Northern Irish upset over squad withdrawls

The Northern Ireland Football Association is furious over late withdrawals from the national team squad before tomorrow night's Belfast friendly against Yugoslavia.

Senior players Neil Lennon, Gerry Taggart and Steve Lomas have all quit the squad with only four days left to the start of the new Premiership season.

The IFA is considering a request for FIFA to ban the players from the opening game of the new season on Saturday. Lomas has been withdrawn due to injury by West Ham while Leicester have held back Taggart and Lennon citing injuries but all three are expected to play at the weekend.

Under FIFA rules a club can be barred from fielding a player who has withdrawn from a international match in their next fixture and the Irish authorities want all three players to be checked by their own medical staff in Belfast.

English clubs are angry that the preparations for the new season have been interrupted by ten friendly matches across Europe tomorrow as countries prepare for the 2002 World Cup campaign.