Fanis Gekas announced on Thursday through his own blog his departure from the national team, owing to problems within it.
The shock decision by the top scorer across Europe in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers could be followed by a similar one by goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas as suggested by Greek press.
“After some long thinking I have decided to stop playing for the national team, due to certain special conditions created within the squad and which I have made known to those responsible for the team,” Gekas wrote in his blog on: www.in.gr.
“I want to wish success to Greece and my teammates and thank everyone I have cooperated with,” he added.
Media reports had suggested he is upset with some people close to new national team manager Fernando Santos who allegedly advised the Portuguese against playing the Greek striker in every game. Unconfirmed reports had Gekas saying before the games with Georgia and Croatia that: “unless I get to start both games, I will quit the national team.”
He started the match with Georgia but he was only a second-half substitute in Croatia.
He is therefore becoming the third Greek international to quit the team within the last few months along with Yiannis Amanatidis and Sotiris Kyrgiakos.
Reports in Thursday’s press suggest that Tzorvas is thinking of giving up the national team too, as he is said to have personal problems with another player in the squad.
He is also said to be disappointed for losing his place to Aris’s Michalis Sifakis in the three games that Fernando Santos has been in charge.
(source: sport in greece)
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