“I read newspaper reports saying I ran away from the national team. That is not true. I really want to play for this country,” Irfan said via Twitter Monday.
Irfan said he had taken on an advertising job instead of joining the under-23 team, but said he had not been told join the team.
“After the Qatar game, there was no information telling me to join up with the U-23 team, so I carried out an activity for one of my sponsors for two days,” he added.
He also said he was not in the best of health to take part in training.
“My wife and I had to see a doctor because we were very unwell. I am very concerned about our health and I have been working hard lately. Health is an important thing,” he said.
Earlier, team coordinator Bob Hippy called for Irfan to be dismissed from the Indonesia u-23 team, which is currently being groomed for the upcoming SEA Games 2011, after finding that he had missed training deliberately.
(thejakartapost)
