Sounders FC welcomed its newest player to training this week as it returned from two days off following a stretch of five matches in 16 days. Nigerian defender Onyekachi Apam mixed in quickly with his new teammates, and he may owe a bit of that transition to his relationship with former Nigeria teammate Obafemi Martins.
Apam conceded that he didn’t know much about the Sounders while playing in France, though he had seen some games and highlights on television. However, Martins offered him the assurance that he was coming to the right place to help his career and enjoy his soccer.
“I said to him that the fact that I'm here means the team is good,” Martins said with a smile. “He was happy and said he's ready to come. I said ‘You have to come because this is a good team. If you are going to come to MLS this is one of the best teams. We have good players as well, so it's going to make it easier for you to play.’”
Apam took Martins’ advice and signed earlier this month with Sounders FC, but was delayed in joining the team while he acquired the proper paperwork.
That advice played a role in convincing the 27-year-old defender to sign with Seattle, and now he is working his way into the team after his first couple days of training.
“He told me a lot of good things about the club and about the people. It was so impressive what he told me about it,” Apam said. “I’m happy to be here. I’m working toward my fitness. I have to get to know how the team plays and fit in with the team.”
READ: Martins goals have been recipe for success in past two seasons
Apam was a standout player with Nice in France from 2006-2010, earning the captain’s armband at 22 years old in his final season.
However, his last league match was in May of 2013 with Stade Rennais FC in France as he has dealt with various injuries. Recently, he has been training on his own and working out with trainers to get his fitness back and was even considering waiting until winter to sign in Europe. Now in camp with Sounders FC, he is working his way into a regimen that could have him on the field for Seattle before the season gets out.
“We really wanted to evaluate where he was at fitness-wise as he’s coming in. There were some good things – he’s got good defensive tendencies. He’s got good quickness. It’s just a matter of making sure that we get him fit, get him up the speed and give him the opportunity to do well and not put him into a situation too early,” said Schmid, acknowledging that the next two or three games is probably too soon to see him in action. “Some guys catch fitness pretty quickly. We’ll see how he comes along. As long as we establish a good regimen, hopefully we’ll be able to bring him along.”
Sounders FC will meet the Colorado Rapids on Sunday, with a Reserve League match following on Monday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Schmid didn’t rule out using Apam in the Reserve League match, but noted that it wasn’t likely.
