LuaLua admits his lack of game time at Luton this season has been 'really, really tough'

Attacker Kazenga LuaLua admitted his lack of football for the Hatters this season has been extremely hard for him to take.

The 30-year-old has started just two Championship matches for Luton so far, the last coming against QPR back in January, not even making the match-day squad at times recently.

He has been on the bench for the last few matches though, coming on just 10 minutes after half time at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, as boss Nathan Jones threw caution to the wind in a bid to overturn a one goal deficit.

They did so thanks to George Moncur’s excellent free kick on 80 minutes, before LuaLua himself made it 2-1 in quite stunning fashion shortly afterwards, hammering into the top corner from just outside the box.

Striker Elijah Adebayo then completed the win, as LuaLua had his longest outing since playing against Rangers after Christmas, as on his limited game time, just 18 league appearances in total, the former Brighton and Newcastle winger, who made 15 starts in the second tier last term, said: “It’s been hard.

"I’m a footballer, I want to play and get a chance, get as many chances as I can, but it’s been tough for me, really, really tough.

"I’ve found it very tough this season, but it is what it is, it’s football, you’ve got be ready whenever you get a chance.

"Every footballer wants to play, but for myself if you’re asking me if it’s been easy to deal with, I find it very hard.

“It’s not been easy for me, so it was nice to score and celebrate with the team and it was important for me, I enjoyed it very much.”

Although LuaLua revealed he hasn't gone knocking down manager Nathan Jones’ door to discuss his reasons for not playing, he does talk things through with his brother Lomana LuaLua. who also played for Newcastle and Portsmouth.

The attacker continued: “I’m not a guy who talks, I don’t talk a lot, but I have my family.

"My brother was a professional footballer, so whenever I’m feeling down I always speak to him because he’s been in the same position I’ve been before.

"It’s good to have a brother who knows the situation as he’s had it before, it’s easy to listen, but it’s hard, very hard.”

LuaLua is now out of contract at Kenilworth Road in the summer and when asked whether his goal and game-changing display could see him given more of a chance in the final six fixtures and potentially earn a new deal for next term, he added: “I hope so, but I’ve always said it’s a team game.

"You want to play, but we have a big squad, everybody wants to play, so we’ll have to wait and see, but the squad comes first.”