Wolves’ preparations for life in the Championship descended into farce on Monday when training was cancelled because a player refused to leave the pitch.
Striker Tolu Arokodare refused to leave the pitch when new manager Cesar Peixoto told him not to train with the first team.
And Wolves organised extra security at their training ground, Compton Park, to prevent the 25-year-old from entering.
Arokodare, who spent last season with Wolves as they were relegated from the Premier League, faced disciplinary action in April after getting into a physical altercation with team-mate Mateus Mane following their 4-0 thrashing by West Ham.
He will not be part of the squad travelling to Maidenhead for a pre-season friendly this evening. Arokodare did not initially travel with the squad for last week’s warm weather training camp in Portugal, only receiving a late call-up following an injury to fellow forward Adam Armstrong.
Manager Peixoto, who joined from Portuguese club Gil Vicente in June, has insisted he will be a firm hand with his players.
Wolves cancelled training after striker Tolu Arokodare refused to leave the pitch – and called extra security on Tuesday to keep him away
New manager Cesar Peixoto initially left Arokodare out of their pre-season training camp
‘Firstly, I’m a very demanding coach,’ he said in his first interview.
‘But, I believe in giving others maximum freedom and maximum responsibility. I want us to work as a team and as a unit and build a good environment. This is important to me, but I know very well what I want from the team. I want my team to be organised with and without the ball.
‘Secondly, I want a team with intensity and to be aggressive and win duels.
‘The third one is I want to show the quality of the players. To play an offensive game and to try and press high. To try and be the main character of the games. I want to win games, but I want to win while playing good football. With passion and energy.
‘[The supporters can expect] a team with ambition. A strong character and identity and a strong idea of the game. A team that never gives up to win three points and to try and make the fans proud.’
Arokodare, who joined from Genk last summer, has been frustrated that his proposed loan move to Torino has not developed while Genoa have also made an enquiry. The Nigerian striker scored three Premier League goals last campaign.
Daily Mail Sport has contacted Wolves as well as Arokodare’s representatives.
Demoting players from the first-team or forcing them to train in isolation is banned under new rules introduced by FIFA in June.
He faced disciplinary action after clashing with team-mate Mateus Mane in charge – but the duo shared supportive posts in an attempt to defuse the situation
Arokodare scored three Premier League goals campaign and could be moving to Serie A
FIFA reached an agreement with FIFPRO, the worldwide players’ union, to better protect players from what is deemed an ‘abusive practice’.
Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ and treatment of players such as Raheem Sterling has come under scrutiny in recent seasons.
Clubs could face financial or sporting punishments under the new protections unless there is a genuine sporting reason for the player’s exclusion.
Banishing them from first-team training cannot now be used as a tactic just to force them to find another club.
