Forest Green boss Robbie Savage says he won’t stop defender Ryan Inniss from answering an international call-up from Trinidad and Tobago, even though it could mean missing key National League games.
Inniss, 30, qualifies to represent Trinidad and Tobago through his grandfather and has been called up for a World Cup qualifier by manager Dwight Yorke against Jamaica on Friday.
Inniss captained Rovers to a 3–2 victory at Aldershot on Saturday, but is now faced with a difficult club versus country decision.
The understanding Rovers’ boss explained the ball is in Inniss’s court: “Ryan’s been called up by Trinidad. He’s got a decision to make because they’ve got a game on Friday. If he goes, he’ll miss Tamworth and Gateshead, which will be a blow if he decides to go — but I’ll support him. I’ve said to him, playing for your country is amazing. Who am I to tell you not to go? If it was my son, what would I do?”
He added that Inniss could technically still play for Rovers if the call-up notice didn’t meet the 15-day rule: “If he stays, he can play for us because they didn’t give us 15 days’ notice — that’s my understanding of the rule, though I might be mistaken.”
Savage said the final decision is down to Inniss: “It’s not for me to say. He knows how important he is to this team. The boy is in a difficult situation because he knows how relentless this team is as we could win the next 10 games, but he’s also got a chance to represent his country against Jamacia and possibly qualify for the World Cup qualifier. It’s a difficult decision, but whatever he chooses, I’ll support him if he stays or goes.”
