Charlie Davies isn't happy about having missed out on the U.S. national team preliminary World Cup roster and he's placing the blame for missing the team's pre-World Cup training camp squarely on his club team's handling of his situation.
Davies spoke with a national French radio program on Wednesday and slammed FC Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe for his actions, saying Sochaux kept him from joining the U.S. national team.
"I'm very hurt, I'm very sad, but I'm very angry because I feel FC Sochaux has denied me a chance at playing in the World Cup," Davies said. "Of course I'm not at 100 percent now, but I feel that by the time World Cup camp starts next week I will be at a level where I can compete for one of the forward spots, and I feel by June 1st, June 12th by the first game against England I feel I will able to be at 100 percent and really contribute to the national team.
"For me not being able to get a chance is very painful."
Davies stated that U.S. coach Bob Bradley informed him that Lacombe wrote a letter to the U.S. national team stating they would not release Davies, which led, at least in part, to Bradley's decision to leave Davies off the 30-man provisional roster.
"Bob Bradley called me the night before the selection was put out to the press," Davies said. "He explained to me that Sochaux sent a letter saying they were not going to clear me medically and wouldn't release me to go with the national team. And that this had a big part to play in not being able to select me."
Lacombe made news a month ago when he stated publicly that Davies would not play for Sochaux again this season, a statement that came on the same day Davies resumed full training with the club. A second story was leaked in the French media two weeks later with team sources stating that Davies would not be able to recover in time for the World Cup.
Davies made no mistake about his anger being directed at Lacombe, who he has not spoken to since the fatal car accident that nearly took his life last October.
"Since the accident I have not spoken with the president of FC Sochaux," Davies said. "He has not spoken with me. He has not given me any explanation. He hasn't given me a reason why he has not said I can play.
"He has not given me a reason why he sent the U.S. national team a letter saying he didn't understand why they put me on the provisional roster and he didnt' understand why they would call me and that I can't play and that they would not release me."
Davies stopped short of saying he wanted to leave Sochaux, with his anger directed mainly at the club president. He has every intention of returning to the French club for next season.
"I still feel I owe my teammates and I owe the fans of Sochaux to do well and contribute in the way that I can, which is to score many goals and create many opportunities for the team to win," Davies said. "Of course I just need to continue to perform and do the things that I've always done. Continue with my goals and move on to the clubs that I've dreamed of playing for. For me it's just continue the hard work and never forget this. I'll always have a chip on my shoulder, but I will not take anything for granted."
As for the World Cup, Davies does not plan on attending the tournament.
"I don't plan on going to South Africa because it would be very painful to be there knowing that my club never gave me a chance and that maybe I could be there. Maybe I couldn't play, but maybe I could. I' will never know.
"I'll train even harder during the World Cup, it will give me more motivation."