Nati coach Murat Yakin gives Noah Okafor a lesson and does not call him up for the Nations League. The 24-year-old now takes to the social networks to comment.
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- Murat Yakin has decided not to call up Noah Okafor for the upcoming international matches, explaining at the media conference on Thursday: "I wasn't happy with his performance."
- Okafor reacted to the accusation and commented on social media. "It hurts to hear and read now that I allegedly didn't have a good attitude."
- For the time being, Okafor wants to concentrate on his work at his club Milan and announced: "I want to and will score important goals here."
"There has been a lot of talk about me in recent weeks and months. Although we played an impressive tournament as a national team, my role in the team was quite often far too important a topic," Noah Okafor wrote on Instagram on Thursday evening, making it clear: "I love playing for my country. And I've always torn myself apart as best I could to recommend myself."
National team coach Murat Yakin had previously stated that he was "not always satisfied" with the AC Milan striker's performances. Okafor is therefore not in the squad for Switzerland's Nations League matches against Denmark and Spain.
"I won't point the finger at anyone"
It's something special to be a national player, Okafor continues. "You don't get that for free. Every minute in the national team jersey is valuable, regardless of whether you collect them as a player in the starting eleven or as someone who is substituted," said the 24-year-old. "That's why it hurts to hear and read that I supposedly didn't have a good attitude. People are denying my character and insinuating that I didn't give my all to play."
However, the Milan player does not want to "point the finger at anyone or talk badly about anyone". That's how he was brought up. "It's simply not right to talk badly about the country you're playing for. I didn't speak out during the European Championships and I won't say any more now," said Okafor.
After not being called up, he will concentrate all the more on his club. "I want to and will score and set up important goals here. I will train, play and work passionately," Okafor announced. "That's my job. That's my commitment. This is my passion."
