Le Roy wishes Muamba well

Congo coach Claude Le Roy has offered his best wishes to Fabrice Muamba, and said the Bolton midfielder would be a welcome addition to his squad.

Muamba – currently in hospital after suffering a heart attack during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham – was born in Congo (formerly Zaire).

But after receiving a call-up to the African nation’s squad in 2007, he declined – choosing instead to represent England at Under-16 to Under-21 level.

Le Roy sent his best wishes to the 23-year-old, adding that he would be an instant inclusion into the Congo XI.

“He’s a player I wanted to pick for the upcoming tournaments because he’s playing at a constantly good level with Bolton. We all want to express our compassion, because football is now secondary. We hope and pray for Fabrice in this difficult situation and wish him a quick recovery,” Le Roy said.

“He’s already had hard times in his career. Now it is less of a problem for his career, it’s about his life. But his family and everyone who knows him believes in his recovery. Here in Kinshasa, we think a lot of him.”

Congo FA president Constant Omari said regardless of who Muamba decided to play for on the international scene, he still felt sadness at his shock illness.

“I’ve sent a message of support to the Bolton Wanderers. In the name of the Congolese Football Association and in the name of all Congolese, I would like to express our support for Fabrice Muamba,” Omari said.

“Even though he is a British citizen and plays for England he is still Congolese. Therefore his parents and his ancestors receive our support in this difficult period. Everybody is positive that God will help him.”