Mark Viduka's increasingly acrimonious row with the Australian football authorities escalated last night when the Leeds chief executive Trevor Birch launched a verbal attack on the people who have effectively banned the player from playing against Manchester United tomorrow.
Leeds have sought legal advice, so angry is Birch that the Australian Soccer Association has invoked a FIFA ruling stopping Viduka playing for five days after he failed to appear for Wednesday's friendly with Venezuela in Caracas. That may do no good, given that ASA is within its rights, but Birch seems determined not to let the matter drop.
The club released a statement accusing the ASA of showing "a complete lack of understanding and compassion" towards Viduka, whose father Joe is critically ill in Australia. "It is difficult to understand why such a hard stance has been taken which does not appear consistent with that for those other players who, for whatever reasons, did not travel to Caracas.
"Leeds are taking legal advice and will explore every available avenue in seeking to redress this potential injustice." Birch added: "What's happened is an absolute disgrace. The survival of Leeds United is in jeopardy and we have this, all for the sake of a Mickey Mouse game that took place at the other side of the world. Where is the justice in that?
"We've played everything by the book and we've been open and honest. Mark has given a lot to Australia and there is no one more loyal towards the cause than him, yet they do this to him. It's an outrage.
"I would fully understand it if he told them where to stick international football now. They don't deserve someone like him."
Viduka suffered a slight hamstring strain in Leeds' win over Wolves 10 days ago and the club believed a 26-hour round trip to Caracas would hardly help him recover.
But the ASA said "that while it is sympathetic to Mark's personal situation, it notes he has played twice for Leeds since returning from Australia . . . ASA is not satisfied that Mark has sustained an injury which would have prevented him taking the field in Caracas."
Viduka, 28, made it clear he did not want to end his international career on such a low note. The striker said he was "extremely disappointed" but added: "I want everyone connected with the Socceroos to know I care passionately about playing for my country and thoughts of retiring from the national team were never an option."
Guardian Service
