AARON Mokoena has lifted the lid on his sensational bust-up with South African coach Ted Dumitru, insisting he will never play for his country again as long as the Romanian remains in charge.

The Blackburn Rovers defender has quit international football in protest at the way Dumitru controversially ousted him as captain of his country during the build up to the African Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Egypt later this week.

Mokoena flew out to South African for a pre-tournament training camp 10 days ago, fully expecting to lead his team, as normal, in the month-long event.

However, shortly after his arrival, the 25-year-old quickly discovered that Dumitru had conducted a vote amongst the players to decide on a new captain, an act that prompted Mokoena to walk out.

He explained: "The manager of the team said he didn't know I was coming and that he had been finding it difficult to communicate with the club.

"I couldn't understand that because I had been communicating with his assistant, who knew what kind of schedule I had in December, when I was arriving - everything!

"The club wanted me to stay for the QPR game, but I had a chat with Mark Hughes and he agreed that I could go after the Portsmouth match.

"And so when I got there, it was strange for me to hear what he was telling me.

"The worst part was that the players had been asked to vote in a new captain.

"I couldn't understand because I've been with the national team since 1998, almost eight years, and I've never voted for a captain.

"Even if there was to be a players' vote, why wasn't I allowed to cast mine?

"I could have done it over the phone if he thought that I was going to be late.

"Again, I couldn't understand because our first game isn't until January 22, so what was the hurry?"

Caretaker coach Dumitru, who only replaced former boss Stuart Baxter on a three-month contract in November, had already rubbed several players up the wrong way with comments in the media prior to 'The Axe's' axing.

Now, Mokoena has heaped further pressure on the coach by insisting he will not be available for selection as long as he remains involved with the running of the side.

"From the day he took the job, he went to the papers and has been hammering many of the South African players who play abroad," said Mokoena, who took over the captaincy from Spurs defender Mbulelo Mabizela 18 months ago.

"As part of his plans, he said the captaincy is not guaranteed.

"To me, that is fair enough, but he couldn't be man enough to come to me, either by plane or over the phone, and say so.

"What's worse is that he told his assistant, who I had a very good relationship with, to support everything he said.

"So I took everything into consideration and just thought that I needed to do this.

"It would have been good for me to stay with the squad and going out there to represent my country is what I love to do, but playing under a person with whom I have a lot of differences meant I thought I may as well just retire.

"I've made it clear to the South African FA that as long as he is there, whether he's a director or whatever, then I won't play for my country again.

"I don't know what his agenda is all about, I just know that I can't ever play under him."