Blues v Wolves: Ladislav Krejci an 'option' as visitors target derby success

Cesar Peixoto believes Ladislav Krejci is focused and ready to play for Wolves after the closure of the transfer window.

The Czech international could make his first Championship appearance of the season in Sunday’s derby at Blues with Peixoto again confirming he will stay at Molineux.

Krejci was among the players expected to leave during the summer and was kept on the sidelines while doubt remained over his future.

But Peixoto says the 27-year-old is now ready to contribute when required.

“He trained all the time. He stayed with us all the time, the team all the time,” said the boss.

“He had a little injury like I said before and the market as well, delayed things. But he stayed with the team all the time which is normal.

“When I decide to put him in play, then ‘play’ - it is like that. When I am the boss, I decide.”

Krejci, who completed a permanent move from Girona earlier in the summer, was one of the few players to emerge with any credit during Wolves’ nightmare relegation season.

Eager to play at the top level, he is understood to have made clear his reluctance to play in the Championship when West Ham enquired about his services late in the window.

Peixoto, who places great importance on the mental well-being of his players, confirmed he had a “lot of conversations” with the defender about the situation.

But he added: “It is not just with him.

“I never just want to see if the player is well but the man also. It is normal.

“Krejci is a great player and when the market opens players can look (elsewhere) but stay training well, training with the team.

“He is a clever guy, who knows what we need from him. Now he starts to become an option because he stayed and is in good fitness.

“The important thing for me is not only Krejci. It is all of the team, not just as players but the men who create a good environment.

“The players know I am a head coach but also a person they can talk to, who can try to help in some way with what is happening in their life.

“It is important for us to stay as a team to fight like that because the Championship is too tough.”

Sunday’s short trip to east Birmingham is the second of four straight away matches for Wolves and Peixoto is relishing his first experience of a West Midlands derby.

It is the first time the teams have met since the 2017-18 season and while the rivalry might not be the biggest in the region, a fiery atmosphere is still expected.

Deadline day signing Ghislain Konan is training on his own and unlikely to feature until after the international break, though fellow new boy Sean Neave could be involved.

“For us all the games are important but these kind of derbies are more important for the fans,” said Peixoto.

“We want to make them happy. We need them (to help us). They will do what they did in the last games.

“We want to win for the fans but also for ourselves because we work hard to win these games.”