Charlie Davies Slams Sochaux After World Cup Roster Decision

Just when you thought Charlie Davies’ omission from the U.S. team’s preliminary World Cup roster had been examined from every angle, there’s a new one to consider.

It’s Sochaux’s fault.

At least, if you listen to Charlie Davies, it is.

Davies ripped team officials at the French club for a letter they sent to national team coach Bob Bradley that eventually kept him off the roster.

“It’s frustrating because for the past months I’ve been training with the (Sochaux) team,” Davies said. “I’ve progressed a lot, I continue to progress, I still have to progress but I’m definitely ready to play.

“It’s a very strange situation, I feel hurt because I feel like I’ve been let down by my club. Bob Bradley called me the night before the selection was put out to the press. 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.”

Naturally, Sochaux has a vested intrest in Davies’ health for the 2010-2011 Ligue 1 season. So it’s not surprising that their trainers are erring on the side of caution.

But alienating a player has its own consequences.

“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 our World Cup camp starts next week I would be at a level where I can compete for one of the forward spots.”

What do you think? Was Sochaux out of bounds, or simply protecting its investment?