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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Absent O'Connor in Scots apology | Absent O'Connor in Scots apology |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Garry O'Connor has apologised to Scotland manager Walter Smith after missing the trip to face Ukraine in the Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday. | Garry O'Connor has apologised to Scotland manager Walter Smith after missing the trip to face Ukraine in the Euro 2008 qualifier on Wednesday. |
| O'Connor could have played his last Scotland game after failing to show up at the team's hotel on Sunday. | O'Connor could have played his last Scotland game after failing to show up at the team's hotel on Sunday. |
| But he said: "I apologise to the Scottish Football Association, Walter Smith and his staff. | But he said: "I apologise to the Scottish Football Association, Walter Smith and his staff. |
| "At the earliest opportunity, I hope to meet with Walter Smith, face-to-face, to explain my reasons." | "At the earliest opportunity, I hope to meet with Walter Smith, face-to-face, to explain my reasons." |
| Interview: Scotland assistant boss Tommy Burns | |
| But his statement, issued on his behalf by agent Gary Mackay, left unexplained the events that led up to his absence from the flight to Kiev on Monday morning. | But his statement, issued on his behalf by agent Gary Mackay, left unexplained the events that led up to his absence from the flight to Kiev on Monday morning. |
| The 23-year-old, who moved to Lokomotiv Moscow from Hibernian for £1.6m in March, came on as a substitute in Scotland's shock 1-0 win over France on Saturday. Like everyone else in life, footballers have problems too, but I am sure it will all be sorted out Scotland assistant manager Tommy Burns | The 23-year-old, who moved to Lokomotiv Moscow from Hibernian for £1.6m in March, came on as a substitute in Scotland's shock 1-0 win over France on Saturday. Like everyone else in life, footballers have problems too, but I am sure it will all be sorted out Scotland assistant manager Tommy Burns |
| He was likely to again be on the bench against Ukraine. | He was likely to again be on the bench against Ukraine. |
| But, after the players were given the evening off to celebrate with their families, it is understood that Mackay telephoned the SFA to say that O'Connor would not be arriving at the hotel. | But, after the players were given the evening off to celebrate with their families, it is understood that Mackay telephoned the SFA to say that O'Connor would not be arriving at the hotel. |
| Smith then told him that if he could not arrive at the team hotel on Sunday, he would not be travelling the following morning. | Smith then told him that if he could not arrive at the team hotel on Sunday, he would not be travelling the following morning. |
| O'Connor had revealed in post-match interviews that he wants to quit his Russian club because he is homesick. | O'Connor had revealed in post-match interviews that he wants to quit his Russian club because he is homesick. |
| However, his statement stressed: "On my return to Moscow, I will be concentrating on doing my very best for Lokomotiv while hoping my Scotland team-mates continue their great start to this campaign." | However, his statement stressed: "On my return to Moscow, I will be concentrating on doing my very best for Lokomotiv while hoping my Scotland team-mates continue their great start to this campaign." |
| Scotland assistant Tommy Burns admitted that the events had left Smith angry. | Scotland assistant Tommy Burns admitted that the events had left Smith angry. |
| "Sure, it has got everybody focussing on something other than the game," said Burns. | "Sure, it has got everybody focussing on something other than the game," said Burns. |
| But he was denying, publicly at least, that O'Connor's involvement in future squads was now in doubt. | But he was denying, publicly at least, that O'Connor's involvement in future squads was now in doubt. |
| "I don't think the manager is looking at it like that," he said. | "I don't think the manager is looking at it like that," he said. |
| "He is very open-minded and very compassionate. | "He is very open-minded and very compassionate. |
| "It is something the manager will deal with personally. | "It is something the manager will deal with personally. |
| "There is no cause for hysteria. Like everyone else in life, footballers have problems too, but I am sure it will all be sorted out. | "There is no cause for hysteria. Like everyone else in life, footballers have problems too, but I am sure it will all be sorted out. |
| "And, until we know what the background is, we should not be jumping to too many conclusions." | "And, until we know what the background is, we should not be jumping to too many conclusions." |