Sunderland boss David Moyes has blasted Jeremain Lens after the Dutch winger stated it would be “easier” for him if the Black Cats were relegated.
- By Michael Bell
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Lens is currently on loan from the Premier League side to Fenerbahce and stated earlier this week that a permanent move away from Sunderland would be “easier” if the club were relegated.
Speaking at his press conference, Moyes responded angrily, “I think it’s disgracefully disrespectful to the club who hold his registration.
“You would hate to think that anyone connected to the club would say that.
“I came in off the training ground and someone said, “Have you seen this?” If he said that it’s a disgrace to say that about your parent club.
“A lot of team-mates here who he played with are fighting every week with a small squad to try and keep us in the Premier League.”
Asked if Lens had a future with Sunderland, Moyes said, “When he left people thought, “What you doing get rid of him?
“I don’t know if anybody would want him back at the club now. If the quotes are correct then I think it would be very hard for that to happen.
“We paid £13m for him and I knew his reputation as a player. I thought, “We’re short and we haven’t got a great deal of quality – is it right to move him on?”.
“But there was just some things I saw which I wasn’t sure about. In the end, these are the decisions the managers have to make.
“Sometimes you are criticised. I made the decision that I thought he wanted to go and that we could get through without him.
“I only had a few weeks with him as well, so I was going more on what I’d been told by other people. He didn’t play much last season either. I had to take advice off the likes of Paul Bracewell and Robbie Stockdale, and Sam (Allardyce) as well.
“I wanted to give him an opportunity but didn’t feel as if I saw enough.”
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