Smith Taking Year Off International Football Tuesday, 12th Aug 2014 00:07 Town centre-half Tommy Smith has asked not to be considered for any of New Zealand's matches for the next 12 months. The 24-year-old has won 27 full caps, scoring two goals. The All Whites, who recently appointed Anthony Hudson as their new head coach, announced their squad for September’s training camp in Doha and friendly with Uzbekistan this evening but with Smith's name absent from the list of defenders. A note beneath the squad explained the situation: “Tommy Smith was not considered for the tour to Doha and Uzbekistan. “Tommy has requested that he not be considered for selection for any New Zealand team for the next 12 months. “After consultation with the relevant parties, New Zealand Football has agreed to this request.” Last November, Smith was forced to miss Town’s game at Blackpool as the All Whites strictly enforced a deadline ahead of their World Cup play-offs against Mexico. The Blues defender was subsequently reported to have threatened to retire from international football before eventually relenting and playing in both games, which ended in defeat to the Mexicans. Speaking in March, Smith admitted his frustration at the time of the Blackpool match but ruled out calling time on his international career, believing that a similar situation wouldn’t occur in future. “International fixtures are not meant to conflict with your club games and it really disappointed me that they wouldn’t allow me to play in the Blackpool game,” he said. “I haven’t really got anything much to say other than that. Things have happened behind closed doors — I’ve had conversations and I don’t really want to make them public at this stage. “It seems as if the new chief exec [of New Zealand Football, Andy Martin] understands the positions of the players and the clubs. That’s what international windows are for — they’re not supposed to affect your club fixtures. "It really annoyed me about the Blackpool game because I don’t want to miss any games. Hopefully, we’ve reached a solution now and I’m happy about that.” Since then Smith has pulled out of both the All Whites' 2014 friendlies, in Japan in March and South Africa in June, the latter as he was keen to rest over the summer with New Zealand Football accepting his absence. “I’ve ruled myself out of that one," he said in April. "The body has had a long season and it needs a rest. “Next season it will be important to try to push on again. The people in New Zealand are happy with that.” Mick McCarthy and Town are unlikely to be too disappointed with Smith's decision not to make lengthy flights to and from international fixtures on the other side of the world for a season.
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