Bulinews
·10 January 2025
In partnership with
Yahoo sportsBulinews
·10 January 2025
Since arriving in the Revier on loan this summer, Dutch striker Myron Boadu initially lived up to expectations under previous VfL Bochum trainer Peter Zeidler. The 23-year-old got his name on the scoresheet in three of the four fixtures he started between match-day three and match-day six, netting two goals and registering an assist.
A shin-split then sidelined him for two months. Despite the fact that he was available for the final two Bundesliga fixtures of the calendar year, Boadu sat unused on Dieter Hecking's bench during matches against Union Berlin and Heidenheim. Boadu did score a goal in a testy fixture over the international break.
Hecking nevertheless made clear at his Friday pre-match presser that a start for the once-capped Dutch international remained out of the question this weekend against Mainz. Philipp Hofmann and Moritz Broschinski shall maintain their roles as the starting striker.
"He must do more," Hecking remarked when questioned about Boadu at the press conference. "I'm not convinced by him at the moment. He's not meeting my standards."
"I know that he's a special player," Hecking continued, "but there's something missing from my perspective and it is such that I don't consider him a candidate for the starting XI yet."
"He showed [in the test fixture against Almelo] that he has some quality in the box," Hecking went on. "I take into account that he hasn't had a lot of match practice and isn't in rhythm."
"When he's clicking, he can easily score a goal within ten minutes," Hecking emphasized, "but he needs to come out of his shell and offer more in training. He's not what I'm looking for against Mainz."
"I understand that we have a good player," the gaffer continued, "but he must understand that I need him out of his comfort zone. If he doesn't understand that, he'll find it difficult with me."
"I know that this will make for headlines and I don't care," Hecking concluded, "He was angry after training. I'm the one's who's angry. No more questions. I told you what irks me."