Gift Orban disagrees with Gent Coach over bench role

Nigerian striker Gift Orban does not think his recent bench role at Gent is justified. The player expressed his thoughts after his goal in the 3-1 playoff win over KVC Westerlo on Friday.

Gift started the game on the bench just as he has done in Gent`s last five games. Manager Hein Vanhaezebrouck prefers Moroccan forward Tarik Tissoudali to the Nigerian who has struggled in front of goal recently.

After coming off the bench in the 76th minute to replace Tissoudali, Gift scored his sides 3rd goal at the Ghelamco arena to seal a 3-1 win and boost their chances of clinching the league title in Belgium.

Orban hurried down the tunnel after the full-time whistle before expressing his thoughts in the post match interview.

“That I started on the bench? A decision by the coach,” Orban told Het Laatste Nieuws.

“Honestly? I don’t think I deserve to sit on the bench. I am a player who has to grow in a match from the start. That’s when I’m at my best.

“I still feel in top shape. And it’s not because I didn’t score in the past games that I didn’t help the team, right? I did nothing wrong, ” he added.

Orban has registered 15-goals and 2 assists since joining the Belgian Pro League table-toppers in January.