Noah Okafor recently expressed his disappointment with Murat Yakin and the SFA because he was once again not called up for the national team. National team captain Granit Xhaka takes his team-mate to task.
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- Noah Okafor recently vented his anger at not being nominated for the Swiss national team in an interview with "The Athletic".
- This was followed on Monday by a retort from national team director Pierluigi Tami, who said: "Interviews like this don't make the situation any better for him."
- Now Granit Xhaka has also spoken out on the subject and advises Okafor to keep working hard.
- In an interview with Blick, Xhaka says: "Noah could play a role in the future if he gets a better grip on certain things."
Ahead of the last two World Cup qualifiers, national team captain Granit Xhaka talks toBlickabout his new club Sunderland, the starting position for the national team and the problems surrounding Noah Okafor.
The 33-year-old takes his attacking team-mate to task. "Sometimes you have to look at the ground, keep your mouth shut and work," says Xhaka, but at the same time emphasizes that it is difficult to comment on this topic without all the details.
In a recent interview with "The Athletic", the Leeds United attacker had publicly expressed his annoyance at not being part of the national team squad. This was followed on Monday by a clear statement from Pierluigi Tami. "Interviews like this won't make the situation any better for him," said the national team director at the meeting in Geneva.
Xhaka said that he had spoken to Okafor himself on the phone and had of course also talked about the national team. He advises the 25-year-old: "For my part, I would take a very realistic look at the situation: Why can't I make it? Why am I not in the squad?"
"He needs to get a better handle on certain things"
One reason for his non-nomination is certainly the strong alternatives currently available to Murat Yakin. Xhaka knows that too. "Noah has great potential, which he has shown too rarely in recent years. He's coming into his own better now at Leeds. The league suits him. There are now others who have attracted even more attention."
"Dan Ndoye, for example, has made a brutal leap in Nottingham. As things stand today, he is indispensable in the national team! Vargas is hugely important, he scores and plays in Sevilla, has assists," explains Xhaka - and continues: "The numbers currently speak for them. Nevertheless, Noah could play a role in the future if he gets a better handle on certain things."
Ultimately, however, the most important thing is the performance on the pitch, adds Xhaka, not excluding himself. "That goes for everyone - including me."
