about moving?

"No. I believe that I know myself best and that I never lose confidence in my abilities. I'm also not insecure when I'm sitting on the bench and not playing. Because I know that I will always give one-hundred percent when I'm called upon. Other people are responsible for putting together the best possible team. As long as it's all about performance, I won't grumble, because then I know where I stand. There's always a way to get there. In my case, for example, it was the loans to Düsseldorf or Hannover. They helped me a lot at the time. At the time, the competition at Hoffenheim was too great for me. There is no ideal path for every player, the ideal path is always different. For me, it went like this. I can judge myself well and am a realistic person. This is exactly the right place for me. TSG know what they have in me and I know what I have in TSG."

You are a reflective person who sometimes thinks outside the box. Has that always been in you?

"If it wasn't always there, I acquired it very early on. I used to be on my own a lot, my parents both worked a lot. When I was young, I had to do a lot of organising for myself. How do I get to training? How do I manage school? This has taught me to look at things objectively and not to approach everything emotionally. If plan A doesn't work, then I try plan B. It has to do with your own attitude and character. The important thing is: I know what's best for me personally."

Do you think that this is perhaps one of the reasons why you are a role model for the young players in the squad? They are always looking to talk to you.

"I think that as a person, I basically get on with everyone at first. That used to be the case when I was young and we had experienced players like Sejad Salihović, and it's the same now that I'm one of the experienced lads. I simply don't care about origin, age, looks or other characteristics. I always try to be happy and I think I radiate that. And I'm now one of the older ones. I used to always have to play in the centre of the circle because I was the youngest, but now, when we play young against old in a training match, I'm suddenly one of the older players. But as much as my role has changed: I'm there for everyone and the boys know that. Honesty and transparency are very important to me and I want to set an example."

How do you talk to the younger ones? Do you take on more of a buddy role or do you sometimes have to be stricter?

"I am who I am. I don't pretend, I don't need to. Whether it's on the pitch or off it. I exemplify the values that are important to me. It's more a question of the tone in which you do things. If you get it across in the right way, I think it sticks much more. I speak from my own experience. I've also listened in the past when people have tried to have a go at me. I prefer to give an example that people think about. It should be motivating and not patronising. I also want to set a good example."