Harry Redknapp has blasted England coach Fabio Capello for the treatment meted out to Scott Parker and Michael Dawson.
Both Parker and Dawson were outsiders to make Capello's final squad of 23 for the World Cup, but neither managed to get a seat on the South Africa bound plane.
West Ham's Parker had enjoyed a roaring return to the Premier League after having been sidelined for a lengthy spell due to injury
Tottenham's Dawson had formed the bedrock of his side's ultimately successful challenge for a Champions League spot in the recently concluded domestic campaign.
Redknapp's gripe was not just over the duo's omission but also over the way they were treated in the national team's training camp.
In comments reported by The Sun, the Spurs' boss said: "People on the inside who I know tell me Scott was fantastic in training every day. He worked his socks off and could not have done any more, but whatever he did he wasn't going to go.
"Someone said to me he felt like a ghost on the trip, like Dawson - they were there but not there, and they could sense that.
"They never kicked a ball and the manager didn't really speak to them or give them much feedback.
"Capello might as well have taken 25 to Austria instead of 30. They made up the numbers."
Redknapp was also unhappy with the way the team news had leaked well before an unofficial announcement had been made.
"I've been getting messages all day saying which people aren't in. It shouldn't be like that.
"I don't know why they couldn't all have been sat down and told."
Finally, 'arry also expressed his surprise at Theo Walcott's exclusion.
"I thought Theo would go.
"I gave him his debut at Southampton, he is inconsistent at times but he flies by people. I thought he was a certainty."