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Chuba Akpom almost quit football when things were not working out for him but today he has recorded several success including being name the Championship Player of the Year after scoring a remarkable 28 goals.
Current Championship Player of the Season Chuba Akpom has revealed how he almost quit football when things were not working out as planned earlier in his career.
The English-born Nigerian striker has had several loan spells in England and abroad after leaving Arsenal in 2013 to join six other teams on loan in and outside England.
Akpom’s unfruitful loan spells after leaving Arsenal
The 28-year-old played for Championship sides including Brentford, Coventry City, Nottingham Forest, Hull City and Brighton then flew to Belgium to play for St. Truiden.
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Akpom did not register a single goal in four of those clubs and managed to score nine goals in total with Hull City and St. Truiden.
The yet-to-be-capped Nigerian player scored a division-high 27 goals in the Championship for Middlesbrough and they are on the quest of gaining promotion into the Premier League next season through the playoffs.
Akpom told Daily Mail how he came out of the tunnel to see the daylight:
“I didn’t know where I was going to be playing or living.
“I kept my head down with Uche (Ikpeazu) and worked hard so I was ready for whatever happened next. I had my bags packed.
“There’s been many times when I’ve wanted to quit when things have been going wrong on loans or not getting in teams, I could have taken my foot off the gas.
“But I continued to work hard and I could see light at the end of the tunnel and I knew things would work out well for me.
“My biggest strength is my mentality. I never once doubted myself — work hard and it’ll work out.”
Akpom finally joined Greek side Paok where he gradually got his rhythm scoring 17 goals in 54 appearances but it was not good enough in his two-year spell in the Super League.
The Arsenal academy graduate then joined Riverside outfit Middlesbrough and went back on loan to former side PAOK where he managed just seven goals in 37 appearances.
The appointment of Man United legend Micheal Carrick by Middlesbrough was instrumental to Akpom’s resurgence when he returned to the Riverside.
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Akpom added:
“Carrick spoke to me straight away.
“In his second session, he put me in that new role. I’m so grateful he did that — it’s got the best out of me.
“Michael is a top man. The gaffer is so humble… he would say he’s had nothing to do with my form, but I want to tell people he has been key. I can’t praise him enough for what he’s done for my career.”
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