Soccer News of Saturday, 17 March 2007

Source: GNA

Le Roy done with Salou and Abayie

Lome, March 17, GNA - Ibrahim Salou and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's possible international career with Ghana's Black Stars will forever remain a still-birth as long as Coach Claude Le Roy stays as the manager of the national "Team A".

The coach has shut the door on the duo who on two occasions have turned down invitation to don the national colours even though they had previously articulated their desire to honour the national call. Both players were left out of the team called up for next week's games with Austria and Brazil and the coach told the GNA Sports in Lome that he is over and done with the two players.

"=CD do not think I will invite any of them anymore. Both have not shown that they want to back their words with action.

"They have not shown any wiliness to play for us and I think it's about time we forgot about them and concentrate on those willing to die for the nation.

"You always need some level of commitment from your players to be able to achieve a common goal and if that is completely missing from any player regardless of his pedigree, then one must as well forget them". The Coach's position thus brings to three the number of players so far blacklisted by the Frenchman since taking over the team last year.

The first was Isaac Boakye who had turned down several invitations since last year.

The duo, both attackers have never featured for Ghana. Whilst Salou is yet to play for any national team at any level, Owusu-Abeyie previously featured for one of the Dutch's junior team. Le Roy had held several talks with Salou since his arrival in the country and had expected him to make a debut for the Stars when they thrashed the Super Eagles of Nigeria 4-1 last month but the player failed to report for the match.