Has anybody any idea if he has returned to the club, there's nowt on the clubs website or in the Echo I'm getting concerned about this issue and the silence surrounding his whereabouts is deafening.
Didier Ndong has apologised for the disappearing act which saw him dropped by Gabon, but says it is not true he was uncontactable. Sunderland’s record signing was sent home from international duty after failing to report for training on Tuesday. The midfielder’s punishment was even more significant because it came in the final international break before his country hosts next year’s African Cup of Nations. The tournament threatens to take the likes of Lamine Kone and Wahbi Khazri away from Wearside for up to six weeks, depending on their team’s success. In an interview with Gabonese newspaper l’Union, Ndong admitted he had not been at training on Tuesday because his wife had recently given birth. “When I arrived, I dropped my stuff in my room (in the team hotel),” he explained. “Then I went to my home, like many of my team-mates. “Before, I informed the staff that my wife had just given birth and I let myself be carried away by this euphoria. These are the reasons for my absence from training on Tuesday.” After sending Ndong home from capital city Libreville, the Gabonese Football Federation complained that the 18-capped player had not been in touch to tell them of “any possible trouble,” but he has denied claims from within the federation that he was uncontactable. “That is incorrect,” he insisted. “I use my foreign number when I am in Gabon but there are network disruptions from time to time. When I was left out of the group, my uncle and friends called me by that phone.” Ndong was apologetic and adamant he is committed to playing for his country. “I love my country more than anything,” he said. Saturday’s crucial game at home to relegation rivals Hull City, but as long as that is the case, it could work to their advantage. Ndong missed two Gabon games – on Saturday and Tuesday – giving him extra time to prepare for Saturday and if coach José Antonio Garrido – reappointed earlier this month after Jorge Costa was sacked three months into the job – does hold it against Ndong and leaves him out of the African Cup of Nations squad, that will only be to Sunderland’s benefit in the new year. They already look likely to have Papy Djilobodji having fallen out of favour with Senegal, but to lose Ndong, Ivorian Kone and Tunisian Wahbi Khazri would significantly weaken the squad at an important time. The African Cup of Nations runs from January 14 to February 5.
No way of knowing how much if any of what he said is bullshit but he's alive and well and that's good to know.
Taking all the ingredients he has reported I am giving him the benefit of this doubt as he seems a steady lad. Purely basing that on wife giving birth, the phone thing and various numbers.
