20-03-2009, 09:07 AM
Manchester United keeper Edwin van der Sar has turned down a request from Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk to come out of international retirement.
Van der Sar, 38, did agree to a similar request in October 2008 and played in wins over Iceland and Norway.
But, with Van Marwijk again hit by a keeper injury crisis, Van der Sar has refused this time around.
"I knew beforehand what the answer would be, but I called him anyway," Van Marwijk told a Dutch newspaper.
Van der Sar quit the international set-up after Euro 2008 and is the most capped Dutch footballer of all time with 130 appearances.
Van Marwijk said he asked him to play in upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Scotland on 28 March and Macedonia on 1 April "against my better judgment".
He will name his squad on Friday and he is likely to have to pick a starter from keepers Maarten Stekelenburg, Henk Timmer and Michel Vorm.
Stekelenburg is the most likely candidate, even though he has only just returned from injury and has failed to force his way back into the Ajax team.
Source: BBC Sport
Van der Sar, 38, did agree to a similar request in October 2008 and played in wins over Iceland and Norway.
But, with Van Marwijk again hit by a keeper injury crisis, Van der Sar has refused this time around.
"I knew beforehand what the answer would be, but I called him anyway," Van Marwijk told a Dutch newspaper.
Van der Sar quit the international set-up after Euro 2008 and is the most capped Dutch footballer of all time with 130 appearances.
Van Marwijk said he asked him to play in upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Scotland on 28 March and Macedonia on 1 April "against my better judgment".
He will name his squad on Friday and he is likely to have to pick a starter from keepers Maarten Stekelenburg, Henk Timmer and Michel Vorm.
Stekelenburg is the most likely candidate, even though he has only just returned from injury and has failed to force his way back into the Ajax team.
Source: BBC Sport