Marc Wilson has expressed surprise at criticism he received from Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni last week, when the Italian claimed the Stoke City defender owed him an apology.
Trapattoni was responding to suggestions the Antrim man might declare for Northern Ireland, having made just a nine-minute cameo for the Republic in the Carling Nations Cup win over Wales last February.
“There are certain situations where a player betrays the spirit of the group and there has to be discipline,” he said. “When he sees us he must say: ‘I’m sorry, I made a great mistake’, then I can pick him again. Because when you come you work, you don’t go out at night.”
Wilson says it is the first he’s heard of it and insists he would have no problem apologising if he knew what it is he is alleged to have done.
“There is not a single incident I can think of that he can be thinking about,” he told the Evening Herald. “I’m in the dark about it.”
Wilson added that he had no intention of declaring for the North. “If I’m not going to play for the Republic then I won’t play international football.”
