'I had to prioritise' - Portsmouth midfielder Rocco Shein opens up on 'difficult decision' to turn down his country
Pomoey midfielder Rocco Shein has revealed the reasons behind his wish not to be called up by Estonia for their latest international fixtures
Rocco Shein has explained the difficult decision he made not to link up with Estonia during the current international break.
The midfielder, who Pompey signed for £2.1m from Norwegian top-flight side Fredrikstad in the summer, has revealed he asked not to be included in manager Jurgen Henn’s latest squad as he felt his body needed a break due to its recent workload.
The 23-year also said prioritising his health at this important stage of his career would help him establish himself at Fratton Park and therefore strengthen his position in John Mousinho’s ranks.
Estonia kick-off their latest Nations League campaign today with a trip to Iceland, before facing Bulgaria (A), Luxemburg (H) and Iceland again (H) in the forthcoming nine days.
Tallinn-born Shein has accumulated 25 caps for his country so far, with his last coming against Lithuania in June.
He’s also featured eight times, including seven starts, for the Blues to date, although has been substituted earlier in four of his last five outings.
But with Pompey facing south-coast rivals Southampton on their return to Championship action on Sunday, October 11 - a game that kicks-off a run of five matches in 13 days - the 23-year-old wants to be in the best physical shape so he can contribute more for his new sifde.
Playing for the Estonian national team is still a great honor for me
The midfielder’s decision has caused much furore in Estonia, with his absence attracting a lot of coverage.
However, keen to address the situation, Shein issued the following statement: ‘In recent days, my decision not to join the national team has been much talked about and discussed in the media, and it seems to me that the real reason for it has not been quite correctly revealed. Therefore, I want to explain it myself.
‘I came to England with a very high workload and essentially no rest. Before joining Portsmouth I had played 16 games in Norway and went straight into pre-season. I have now played seven more games in England and after the international break the schedule will be even tighter with four games in ten days.
‘I am at a very important stage in my career right now. Getting to the Championship has not been easy. There is a lot of conscious work, sacrifices and decisions behind it, and my big goal now is to establish myself at my new club and strengthen my position as a regular player in this league.
‘To do this, I need to be able to assess my body and the workload. I also know what kind of workload I would have faced in the national team. This time, however, I seriously assessed the situation and felt that my body needed this break and I had to prioritise my health and the period ahead at the club.
‘Playing for the Estonian national team is still a great honor for me. My values in this regard are still in place and nothing has changed.
‘But in professional sports, sometimes you have to make uncomfortable and difficult decisions, and this was one of them. I don't expect everyone to always understand my decisions, but I have to take responsibility for my health and career and make the decisions that I believe are the right ones at the time.
‘Thank you and I wish the Estonian team success in the upcoming games! I am always rooting for the Blueshirts and supporting my boys!’
Following the current international break, the Estonia players regroup again in November for games against Luxemburg and Bulgaria.