Nigeria Players Abroad
Gift Orban laments limited playing time in France
By Saheed Afolabi
Nigeria forward, Gift Orban has discerned the lack of minutes he’s getting in Lyon.
Orban joined Lyon from Gent in the January winter transfer window which was speculated to be worth €12 million.
He believes if he had started against Arsenal, the scoreline would have changed to their tides.
“You never know, if the manager had given me a spot in the starting lineup, I might have made the difference,” Orban was quoted by Flashscore.
“We have a very good team and I am always ready to give my best whenever I am called upon to play.”
He said his first season at Lyon was difficult to settle in with the challenged he faces playing under a new manager and not getting enough minutes on the pitch to prove his mettle.
The 22-year-old admitted the French Ligue 1 is not for the faint hearted and he shares a fair relationship with his management.
“It was my first time at the club, and it was difficult to settle in because I was playing under a new manager and in a different environment,” he continued.
“Not getting many minutes on the pitch made things even more challenging, but that’s normal in football. I’ll just keep working hard.
“The French league is tough and very physical, but I have no excuses – I’m here to give my best. My relationship with my manager, Pierre Sage, is good, as there’s mutual respect between us.”
