January 27 – Senegal striker Diafra Sakho says he is “saddened” and “angered” by criticism of his absence from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Sakho was ruled out of the competition in Equatorial Guinea yet played for his club West Ham coming off the bench on Sunday to score in an FA cup tie at Bristol.
West Ham were accused by Senegalese coaching staff of a lack of respect while the country’s fans turned on him.
A number of them vented their frustration on Sakho’s official Facebook page by posting comments underneath a picture of him celebrating the goal.
West Ham justified their decision not to let the player travel by saying he was in no fit state to fly and responding on social media, he wrote: “Very quickly my joy from scoring and rescuing my club has turned into sadness and anger.
“Sadness because some of your words touched me deep in my person and my heart, and this without you knowing what has really happened.
“And great anger, because after all my struggles day after day, season after season to finally wear the jersey of my homeland, and my family, the only nation that matters to me – you doubt my love and my patriotism.
“My absence at CAN 2015 [the African Cup of Nations], my first CAN, was not painless. The dream of contributing to the victory of my country got away from me this year, but it is not dead!”
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