Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni denies telling Darron Gibson to leave Manchester United for the sake of his international career.
Gibson rapped Trapattoni for his comments earlier this week.
But the Italian now insists: "I said that when younger players play more games or play always in the first or second league, it improves their personality, only this. There is no other problem. Gibson can stay in Manchester. It's not my problem.
"I will continue to call him up but I can't have eight players in my team who aren't playing for their clubs. Two other players asked me a month ago about opportunities to go. I told them to go and play, no worries. I will still call them up if they play in the lower leagues, Cillian Sheridan for example, in Bulgaria now.
"If Gibson decides to stay and Ferguson helps, that is great.
"But the answer is he must play. When he stays on the bench, he doesn't improve. But obviously Manchester is Manchester, they have great players. Entering this situation occasionally, it improves his personality.
"When he plays in these teams it's very important, you can play in the biggest competitions.
"I didn't tell him to go or not go. I said only if Gibson was in another club and regularly playing 90 minutes he would grow up. He has a great football brain and body. It is a difference of opinion."
