Angelo Ogbonna slams Roberto Mancini for Italy snub
West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna has slammed Italy head coach Roberto Mancini for leaving him out of the European Championships squad.
Ogbonna has enjoyed a good season for the Hammers and was expected to be in Mancini’s plans for this month’s competition.
The former Manchester City boss had called up the 33-year-old defender in March but the West Ham man was forced to withdraw from the squad due to an injury.
However, since recovering, Ogbonna has been in fine form and he has not seemed to take the news of his omission too well.
In an explosive interview with Fantacalcio, Ogbonna said, “The coach ignored me, there is no meritocracy. After the age of 30, I played my best season as a defender.
“It was my best season, after 30 a defender enters his best season. I am amazed and embittered.
“In sport, meritocracy must prevail and this time, in my opinion, it did not prevail.”
Shocking
Experienced players at major tournaments are crucial and not taking Ogbonna is a huge mistake on Mancini’s part.
The fact that he called him up in March tells you that he was aware of how good a season he’s had and then to not pick him for the Euros when he’s a hundred percent fit is baffling, to say the least.
His importance in our push for Champions League football also cannot be understated. We looked like legitimate contenders for top four before his injury and after he missed a few games, we lost the much-needed solidity he brought to our defence.
He’s been a solid aerial presence averaging 3 aerial duels won per 90′. He’s also made an impressive 5.77 clearances per game in all competitions this season. [StatsBomb]
We’re not making a case for him to be an automatic starter, but he certainly deserved to be on the 26-man squad.
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