"26-Year-Old Premier League Star Turns Down National Team Call-Up After Clash with Manager"
LEEDS livewire Noah Okafor has launched a blistering attack on Murat Yakin – and says he will NEVER play for the Switzerland boss again. The forward, 26, bagged...
LEEDS livewire Noah Okafor has launched a blistering attack on Murat Yakin – and says he will NEVER play for the Switzerland boss again.
The forward, 26, bagged a place in the after catching the eye in his first Premier League season.
Noah Okafor (centre) is refusing to feature for Switzerland until a managerial change is made Credit: Reuters
The Leeds forward has fallen out with Murat Yakin Credit: Getty
But Okafor was limited to just one substitute appearance as he came on during Switzerland’s .
And the Elland Road star has now revealed he fell out with Swiss chief Yakin.
It has led to REFUSING to make another appearance until a change is made in the dugout.
In a scathing social media post, Okafor said: “My decision has nothing to do with my playing time.
“Things happened that hurt me deeply. Trust was broken. Commitments were not kept.
“And when I was allowed to play , people reacted to minor mistakes far away from our goal in a way that hurt me deeply.
“In the weeks that followed, I thought a lot and decided for myself that I no longer want to play for the national team under the current manager.”
are set to face North Macedonia twice, along with Scotland and Slovenia, when the new Nations League campaign gets underway later this month.
But Okafor, who notched an assist in Leeds’ Carabao Cup on Wednesday, has abruptly made himself unavailable.
A spokesperson at the Swiss FA said: “Noah informed us today that, for the time being, he will no longer play for the national team. We respect his decision and wish him every success with his club.”
Okafor also hit out at Yakin, 51, when he was snubbed for qualifiers against Sweden and Kosovo last year.
The 26-cap playmaker fumed: “I never spoke with the coach, not even a phone call or a message, also with the (Swiss FA’s) sporting director Pierluigi Tami. They don’t even call me or ask me.
“For me, it makes no sense. I can say it makes me sad because they don’t even text me or call me to see how I am.
“For example, when I moved to Leeds, ‘Congrats’ or something like that, because I play now in the best league in the world.”
Okafor released a stunning statement on social media Credit: Alamy
The former AC Milan livewire was part of Switzerland’s World Cup squad Credit: Getty
But Switzerland skipper for Okafor to push for a recall instead of causing friction.
The former AC Milan man started each of Leeds’ last two Premier League showdowns, including the stalemate with Brighton last weekend.