Shocked Foley: I feel betrayed

Kevin Foley is leaving the Ireland team camp in Italy and returning to his home in England after his Euro 2012 ended before it even began yesterday, leaving the Wolves man angered and in a state of shock.

“I feel betrayed,” said Foley last night, at the end of a day during which the news that he was suddenly surplus to requirements had been broken to him by Giovanni Trapattoni shortly before yesterday’s midday deadline for the submission of Ireland’s final squad of 23 for the Euros.

Foley was determined to prove his fitness was not an issue by taking up the option to play in last night’s warm-up game against a Tuscan selection which Ireland won 5-0.

The full-back duly played his part and, perhaps appropriately enough for Ireland’s unluckiest man, wore the number 13 on his back.

But, immediately afterwards, he confirmed to reporters he was making plans to go home, even though, at almost the same moment, Trapattoni was saying in a press conference that he hoped the player would continue to make himself available in case of an injury emergency before the Euros.

Struggling to articulate his feelings before boarding the team bus for the last time in Italy, Foley said: “Words can’t really describe how I feel. I’m just gutted. It was tough, you know. The lads have been great with me, but it’s just happened — what’s happened has happened and there’s nothing I can do about it now.

“Of course I wish the lads well. I hope they go on and do really well in the tournament. I’ll be their number one fan watching from home. Of course I’ll be watching. I’ll try and take a holiday. I’m going home tomorrow.

“But it’s hard to take, you know. I sort of feel betrayed, you know. I don’t want to go into too much detail (about his conversation with Trapattoni). I just feel betrayed, that’s all I want to say. I said that to the manager. I obviously wasn’t happy. It’s just one of those things. I didn’t shed a tear. Listen, I’ve got something to look forward to and that’s to go back and see my family and that’s it.

“I wanted to play tonight, I wanted to prove a point: that I was fit to play. From what I understood I could have trained last week on Thursday and Friday and been involved in the game (against Bosnia on Saturday), but he said that there was no rush, that they could wait for me to train in Italy. So I trained in Italy for two days and felt great and then all of a sudden he pulls me in this morning just before the end and told me I wasn’t in the squad. That was hard to take.

“I’ve done everything I can. That’s all I can do. I could have trained last week and been involved in the game. If someone had said to me that I had to train Thursday and Friday to prove my fitness or else I wouldn’t be in the squad, then I would have bitten his hand off and started the game. I was just under the illusion that I could take my time, train in Italy, prove my fitness and then be in the squad.”

Asked about his future with Ireland, Foley said: “I don’t really want to talk about that now. I just want to go home. It’s a lot take in one day.”

While Foley was talking, Giovanni Trapattoni was in another part of the stadium, appearing quite emotional himself as he explained the decision to leave him out one of the Ireland squad’s most loyal servants.

“We thought very hard about what was the best and most appropriate decision,” he said. “We based our decision on the fact that the centre-halves — Dunne, O’Shea, O’Dea — all have problems. We are not sure if they will be 100%. Paul McShane did a careful medical check and we decided to include him in the 23. The reason behind this if we need one more central defender, one more stopper. We also know they are more subject to bookings.

“I spoke to Kevin this morning and with regret I communicated my decision to him. Obviously, he was clearly upset. Also me. But I have a responsibility to our team and the Irish nation. It’s my duty to take this decision, disregarding personal feeling. It was very difficult because we hold him in a high regard. I said to him ‘We are happy if you decide to stay with us’. He said ‘Ok I think about it’. Obviously he is a little bit sad. That’s normal, maybe he could decide tomorrow or after the friendly against Budapest.”

In fact, Trapattoni would learn soon enough that Foley had already made his decision — and that was to draw a line under the whole sad situation.

Paul McShane, the player who has replaced Foley in the Euros squad, said: “It’s terrible for Kevin and I’m not buzzing that I am in the squad because all I see is Kev who is a good friend of mine. That’s the nature of football so it is tough. I’m not jumping about and I am trying to keep an even keel.”