CELTIC on-loan striker Tomas Cvancara is in the middle of an astonishing snub row with Czechia boss Miroslav Koubek.
The towering frontman, who arrived at the champions on a temporary transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in the January window, sparked controversy after being overlooked for the international World Cup play-off squad.
Cvancara’s surprise omission created comment in his homeland ahead of his nation’s semi-final with Liam Scales’ Republic of Ireland a week tomorrow.
SPOT ON…Tomas Cvancara celebrates scoring the decisive penalty-kick in Celtic’s 4-2 shoot-out triumph in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.
It had been anticipated the eight times-capped forward would be involved, but coach Koubek accused him of not being fully committed.
Asked about Cvancara’s non-inclusion, he answered: “We considered what awaits us and what mentality is suitable for this game.
“Cvancara expressed himself that the national team is not a priority for him.”
Koubek, in a report in the Scottish Sun, added bitingly: “As a coach, I say that it is not a priority for me to take a player for whom the national team is not a priority.”
Koubek was apparently upset by Cvancara’s comments in an interview with Celtic TV shortly after joining the champions from the Bundesliga club.
Quizzed about his thoughts on playing in the World Cup, the 25-year-old frontman answered: “It would be an honour, but, to be honest, it’s not my goal for the future.
“I would say I want to focus more on the club.”
LONE CELT…Tomas Cvancara is heavily outnumbered as he takes the applause following his opening goal in the 2-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead.
Those were the remarks that seem to have irked the international coach, but the player’s agent, David Nehoda, fired back in social media.
He said: “The justification for the absence of Tomas Cvancara from the nomination for the Czech national team is entirely misleading and completely taken out of the context of the entire interview on Celtic TV from five weeks ago.
“No-one from the national team management is or has been in contact with Tomas.
“Drawing information about the player and his current situation in the club solely from the media strikes me as very strange.
“Was Tomas supposed to tell the fans that after three games for Celtic, the national team is a priority for him?”
Cvancara has scored twice – both at Parkhead – since joining the Hoops; a glancing header in the 2-0 win over Falkirk at the beginning of last month and a penalty-kick in the 3-1 victory over Motherwell at the weekend.
And the 6ft-plus attack-leader also netted the decisive effort in the 4-2 shoot-out success in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox 10 days ago.
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