Nigerian midfielder, Christantus Uche has admitted he believes Oliver Glasner no longer trusts him at Crystal Palace after being frozen out of the club’s UEFA Europa Conference League plans.
Christantus Uche, who joined Palace on loan from Getafe last summer, has struggled for regular football in recent months despite impressing in Europe earlier in the campaign.
Uche scored twice in four Conference League appearances before he was dropped from Palace’s squad for the knockout stage earlier this year.
The 22-year-old has now spoken publicly about his frustration, claiming he no longer feels supported by Glasner.
“I may not have much playing time, but I am grateful for the fans who continue to support me and the team,” Uche told Read Crystal Palace.
“Your dedication and enthusiasm mean a lot and I hope to make you proud whenever I do get the chance to play but I know maybe it won’t happen again because the coach doesn’t like me.”
Glasner has now responded to the comments, insisting there is no personal issue between him and the player.
Speaking ahead of Palace’s Conference League semi-final second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk, the Austrian said Uche’s omission was purely a squad management decision.
“For me, I never blame the player for somethings. This stays internal. Uche wasn’t registered for the second part of the Conference League. I had a conversation with him, he wasn’t pleased with it,” Glasner declared.
“I had to take a decision due to the rules. We had new signings coming in. Honestly, If I had known that Eddie Nketiah wouldn’t get fit, Uche would have been registered.
“But at that moment, we thought Eddie was close to returning. We had Strand Larsen, Brennan Johnson, Mateta, and Eddie Nketiah. This was the reason, and from that day he felt that I don’t like him.
“There was nothing personal. I like him as a person, but again I had to take a decision.”
Uche’s last appearance for Palace came in the 3-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on March 6.
The midfielder has featured 22 times in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing one assist.
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