Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil has raved about the finishing ability of striker Sasa Kalajdzic.
Wolves needed a hero to grab all three points at Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon – and up stepped big man Sasa Kalajdzic.
Gary O’Neil’s side had battled back to 1-1 but were seeking a winner against the 10-man Cherries.
Wolves pinched the ball back in the final third and Kalajdzic calmly slotted home from Hwang Hee-chan’s pass late in the game.
Kalajdzic sent the Wolves fans into delirium on the South Coast, handing O’Neil a massive win against his former club.
Gary O’Neil praises Wolves striker Sasa Kalajdzic
Wolves boss O’Neil was on punditry duty on Monday night, covering the Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham game for Sky Sports.
O’Neil discussed the victory at Bournemouth and moved to praise match-winner Kalajdzic.
O’Neil noted that Kalajdzic is a ‘fantastic finisher’ when given a chance to get in in goal.
The Wolves boss accepts that Kalajdzic is mostly viewed as a target man given his 6ft 7in frame, but O’Neil loves his composure and finishing in the box.
“Sasa Kalajdzic is a fantastic finisher when he gets through on goal,” said O’Neil. “I know people will mainly see him for his height and being a target, but I promise you, when he gets in on goal he’s so calm, his finishing is very, very good,” he added.
Tough for Kalajdzic to start right now
Anyone who saw Kalajdzic in action for Stuttgart will know all about his finishing ability.
The Austrian hit 24 goals in 60 games for the German side and feasted on Borna Sosa’s crosses before his move to Wolves.
Wolves pounced for Kalajdzic with a £15million in 2022, believing that his goalscoring ability would translate to the Premier League.
Kalajdzic suffered dreadful luck with an ACL injury on his Wolves debut but is now back and has shown his ability off the bench, scoring winners at Everton and now Bournemouth.
Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto and Hwang are all shining in the Wolves attack right now, so it’s hard for Kalajdzic to force his way in.
Maybe Kalajdzic – with his giant frame and aerial ability – will be limited to being a game-changing option from the bench for the immediate future.
Still, if he becomes the hero as he did on Saturday, few will be complaining.
