Stuart Baxter tried hard not to say it in those exact words, but Tokelo Rantie has snubbed Bafana Bafana for their must-win World Cup qualifiers against Senegal next month.
As Baxter announced his squad at Safa House in Nasrec on Thursday morning, Rantie was the notable absentee.
But Baxter did recall veteran Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Siphiwe Tshabalala, saying the 33-year-old's return was based on his outstanding form.
He was not a long-term plan, however.
Bafana must win both their matches against Senegal - on November 10 in Polokwane and November 14 in Dakar - to qualify for Russia 2018.
Captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, who was injured for the Burkina Faso game, has been recalled.
Baxter said he had been in contact with Rantie, who had expressed unhappiness at not being named in Baxter's previous squad that beat Burkina Faso 3-1 at FNB Stadium on October 7, and said he "needed space to think about his international career".
Rantie missed Turkish club Genclerbirligi's last league game with an injury at the weekend, but Baxter said that was not the reason for the striker's omission.
"No, he's available. The last time I sat here and named a squad I gave the reasons why he was not in," Baxter said.
"That was that he'd just come off a three-game suspension [for his club], his coach was playing him as a winger, and I wasn't 100% satisfied with his performance against Cape Verde.
"Given those reasons, I had a conversation with Tokelo [and] he wasn't that happy with that.
"He was explaining some of the problems he's had [in Turkey], and how he's not feeling too good and he wants some space to think about both his international career and his career in Turkey, and if he should try and get back into Bafana or move on.
"So I've just decided that this is not the right time [to call him]."
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