Ikechukwu Uche one of the hottest scorer in his club

Ikechukwu Uche is leading the charge that may just see Villarreal gain immediate promotion back to La Liga. His two goals against Girona after last week’s goal against Alcorcon have taken him to 13 goals for the season.

Uche has come good at the end of the season with promotion in sight for the Yellow Submarine and is getting the goals that could help push the former Champions League semi-finalists back into the top flight.

There’s no reason to panic, Keshi tells Nigerians

Coach Stephen Keshi has told Nigerians not to panic as the Super Eagles prepare for crucial 2014 World Cup qualifying games and the Fifa Confederations Cup tournament – all taking place in June.

A spate of injuries, first to Scotland-based midfielder Reuben Gabriel and ace forward Emmanuel Emenike, and lately to attacking midfielders Kalu Uche and Victor Moses, had caused anxiety in some quarters and is being hyper-ventilated in public spaces and a section of the media as ‘problem in camp.’

But Keshi, who steered less-endowed Togo to that country’s only FIFA World Cup qualification eight years ago, said he was more than committed to leading his own country to next year’s finals in Brazil, no matter the challenges.

“I am never one to run away from challenges; I have confronted them head-on all my life. I have very good relationship with each and every of my players, with mutual respect and regard being the bedrock.

The team’s Novina Hotel camp in Nuremberg swelled on Wednesday morning with the arrivals of Germany-based striker Joseph Akpala and Ukraine-based forward Babatunde Michael.

Portugal-based John Ogu was being expected on Wednesday night, while defenders Kenneth Omeruo and Elderson Echiejile, as well as midfielder Nnamdi Oduamadi are expected in camp on Thursday.

First-choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, based in Israel, is expected on Friday. Scotland-based stopper Efe Ambrose and Italy-based midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has been granted permission to arrive on Saturday due to club commitments.

Ukraine-based forward Brown Ideye will join the team in Texas, USA while Ahmed Musa and Fegor Ogude will join the squad in Frankfurt after the friendly with Mexico in America, also due to club commitments.

This is an opportunity for Namdi to shine

The friendly match against the Tricolore of Mexico has thrown up some interesting and baffling questions for the Stephen Keshi-led technical crew of the Super Eagles. What with the withdrawal of Mikel Obi and most significantly the pulling out of the squad of Victor Moses, for the friendly, World Cup qualifiers and the Fifa Confederations Cup. It will be interesting to see what Keshi will do shod of his two most potent attacking players from the last Nations Cup –Moses and Emmanuel Emenike. Because it is a friendly that has only pride at stake, the coach will want to test run the players that are in camp to gauge the preparedness of the team for the must-win match against the Harambee Stars on June 5 in Nairobi. And this is where it gets doubly interesting – Moses, an orthodox winger who plays like an inverted striker is missing while the natural cover; Ahmed Musa has not been called up while Ejike Uzoenyi, who could have been the back-up is also absent. So the only player that has the capacity to fit on either wing is Varese’s Nnamdi Oduamadi, who shot into the consciousness of Nigerians with his rescuing goal against Kenya in Calabar in the first leg in March. Oduamadi is the most likely player that will be played in his stead. Now will he be able to stand the heat?