Ex-Arsenal center-back Laurent Koscielny slams his Bordeaux teammates

The seasoned center-back

Laurent Koscielny

has hammered his Bordeaux colleagues, saying the squad's atmosphere is "very average" and that a portion of the players don't have the "desire" to play to their best as they will be out of agreement soon. 

The ex-Arsenal defender moved to Bordeaux in the late spring of 2019 and is the Girondins' captain, which sits eleventh in the

table. 

Having contended at the top level for the Gunners and the France international team, Koscielny has high expectations from his comrades but says those have not been fulfilled at Bordeaux. 

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Koscielny said:

“The atmosphere is average, very average. We have to be realistic. This is a squad with an enormous number of players who are coming to the end of their contract, players who want to leave. We have to remain with the people who want to fight, to share, to improve.

"This is the end of a cycle. When you have as many players like that, who don’t give you the desire to want to work, it is difficult to have results. That is also why sometimes I can be mean with my words. They are good guys, but if you don’t give yourself the means to improve and to have objectives, you will have nothing, and from one moment onwards, we will forget you.

"On that, I struggle with some of them because for me, success comes with work. I was brought up with values and we certainly weren’t brought up in the same way. On that, I am struggling a bit.

“At one moment or another, we will have to go onto the pitch with guys who you believe in and who have the same mentality as you. The coach will put together his team until the end of the season, and now we have three very important months. It is up to us to take as many points as quickly as possible to assure survival. Then, to turn the page and certainly clean house a bit.

“I am not going to be friends with everyone. When I speak, it is not to be negative, it is to bring those people the keys to be able to progress and be the best in the team. Aside from that, if you don’t want to hear it, you won’t hear it.

"If this implodes, it is like that. We need to move forward. You try to help people. If they don’t want to come with you, you leave them aside and move forward with the people who want to.

“After Marseille [a 0-0 draw on February 14], I said things. It certainly might have shocked certain people. They were strong words. I did not apologise, because to apologise is too easy. I said what needed to be said. Aside from that, if the message did not get through or if you don’t want to hear it, it is like that.”

Bordeaux have 33 points from 26 games, not enough for European qualification and ten points over the relegation zone. 

They are presently on a run of four losses in their last five matches, with their lone point in that period from the draw against Marseille. 

They have also got eliminated from cup rivalry, losing 2-0 at home to Ligue 2 side

Toulouse

in the Coupe de France.

Follow 

 for the