Boss Mick McCarthy is pleased that centre-half Tommy Smith opted not to join up with the New Zealand squad for today’s friendly in Japan with Town having seven games of their own in March.

The 23-year-old, who has won 27 caps, scoring twice, asked to be left out in order to concentrate on the Blues’ play-off challenge, having reportedly threatened to retire from international football earlier in the season when forced to miss Town’s game at Blackpool in order to meet a deadline imposed by New Zealand Football ahead of their World Cup play-offs defeat to Mexico.

“He was never going,” McCarthy said. “I spoke to him the other morning and asked him if he had a game and he said he’s not going, they’re playing in Japan but he’s got an agreement with them that he’s not going.

“Tommy’s been playing for them, he went across and played the two games when they played Mexico in the play-offs.

“He was totally committed to that, but fair play to him, a friendly in Japan at this time of the year when he’s got all those games coming up?

“Mind you, we’ve got two trips nearly as long as that, we’re going to Middlesbrough and Yeovil next week!”

Smith tweeted a message to his New Zealand team-mates and interim coach Neil Emblen ahead of their game: "Wishing Embers and his All Whites the best of luck in their match v Japan! Great opportunity for players to shine against a v good team."

McCarthy admits that having players going away on international duty during such a busy month is far from ideal: “It’s difficult.

“We’ve spoken to Christophe Berra. If he comes back into Scotland [from their friendly in Warsaw], there’s no point him coming back down here on Thursday to travel with us on Friday, he might as well go straight to Middlesbrough. Not the best preparation for a game, but that’s what it is. We try and make the best of it.”

Photo: Action Images

SouperJim added 09:32 - Mar 5 International football can work for you as well as against you, but for me it's great just to have some players in our side again who are good enough to represent their country (adopted or otherwise).
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