Tired Wolves star Tongo Doumbia off to France for a 'rest'

The £3m signing misses tomorrow's clash at Bristol City but will return on Tuesday.

Doumbia is expected to be available for the West Midlands derby at home to Birmingham a week on Saturday after undertaking a special training programme.

Manager Stale Solbakken said this afternoon: "I have sent Tongo on holiday for five days to recover.

"He never had a pre-season in France and came here more or less after we finished the hard work.

"From maybe being our best player in the first six or seven games, he has faded in the last few weeks. So I think it's important that his battery can be recharged and I have sent him to France with Tony Daley (fitness coach) on a special training programme. He will be back on Tuesday.

"It's also his mental stability when his body is so much weaker than five or six weeks ago.

"When he was first here, there was the feeling that with the crowd, he could just force his way through, but we haven't seen that in the last four or five games.

"His legs haven't been as strong."

Doumbia played in the first 18 league games of the season but his performances have dipped recently and he was rested for Tuesday's 1-0 home defeat by Milllwall.

Solbakken expressed his sympathy for the Mali international, who looked a powerful presence earlier this season.

"I feel very sorry for him because he's tried very hard over the last two weeks but he's only been going in one direction," said the boss.

"He was effectively thrown out of Rennes after a disagreement with the coach and he came here."