Kickoff (Cape Town)
28 August 2008
Former Jomo Comos Zambian midfielder Felix Katongo is contemplating leaving Stade Rennes, citing lack of appearance in the first team as his reason for wanting to leave the French Ligue 1 side.
According to the Zambian Times newspaper, Katongo who joined the French side earlier this year, said he was not amused with the goings-on at the club as he was not used in the first team.
He said he was in most cases pushed to the club's second side and that he rarely made it to the bench of the first team.
"Training is okay and although I am training with the first team, the coach is not using me. On several occasions, I've wanted to leave the club but the officials insist that I stay on," he said.
The enterprising midfielder, who was spotted by the French side during the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, said he had only appeared on the bench and wondered what he was doing in France if he could not be used in the first team.
"I really don't know what the problem is; they should tell me if I have a problem. They should at least try me out and see where the problem is. It's like the officials want me but the coach doesn't want me," he said.
Katongo said football was about being in action and that the treatment he was getting from Rennes was putting his career in jeopardy.
The midfielder, who was instrumental in Zambia's 1-0 victory against Swaziland in the June 21 joint Afcon/World Cup qualifier, said he would rather play for a local side than being sidelined in the name of being a professional.
Katongo is part of Herve Renard's squad for the Togo clash and was also part of the few professional players that joined the team for a 10-day training stint in Germany.
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