Furious Angelo Ogbonna has slammed Italian boss Roberto Mancini after being snubbed and excluded from the national team.
The 33 year old Hammers defender had been called up in March before being injured and forced to withdraw.
Fit again and rightly expecting a call up for the summer internationals he has instead been left on the sidelines and could hardly be more angry.
Oggy is one of the calmest characters within the Hammers squad and to hear him hit out so loudly and publicly is a huge surprise.
But he is justified having enjoyed perhaps his best season in a Hammers shirt and recovering in time to step straight into the Italian squad until Mancini’s bizarre decision.’
Oggy told Fantacalcio, in a quote translated by Hammers News: “The coach ignored me, there is no meritocracy (being selected according to merit),” Ogbonna fumed.
“It was my best season, after 30 a defender enters his best season. I am amazed and embittered.
“In sport, meritocracy must prevail and this time in my opinion it did not prevail.”
It’s very easy to sympathise with our central defender whose injury was responsible part have been responsible for us not making the Champions League.
He had been quite brilliant ahead of that and was back in his best form by the end of the season and fully deserving as a call-up to the squad.
Quite what was going on in Mancini’s head is a mystery – as has sometimes been the case in the past.
I can fully understand how Angelo must be feeling as he is at the top of his game and could be looked at a defender on the up at the right time of this season. Having not too long come back from injury he would not be leggy. I agree that It is highly unusual for Oggy to be this vocal and I have to agree with him.
Roberto Mancini may have a reputation as a manager but I have never been a fan of his over-emotional style of management.
I have to be honest I was very surprised when I saw their squad line up. Oggie has been outstanding, against quality forwards but all I saw for the majority was players from Italian clubs, yes there were a few from outside Serie A but nevertheless.
Feel sad for the guy, on the other hand happy for West Ham..
Mancini is an average manager, with poor man management skills as has been witnessed at almost every club he worked at. I feel sorry for Oggy that he has been dumped on, probably this is the end of his international career if Mancini stays. Hopefully he will come back to preseason motivated to prove Mancini wrong.
Well they must have one superb squad if he can sideline Oggy after a superb season in the Premier League. Or, of course, Mancini is a numpty?
Their loss, our gain.