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Of all the players on the Philadelphia Union, Keon Daniel would be the least likely to want to put himself in a position to miss out on playing time for club or country. However, Daniel has done just that to himself with his national team.
Daniel signaled his desire to return to the Trinidad and Tobago National Team after a strong display that saw him score four goals in three games in October. Instead of reporting to the team, Daniel went silent.
"Keon is a player we could have used but apparently he doesn't want to be contacted," Huston Charles told Wired868. "We don't even know what country he is in... I think it is real immature behaviour (because) we spoke to him in St Kitts and he assured us he would come back."
A month later, the midfielder has continued his cone of silence in regard to the team, which, according to national team leadership, has even extended to his agent.
Once more, Philadelphia Union playmaker Keon "Skillachi" Daniel misses out in bizarre circumstances.
After cutting off all communication with the technical staff and his own agent for the duration of the semifinal phase, Daniel was tracked down by new head coach Jamaal Shabazz last week. The left-footed playmaker was in Trinidad and Tobago and, in a telephone call, he declared an interest to join the team training.
He was not heard from since.
"There is still no word from Keon Daniel," national team manager William Wallace told Wired868. "He is AWOL (absent without leave) as far as we are concerned."
Daniel was at one point on the outs with the Union this past season, unable to force himself into the starting lineup or substitute appearances. Then he broke out around the same time as his goal explosion with his national team, until he missed a late season game against the Houston Dynamo that seemed to disrupt his positive form.