Bordeaux Coach Criticised For Benching Super Eagles Duo

Les Girondins have won two of their last three away league matches, but Paulo Sousa’s men are placed eighth on the Ligue 1 table.

Bordeaux have only won nine of their 24 games so far this term with six points separating them from fourth-placed Lille.

The season started quite brightly with the Navy-Blue-and-White losing just one of their first eight games.

Nigeria international Samuel Kalu started every match in that excellent run, showcasing his brilliance and helping the side’s cause with a goal and an assist.

The Super Eagles forward has, however, fallen out of favour with his club manager and has only seen 36 minutes of action since the start of the new year.

Injury has long been cited as the reason behind his continued omission from several matchday squads. But coach Sousa recently hinted that the player’s attitude might have been another factor.

Another Nigerian who has been brilliant for Les Girondins since his arrival over the summer from Sunderland is Josh Maja. The youngster is one of Bordeaux’s finest goal scorers, having netted seven goals in all competitions.

Yet, the 21-year-old’s name was also left out of the Bordeaux squad that took the trip to Metz at the weekend, with no reports of injury suffered.

France Football analyst, Laurent Crocis, believes coach Sousa should be held responsible for the club’s struggles, especially with the way he leaves out his star players.

“I have been a Paulo Sousa sceptic for a very long time, namely that I do not understand his choices, including his last squad list announced (for the weekend game against Metz),” Crocis noted as quoted by Girondins33.

“Josh Maja is not there, Samuel Kalu is still not reintegrated in the group, Sousa had quite severe remarks on his (Kalu) state of mind…

“But above all, Paulo Sousa, he (before Metz – FCGB) won 10 L1 matches out of 34 since he was there. This is the worst record of a Bordeaux coach since Gernot Rohr.

“This season, for now, I’m sorry, but I watch all of the Girondins’ matches, and there aren’t that many where I could get excited.”