Wycombe Wanderers forward Tjay De Barr has apologised to his international teammates as he rejected his latest call up to play for the Chairboys.
The 23-year-old had been selected to represent his native Gibraltar who take on Greece and the Netherlands in their respective Euro 2024 qualifiers this month.
— Andre Tjay De Barr (@de_tjay) March 23, 2023
However, after featuring in nine of the club’s last 11 league games, the striker decided to make the difficult decision to decline the chance to potentially receive his 31st and 32nd caps for his country.
READ MORE: 'I started to cough up blood' - Wycombe's Tjay De Barr revisits Plymouth incident
He will now be included in the Wanderers squad to face Charlton Athletic at the Valley this Saturday.
Speaking to both the Bucks Free Press and BBC 3 Counties Radio on March 23, he said: “A few weeks ago I wasn’t in the team and a few months before that I wasn’t involved at all.
Tjay De Barr expresses his wish to remain at his club during the international window and will not be a part of Gibraltar's Men's National Team squad for their opening two @EURO2024 Qualifiers vs Greece and the Netherlands: 🔽https://t.co/bfk9vGzbWP
— Gibraltar FA (@GibraltarFA) March 23, 2023
“But I did know that I was capable of breaking into the team and if I did do that, it would at some point clash with my international games.
“This was a very hard decision to make as I love playing for my country and playing for my country is the best feeling in the world.
“People won’t know the feeling I have when I represent my country, so they won’t understand the level of difficulty to express my desire to stay and play for Wycombe this weekend.
READ MORE: Tjay De Barr and Brandon Hanlan shine in Wycombe's latest win
“I am the proudest Gibraltarian.
“At the same time, I see an opportunity that I need to grasp.
“We’ve got nine games left and we need to do everything we can to get into the play-offs.
“I would like to thank everyone back home who understood the situation and I would like to apologise to my teammates and managers and the Gibraltar fans.
READ MORE: Wycombe's Tjay De Barr receives praise after goal versus Burton
“It was a tough call to make but I need to do my best for Wycombe.”
Since joining Wycombe in the summer of 2021, De Barr has featured in 23 matches for the club and has scored twice.
“It was a very tough decision. I see an opportunity right now”
— BBC Sport Three Counties (@BBCSport3CR) March 23, 2023
The @wwfcofficial forward Tjay De Barr explains to @sam_avery1 why he’s chosen to play for Wycombe rather than Gibraltar who have Euro qualifiers against Greece & the Netherlands. #Chairboyshttps://t.co/UrgIcQgvBZ pic.twitter.com/zEKEJ2HvZn
He has yet to strike a goal for the Chairboys at Adams Park.
In a statement published by the Gibraltar FA on March 23, they said: "Yjay De Barr advised the Gibraltar FA and Men's National Team Head Coach, Julio Ribas, earlier on this week that it was his wish to remain with his club Wycombe Wanderers during this international window.
"As a result, the forward will not be a part of Gibraltar's Men's National Team Squad for their opening UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers versus Greece and the Netherlands."
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