Swedish national team coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has been struggling to get hold of Nottingham Forest’s right winger Anthony Elanga after the Nations League match against Estonia in the middle of October last year.
Swedish media Fotbollskanalen back then reported that Anthony Elanga was frustrated by being left on the bench in the 3-0 win and consequently the Nottingham Forest profile did not show up at the last meal with the Swedish squad before travelling back to Nottingham.
Jon Dahl then followingly failed to select Elanga for the Nations League fixtures in November against Slovakia and Azerbaijan and told the media that he hadn’t been able to get hold of Elanga.
“He hasn’t called me. Not yet. I tried calling him again but we haven’t been in touch yet. But I am sure that we will get in touch before the next meeting. There is a lot of time left until then. It’s a bit strange, but we can’t change it. He might be very busy. I don’t know”, said the national team coach in November to Fotbollskanalen.
Today the former Danish international striker says in an interview with Expressen that he still hasn’t been able to get hold of Elanga.
Fotbollskanalen is saying that Anthony Elanga was the only player that didn’t show up to the team dinner after the previous games with the national team. Jon Dahl Tomasson said that he has tried to call and send messages to Elanga but he hasn’t answered.
So he hasn’t called back?
“The ball is in his court. My door doesn’t close to players.”
Are you surprised that he hasn’t responded to you? Still, three months have passed.
“I can’t give a good answer to that. I can only say that right now he is doing well and we are following the matches, the ball is in his court.”
Do you have the impression that he still wants to play for the Swedish national team?
“I think you should ask him.”
It was written that he did not appear at a closing dinner after the victory against Estonia in October. Has he misbehaved in any way off the field?
“What happens in the squad stays in the squad”, ends Tomasson.
Sweden will be in action again on Svend Bertil Frandsen22 March when they face Luxembourg away in a friendly.