News

Ike Uche Denies Keshi's Claims

Published

10 years ago

October 10, 2014

Nigeria striker, Ikechukwu Uche, has reacted to comments of the Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi, that he refused to honour a call-up to the national team.
Keshi said earlier this week that Uche was contacted by the secretary of the Super Eagles, Dayo Enebi, to know if he had a South African visa ahead of the match against Bafana Bafana.
The Nigerian manager also said he had included Uche in the team for the Afcon matches against Congo and South Africa, but chalked it off following what he claimed was a poor response from the Villareal striker to the Super Eagles’ secretary.
“Before the game against Congo, I did the list. Ike Uche’s name was on the list. He didn’t even know about it. Uche called me like four days later, and we spoke like brothers and that was it.
“The next time my secretary, Dayo Enebi, called the players asking them if they had South African visas. He called Uche and asked him and Uche said ‘why are you asking me, what do you need that for?’” Keshi told journalists this week.
But Uche has now responded saying that “I never spoke to the Nigeria team secretary about SA (South Africa) visa.”
The former Getafe man wants the Nigerian squad to focus on the game against Sudan and not be distracted.
“(It is) important to clear the air. I never spoke to the Nigeria team secretary about an SA visa or demanded to have a word with the coach at any time.
“We have important games against Sudan. It should be the focus of the players. I wish the team all the best in the Nations Cup qualifiers,” Uche stated via social microblogging site, Twitter.