Johannesburg, June 6 (IANS) South African cricket skipper Graeme Smith defended his decision of not returning home after the World Cup in India saying he had needed to break away "from being stupid and saying stupid things".

Smith, who led the team to a quarterfinal finish in the World Cup, instead of flying back home with the team, travelled to Ireland to propose to his girlfriend, Irish pop singer Morgan Deane. This infuriated South African cricket fans in April.

During a press conference at Sandton, Johannesburg, Smith apologised for his action and said the "decision not to return home should have been explained sooner".

"In the state of mind that I was in at the end of that tournament, it's hard for me to look back and say that I made a mistake. I apologise and make no excuse for it, but I ask South African fans to understand that I was feeling incredibly emotional at the time," said the 30-year-old, who wanted to step down as captain after the World Cup.

"The emotional strain and stress that I was feeling after the World Cup, was something I hadn't been through in my career," he said. I think it's easy to be very emotional at the time and to take things very personally...there have been many emotions that I've been through," said Smith," he said.

Smith, however, said he thought he "had done what was required" after the World Cup.

"I missed a 10- to 15-minute press conference coming home and then everyone else flew off in their different ways," he said.

Meanwhile, national team manager Mohammed Moosajee said Cricket South Africa (CSA) would soon announce the appointment of the new coaching staff, and also denied media reports that Smith had resigned.