Lee Johnson is warning Conor Wilkinson will waste his talent if he does not improve his application.
The Bolton striker has been sent back to Lancashire by Johnson prematurely from his loan spell with Barnsley passing on the opportunity to sign him on a permanent deal.
Wilkinson, 20, has made just a handful of appearances for Barnsley and his spell at the club, along with Michael Smith's and Simeon Jackson's has been cut short by Johnson.
Johnson said: "Conor has all the talent in the world and his application needs to improve. If he does improve his ways then the world is his oyster.
"If he continues on the path that he's on then it's going to be difficult to find a level that suits the talent.
"I want the kid to do well and I love his talent but you do find some times that players can't handle certain scenarios, some times it's an ego thing."
Johnson was more complimentary about Smith, who has returned to Swindon and Canadian international Jackson who is now a free agent.
He added: "Michael hasn't played as much as he would have hoped and again it was a little bit down to circumstances. In a different scenario it might have been different had he played in the JPT, banged in a hat-trick and kept the shirt.
"Simeon's a great lad and has been excellent around the place. He probably just hasn't had enough of an opportunity. I think he needs a run of games now to get back flying.
"He's just been a victim of circumstances really. He would feel unlucky and he would be right to think that."
