Furious Ukraine boss Oleg Blokhin has threatened to axe Andriy Voronin for the match against Scotland after a touchline bust-up.
The Liverpool hitman, a substitute in his country's 2-1 defeat to Italy, reacted angrily to comments made by his coach late in the game.
A toe-to-toe argument then broke out between the pair on the sidelines and no-nonsense Blokhin revealed he may now drop Voronin for the match against Alex McLeish's men next month.
When asked why the Anfield star was benched at the start, Blokhin fumed: "It's obvious. Voronin hardly strengthened us when he came on.
"In fact, he was one of the reasons Italy got the second goal. He looks to me like he has put on an extra three kilos of weight.
"We created 10 chances in the match and only took one. It's no wonder there was frustration.
"But no footballer has any right to speak the way he did to his coach. If he wishes to shout like that, let him go to Liverpool and say it to Rafa Benitez!
"After the match, I apologised to the team. I know that it was partly my fault, too.
"However, Andriy obviously doesn't consider it necessary to apologise and, if he continues like that, then I won't think it necessary to include him in the national team!"
But Voronin last night refused to back down in the war of words with Blokhin that could result in him being dropped.
The 28-year-old ace, capped 48 times for his country, said: "You must understand that I do not welcome this situation, but I am no longer a child. I won't allow anyone to patronise me the way Blokhin did."
Ukraine got their only goal through Chelsea superstar Andriy Shevchenko before Italy's Antonio Di Natale struck his second of the match to secure the win.
However, the former AC Milan striker has now given up hope of qualification and admitted his country are playing for honour in their four remaining group games.
Shevchenko said: "Italy made the most of the few chances they had and that's what separates them from the rest.
"The games ahead of us are a great chance for our young players to show what they can do.
"But our main motivation in these fixtures is to defend our country's honour."
Scotland face Ukraine in their next Euro 2008 qualifying match at Hampden on October 13.
The Liverpool hitman, a substitute in his country's 2-1 defeat to Italy, reacted angrily to comments made by his coach late in the game.
A toe-to-toe argument then broke out between the pair on the sidelines and no-nonsense Blokhin revealed he may now drop Voronin for the match against Alex McLeish's men next month.
When asked why the Anfield star was benched at the start, Blokhin fumed: "It's obvious. Voronin hardly strengthened us when he came on.
"In fact, he was one of the reasons Italy got the second goal. He looks to me like he has put on an extra three kilos of weight.
"We created 10 chances in the match and only took one. It's no wonder there was frustration.
"But no footballer has any right to speak the way he did to his coach. If he wishes to shout like that, let him go to Liverpool and say it to Rafa Benitez!
"After the match, I apologised to the team. I know that it was partly my fault, too.
"However, Andriy obviously doesn't consider it necessary to apologise and, if he continues like that, then I won't think it necessary to include him in the national team!"
But Voronin last night refused to back down in the war of words with Blokhin that could result in him being dropped.
The 28-year-old ace, capped 48 times for his country, said: "You must understand that I do not welcome this situation, but I am no longer a child. I won't allow anyone to patronise me the way Blokhin did."
Ukraine got their only goal through Chelsea superstar Andriy Shevchenko before Italy's Antonio Di Natale struck his second of the match to secure the win.
However, the former AC Milan striker has now given up hope of qualification and admitted his country are playing for honour in their four remaining group games.
Shevchenko said: "Italy made the most of the few chances they had and that's what separates them from the rest.
"The games ahead of us are a great chance for our young players to show what they can do.
"But our main motivation in these fixtures is to defend our country's honour."
Scotland face Ukraine in their next Euro 2008 qualifying match at Hampden on October 13.
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