By Max Schrader
It was the biggest surprise of the Bundesliga season so far: Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac (50) shaved Max Kruse (34)! Kruse has now commented on the eviction on Instagram.
Kruse: “The first opinion is always through my channels. As you’ve probably noticed, the coach decided never to take me into the squad again. That came as a surprise not only to me, especially after the last two games that I played from the start, but also to many of you who saw it on Saturday.”
He further explains: “I respect the opinion of the coach. Apparently I should no longer identify with the club. But anyone who knows me knows that in the last ten, twelve years that I’ve been playing professional football, I’ve always given it my all. That will continue to be the case if I am allowed to train.”
The time of the offensive star in Wolfsburg is over. And that after only half a year. Kruse only moved from Union Berlin to the VW city in January.
“I came to Wolfsburg in January to help the team. I think I did that last second half of the season. And I would like to thank you very much for all the messages that have reached me since yesterday. Thank you for that,” said Kruse.
In the end, however, he becomes clear: “Finally, I wanted to say: I’ll decide for myself when my time in the Bundesliga is over! And that’s crucial no one else but me. Happy Sunday to you!”
What did Kovac say?
After the wolves’ first win of the season in Frankfurt (1-0), he explained in a Sky interview: “We didn’t see any impulses from Max. So as a coach you have to see the club. So we made the decision. He won’t be there in the future and definitely won’t play anymore.”
Nico Kovac throws Max Kruse out of the Wolfsburg squad – forever! Photo: picture alliance/dpa
When asked by the Sky reporter whether this was the end of a great Bundesliga career, Kovac answered briefly: “Yes.” Will Kruse really not play anymore? “No.” As a coach, he has a responsibility to help the team, Kovac said. “The club is above everything and that’s why we made the decision together.”
Kruse’s contract runs until the summer of 2023, now he’s sitting in the stands. According to BZ information, his gross annual salary at Lower Saxony is around EUR 3.8 million.