Controversy raged yester-day over the last-minute sacking of four players and a staff member from Cambodia’s U23 national team, which travelled to Myanmar on Tuesday with just 16 in its squad ahead of their opening Group B fixture in Yangon on Saturday night.

While officials of the Football Federation of Cambodia declined to comment on the matter or snubbed phone calls made by Post staff, FFC President Sao Sokha responded to an international call yesterday morning while on a visit to China.

“[The FFC] never does anything without adequate reasons, and the reason [for the sackings] is likely to spoil our nation’s reputation,” he told the Post, without stating the reason or setting a date for its disclosure.