He's not speaking to me! Best waiting for contact from Ireland manager Trapattoni

By Colin Young
Updated: 15:01 EST, 16 September 2011

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has not spoken to striker Leon Best since he pulled out of an Irish squad at the end of last season.

The Newcastle forward, who comes face-to-face with Ireland team-mate Shay Given in their clash at Aston Villa today, was forced to pull out of the squad for the Euro 2012 qualifying win in Macedonia, the successful Carling Cup competition and the memorable friendly win over Italy.

Best, who has seven Ireland caps, was injured in the first training session at Malahide in late May, suffering a recurrence of an ankle injury which needed summer surgery.

No contact: Leon Best hasn't been contacted by Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni since the end of last season

But despite Trapattoni’s insistence that there is improved communication between his players and the FAI’s coaching and administrative staff, Best has not been contacted since he was forced to pull out of those four end of season games.

Even last month, when Trapattoni knew he would have to travel to Russia without West Bromwich Albion record signing Shane Long and that Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle were struggling for full fitness, Best was overlooked.

The striker has revealed he was left in the dark by the Ireland manager, despite scoring two goals for his club against Fulham in the final Premier League game before last month’s qualifiers.

Although mystified by Trapattoni’s selection process, and the most recent snub, the former Coventry striker insists he still wants to play a part in Ireland’s European Championship campaign.

Heads up: Best clashes with Anton Ferdinand's during QPR's clash with Newcastle on Monday

Best said: 'I don’t know what is going on with Ireland, not got a clue. I just know I was not called up last month.

'They called me up in May but I got injured and I was having an operation on my ankle so I couldn’t go to camp and since then I’ve not been called up.

'It is strange because when I was playing at Coventry I was called up so may be if I was just playing there, it might not have happened, but I have not had the call.

'As long as I keep scoring he’s going to have to call me up again, that’s what I want. Me playing for Ireland opened up the window for me to move to a club like Newcastle.’

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