BLACKBURN Rovers midfielder Aaron Mokoena has sensationally pulled out of South Africa's squad for the African Nations Cup following a bust-up with team boss Ted Dumitru over the captaincy.

Mokoena flew out to Johannesburg to link up with the squad earlier this week but when he arrived at the training camp, he learned that the players had voted him out as team captain behind his back.

The 25-year-old has since quit the squad in disgust and he's expected to return to England at some point this weekend, in time to make himself available for Rovers' Carling Cup semi-final first leg with Manchester United next Wednesday.

"I would have assumed that if he had doubts about my leadership ability he would have taken the opportunity to tell me personally first," fumed Mokoena, who claimed he had not been warned or given a chance to participate in the decision to oust him as skipper.

Cracks first began to develop in Mokoena's relationship with Dumitru earlier this week when the South African coach threatened to omit the Rovers star from his 23-man squad because he had not arrived for the pre-tournament preparations.

"I don't know what is happening with Mokoena or when he is joining the team," said Dumitru, who then decided to organise the players' vote on that basis.

However, Mokoena has steadfastly defended his actions, insisting the South African Football Association were fully aware that he intended to stay and play in Rovers' game with Portsmouth on Monday before linking up with his international team-mates, to the extent that they even booked and paid for his airfare.

"How he can say he did not know where I was is strange," said Mokoena.

He added: "The basis of trust between me and the coach has been irreparably damaged and I will not be available for selection as long as he is in charge."

Prior to the fall-out, Mokoena had won 55 caps for South Africa, 14 of them as captain.