BY Shaun Fuentes –
Ipswich Town striker Jason Scotland has revealed that he has retired from international football in an effort to concentrate on his professional career at the club level.
Scotland made the announcement ahead of the National Men’s team for the upcoming 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Bermuda (October 7) and Barbados on October 11.
Currently strikers Kenwyne Jones and Darryl Roberts are both out through injury and Pfister, who saw an overweight Scotland in training during the summer, has caught form for Ipswich Town, causing Ipswich boss Paul Jewell to credit him for shedding a few pounds in preseason.
Through his agent Mike Berry, Scotland advised the TTFF that he decided to retire and will not accept any invitations to join the national team.
“As his resignation letter states he has retired, after due deliberation, in order to concentrate fully on his career in the UK and has informed the TTFF accordingly,” Berry stated on Wednesday.
“ Since being omitted from the last WCQ’s squad and having earned his place back in the Ipswich FC team as a regular starter together with wanting to spend more time with his young family, he felt the time was right to hang up his International boots. In his letter he wishes the T&T team all the best in the quest for WC2014 qualification and will be supporting them in all the upcoming games and hopes they do well.”
“I’ve decided to retire from international football to concentrate on my career with Ipswich. I’ve had a great time with Trinidad and Tobago and I wish them all the best in their quest to get to the next World Cup finals in Brazil,” Scotland added.
“At the moment I just want to concentrate on Ipswich. I’m back in the team, we’re doing well and I’m really enjoying a new partnership with Michael Chopra. Helping Ipswich back into the Premier League is what I want to do and I need to concentrate all my efforts on that.”
Ipswich midfielder Carlos Edwards is also likely to miss the two matches while Anthony Wolfe is reportedly injured and miss Wednesday’s training session at the Ato Boldon Stadium. Joe Public defender Carlyle Mitchell also left the country on Wednesday to join MLS club Vancouver Whitecaps.
Some of the new faces entering the current training squad include US-based trio Kevin Molino, Kendall Jagdeosingh and Devorn Jorsling as well as Jerrel Britto and Shahdon Winchester and former under 20 defender Mekeil Williams.
Pfister will announce his final squad on Friday.
