Kyle Lafferty has reportedly ruled himself out of participating in Northern Ireland’s squad for their upcoming game against Austria for the UEFA Nations League.
The Irish striker, who was recently dropped for their Ranger’ match against his former club Hearts, has not travelled to Austria with the rest of his team, after he informed manager Michael O’Neill that he wouldn’t be going with.
O’Neill said that he was contacted by Lafferty who told that he would not be leaving with the Northern Ireland squad as expected. He added that he was disappointed with the choice, and that he has now ruled himself out of the two games he was supposed to take part in.
Lafferty first started Northern Ireland’s UEFA opener match against Bosnia – which ended in a 2-1 home defeat – where he earned his 68th cap, and is one of O’Neil’s most experienced players in the squad.
Northern Ireland is set to take on Austria in Vienna, and then Bosnia in Sarajevo, and the team are hoping to pick up points after their loss in the opener against Bosnia. Lafferty’s absence from the team could allow Rotherham striker Kyle Vassel to have his first go in O’Neil’s squad.
The Milton Keynes-born forward is the latest to be brought into the Northern Ireland team, thanks in part to the efforts of their head scout, Andy Cousins.
Vassel has said that he’s visited Northern Ireland a few times, and that he hopes he can establish himself in the team.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Betway | | 4.9/5 | Up to $60 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 3 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.8/5 | 100% Match | Bet now |
| 4 |  | Picklebet | | 4.7/5 | Login to see promotions | Bet now |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Chelsea Deadline Closing In Fast
Since parties interested in acquiring soccer club Chelsea have now been given until Friday to finalise their takeover proposals, several groups have begun to do due diligence ahead of the deadline. According to an announcement by the Raine Group, being the US bank mandated with overseeing the sale, the group ….
Chelsea Up For Sale Confirms Russian Owner
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has finally conceded to offload his ownership in English soccer club Chelsea. Abramovich confirmed the decision on Wednesday amid growing pressure from the UK government following wide-spread sanctions against Russia after its invasion of the Ukraine. According to inside sources, at least two groups are interested ….
Biennial WC A Threat To All Sports Says IOC
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach on Thursday labeled FIFA’s plan for staging a biennial World Cup a “threat” not only to soccer, but also to other sports. Bach also lamented FIFA boss Gianni Infantino’s absence in Beijing, saying the IOC would have liked to discuss the matter while at ….
Frank Lampard Appointed Everton Manager
Frank Lampard has agreed to a deal to become Everton’s manager for the next two and a half years. This means Lampard makes his return to management precisely a year after his big Chelsea exit. Lampard succeeds Rafael Benitez, who was booted after Jan. 16’s loss to Norwich City. Lampard ….
No IPL Franchise For Glazer Family
It has now been confirmed that the Glazer family, who owns both Manchester United as well as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have not been successful in their attempt to obtain the rights to one of the two new IPL franchises set to join the roster next year. Entering the highest ….