City ready to back boss with six of the best for new season
WOLVES boss Nuno Espirito Santo has moved to cool expectations after their return to the Premier League.
The former Porto boss guided the club, owned by wealthy Chinese group Fosun, to the Sky Bet Championship title by nine points.
They also have strong ties with super agent Jorge Mendes, who represents Nuno, with Championship rivals having complained of his influence – although the EFL has insisted Wolves have done nothing wrong.
Despite being newcomers, some bookmakers have Wolves have joint seventh favourite for the Premier League title, but Nuno remained wary.
He said: “What I feel is that expectations are very high and I am the only one that my expectations aren’t so high.
“I am very cautious of what’s going on.
“The summer is important, to have decisions on the squad and then we will see.
“We have to improve and work hard, but we cannot say we are going to fight for the top 10. “That will be a big mistake. “We go to August 11, that’s step one, then the next game.
“Honestly, the decisions of the team are based on how you are progressing and what you are achieving.
“You cannot say what’s going to happen in December.”
The squad paraded the trophy in front of nearly 100,000 fans on the streets of Wolverhampton on Monday after the season’s finale on Sunday.
They lost 3-0 at Sunderland to miss out on the chance to top 100 points.
But Nuno, who signed a threeyear deal last summer when he replaced Paul Lambert, still believes they are ahead of schedule.
He said: “As the kind of ownership we have – Fosun, we are talking about a big group, a big company worldwide.
“We know our ownership wants to be as successful in football as they are in business, but football is not business. Football is not mathematics.
“In football you cannot insure nothing.
“On that point, for example, we are one year ahead of schedule.
“That will tell you that they know, the owners and Jeff (Shi), that the Premier League is different and a big challenge.
“It is not my job to restrain their expectations, but just be realistic.
“If we can achieve what we want sooner, then, yes, we will go for it.” CARDIFF City are ready to back Neil Warnock with six key summer signings as he deals with unfinished personal business in the Premier League.
The Bluebirds’ promotion-winning manager has had three separate spells in charge of teams in the top flight, but each ended in disappointment and mired in controversy.
This time, however, Warnock will have the staunch support of Cardiff owner Vincent Tan and chairman Mehmet Dalman as he begins planning for the Bluebirds’ 2018-19 campaign.
We understand Warnock wants to bolster his squad with Premier League quality in key areas of the team.
He is said to be thinking of a new right-back, a winger and a proven striker who can help Kenneth Zohore.
The biggest shake-up, however, is likely to be in midfield where Warnock knows he has to make significant changes.
The manager will stick by Joe Ralls, while Aron Gunnarsson’s future remains up in the air. But he wants to bring in at least two, and possibly three, new midfielders as Cardiff seek a way of combating the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Paul Pogba, Mezut Ozil and the other superstars who light up the Premier League.
Warnock may also consider a new goalkeeper, although Neil Etheridge is likely to remain as number one after impressing during the Championship campaign.
The Cardiff manager is adamant his three centre-backs – Sean Morrison, Sol Bamba and Bruno Manga – can cope with the demands of the Premier League.
They will be up against quicker and better strikers, but Warnock has belief in their ability to deal with the threat from goal aces such as Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero and Mo Salah.
Warnock reckons Joe Bennett will flourish in the Premier League, while Junior Hoilett already has a track record at that level.
Callum Paterson will also have a role to play, the Scot’s combative nature key to the Bluebirds getting over the promotion line.
Cardiff’s manager says every player deserves a chance to prove himself after giving everything to the cause during the Bluebirds’ Championship success.
Bu it is the nature of the beast that when a team goes into the Premier League, managers invariably target a better quality of player.
Warnock has spoken to Tan about potential budgets for the new season and will be given the financial backing he requires, although the Bluebirds hierarchy say the spending will be ‘reasonable and justified’ as opposed to ‘silly and ridiculous.’
Tan will not sanction the type of over-the-top spending that saw Malky Mackay shell out multi-millions on the likes of Andreas Cornelius and Steven Caulker, amongst others, when Cardiff last went up in 2013-14.
Warnock will, however, receive the support that he previously lacked during his time as a Premier League manager at other clubs.
His last spell in the top flight lasted just four months with Crystal Palace. Warnock was appointed on August 27, 2014 – with no time to bring in his own