AFCON 2025
Crystal Palace boss, Oliver Glasner, has explained why Super Eagles midfielder, Chrisantus Uche, is training with the club’s Under-21.
The Austrian manager addressed the media on the issue ahead of Crystal Palace’s Europa Conference League home fixture against AEK Larnaca.
Chrisantus Uche has played just 56 minutes across three competitions since he joined the South London club from Getafe this summer.
According to him, the 22-year-old midfielder played for the under-21 because of his lack of minutes for the Super Eagles during the October international break.
Uche featured in the first half of Crystal Palace’s 5-2 loss to Stevenage in the EFL Cup – a move Glasner explained was designed to keep the player fit and not a demotion.
“Yes, but it was also Romain Esse and Rio Cardines, and Kaden Rodney played there,” Glasner told reporters.
“They didn’t play for their international teams; they were called up by Nigeria and England U21s, but didn’t get minutes there, Romain and Uche.
“They didn’t play many minutes for us, and we don’t train a lot at the moment. We have four games in nine days.
“That means just recovery, and it was the last opportunity to give them an 11 against 11, getting a little bit of feeling for this.
“What’s important if they have to play in the next four games, and they didn’t play an 11v11 for maybe three or four weeks, you’re not best prepared, and that was the reason behind it.
“Just playing 45 minutes, but will be involved in the matchday squad.”
Glasner stressed that Uche is making progress with his development, but needs to fight for his place in the team.
“You know it’s the same for everyone. It’s as soon as we believe a player can help the team win a game, he will play,” Glasner stated.
“He’s coming to a different country, into a team that is doing really well. Everybody knows exactly what to do, When you have a competition, you have to be better than the other player and you have to show that you are ready to help the team win, and that’s how we decide who will play.”
“I want to see 100 percent effort like in every single training and I don’t expect the reason to be perfect.
“Uche doesn’t even know all the teammates because he doesn’t train with them regularly. But 100 percent is what I expect and I told them it’s never a punishment.
“We feel responsible to provide the best environment for every single player so if we can’t provide it with our regular training because of the tight schedule we have to think how we can give what they need. And then let’s say this is support.
“If we don’t care about them, we can say train with the group, you can have off, but you have no chance to improve. You’re just staying at home, laying on your sofa, and training 40 minutes and not playing.
“So, that’s the reason, this is the best support we can give them and if they see there’s support, they will have a benefit from it.
“If they see it as a punishment, they will fail, but not just here, they will fail everywhere.”
