Ikechukwu Uche has been on fire literally. He has notched up 12 goals for his La Liga side Villarreal in the season so far, the latest of which came last Sunday in the two nil win at home to Almeria.
At a time most Nigerian players are not hitting the headlines for their goal scoring exploits or worse still not getting much play time in their various clubs, Ik Uche has been outstanding, staking a serious claim for a recall to the national team, the Super Eagles as the World Cup gets ever closer.
It is somewhat ironic that Uche will need to be talked up before Eagles coaches look his way again. It is the way of football. Not long ago the former Zaragoza and Getafe forward was the lynchpin in the Nigeria attack, practically carrying the team on his shoulders, scoring vital goals en route qualifying for the African Nations Cup in 2013 and in the early stages of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
But with a not too impressive outing at the Nations Cup which Eagles won, and with injuries also hampering him at some point, Uche has not had a look in since. But that is about a year ago now and that is a long time in football.
Many football commentators have acknowledged the scintillating form of Uche, which is visible for all to see and the consensus is that it is time the ‘Big Boss’ turned his gaze towards the Villarreal hot shot. The Super Eagles need the very best for their campaign at the World Cup for obvious reasons; that is a fact that is not negotiable, that can’t be trifled with.
Uche may have had a forgettable Nations Cup, but that was just a blip which happens to even the very best. Class they say is permanent and uche’s class is not in doubt; he has shown it emphatically in recent time. Thankfully, Coach Stephen Keshi has repeatedly said that players still have the chance to prove their worth and be part of the Brazilian party.
Not unawares of this, Uche himself has said that he is looking forward to being recalled to the team and that he would keep giving his best in the hope that he would be given a look in soon. That is vintage Uche, humble, self effacing, not confrontational. At 30 he’s at the peak of his powers and 2014 World Cup may be his swan song.
Those players who boasted that they will see to the exit of Keshi as they did Siasia, who saw themselves as untouchables are well known and the Big Boss has handled them in his own way. Interestingly, many Nigerians won’t be overly bothered if these players are not invited for the World Cup.
Recalling Uche for the World Cup, whose preparation should get cracking immediately after CHAN, would increase options in the attack and also engender stiffer competition for places which can only boost the team.
A resurgent Uche combining with Emmanuel Emenike, who has proven to be a lethal option especially in the national colours will be a sure fire bet in the summer in South America. This is the real deal. The others, especially Ahmed Musa and Brown Ideye are too wasteful to be depended on.
“The truth is that it is called the national team which means that anybody who is a Nigerian national and is performing up to a certain level should be given a chance to play for the Super Eagles,” begins Emmanuel Babayaro, a member of the 1996Olympic football gold medal winning team.
“With particular reference to Uche my thinking is that he should be recalled without delay. He’s doing so well in his club; whether he gets a shirt eventually that is the prerogative of the coach.
“I heard someone in the NFF (Nigeria Football Federation) say recently that nobody will interfere with invitations into the team for the World Cup; I slightly fault that statement because with all due respect Keshi and his crew don’t have their eyes everywhere. Right now for instance he’s in CHAN and his eyes can’t be on the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga etc.
The former Eagles goalkeeper continues: “I think that stakeholders like you the journalists and I and others have a duty to help the coaching crew by letting them know those of our players who are doing well currently. What we can’t do is interfere with his selections. Even in Europe we see club chairmen bring in players but what they don’t do is interfere with team selections.
“Every Nigerian player doing well at the moment is deserving of invitation; one good thing inviting the best does is that it brings about competition. I remember what the call-up of Jonathan Akpoborie did in the Olympic team in 1996. It led to stiffer battle for shirts. Competition brings out the best in everybody and the coaches will have a strong pool to pick from.”
Former Eagles winger Ndubuisi Okosieme also feels strongly that Uche deserves a recall on current form alone.
“I think Uche should be given a chance. If he’s doing so well in his club the tendency is for that to be translated in to the national team and the World Cup. Don’t forget that he’s doing well in a tough league,” notes Okosieme.
“The last time at the Nations Cup, he didn’t really impress. I think that may have had to do with lack of confidence. I think that Keshi can do well this time to instill confidence in the player. He would need to talk to him to forget that experience and focus on the moment. It is not just enough to invite him, it should be followed up with personal interaction.
“If he’s doing well in Spain I see no reason that can’t reflect in the Super Eagles.”
By: Vincent Eboigbe
