Jurgen Klopp wants answers from FIFA over Joel Matip
Sunday 15 January 2017 21:21, UK
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has called on FIFA to make a swift decision regarding the eligibility of Joel Matip.
Klopp was forced to withdraw the former Cameroon defender from his squad ahead of Sunday’s showdown with arch-rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Matip quit international football in September 2015 but national team coach Hugo Broos subsequently included him in a provisional 35-man squad for the African Nations Cup.
The German-born centre-back, who has not added to his 27 caps since 2014, made his position clear, but the Cameroon Football Federation threatened to take action.
Cameroon finalised their squad for the competition over a week ago Liverpool were unable to gain clarity from FIFA about Matip's clearance and eligibility.
"Our understanding is Joel is retired from international football and we, the club, did everything we had to do to make this clear but until now we could not get the response we need to be 100 per cent sure that he can play," said Klopp after the 1-1 draw with United.
"It's pretty difficult and pretty frustrating, to be honest. He's been in training for five days and would have been in the squad, 100 per cent, maybe on the pitch today, so I don't think it's fair.
"But we cannot do more and are still waiting on the decision. We could not take the risk.
"But we need to get an answer as quickly as possible because on Wednesday we have the next game (an FA Cup third-round replay at Plymouth) and then another game and another game. We cannot wait forever.
"It is public now, we have this problem and we are not the only team with this problem."
West Brom have faced a similar situation with Allan Nyom, who has not played in the Baggies' last two matches because they have not had similar clarification from FIFA.
Klopp added: "I think Tony Pulis said a few things about it so I don't think that it is fair for the fans, for the clubs, for the team-mates and for everything.
"Now we have to wait in this moment and think about the game - and then after the game we will try again to get answers."
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