Hull City boss Steve Bruce has assured striker Sone Aluko that he still has a "big part" to play in the club's future.
The 25-year-old recently expressed his frustration at being omitted from the starting lineup for the 5-3 FA Cup semi-final win over Sheffield United last Sunday.
The Nigeria international suffered an Achilles injury earlier in the season, resulting in an extended absence from the first team, and Bruce says that Aluko must remain patient if he is to earn starting berths.
"A player only thinks of one thing and that's himself. I was the same. If he's not happy he's not playing, then it's a good thing for me," he told the Hull Daily Mail.
"I have to try and tell him he's not quite there. I've said 'you're going to have to be patient' because in my experience of anyone who's been out for six months, it'll take the same again to really get back to where you're at.
"Sone is a big part of what we're doing here, but I've not seen the real him until he came off the bench last weekend. He looked to have all his movement back and made a great impact."
Aluko, whose contract at the KC Stadium expires in 2016, has struck once in 16 Premier League appearances for the Tigers this season.
Shane Callaghan
