Wolves news: This may be the real reason for ‘scathing’ attack on Ki-Jana Hoever – expert
Tensions between Bruno Lage and Ki-Jana Hoever have likely been “bubbling under the surface” at Wolves for some time.
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Hoever succumbed to injury 25 minutes into Wolves’ 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace last Saturday (5 March).
Per Sky Sports the following day, Lage said in reference to the 20-year-old: “I don’t waste time with guys who don’t work hard every day to improve.”
The Portuguese boss also suggested that a lack of preparation had resulted in Hoever’s injury, which was revealed to be a hamstring strain.
Dinnery claims that the outburst was probably a result of a long-running feud between player and manager.
“It was pretty scathing from Burno Lage,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“It came off the back of an extremely disappointing performance. We are talking about a young player here, just 20 years of age.
“Maybe the frustration comes from the fact that he sees a player with a lot of potential. There is a big future for him if he applies himself correctly.
“Lage has indicated that he sees a player who is lacking that intensity and focus. You need that desire to train hard and better yourself.
“The implication is that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind or where he needs to be in terms of his fitness levels. That has impacted on that setback.
“It seems as though it’s been bubbling under the surface for a while. The fact that they got beaten has just led those emotions to overflow.
“I must admit, I was a little bit surprised that he singled him out as such a young player.”
Hoever has started just four times for Wolves this season.
The Dutchman signed from Liverpool in September 2020.
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