Soccer-Wolves boss Lage blames Hoever's injury on lack of preparation

(Reuters) - Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Bruno Lage has slammed defender Ki-Jana Hoever's lack of preparation after he suffered a leg injury in Saturday's 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace and had to be substituted off.

The 20-year-old Hoever, who has made 10 appearances for Wolves this season, was replaced by Spaniard Jonny in the 25th minute after a lengthy stoppage which ended with the Dutchman hobbling off the pitch.

"Ki is a good example. The young kids, they want everything to happen (now)," Lage told reporters. "When you are out and your teammate is playing, and you are not training at the intensity, you are not preparing yourself.

"I have too many kids in my team that sometimes don't work the way they should work. They do not prepare the way they should prepare.

"Injuries can happen, but this one happened because he was not prepared because Ki sometimes doesn't work in the same intensity. They need to understand that I don't waste time with guys who don't work hard every day to improve."

Saturday was the third successive defeat for Wolves, who remain in eighth place on 40 points from 27 games but are seeing their chances of European football next season diminish by the week.

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)