Breaking News: Gai Assulin Shuns National Team

Who wouldn’t want to play for their country? To represent the flag on the highest level?

Well, Gai Assulin, that’s who.

Israel’s finest footballing prodigy – the next Benayoun – the next Barcelona superstar, has decided to shun the U-21 national team and skip the squad’s European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria next Wednesday.

I couldn’t agree more with the IFA (Israeli Football Association) on this one, so I might as well just copy and paste their response verbatim:

“It’s a shame that Guy is acting completely different from Eyal Berkovic who did everything he could to play even when he was with Celtic or [Liverpool's] Yossi Benayoun who even played injured,” the IFA said. “We’re just disappointed.”

Will Israel beat Bulgaria without the team’s best player, Assulin? Probably not.

And, even though it’s summer, and even though Barcelona’s season is over, the club vs. country debate never seems to end…