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Dropped

Foley feels 'betrayed' after axing from Euro 2012 squad

The Wolves defender insists he was fit to play against Bosnia but was told to rest until he reached the training camp in Italy.

IN HIS FINAL meaningful act for Ireland this summer Kevin Foley set Jonathan Walters up for a goal in a 5-0 exhibition win over a Tuscan XI.

Moments after the game he was met by a swathe of touring Irish journalists and asked to sum up his frayed emotions on the day he discovered he was dropped from the 23-man Euro 2012 squad.

The 27-year-old, relegated earlier in the season with Wolves, tried to compose himself but, once he began to speak, words and feelings gathered momentum.

“It is hard to take,” he began.

I feel sort of betrayed and I said that to him (Trapattoni). I don’t want to go into too much detail. I just feel betrayed. I have to look forward and go back to see my family and that’s it.

“I wanted to prove a point (tonight) – that I was fit to play.”

Foley told the huddle of reporters that, to his understanding, he could have trained last Thursday and Friday and featured in the Bosnia game.

“(Trapattoni) said there was no rush and we will wait to train in Italy,” Foley revealed, “so I felt great for two days in Italy and then all of a sudden he pulls me this morning and says ‘you are not in the squad’ and that is hard to take.” He added:

I have done everything I can but I was under the illusion that I’d time to train in Italy, play tonight and be in the squad.

Keane on the double against Tuscan XI

Trap names final Euros squad — McShane in, Foley out

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