‘The team doesn’t need your ego’ – M’Bala Nzola criticised by Lens manager Will Still | OneFootball

Since the start of the year, RC Lens’ top scorer M’Bala Nzola (28) has struggled to make an impact for the club or add to his six-goal tally.

The forward who is on loan from Fiorentina (but with an option to make the transfer permanent for around €10 million) has not scored since the January victory over bottom-of-the-table Montpellier HSC.

The player’s attitude has come under criticism from the club with head coach Will Still recounting to Ligue 1’s media channel a fiery exchange he had with the striker after a disappointing substitute appearance against Le Havre AC on January the 12th.

Still recalls saying, “I would have preferred today you came on, scored a goal, and then gave me the finger twenty seconds after the goal. Rather than coming onto the pitch, pulling a face, and not wanting to run and making such a big deal.”

Still added, “The team needs M’Bala Nzola to score goals… The team doesn’t need your ego, your bad energy. If you have bad energy to take out, take it out on me, no problem. I’m ready to take it. It’s not pleasant, it’s not cheerful, but you must always put the team and the group before all of that.”

Things have not seemed to have improved since that exchange with the striker receiving a straight red card only fifteen minutes into a substitute appearance against FC Nantes on the 23rd of February when he threw the ball at the referee.

La Voix du Nord reports that this action caused the Lens hierarchy to cancel part of the striker’s ethics bonus for the season.

GFFN | Nick Hartland