JOBY BOURGAIZE has said that he can’t be bothered to play for Guernsey. The 21-year-old Bels star has withdrawn from Steve Ogier’s island squad for the rest of the season.
It means Bourgaize will be unavailable for the greens’ trip to Alderney at the weekend for the Muratti semi-final, the rest of the South and West Counties Champion-ship and the big one, the Muratti final against Jersey, on Sunday 6 May.
‘I just can’t be bothered - it’s been a bad year,’ said Bourgaize.
‘I just want to get this year over and start again next year. I’m just not enjoying it and I can’t be bothered with all the extra football this season.
‘It just seems there is something on every day and when you’re not enjoying it, it’s a pain in the behind.’
In his junior days as a wide player, Bourgaize was hailed as a great prospect and a long future in the senior squad seemed assured.
But that has not yet come to fruition as since first being involved in the island set-up four years ago, he has only one Muratti cap to his name and that came when he was an 18-year-old.
As a key member of the Bels side which won the Priaulx last year, this season has not been so good for Bourgaize and his teammates as they currently sit in third place and 10 points behind leaders North.
But after two victories on the bounce this month over Rovers and St Martin’s, Bourgaize says morale in the camp is high. And although he has no interest in representative football, he is still keen to turn out for his club.
‘It’s good now. We did have a little rocky patch but every club has that,’ he said.
‘At the moment it seems like it was last year. I didn’t really want the extra football this year and I just want to get my head back for Bels.’
Despite pulling out for the rest of the season, Bourgaize has said that he does want to be involved again in the future, if Ogier picks him.
‘If he wants me next year, then there’s not a problem,’ he said.
Ogier was philosophical about Bourgaize’s decision. The Bels player had informed him when he received a letter from the coach saying that he had been included in a 22-man training squad for Saturday’s match with Alderney.
‘Well, it’s his choice,’ he said.
‘He’s lost interest in football and that’s what he told me. He hasn’t dressed it up.
‘What can I do? There’s nothing I can do.
‘He was good enough to telephone me as soon as he got the letter.’
Article posted on 14th March, 2007 - 12.00am
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