Josh Maja: Propelling Bordeaux to Ligue 1

When Bordeaux was relegated to Ligue 2 last season, one of the first decisions the management of the club took in its effort to return to the French top flight was to bring back Nigeria international, Josh Maja from a loan spell at Stoke City. The decision has proven to be a master stroke. The Super Eagle 15 goals is propelling the Girondins’ return to Ligue 1 as they are second on the table with just eight games to go  

josh Maja on Monday night scored a brace as Bordeaux thrashed Grenoble 3-0 in the French Ligue 2 fixture to bring his league goal tally to 15 in 32 appearances this season.

The win took Bordeaux to second place on 59 points in the league table with eight games left and six behind Le Havre, on 65 points from the same number of games played.

The first two top teams after 38 league games gain promotion to Ligue 1.

French football expert, Clément Carpentier has praised the Super Eagles striker for his brace, stating that the young striker has been a formidable box player and goalscorer this season.

“It’s starting to be quite a few times this season that we say thank you, Josh Maja,” Carpentier said. “But we’ll say it!

“The young Nigerian striker scored another double against the Isérois, but above all, he allowed the Girondins de Bordeaux to break the Grenoble lock after 40 minutes of play and to launch the Bordeaux festival.

“A first fox goal at the far post, a second narrowly with a big shot in the skylight: two gestures like Josh Maja. Yes, he’s not the most flambouyant of Ligue 2 strikers, but what a formidable box player and goalscorer.

“We shouldn’t promise Josh Maja a lot, and it’s starting to make for a nice total of goals this season: he scored his 14th and 15th goals of the season in Ligue 2 on Monday evening. He is now the third top scorer in the championship.”

Bordeaux suffered relegation to Ligue 2 last season, but they are close to returning to the top-flight, and Maja has been crucial in their exploits.

The Super Eagles striker is indeed optimistic that his Bordeaux side will gain promotion to the French Ligue 1 this season.

Bordeaux were relegated from the Ligue 1 after picking up just 31 points from 38 games last season.

However, the club has had a great campaign in France’s second-tier. They sit second with 59 points, six points behind first-place Le Havre. But they also have Metz hotly on their heels with just a point less and eight games left.

Maja has been phenomenal for the Girondins this season, contributing 15 goals and five assists for his side.

The 24-year-old hitman scored twice for Bordeaux when they thrashed Grenoble 3-0 on Monday. And he believes that if they maintain the focus and keep churning out the results, they would secure promotion at the end of the season.

“We only think of ourselves. We know that if we win all the matches, we will go up,” Maja said per Girondins4ever.

“That’s the mentality, we don’t think about other teams. At home we know that the supporters are with us. So we have to start well, and we have to use that to our advantage”

“You have to keep the same state of mind, listen carefully to the coach, and play with confidence.

“That’s what makes the difference for me. And if we play like today, we will do things well.”

From next season, the teams in the Ligue 1 will be reduced from 20 to 18. This means that four teams will drop from the top-flight while only two teams will be promoted from the Ligue 2.

This means that Bordeaux have to be at the top of their game till the end of the season if they want an immediate return to the top flight. Maja would look to keep banging in the goals for his side to ensure Bordeaux can rub shoulders with the big boys of French football next season.

His 15 goals so far this season is one of the reasons keeping Bordeaux’s Ligue 1 promotion hopes alive, but Maja may not be part of the Girondins team if they eventually gain promotion to the French elite division next season after all, as Glasgow Rangers are waiting in the wings to cash in on the Super Eagle.

Maja’s named has been linked to the Ibrox Stadium as a key target ahead of the summer window as Manager Michael Beale looks to bolster his Rangers frontline.

He has been central to the club’s promotion hopes this season but the Bordeaux striker could be set to leave the club at the end of the season with Rangers amongst those most prominently linked.

This comes with the striker out of contract come the end of the season following an up-and-down stint in France, where the forward moved from Sunderland in 2019.

Loan stints at Fulham and Stoke City have broken up his spell on the continent, but this is the most consistent Maja Bordeaux have seen with the player showing why Rangers were linked under Steven Gerrard.

In an interview with 90 Football as per Girondins4ever, Maja spoke about the challenges of playing in Ligue 2, where every team they face gives “110%”.

As one of the biggest clubs in the league, Maja said that Bordeaux have a responsibility to be aggressive, to win games, and to dominate. He believes they have mostly achieved that this season, but acknowledges that the opposing teams will always give more against them than against the others.

Maja also talked about the physicality of the league, with defenders who are “bigger and stronger” than him. He said that his game is mostly based on intelligence and finding the right spaces, and that he has had to adapt to the demands of the league.

Despite the challenges, Maja is optimistic about Bordeaux’s chances of promotion this season. He said that the team has a long way to go to reach their objectives, but that they will give their all.

“With the team, that’s what we have done this season, I think,” Maja said. “We have a long way to go to reach our objectives but we will give our all.

“With the team, that’s what we have done this season, I think… We have a long way to go to reach our objectives but we will give our all. I have the feeling that every team we face gives 110%. We are probably the biggest club in Ligue 2, so we have a responsibility to be aggressive, to win games and to dominate.

“What we have done most of the time this season. The opposing teams will always give more against us than against the others. So, we have to be in the game every week. Physically, it resembles the championships where I played.

“Of course, the defenders are bigger and stronger than me, so my game is mostly based on intelligence, finding the right spaces. It is certainly a difficult championship. Anyone can beat anyone, we gotta stay focused.” 

The Nigerian forward is the top scorer for the French club but has had opportunities hard to come by with the Super Eagles.

He also emphasised the importance of maintaining their momentum and continuing their winning run after the international break.

“We must continue after the break,” Maja said. “It’s very good for the club; we won, we took the three points. We have to continue after the break. We are happy. For the rest, we have to continue in this good state of mind, in training, to hope to win even more.”

What is not however clear is whether Maja will remain in Bordeaux even if the club gained promotion with Spanish sides-Almeria and Real Valladolid also lining up for his signature.