Marques: Photo Credit: Petro de Luanda FC.
Dropped again from the Angola national team squad for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, goalkeeper Hugo Marques has pleaded with coach Pedro Gonçalves to consider recalling him to prove himself again.
In an exclusive interview with Pan Africa Football, the 39-year-old said he deserves a return to the Palancas Negras’ squad owing to his excellent displays between the sticks for Petro de Luanda FC who lead the Girabola log table.
The former Cape Town City shot-stopper was reacting to the latest Angola call, which has seen Gonçalves overlooking the towering keeper from next week’s FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Libya and Cape Verde.
Marques said he took a brief break from the national team assignments last year after his club’s supporter stormed the pitch wanting to beat him over his previous performance for Petro de Luanda, but he is now available.
“One year ago, a supporter came onto the pitch and tried to punch me. The following week when we played against Ghana, the coach put me on the bench but I told him I was ok. He said the reason was the supporter—one thing with the club and the other with the national team. I [then] told the coach that I needed time to reflect on my time in the national team,” he explained.
Marques said while he excused himself from the national team assignments, he expressed his wish to return after explaining to Gonçalves why he had taken time off.
“I needed time to reflect on my time in the national team. After some time, I told the coach that I was ok now and he said ok thank you for opening up to come back again but [still] he doesn’t me. I am sorry coach that time I did that because I was lovely. I didn’t have protection. The only protection was to play and show that I was ok. [But] maybe he didn’t like that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Petro de Luanda has since celebrated that Marques has reached 100 games, including 63 clean sheets and six league titles, with Girabola pacesetters.
In Marques’s absence, Goncalves has called up Adilson Da Cruz of Premeiro de Agosto, Antonio Dominique (Etoile Suica) and Nsesne Simao.
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