Slovenia Boss Issues Stern Warning to Manchester United Over Benjamin Šeško’s Availability
Slovenia’s national football team manager, Bostjan Cesar, has issued a clear and unwavering message to Manchester United, asserting that the club will not dictate the terms of Benjamin Šeško’s international availability. The young striker has withdrawn from the upcoming friendly matches against Hungary and Montenegro, citing a need to recover from an issue that Manchester United has been “carefully managing” in recent weeks.
While Cesar has acknowledged the current decision, he has also made it known that Slovenia’s medical staff will conduct their own assessment of their star striker during a training camp in Ljubljana this week. Manchester United had initially been amenable to Šeško’s departure, as he was already scheduled for a few days of rest back home. This arrangement also presented an opportunity for Šeško to have his first in-person meeting with Cesar, who took the reins as the national team manager in January.
However, this situation echoes a tense standoff that occurred in November. At that time, Šeško was sidelined with a knee injury sustained during a match against Tottenham. The then-Slovenian manager, Matjaz Kek, expressed significant dissatisfaction with what he perceived as a lack of communication from Manchester United. Slovenia’s subsequent defeat to Kosovo in that period ultimately ended their World Cup qualification aspirations, leading to the decision not to renew Kek’s contract.
Speaking on Friday, Cesar confirmed his acceptance of the reasons behind Šeško’s withdrawal on this occasion. Nevertheless, he was emphatic in his warning that Slovenia will firmly defend their position in the future when it pertains to calling up the 22-year-old forward.
It is within the purview of national teams to insist on player call-ups, even when their clubs deem them injured. Cesar has stated that Manchester United will be treated with the same adherence to UEFA regulations as any Slovenian club, including current league leaders NK Celje, when it comes to enforcing these rules.
Cesar articulated his stance clearly: “Normally the national team is crucial for us, a little less so for them (United), but it’s better for Benjamin not to train for these 14 days. Our medical department immediately assessed that it would not be good for him to play.”
He continued with a firm resolve, “We have to value ourselves. We are a small country, but this is a national team. For me, and I am the responsible one, there will be no deviation here. Whether it’s Manchester United or Celje, you know what UEFA’s national team rules are. There will be no deviation.”
Šeško was recently pictured engaging in some light exercises with his teammates as part of a fitness assessment at the training camp on Tuesday. He is anticipated to be fit and available for Manchester United’s next fixture, a home game against Leeds scheduled for April 13th. This situation highlights the ongoing delicate balance and potential friction between club and country duties, particularly for prominent young talents like Benjamin Šeško. The manager’s resolute stance underscores Slovenia’s commitment to prioritising their national team interests, irrespective of the club’s stature.
