Former Aston Villa youngster Akos Onodi admits he left the Premier League outfit due to concerns over a lack of first-team opportunities, speaking to Nemzeti Sport after joining Cypriot side Akritas Chlorakas on a free transfer.
The 21-year-old Hungarian did not feature in any of Akritas’ first two games of the new league season. He was, however, included in the matchday squad on both occasions. A step forward of sorts, then.
It’s certainly hard to imagine, with Emi Martinez and Robin Olsen both competing for a place at Villa Park, that Onodi would have even secured a place on the bench if he’d opted to stay put and fight for his place in the Midlands.
Why did Akos Onodi leave Aston Villa?
“Many people were surprised that I ended up in Cyprus,” explains Onodi.
“The four years I spent in England were great both in terms of my career and my personal life. I have achieved results that I would not have believed even in my wildest dreams.
“By the fourth year, everything that my coaches and I wrote in the career plan had been fulfilled. So as a member of Aston Villa’s first team, I could have been the number three goalkeeper. However, I would have had few opportunities in the upcoming season.
“I could have expected three or four games for U23s, which is not enough. So the decision was made to continue my career elsewhere.
Onodi made his one and only Aston Villa appearance as a COVID-hit side took on Liverpool in the FA Cup third round in January 2021. He spent four years at the club, joining from 2018 before bidding farewell when his contract expired this summer.
And while Cyprus was hardly the most obvious destination for a footballer attracting interest from English and Italian clubs, the likes of Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai and Freiburg forward Roland Sallai can both espouse the benefits of a spell on the Med.
‘The most important thing’
“The most important thing was to sign for a club where I would get a chance to play. There were also enquiries from England and Italy. But because of my young age, they would have wanted me as a number three,” Onodi adds.
“My manager and I started from the assumption that this championship was an excellent stepping stone for both Roland Sallai and Attila Szalai. It served as a great springboard for them.
“My first impressions are excellent. I really like the rhythm of life and culture here, I think I’ve signed for the right place.”
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