Noah Okafor has been waiting for a sign of life from the national team for over a year - in vain. In an interview with "The Athletic", the Premier League striker expresses his deep disappointment with coach Yakin and the SFA.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Noah Okafor is deeply disappointed with the Swiss Football Association, as he has not been considered for the national team for over a year without explanation.
- National team coach Murat Yakin justified Okafor's absence with better competition and points to his lack of scoring points.
- Okafor criticized the lack of communication in particular and suspected personal tensions following a conflict ahead of the 2024 European Championship as a possible reason for his withdrawal.
It has been almost a year since Noah Okafor last played for Switzerland. On November 18, the winger played 18 minutes in the Nations League in the 3:2 draw against Spain's B team. Three days earlier, he got 65 minutes of match practice against Serbia.
Since then, Okafor has been missing from the squad. His name is also missing from the current squad list for the two World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Kosovo. Yet the 25-year-old plays regularly for Leeds. He has already scored twice in seven games for the promoted Premier League side. "It makes me really, really sad," said Okafor in an interview with "The Athletic " (subject to payment) about his situation in the national team.
According to Okafor, there has been radio silence between him and the SFA since his two appearances. "Since then, I've never spoken to the coach again, not even by phone or message, not even to the national team director Pierluigi Tami," he says. "They don't even call me or ask me. It makes no sense to me."
"It makes me sad because they don't even send me a text or call me to ask how I'm doing," Okafor complains, citing the way he was treated when he moved from Milan to Leeds in the summer. "I would have liked a 'congratulations' or something like that, because I'm now playing in the best league in the world," says Okafor.
Okafor as a problem player?
When announcing the squad, Murat Yakin justified the decision to leave out Noah Okafor by saying that the squad is currently well-stocked with Vargas, Ndoye and Manzambi in the wing-back positions, but that Okafor remains on the radar.
Andi Zeqiri (still goalless in seven games for Widzew Lodz in the Polish league), Cedric Itten (plays in the 2nd Bundesliga for Düsseldorf) and Christian Fassnacht have made it into the squad this year. The 31-year-old YB winger is returning to the national team for the first time in two and a half years.
When asked whether he prefers Fassnacht to Okafor because the latter has accepted his role as a supplementary player, Yakin told "Watson":"I've spoken to Okafor time and again, telling him what I expect from him on and off the pitch. I hope that my words will get through to him at some point." He will continue to be monitored. "Offensive players are also measured by scoring points. Those who are there now have an advantage over Okafor," emphasized Yakin.
In the past, it was said in the SFA environment that Okafor sometimes did not have the right attitude. Okafor does not want to know about a general discipline problem. Of course you make mistakes as a young player, but he has always been punctual and respectful. But now he is older and more experienced anyway, says the 25-year-old.
Not informed by the association
Okafor has been put on the standby list by Yakin. Okafor found out on Wednesday through his brother. "The thing is, they put me on the list but didn't even ask me how I was feeling or if my body was okay. That doesn't make any sense. For me, that's the biggest disappointment," says Okafor and continues:
"It means I have to be available, but why doesn't he call me to tell me what I need to improve? It's fine, it's his decision, he's the coach, but he put me on the list and nobody from the federation has texted me or called me. That's just sad."
After his goals in the Premier League, he said, he received no feedback. "That means it's about something deeper. For me, it's not about quality. I'm confident, I don't want to be arrogant or anything, but I say when I'm fit I have enough quality to play well," Okafor insists.
Okafor does not believe that his non-nomination has anything to do with his scoring figures. He scored regularly before the 2022 World Cup, but only made three substitute appearances in Qatar.
Tami move made Yakin "angry"
Things didn't go well between the two at the next major tournament either. In the run-up to Euro 2024, they agreed that the striker position was not the best choice for him. However, he was then deployed up front in the last test match. He then sought clarity about his place in the team in a discussion with Yakin and also invited Tami, explains Okafor. This did not go down well with Yakin.
"The coach was angry because I had also brought Pierluigi Tami to the meeting," Okafor believes. "Maybe it's because he's proud, I don't know. He was just angry. I invited Pier to the meeting because I've known him for ages."
Okafor didn't play a second in the successful European Championship campaign. "He put me on the bench, probably because he was angry," Okafor believes. He wasn't even sent to warm up.
"That's really, really sad"
What depresses him most is the lack of communication: "It's difficult because nobody writes to you, nobody contacts you, nobody calls you".
If Yakin were to tell him personally that his performance was not good enough, that would be fine, after all, Yakin is the coach. "If he says I'm not good enough or too slow or technically not good enough, then I say: 'OK.' But for over a year, I haven't even heard a 'Hey, Noah, how are you? Nothing. That's really, really sad."
As a junior at the SFA, the way he was treated was completely different. In every national youth team, he was always told that he was the greatest talent and would get all the help he needed, explains Okafor, who could have played for Nigeria thanks to his father.
"But then they treat you like that afterwards. That makes me really, really sad," Okafor told The Athletic. He loves playing for the national team: "Every child dreams of it. I want to play for my country. There's no question about it, because I can help the team, especially when I'm fit," says Okafor. It remains to be seen whether, after this public scolding of Yakin and the SFA, he will play more international matches - Okafor currently has 24.
