Hein Vanhaezebrouck, the manager of Belgian club Gent, is not worried by the public outburst of a Nigerian youngster Gift Orban.
Gift Orban, who has been one of the brightest youngsters so far this season, has bitterly complained about not playing as regularly as he would want at Gent.
He insisted that he does not deserve to be a benchwarmer as that could distort the growth of his football career.
Coach Vanhezebrouk sent Orban to the bench after failing to score in three straight games.
The 20-year-old gave his club a 3-1 victory over KVV Westerlo on Friday by scoring the game’s third goal in the 88th minute.
After the game, Orban expressed his displeasure of losing out on the team’s starting eleven and gradually becoming a benchwarmer at Gent.
Belgian media outlet Voetbalkrant quoted the prospective Nigeria international as saying: “Look, I’m a player who has to grow in a match. I always want to play. I know I still have steps to take, but even if I played at a bigger club, I would also say this: I deserve to play, period.
“I’m not used to this.
“In the end, I can say what I want, but it is the coach who decides. I will have to do my best.”
In reaction to Gift Orban’s comments over his bench-warming role, coach Vanhaezebrouck told Voetbalkrant that the Nigerian football star deserves to be angry for being benched.
“I have yet to meet the first player who thanks me for being on the bench”, the coach said.
“He is a young guy. He has made a great start here. Everything he touched went in. Also today. But he still has steps to take in other areas. We’re not worried.”
So far in the 2022-2023 season, Gift Orban who joined Gent from Norwegian club Stabæk Fotball for a transfer fee worth €3.30 million in January 2023 has scored 15 goals and provided 2 assists in 17 games in all competitions.
