Bruno Lage has opened up on Willy Boly’s injury nightmare at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The once imperious defender hasn’t kicked a ball in the Premier League all season and now faces another period on the side-lines due to ongoing muscular problems.
Bruno Lage said: “When you come to a new club you want to know everything and the first thing is to try and know the squad and what happened in the last year. The first information I had from the doctor was that some players had problems. Some with long injuries like Pedro (Neto), and others with problems. We tried to manage the best way we can. The information I had was on Marcal and Boly. We tried to do our best with both players. Marcal is doing well. He had a little problem two or three weeks ago and he started the season very well. But with Boly we don’t have him with us. He’s an important player for us. Since his injury in Marbella we haven’t had him fully fit to train with us. He returned and played against Tottenham but it wasn’t the real Boly. I want to take the best decision for my players and at the moment Boly cannot train. He went to the national team and came back with little problems. I want to take care of him and we miss an important player. I’m sure after this he will be back stronger and fit, ready to help us in the second half of the season.”
Boly was a fixture in Wolves’ defence in his first three seasons with the club, and Nuno usually selected him when he was available in 2020/21. Lage hasn’t had that luxury yet and Boly shares the Wolves manager’s frustration.
Bruno Lage added: “For sure he’s a little bit frustrated. He wants to be involved in the team. He’s a big professional and is involved in meetings for each game, but the injury problems keep going. He wants to come back as soon as possible as the Boly everyone knows.”
Boly is due to jet off to Cameroon for the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of December and Lage believes the defender is still on course to join up with the Ivory Coast.
Bruno Lage said: “It depends on him and how he comes back. Maybe in one more week he can start training and then one more week he can be involved in the games. In his mind he wants to go. It was very hard for him to lose the last game and they didn’t qualify for the World Cup. Willy Boly is in the moment of his career where he wants to do something for his national team. He is working hard to help us and then after be fit to go to the national team to play for his country.”
