Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong is considering his international future.
The Guardian says De Jong is contemplating turning his back on international football after being dropped from the Holland squad as punishment for the challenge that left Newcastle United's Hatem Ben Arfa with a double break to his left leg.
His belief is that coach Bert van Marwijk has used him to help deflect the criticism that was directed at the Dutch management for the team's abrasive style of play in the World Cup. De Jong maintains there was nothing wrong with a challenge over which Newcastle registered an official complaint with the Football Association, and he believes it was wrong in any case for the Dutch to take action against something that happened while he was playing for his club in England.
He has not aired his grievances publicly, largely because he is aware it would look insensitive at a time when Ben Arfa is facing such a long and distressing rehabilitation, but in private he has decided to see how things settle over the next few weeks before deciding whether he can work with Van Marwijk again.