Werder Bremen boss blasts Boniface following poor performance in Mainz 05 draw

Werder Bremen head coach Horst Steffen has criticised Victor Boniface's performance in his side's 1-1 draw away to Mainz 05, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 24-year-old striker has yet to score for Die Grün-Weißen after joining on loan from Bayer 04 Leverkusen on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Boniface has battled fitness and injury issues, with the club even making dieting and physiotherapy plans to help him get back into shape.

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Werder's Steffen blasts Boniface

Despite backing him and constantly instilling confidence in the former Union Saint-Gilloise striker in previous games, Werder's boss was left dissatisfied with Boniface's performance at the MEWA Arena last night.

“There were one or two situations in which I thought, oh come, he can solve that even better,” the 56-year-old said in quotes revealed by Deutsch Stube.

“The fact that he asserts himself in front of the duels is one reason why he is already important for us anyway.

“Boniface seems to have taken steps forward. However, he has not yet arrived at his destination, and I believe that it is still a longer way.

“He should claim balls and fight many battles, because that is one of his strengths. Nevertheless, he may then also put in the direction of the sixteen actions.

It's not the first time, by the way, that the coach criticised Boniface publicly. After the Freiburg game (0:3) on Matchday 4, Steffen commented on the Nigerian's lack of positional awareness.

“It was too much ‘everywhere’ for me. It may be that he is more in the centre. It wasn’t as I wished.”

Boniface's problems haven't done well to aid his course as a professional footballer, as his market value has dipped in the past year.