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Less than five months to the Kick-off of the greatest spectacle in world football, the FIFA World Cup 2014, preparations are entering final stages and strategies are being drafted. It would not be out of place to say that most countries subconsciously know who is in and out of their provisional squad. Yesterday, the chief coach of the Super Eagles released a list of invited players for a final friendly match before the World Cup, I had my doubts on some players invited but the most shocking exclusion was that of Ikechukwu Uche. Ikechukwu Uche (born 5 January 1984) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for Villarreal CF in Spain, as a striker. Known for his acrobatic goal celebrations, he spent most of his professional career in Spain, having arrived in the country before the age of 20. He currently has a record of 93 goals in 283 appearances in Spain and 18 international goals for the Super Eagles making him one of the most prolific Nigerian strikers around. This season alone he has bagged 12 goals in 19 la liga appearances, averaging 1.5 goals in two matches. The big question is, “is he too big a striker for Nigeria?” Or “does Nigeria possess better strikers that a prodigy like that will be overlooked for the Super Eagles. Let’s not forget so soon how horrendous our striking department has been in the last Confederation’s Cup in Brazil, yet this problem is still begging for a drastic solution. Speculatively, it could be that the chief coach has already made up his mind about taking the star striker to the World Cup; that I will say is a smart move by Keshi. It could also be that Ike Uche has no future in Keshi’s plan. Going by the garbage Eagles have paraded has strikers for Nigeria aside Emmanuel Emenike who has shone, it will definitely go down as one of the most controversial decisions taken by the head coach. Opinion Poll: Should Ikechukwu Uche be called to the Super Eagles? Yes Or No

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This article was first published on 14th February 2014

obimartins

Martins Okafor is a Sports Writer for Connect Nigeria. He has been a sport buff for years, following stories and development in leagues and international competitions. His interest led him to writing stories – reporting on sporting events. He has superior interest in soccer, but knows much about other sports. He plans to have a blog and to advance in sport journalism. You can email him at: obimartins85 [at] gmail.com