Kevin Doyle has revealed he was informed of the decision to not select him for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with a text message, and has yet to receive a phone call from Giovanni Trapattoni to explain the decision.
Doyle has been a fixture in Ireland squads for the best part of the last decade and the 29 year old Wolves striker today admitted, to the club’s official website, that he was “very disappointed” to receive the news that he would not be travelling with the Ireland squad to Sweden.
“I was very disappointed to come in after the game to a text message saying I wasn’t to travel to Ireland to join up with the squad,” he said.
Trapattoni has opted to take Conor Sammon, John Walters, Simon Cox, Shane Long and Robbie Keane as his attacking options for the games with Sweden and Austria.
Giovanni Trapattoni told the press yesterday that he had not taken the decision lightly.
"As a manager, I am sometimes faced with some very tough decisions, but I feel that the squad I have chosen will get us the results we need from these two qualifiers. I have not made these choices lightly," he said.
Doyle has scored 12 goals in 53 internationals, however this season he has suffered a loss of form and been in and out of the Wolves side. Earlier in the year Wolves manager Dean Saunders said Doyle has “lost his eye of the tiger”.
Doyle scored his first goal of the year on Saturday, a headed effort that brought relegation threatened Wolves a 2-1 win over Bristol City. Doyle captained his side for the match. After the game he spoke of his disappointment to be dropped and not receive a phone call from the international manager.
“I have been in every squad when I have been fit for seven-and-a-half years so it was disappointing.
“I thought I might get a phone call but it wasn’t to be and I haven’t spoken to the manager about it. Maybe he will speak to me about it in the future and for now I just have to get on with it.
“I’ve been in squads for seven-and-a-half years and certainly never took it for granted and have always found it a great pleasure and privilege to play for my country.
“I feel I have always given 100 per cent in terms of showing the right attitude and dedication with Ireland in every training session and every match as I do here at Wolves. I will carry on doing that and hopefully get another opportunity to do that again in the future.
“It was disappointing to get the text message telling me not to travel particularly after such a good game with Wolves and you quickly go from one extreme to another. But that’s football - I’m not going to cry about it and just get on with it and hopefully get back in the squad as soon as I can.”
Image: Kevin Doyle ©INPHO/James Crombie
