“If I had known” – Crystal Palace coach explains lack of playing time for Uche

Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner has weighed in on the struggles of Super Eagles midfielder Christantus Uche at the club this season, Afrik-Foot reports.

Uche joined the Eagles from Spanish side Getafe last summer on an initial loan deal and was among several Nigerians who secured Premier League moves during that period, alongside Samuel Chukwueze and Tolu Arokodare.

Despite showing promise in Spain the previous season, his move to England has not gone as expected, with limited playing opportunities affecting his development and also his chances with the national team.

The 22-year-old has made 23 appearances across all competitions for Crystal Palace this season but has started only four matches and he has not featured since March, when he came off the bench in a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. That appearance also marked the last time he made a match-day squad, having been left out entirely in recent weeks.

Crystal Palace face Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday in the second leg of their Conference League semifinal, holding a 3-1 advantage from the first leg. Although Uche featured during the league phase of the competition, he was not registered for the knockout rounds and is therefore unavailable for the clash.

Oliver Glasner Explains Christantus Uche’s Situation at Crystal Palace

Nigerian versatile midfielder Christantus Uche recently admitted that adapting to life at the club has been difficult and spoke openly about his frustration at the lack of playing time.

Reacting to the situation, Glasner insisted the midfielder’s struggles are not personal and explained that strong competition for places, especially after the club’s reinforcements during the January transfer window, reduced his opportunities.

“For me, it’s never about blaming the player for anything”, Glasner said, via The New York Times.

“It always stays internal. He wasn’t registered for the second part of the Conference League and I had a conversation with him. He wasn’t pleased with it, but I had to make a decision because of the rules.

“We had new signings coming in. If I had known that Eddie Nketiah wouldn’t be fit, then Uche would have been registered. But we had Jorgen Strand Larsen, JP Mateta and Eddie Nketiah, and that was the reason”, he added.

“From that day, he felt like I didn’t like him. It’s nothing personal. I like him as a person, but again, I had to make a decision. Like always, every player here gets the best possible support we can give him.”

Glasner also admitted that there were other internal reasons behind Uche’s absence from the squad but refused to discuss them publicly.

“It looks like he doesn’t make the squad for us. There are reasons for it, but I want to keep that in-house. I always speak directly with the players and not through the media. That’s what every player deserves”, the Austrian concluded.

After a disappointing campaign, Uche is expected to return to Getafe at the end of the season following his loan spell at Crystal Palace. A final decision will then be made on whether he remains at the Spanish club ahead of next season or makes a move to a new club during the upcoming summer transfer window.