Trapattoni slams absent Best

Leon Best has been left out of the Republic of Ireland squad for the matches against Andorra and Armenia.

To me the move is puzzling considering that Best has managed to bag himself more Premier League goals this season than the rest of the ROI strikers aside from Shane Long, but perhaps the most puzzling thing is Trapattoni's explanation as to why Best has been left out.

To me Best has improved an awful lot this season, and I don't mean simply his goals. Best can actually contribute without getting on the scoresheet, which is something I can't say about Peter Lovenkrands. His all round play has improved, he battles hard, and he links up play. All in all I've been impressed with the improvements to his game the most, which is why I find Trapattoni's words confusing.

"Leon is not here because we have other three four strikers with other qualities. Leon knows why. I don’t forget him but he knows why I need other attitudes," Trapattoni told the Daily Mail.

"But on the there is only one ball. And winning football is about 11 players running for 90 minutes, or 94 minutes, with a winning mentality. I cannot have players who just wait for the ball."

Trapattoni continued: "We need a team, we need work and commitment. That is football. We need this mentality because with our mentality anything is possible. We cannot afford to have players standing there waiting for the ball."

"Leon knows why he is not here. We are also missing Keith Treacy and he knows. The players understand why. I tell them to their face, not through the newspapers."

So he tells them to their face eh? And doesn't say stuff about players through the press? Not what I've just read.

Personally I think the fact that Best is absent from the Republic of Ireland squad is criminal, and for his international manager to criticise Best for the very things that, in my view, he has improved upon is harsh in the extreme.

The simple fact is that Leon Best has outscored every other striker in their squad so far this season apart from Shane Long who he is level pegging with. He has scored more than Robbie Keane, Simon Cox, Jonathan Walters, Kevin Doyle and Andy Keogh so to not even warrant a space in the squad is baffling in the extreme.

Do you share my view?