International End For Thatcher?

It seems that Wales manager John Toshack has brought to an end the international career of City's Ben Thatcher.

The 29 year old defender has been omitted from the squad for next weeks friendly against Cyprus. This, one would assume, follows the public argument the manager and player had last month before the last two World Cup qualifiers. Thatcher had refused to travel to Cardiff to have his ankle injury assessed by the Welsh set up. This led to a national team doctor having to go to the player in Manchester.

This followed a previous bust up when Toshack and Thatcher had a row over the phone with the Welsh boss apparently telling Thatcher the he thought he was 'scared' of playing against Poland following a stamping incident in their previous match. Gets complicated doesn't it?!

Thatcher said at the time: 'I won't be spoken to like that, the manager has questioned my commitment and credibility in public. He said I was scared of reprisals following the clash in Cardiff last October when I was banned for the incident with Polish midfielder Kamil Kosowski.'

Thatcher received a two match ban and then declared himself unavailable for the matches against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan. Thatcher had said he would like to play for his country again, but it now seems Toshack has other ideas!

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