Wolverhampton Wanderers' head coach, Rob Edwards, has announced that Nigerian forward Tolu Arokodare will be part of the squad for their upcoming English Premier League match against Aston Villa on Friday evening.
Edwards shared that Arokodare, who faced racist comments online after missing a penalty in Wolves' 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace last weekend, has received full backing from the club. Speaking at the press conference before Wolves' west midlands derby against Villa, Edwards indicated that Arokodare experienced a challenging week following the online harassment, but emphasized the overwhelming support he has received from the club and its fanbase.
"It’s been a really difficult week for him. He was upset and angered by it, understandably so. We’ve supported him, and I’ve had a few individual chats with him, we’ve spoken about it as a group as well, to make sure that we get around him and support him," Edwards stated.
He added, "Then he’s had overwhelming support from a lot of Wolves fans and other people reaching out, which is really good."
While the Premier League continues its anti-racism campaigns, Edwards believes more action is needed to safeguard players like Arokodare. The England-born Welsh manager confirmed that the club's record summer signing is prepared to feature against Aston Villa and potentially impact Unai Emery's team's pursuit of a league double over Wolves, a feat not achieved in 22 years.
"He is alright, and he has trained this week. He has trained, so he is fit and in a good state to play," Edwards confirmed.
"Our supporters can have an influence and get behind him and show that love for singing for him."
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!