Akpan eager for opportunity with Rowdies

Posted Jul 8, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jul 8, 2010 at 03:44 PM

For a team hurting with injuries as the FC Tampa Bay Rowdies are, the acquisition on loan from the Colorado Rapids of forward Andre Akpan looks like a perfect scenario for both sides.

The Rowdies need someone to fill the presence left open by Aaron Wheeler’s stress reaction to his right shin, while Akpan needs playing time to develop in his first professional season. After a pair of good training sessions with his new teammates, Akpan is certainly excited for the opportunities that appear to be open to him in Tampa.

“It’s my first year and you definitely need (playing time) for your development,” Akpan said after practice on Thursday. “Practice can get you so far, but you need game situations to develop and I think there’ll be a great opportunity here for that.”

Selected with the 22nd pick of this year’s MLS SuperDraft by the Rapids, Akpan has yet to see action in MLS this season, making his debut in the U.S. Open Cup against the Kansas City Wizards. That was to be expected with Connor Casey and Omar Cummings at the top of the Rapids’ pecking order and Akpan has been appreciative of that he’s learned from the veteran strikers.

Now, though, he’s ready to get out on the field and show what he can do. With a large frame and good touch, he feels as though he’s going to work well with the passing and movement the Rowdies try to employ in the attacking third.

“The team has a lot of good players,” Akpan said, “good for combining and making clever runs and I think if things can click we can do well.”

Akpan’s former U.S. Under-20 teammate, current Rowdies captain Julian Valentin, is certainly happy to see him with the side and has been impressed with how Akpan has developed since they last played together at the 2007 Under-20 World Cup.

“He may even be a little more refined than then,” Valentin said. “It’s definitely a good pick-up for us and hopefully it can pay dividends.”

INJURY UPDATE: The Rowdies suffered another blow on Thursday when left back Gordon Kljestan was held out of practice with a knee injury.

If he were to miss Saturday’s game, that would leave the Rowdies potentially without four regular starters – Wheeler, Kjlestan, Erik Ustruck and Jeremy Christie, who could find out later today whether he’ll be cleared to play after a scan.