Diouf In Senegal Party Despite Retirement

Diouf Called Up
By Mark Heys
October 11 2007

El-Hadji Diouf has been named in Senegal's nineteen man squad to face Guinea this weekend despite having announced earlier in the week that he no longer wanted to play for his country due to internal politics.

The 26-year old told a Senegal radio station that he would not play for the side again after a recent administration gaffe which had seen many of the players unaware about who they where supposed to be playing.

However Diouf and former Wanderer Abdoulaye Faye are part of coach Henri Kasperczak's squad and the door still remains open for Diouf to carve out an international future.

Kasperczak admitted he is to hold talks with Diouf in an attempt to make his captain reconsider his decision and he has also revealed that the player had been the model professional during his time with the national team.

"I understand the player. Not only is he the captain of the team and so must sometimes mark his territory, but he also wants others to face up to their responsibilities.

"I can do nothing to force him but what I can do is talk to El Hadji because this issue is in the interest of the Senegalese nation. He is a model within the squad and in any case, since I have been coach of Senegal he has never let me down, he has always behaved nobly.

"Frankly I don't understand what has motivated his decision, but I do believe that only discussion can change things, especially as the player is so well loved by the Senegalese public.

"We know all about his contribution on the pitch. El Hadji has always drenched his jersey [with sweat] for the well-being of the team. It is always a sense of pride for Diouf to wear the national colours."

Diouf's retirement from the international stage will be good for the Wanderers as it will mean that only Abdoulaye Meite will be absent from the club for the African Nations Cup next year.