Football - Real Zaragoza a striker, Ikechukwu Uche has said that Coach Samson Siasia has the final say over when to lift the ban imposed on West Brom forward, Osaze Odemwingie for breaking camp rules during the friendly match against Kenya in March. After Osaze walked out on the team without informing them of his departure to his England base, Coach Siasia had in wielding the big stick excluded the former Lokomotiv Moscow player from the friendly match against Argentina on June 1 and the Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia on June 5. It was previously thought that the punishment was for two games but Siasia has since come out to say that Osaze stands excluded from his plans until he apologises to the team.

And speaking in a recent interview with Sports Vanguard in Lagos, Uche, Nigeria's top scorer in the qualifying race for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, has come out to state that only Siasia can end the ban on Osaze.

"It is the coach who has the right to invite or exclude players from his team. It is his sole rights and I know that the coach would soon make a decision which would be good for the country and the national team. He has the final say over issue.

"Osaze is a member of the Super Eagles and I know that the coach recognises this fact and both of them would soon sort out the issue at hand. It is not a big thing that can't be settled", added Uche, who has scored eight goals for the Super Eagles, since returning from a year-long long absence forced by injury.

John Egbokhan

Vanguard/22/06/2011