‘The French are not open to new people’ – Stijn Spierings lifts lid on disappointing Lens move | OneFootball

Last summer, Stijn Spierings (28) joined RC Lens from Toulouse FC, but after only a few weeks the midfielder was sent on loan back to his former club on a ‘joker’ transfer. The reports at the time suggested that Spierings had struggled to adjust to the Lensois locker room.

The arrival of a new manager, Will Still, at Lens over the summer did little to change Spierings’ situation in the north of France, and the midfielder was allowed to leave permanently when he joined Brøndby IF.

In a press conference, Spierings confirmed that he had failed to adjust to life in Lens. “When I arrived at the club, I felt that I didn’t get along with my teammates and the coaches. It was difficult with almost everyone. I had a lot of trouble with that compared to Toulouse where I had success with a lot of friends.”

The Dutchman who has represented his country in the underage brackets continued explaining, “The French are not open to new people. When you don’t speak French, it can be difficult. After four games, the coach called me and told me that I didn’t have a place in the team.”

Spierings a Coupe de France winner with Toulouse

Spierings had a far more successful time during his stint with Toulouse. The midfielder helped the club win promotion to Ligue 1 by winning the second division in 2022, and the Coupe de France in 2023.

GFFN | Nick Hartland