Super Eagles Forward Explains Why He Is Frustrated at Bayer Leverkusen
- Nigerian forward Nathan Tella completed a transfer from Southampton to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023
- The versatile attacker was an integral part of Die Werkself's impressive Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal triumphs last season
- In a recent interview, the Nigerian forward detailed why he is currently frustrated with the German Bundesliga outfit
Super Eagles forward, Nathan Tella, has expressed his frustration with his current situation at Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen.
Tella, who joined the BayArena side in the summer of 2023, played a crucial role in their record-breaking season, helping the team secure both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles under manager Xabi Alonso.
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Known for his versatility, Tella’s standout performances earned him a call-up to the Nigerian national team.
However, his playing time has taken a significant hit this season, which has caused growing frustration for the forward.
The former Burnley attacker, who made an impressive 39 appearances during his debut campaign with Leverkusen, has managed just six appearances this season, with only one start in the league, according to data courtesy of Fotmob.
This sharp decline in minutes has clearly left Tella unhappy, and he recently voiced his frustrations in an interview.
Tella explains why he is frustrated
In an interview with German newspaper BILD, Tella expressed his frustration over his limited playing time this season.
"It's frustrating, to be honest," Tella admitted.
"But I’ve spoken to the coach, and he assured me that opportunities will come and that I just need to be patient. When I get my chance, I need to make the most of it. I believe I’ve performed well and that I’m training hard."
He added, "Now it’s up to the coach to trust me. He makes the decisions, and they’ve worked well so far."
Although naturally a striker, the 25-year-old has often been deployed as a wingback for Bayer Leverkusen.
Tella also acknowledged that adapting to this new role is part of his ongoing development as he strives to improve his game.
Speaking further on the forward's frustration, Nigerian journalist, Emmanuel Chinedu, offered advice to the 25-year-old.
He detailed that Tella should do away with the panic and focus on earning Coach Alonso's trust again.
“I don't think he should panic yet, but what I would advise him to do is to continue working hard in all the training sessions, and I believe his time will come.
Perhaps the season has just started, and Bayer Leverkusen will play a lot of games this season. I believe he will feature in some of the matches for the team during this campaign.
So he shouldn't put too much pressure on himself; instead, he should keep working hard in order to gain the manager's trust again.”
What Boniface must do to be world-class
Legit.ng in another report detailed how Bayer Leverkusen coach, Alonso, identified a list of things Victor Boniface could do to become a world-class attacker.
The Spanish tactician likened Boniface to Didier Drogba but hinted that the forward may need to be more aggressive in the opposition area.
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Source: Legit.ng
