Viduka ban angers Leeds

I would fully understand it if Viduka told Australia where to stick international football Leeds chief executive Trevor Birch

Leeds chief executive Trevor Birch has branded Mark Viduka's ban for the Manchester United match an "outrage".

The Yorkshire club are seeking legal advice after the Australian Soccer Association got Viduka banned for not turning up for international duty.

Viduka claimed a hamstring injury prevented him playing in the 1-1 draw against Venezuela in Caracas.

Birch told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "What's happened is an absolute disgrace. It's an outrage."

Fifa regulations stipulate a player who does not comply with a call-up request will be suspended from playing for his club for a period of five days after the date of the game for which he had been initially been selected.

Birch added: "The survival of Leeds is in jeopardy and we have this, all for the sake of a Mickey Mouse game that took place at the other side of the world.

"Where is the justice in that?

"I would fully understand it if he told them where to stick international football now. They don't deserve someone like him."

Viduka said he was disappointed but would continue to play for Australia.

"I care passionately about playing for my country, retiring from the national team was never an option," said the striker.

The club said in a statement to BBC Radio Leeds: "We will explore every available avenue to redress this potential injustice.

I'm extremely disappointed at the stance taken by Soccer Australia Mark Viduka

"This decision has shown a complete lack of understanding and compassion towards Mark whose father Joe is still critically ill over in Australia.

"And to Leeds United Football Club who, given Mark's personal circumstances, had no hesitation in granting him unlimited compassionate leave so that he could be at his father's bedside."

Viduka had only just returned to England after nearly a month in Australia at his sick father's bedside.

In a statement in the wake of the ASA's decision, Viduka said: "I'm extremely disappointed at the stance taken by Soccer Australia.

"Leeds United officially requested that I be withdrawn over an injury that I picked up in the game against Wolves.

"The considered and submitted medical opinion was that as the injury had been sustained due to lack of match fitness, treatment and rehabilitation was the best action rather than the amount of travel required for this fixture.

"I also had an open and honest dialogue with the ASA expressing my thoughts that this game had come at the wrong time for me due to my recent personal circumstances, a time when I still feel I need to be with and available to my family.

"Sadly this was not deemed acceptable. Therefore, because of my strength of feeling I took the decision to withdraw from the squad."

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The ASA had concerns about six players who were selected but did not travel to Venezuela, but decided to punish just two - Viduka and Basle's Scott Chipperfield.

The other four players - Harry Kewell, Josip Skoko, John Aloisi and Brett Emerton - have been cleared after the ASA said it was satisfied that they had genuine injuries.

The ASA statement said: "We would like to emphasise that it has been a difficult process in reaching these decisions.

"We take a sympathetic view of the circumstances of all players but ultimately decided there were grounds for invoking article 40 of Fifa's regulations in the case of Scott Chipperfield and Mark Viduka."