Albert Sambi Lokonga’s career has stalled since he moved to Arsenal and it has been the same case with the Belgian national team.
The midfielder had been a regular at Anderlecht before he secured a transfer to Arsenal last season.
The Gunners had an injury crisis that gave him chances to play at the beginning of the campaign.
However, he didn’t do well enough and lost his place when the regulars returned.
He didn’t consider leaving in the summer because he expected to do better in this campaign.
However, he has not achieved that, and it has affected his national team’s chances.
He is not happy with the Belgian manager, Roberto Martinez, and voiced his frustration in a recent interview.
HLN via Sports Witness quotes him as saying: “I called him the next day, I was really annoyed. For a moment I thought I didn’t even want to play for the national team anymore. I was disgusted. Martinez said that he prefers players who are fixed values at their club. He was not completely happy with my training either. I don’t think he can portray me as a bad boy who doesn’t work hard. That’s too easy.
“Maybe Martinez doesn’t believe in my qualities or doesn’t like my style. But I’d rather he communicate that clearly.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Sambi Lokonga must know that selecting players for the national team is tricky for managers, so they will never make everyone happy.
The best parameter to make the selection is to pick players who receive regular minutes at their clubs.
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He has no gripe that makes any sense.
He is not, at least not yet and not right now, an international class player. That is simply realism!
I agree, he needs patience and more minutes under his belt,
The quote should be put in some context. His complain was about the two matches where the coach only selected players that played less than 50 caps for the national team. Sambi was selected but did not play 1 minute during those two matches….