With the dust settling on Orkun Kokcu’s spectacular outburst at Benfica manager Bruno Lage, more fuel has now been added to the fire.
The Turkish midfielder was seen spewing at his coach after what he deemed an early substitution against Auckland in the Club World Cup.
Former Benfica player and club director António Simões has now given his thoughts on the tirade, and he didn’t hold back.
“I saw a negative reaction from a player who believes he should not be substituted and who behaved in a way that is incompatible with the code of conduct of a football player,” he said.
“He does not have to contest the coach’s decision. If he did not like it, he should speak in private and not in public, because by doing so he would be putting the coach and his image in question.
“It is in these moments that you see the character of a person. This player cannot do what he did. What is hard for me is that anyone can make mistakes, another is not realising that a player from a big club like Benfica is a public figure and any attitude he has tarnishes the image of the club.
“What status did this player do what he did because of? Players like Pelé or Eusébio, who I played with, had status and no one has ever done this.
“Players like this are already rich before they make a career and the status they have is that instead of being idols they are stars and act like stars.
“What did this player do to be a star? Nothing. Stars were Maradona, or Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo . Players like this are not stars and what do they play?
“There are many better players than him and the problem is the money they earn and that pushes them to behave in pathetic and imbecilic ways. What kind of human beings are we creating? Society is becoming completely dehumanized and with a superiority complex. Football is a reflection of this, with players who do not seek a career and seek stardom.”
Kokcu himself has since apologised, telling DAZN: “First of all, what happened yesterday was not nice for our club, the fans and it’s not nice for the team.
“It’s not nice to see things like this. As a player, I’m a person who likes to win. I have a winning mentality and I want to do my best for the team. At that moment, I thought I could help the team even more. But in the end, it was the coach who made the decision.
“As a player, I have to respect the choice. I’ve said it many times in the Turkish media, not in the Dutch or Portuguese, but when I’m on the pitch, sometimes I lose control and things like this happen.
“I don’t think I’m the only one who has been through this. Many players have been through this. It’s normal for football to have these things. It’s not nice, it’s not what we want to show as Benfica.”
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