Noah Okafor has been omitted from the Switzerland squad for the upcoming international break for the 11th time in a row, with Murat Yakin taking another jab at the Leeds United winger
Noah Okafor and Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin in June 2024
Noah Okafor and Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin in June 2024
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Switzerland's national team manager, Murat Yakin, has once again criticised Leeds United winger Noah Okafor as their feud continues.
Okafor has been left out of the Swiss squad for the upcoming international break, marking a full year without representing his country.
Despite this, Yakin maintains that the door isn't completely shut for the 25 year old. However, if Switzerland qualifies, it seems unlikely that Okafor will be included in the current circumstances.
Yakin is known for his inflexible approach to squad selection, something even acknowledged by national team director Pierluigi Tami.
"Murat has decided in his head who will be a regular starter and who won't," Tami stated last month when questioned about Okafor's consistent absences. "It's important to us that everyone in the national team is happy, regardless of what role the coach assigns them.", reports Leeds Live.
When asked why Okafor was repeatedly being overlooked, Tami responded: "That's actually a question for Murat Yakin. This [start to his Leeds career] is the right path if you want to return to the national team."
The relationship between Yakin and Okafor has been strained over the past 18 months, with both parties publicly addressing the issue. Yakin is frequently questioned about Okafor's exclusions during each international break, including this one.
When quizzed about it on Wednesday, he said, as per Watson: "Okafor remains on our radar. I've spoken to Okafor repeatedly, telling him what I expect from him on and off the pitch. I hope my words will eventually get through to him.
"We'll continue to monitor him. Attacking players are also measured by their scoring. Those who are currently playing have an advantage over Okafor in that regard."
The sole called-up winger to have netted more than Okafor this campaign is 31 year old Christian Fassnacht of Young Boys, who has bagged seven goals in 16 outings.
Okafor has found the net twice in eight appearances.
Fassnacht has been brought back into the squad for the first time in two-and-a-half years, having seemingly been frozen out for picking his honeymoon over national team duties in June 2023.
"It was never a penalty," Yakin chuckled when questioned about his re-inclusion.
Among all the forwards named in the Swiss squad, only striker Cedric Itten has struck more goals than Okafor, hitting four in 11 matches for second-tier German outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf.
All other alternatives have managed up to two goals but across more league fixtures than Okafor.
Rennes frontman Breel Embolo has two strikes in eight French league encounters.
Winger Dan Ndoye has two goals in 12 games for Nottingham Forest, though just one in nine Premier League appearances. Flanker Ruben Vargas has also netted twice in 10 La Liga matches for Sevilla.
Meanwhile, Fabian Rieder, an attacking midfielder who can also play as a striker, has scored two goals in seven Bundesliga games for Augsburg, having previously played in three Ligue 1 matches for Rennes prior to his summer transfer.