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| O'Connor explains Scotland snub | O'Connor explains Scotland snub |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Scotland striker Garry O'Connor has explained that domestic problems were the reason behind his failure to appear for the match against Ukraine. | Scotland striker Garry O'Connor has explained that domestic problems were the reason behind his failure to appear for the match against Ukraine. |
| O'Connor, 23, who plays for Lokomotiv Moscow, failed to show as the Scotland squad reassembled after beating France. | O'Connor, 23, who plays for Lokomotiv Moscow, failed to show as the Scotland squad reassembled after beating France. |
| "Some problems came up with my wife Lisa, who is having serious difficulty adapting to life in Moscow," he told Russian newspaper Sport Express. | "Some problems came up with my wife Lisa, who is having serious difficulty adapting to life in Moscow," he told Russian newspaper Sport Express. |
| But manager Walter Smith said that he had still not heard from O'Connor. | But manager Walter Smith said that he had still not heard from O'Connor. |
| "As far as I am aware there has been no explanation given from O'Connor or from his representative," said Smith. | |
| "The last time we heard anything was when his agent called the SFA's national team administrator Richard Simpson on Sunday to inform him that he didn't know where the player was or what was wrong with him." | "The last time we heard anything was when his agent called the SFA's national team administrator Richard Simpson on Sunday to inform him that he didn't know where the player was or what was wrong with him." |
| O'Connor made the move to the Russian capital in a £1.6m from Hibernian in March. | O'Connor made the move to the Russian capital in a £1.6m from Hibernian in March. |
| Family for me comes above all else. In my view this is a mountain out of a molehill Garry O'Connor | Family for me comes above all else. In my view this is a mountain out of a molehill Garry O'Connor |
| His failure to appear ahead of the match against the Ukraine, which Scotland lost 2-0, angered national team manager Walter Smith. | His failure to appear ahead of the match against the Ukraine, which Scotland lost 2-0, angered national team manager Walter Smith. |
| But O'Connor added: "I considered it important to stay with her for two or three days and asked manager Walter Smith to let me go. | But O'Connor added: "I considered it important to stay with her for two or three days and asked manager Walter Smith to let me go. |
| "My wife grew up in the countryside, and therefore at present she is finding it very difficult to adapt to such a huge city like Moscow. | "My wife grew up in the countryside, and therefore at present she is finding it very difficult to adapt to such a huge city like Moscow. |
| "I am always on the move, and she has to spend a lot of time alone with our son Josh. Lisa doesn't have many permanent friends here and it's boring for her. | "I am always on the move, and she has to spend a lot of time alone with our son Josh. Lisa doesn't have many permanent friends here and it's boring for her. |
| "Family for me comes above all else. In my view it's a mountain out of a molehill." | "Family for me comes above all else. In my view it's a mountain out of a molehill." |
| And the striker denied that he is unhappy in Russia and wants to return to the British game. | And the striker denied that he is unhappy in Russia and wants to return to the British game. |
| "I never said I wanted to leave Lokomotiv. I am fully determined to show everything I am capable of in the remaining matches and to help Loko win the title," he added. | "I never said I wanted to leave Lokomotiv. I am fully determined to show everything I am capable of in the remaining matches and to help Loko win the title," he added. |
| "I am not looking for anything better when I have it good here. So at the moment I don't want to leave Lokomotiv for another club." | "I am not looking for anything better when I have it good here. So at the moment I don't want to leave Lokomotiv for another club." |