Leeds United boss Daniel Farke loves a hostile football ground
A Leeds United star has been discussed by a Premier League rivals during his preparations for a key international fixture.
Leeds United star Noah Okafor has been told to ‘shut up and work’ by a Premier League rivals after his ongoing absence from the Switzerland squad was confirmed.
Despite making a promising start to life in the Premier League after scoring two goals in his first ten appearances in all competitions for the Whites, the former AC Milan star has been unable to add to his 24 senior caps for the Swiss after he was left out of their squad over the last year. Okafor’s last appearance for Yakin’s side came in a 3-2 Nations League against Spain last November - and after missing four fixtures during the first half of 2025 with a muscle injury, the versatile winger has not been considered for selection after joining Leeds during the summer.
After the Whites star appeared to criticised Swiss head coach Yakin by suggesting it ‘makes no sense to drop him’ from the international picture, national team director Pierluigi Tami hit out at Okafor in an interview on Tuesday.
He said: “This statement is not welcome. The timing is bad. The manner is wrong. If a player has a problem with a coach, he should only speak to him. You can always call him, talk to him. I have absolutely no understanding for what he did. He needs to be patient and humble. And above all, he must put the team before his personal problems. The national team must come first.
“To be called up, a player must perform well at club level and be in line with the coach’s needs. Both criteria must be met. Currently, in Noah’s case, they aren’t, according to the coaching staff. We’re not even talking about his footballing abilities.”
What has Granit Xhaka said about Leeds United star Noah Okafor?
Grok: Le Bris' promoted heroes sustain top-half surprise.placeholder image
Grok: Le Bris' promoted heroes sustain top-half surprise. | AFP via Getty Images
Xhaka, who has enjoyed an overwhelmingly successful return to the Premier League with Sunderland, was questioned about the Okafor situation and stated the Whites forward could return to the international setup but would need to ‘shut up and work’, rather than being so outspoken about his enforced absence.
Speaking ahead of Switzerland’s World Cup qualifying double header with Sweden and Kosovo, the Sunderland star told Blick: “I had a phone conversation with Noah before his interview. Naturally, the national team was also a topic of discussion. It’s difficult for me to comment on this topic at all without knowing all the details. He was given opportunities at the European Championship and the World Cup. For my part, I would realistically assess the situation: Why am I not making it? Why am I not in the squad?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying that I think it’s good to maintain contact. Noah has great potential. He hasn’t shown it often enough in recent years. He’s really coming into his own now at Leeds. The league suits him. Nevertheless, Noah could play a role in the future if he gets a better handle on certain things. Sometimes you have to look down, shut up, and work. That applies to everyone, including me. In the end, performance on the pitch is what counts.”
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