Going up was special but now Wolves must kick on, says skipper
RANKED eighth favourites to win the Premier League by bookies, Wolves have eschewed the usual expectations placed on newly promoted teams due to their style in winning the Championship and the highquality recruits continuing to arrive. Assisted by club captain CONOR COADY, Laurie Whitwell looks at what to anticipate and how it has all happened.
MANAGER
According to Coady, NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO was the catalyst for the club’s new status. ‘He has been the turning point,’ says Coady. ‘He has his ideas and a certain way of playing.’
A demonstrative character on the touchline, the 44-year-old is demanding. He wants possession from the back and players to know their positions on the pitch at all times. Training drills can be repetitive to achieve this. Pre-season has been tough.
‘We are here at half eight in the morning until seven o’clock at night,’ says Coady. ‘You know the work has to be put in to get yourself to that level.’
Unafraid to speak his mind, Nuno sparred with Neil Warnock in the Championship and will inevitably ruffle more feathers in the Premier League. But he also has a softer side, as shown by a video he keeps on his phone of the time his team played a prank on him with an exploding golf ball during a bonding round.
‘On the field, we are there to learn,’ says Coady. ‘But when it comes to the hotels or the training ground, he comes and asks about family life. He talks to all the boys. His manmanagement is brilliant.’
OWNER
FOSUN INTERNATIONAL, a Chinese conglomerate, bought Wolves in 2016 and installed Jeff Shi as representative. Shi is the chairman and last year moved with his family to Compton, a leafy Wolverhampton suburb near the training ground.
‘That shows his intent,’ says Coady. ‘He is out watching training every day. His presence makes you know he has so much time for the club.’
Money is no object in the transfer market but Shi has shown he won’t spend frivolously. This summer’s spend is about £40million.
Cash is also being spent on upgrading Molineux’s press facilities and the training complex.
Fosun have big ambitions for the club — Manchester City’s growth has been mentioned — and they eventually want European football. Coady says: ‘We know what’s expected. You can see with all the work going on. The club is growing all the time.’
SUPER-AGENT
The whisper of JORGE MENDES is never far away whenever discussion turns to Wolves. The world’s most well-known agent has been instrumental in facilitating a number of quality players joining the club. While he has no formal role at Wolves — in line with regulations — he is a trusted adviser to Shi and his Gestifute company is linked to Fosun through a 20 per cent subsidiary ownership. That prompted complaints from Championship clubs but the EFL gave the green light. The relationship is tight, though. According to well-placed sources, Mendes is across every transfer detail at the club, and his colleague Valdir Cardoso has been known to attend recruitment meetings. But Mendes has also this summer taken a sharper interest in Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, and Coady does not see an issue at Wolves. ‘Uneasy about Jorge Mendes? No,’ he says when asked. ‘It doesn’t matter who is bringing in these players.’ The club are conscious of the Premier League’s homegrown quota. Barry Douglas was surprisingly sold to Leeds because Nuno chose to upgrade left wing-back options but also because, despite being Scottish, the 28-year-old does not count as home-grown.
PORTUGAL INFLUENCE
Wolves have as many Portuguese first-teamers as Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon — seven.
Midfielder JOAO MOUTINHO and goalkeeper Rui Patricio — Portugal internationals with 186 caps between them — have joined Ruben Neves, Diogo Jota, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helder Costa, and Ruben Vinagre. They all live close by, have good English, and are encouraged to integrate.
Moutinho, at £5million from Monaco, is seen as the statement signing. ‘In training you see his quality,’ says Coady. ‘It’s still quite a young squad, so at 31 he brings a lot of experience.’
Moutinho’s rumoured to be earning £80,000 per week, more than double the salaries of some who got Wolves up, a potential issue down the line.
THE TEAM
Coady has been at the club for three years and his presence is crucial. Having come through at Liverpool in midfield, he moved to the centre of Nuno’s back three last season and performed superbly, picking passes and being composed in possession.
Coady played with Harry Maguire at Sheffield United and the Leicester defender’s rise to England stardom has provided encouragement. ‘It gives you that incentive,’ says Coady. ‘You know there’s a manager who picks players doing well. He doesn’t just look at big clubs.’
Ryan Bennett and Matt Doherty help the local feel. Fullback Jonny Castro and striker Raul Jimenez are on loan from Atletico Madrid and Benfica. Defender Willy Boly and forward Leo Bonatini were signed permanently after contributing to a season which ended with a trophy parade in front of tens of thousands. ‘To give the fans that was special,’ says Coady. ‘Now we kick on.’
It should be different to the grind under Mick McCarthy six years ago. ‘It is a different club now. We have not put a target on anything, except for us to be as concentrated as possible on winning as many games as possible,’ says Coady.