PELLE APOLOGISES AFTER BEING SENT HOME FROM ITALY SQUAD
Pelle refused to shake Gianpiero Ventura’s hand when he was substituted.
Former Southampton striker Graziano Pelle has been sent home from Italy's World Cup qualifiers squad for refusing to shake coach Gianpiero Ventura's hand after being substituted.
Pelle left Southampton for the riches of the Chinese Super League – where Shandong Luneng have made him the fifth highest paid footballer in the world – and was substituted after an hour of an ineffectual performance against Spain on Thursday evening.
The 31-year-old snubbed Ventura's hand when leaving the field and the Italian football federation confirmed he had been sent back to his club in China and will consequently miss Sunday's qualifier in Macedonia.
“Unfortunately, it's happened again,” said Pelle on his Instagram account. “I've messed things up.
“It was unacceptable behaviour, firstly against the coach and also, towards my teammates, who have always shown me to have important values in this fantastic Italy group we belong to.
“Like any great mistake, I accept the consequences. And it is only right that I take responsibility. I must ask offer my apologies from my heart to everyone.”
However, Ventura played down the incident with Pelle and said he understood his anger because of the way Italy were playing.
“Pellè was angry, I think this was not so much because of the substitution as the way we had played up to that point,” he said.
Captain Gianluigi Buffon also sympathised with the situation and said that an apology was all that was needed from Pelle.
“He's a great guy and in the cold light of day, I'm sure he will realise he was wrong,” said Buffon.
“If he apologises for his behaviour, we will be happy to embrace him. It was wrong but these things happen in such tense matches.”
The game ended 1-1 with a late Daniele De Rossi penalty maintaining Italy's 52-game unbeaten run in qualifiers – a run that stretches back to 2006.
Gareth Southgate has urged his England players to alleviate the burden of expectancy on Wayne Rooney after insisting the underfire captain will keep his starting place for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Malta.
Rooney, 31 later this month, is set to start in midfield against the Maltese, who are ranked alongside Laos in 176th position in the Fifa World Rankings.
The Manchester United forward has admitted he is now keen to make transition from striker to midfielder, but his recent performances in a deeper role have led to criticism from supporters and pundits.
Southgate, taking charge of the senior team for the first time in the wake of Sam Allardyce's departure after just one game at the helm, has confirmed that Rooney will start, however, despite the growing doubts over his ability to influence the game at international level.
“Wayne will play,” Southgate said. “I've got to look at the balance of the team and I've got to look at the squad we have, including the balance of personalities and leadership that you want.
“We've got a couple of players, also, who are coming back from injury who we have to look across the two games.
“There are any number of reasons and rationale when you are selecting the team, but I'm really happy with the way all the squad have trained this week and to see the guys play.”
Rooney's selection is the most contentious issue for Southgate with the player having lost his starting spot at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho.
The interim manager insists that Rooney's versatility is crucial to the team, but he claims the time has come for the rest of the players to take the pressure off England's alltime leading goalscorer.
Wayne Rooney in training at St George's Park ahead of Saturday's game against Malta (Getty)
“We're putting too much emphasis on one person,” Southgate said. “If these guys are going to be a successful team, that's got to be shared.
“These guys have to be given the opportunity to lead, to grow even if it's not a comfortable situation.
“They have to take responsibility. All 11 guys on the field will succeed if they do as well as they can together.”
Southgate added: “My belief is that Wayne can play in several different positions, but what has stood out for me this week are his observations on the game. THE INDEPENDENT