BBC SPORT | Football | Africa | Cup of Nations | Cape Verde lose out on Santos



By Ben Sutherland BBC Sport Online

Cape Verde's star midfielder George Santos has told BBC Sport Online he will miss the team's Nations Cup qualifier with Kenya later this month.

For football I prefer Grimsby

George Santos

Santos said he was staying away to focus on his career with his new club Grimsby Town.

Santos sure of Grimsby survival

Santos signed a one-month deal with the English Division One side at the end of September after finding himself out of contract with Sheffield United at the end of last season.

And he said that as he was keen to have the deal extended he could not risk missing matches to play international football.

"I said to the (Cape Verde) manager I'm not coming because of my situation," Santos told BBC Sport Online.

Blundell PArk, home of Grimsby Town
Santos hopes to stay at Blundell Park
"We have tough games so for me the best is to move and look forward with Grimsby rather than the national team."

France-born Santos made his Cape Verde debut against Mauritania last month after realising he was eligible through his family heritage.

The tiny island team won 2-0 to get their Group 5 campaign off to a great start.

Cape Verde win Nations Cup opener

It was Santos's first competitive game of the season, but soon afterwards he received a call from Grimsby manager Paul Groves.

And Santos added that he much preferred Grimsby to his last English club Sheffield United, and was very much enjoying life in the town.

Santos signs for Mariners

"Sheffield is a big club, they played in the Premiership seven years ago, but for football I prefer Grimsby," he said.

"We play on the pitch, not kick and run all the time."


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