Ant-twerp Ze is back in the fold
RANGERS’ Euro rivals Royal Antwerp have pleaded with their own fans not to ambush them at training after allowing controversial star Didier Lamkel Ze to return to their first team.
Cameroon striker Ze caused outrage earlier this month when he turned up at training in the shirt of bitter foes Anderlecht in a bid to force through a move to Panathinaikos before he was dragged away by the Antwerp’s security.
That prompted a mob of the club’s hardcore fans to twice confront the player at training, with Belgian riot police deployed for their second appearance.
But Ze will now be available to face Rangers next month in the last-32 clash of the Europa League after Antwerp allowed him back into their squad on the condition he stays off social media and has a minder.
The Belgian club said: “Ze has returned to the squad and to full training. We understand the anger of fans because the player’s previous behaviour was reprehensible.
“When a player runs amok with the intention of leaving the club, we cannot reward him by simply accepting that. But players who make mistakes will be punished by a solution that serves the interests of the club. No individual player is above the club.
“With regards to Ze, the player has apologised to the club, he is no longer allowed to be on social media. In addition, the player is intensively supervised by an employee of the club.
“The fact that he is training is in no way a guarantee that he will play matches with the first team. We can safely say this is his very last chance.
“While we understand the emotions of the supporters, we ask them to trust us.”