I’VE GOT NO PERSONAL ISSUE WITH MICHAEL, SAYS BOSS
MARTIN RUBBISHES RIFT TALK AFTER IRISH COACH KENNY’S COMMENTS
RUSSELL Martin admits he’s disappointed with comments made by Stephen Kenny after Michael Obafemi’s call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad.
Striker Obafemi was omitted from the squads for Swansea City’s Championship matches with Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers after Martin admitted the player’s levels in training were not up to scratch following interest in the frontman from Burnley in the summer transfer window.
It remains to be seen whether or not the 22-year-old will feature in Swansea’s squad for their clash with Hull City this weekend - although he has been included in the Irish set-up for their Nations League fixtures against Scotland and Armenia during the international break.
Speaking about Obafemi after announcing his squad, Kenny said: “There’s three sides to every story. It’s not ideal, we want our player playing coming in and in form.
“I saw him against Blackpool when he ran 60 yards and unselfishly laid the ball off for a teammate to score.”
And discussing Obafemi at his press conference on Friday morning, Martin said: “He’ll hopefully get some minutes on the pitch [with Ireland] and it’ll hopefully help him physically and mentally. Sometimes going away on international duty, it can give you a break from the norm and sometimes going out of that routine and representing your country can give you a little bit of energy when you come back, especially if it goes well.
“I hope he does as well for them as he did in the summer. There’s no personal problem with Michael, we get on brilliantly, he just needs to earn the trust back from his team-mates, from us as a group of staff and the club and supporters, a trust that everyone’s shown in him for a very long time. It really is that simple.
“There’s no three sides to the story. I spoke to Stephen before he called him up so I’m a bit disappointed with those comments. There’s no agenda. I hope he goes away with Ireland and does brilliantly and I hope he does brilliantly with us when he comes back.”
Liam Walsh, Liam Cullen and Joel Latibeaudiere remain sidelined, although Swansea have no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s clash with Hull. The Tigers go into the match having lost three games in a row while they have conceded 15 times in their last five outings.
And Martin is confident that his players will produce the energy levels required against Shota Arveladze’s men to ensure they go into the international break on a high.
“They’ll [Hull] want to react after their disappointment in midweek,” added Martin. “We’ll want to react as well. I think it’s a brilliant game for us, not because it’s Hull and their form, but because it’s on Sky, it’s an early kick-off and it’s the last one before the international break. I’ve loved the feeling of the players and the supporters in the stadium in the last few games, it’s been really good.
“They (fans) can see the players giving absolutely everything. We just have to be brave, if we do, and the energy is the same from the players and supporters as it has been in the last few games, it’s a really exciting game for us.”
■ Swans v Hull City: Big match build-up