nuno may be in line to return to wolves - our web authors give their thoughts
STIV BAGNALL
We’ve all done it, looked back at that ex-partner and thought what if I’d have said this, or what if they had done that. Its rose-tinted spectacles and we all do it, we only think about the good times. The great memories are firmly implanted in our brain and we can’t seem to think of the bad stuff.
It’s the same thing here for me, Nuno was phenomenal in his pomp, I loved him. We played fast aggressive and flowing counter attacking football. But in the final season and a half it wasn’t quite clicking. There were some chinks appearing in the armour. When Jimenez had his humpty dumpty skull cracking in London, we didn’t have a focal point. Not Nuno’s fault I admit, but we really didn’t look the same team without him, and we didn’t really have a back up plan. Sound familiar? This is the situation now if he came back, the only difference is we can’t really play 3 at the back as he likes, as we don’t have 3 starting CBs. So, he would come in and have to play a system he can’t really play (lets be honest about it guys) and without his talisman, it’s a recipe for disaster that.
Plus, as the old adage goes, don’t look back. The board should be aiming for higher in my opinion, not trying to say that Nuno isn’t good enough for what wolves should be aspiring to, but… yeah, he isn’t. if we hang on a week or so, Klopp will be available, could at least ask.
CHRIS HUMPHRIES
I’m for Nuno as I don’t see any other credible option at this stage and I feel he will at least get some energy back into the players from his previous experience.
If I look at the club as a business which is how Fosun look at it I would make the following assessments.
The clubs primary aim at present would be to retain premier league status. The business has tried to grow by investing in Bruno to make that happen because they felt the business model with Nuno wouldn’t give growth. Now having looked at the current position it appears doing some risk assessment told them the risk of relegation and this disaster for their business investment is very high and the current management and coaching team are not best placed to stop that.
So one of the options would be to review your targets and go back to the Nuno business model you had previously with Nuno to minimise the risk of relegation and loss to start a process or re-evaluation
Overall I think Nuno is probably the most credible candidate at this stage
ANDREW BENNETT
Nuno’s potential return really doesn’t fill me with excitement as I had been hoping for when Bruno Lage lost his job. That said the options are rather lacklustre with Lopetegui wanting to stay in Spain with his elderly family. Realistically going into the season like most Wolves fans I was hoping to be in the top half come May and maybe pushing for a European spot, after the first 8 games these expectations have been truly shot down and now just a hope to survive and maybe finish mid table seems like a realistic ambition.
Looking at Nuno from this perspective with a lack of options; he is someone who can get the crowd going which is something Molineux has really lacked since Post Pandemic Football. He has a common language with the majority of the squad which is important. As well as this he fostered a good relationship with Ruben Neves a player who we must get the best out of if we have any hope in being successful. Nuno is also used to Compton and how Wolves operate so we wouldn’t need to allow time for him to ‘get used’ to Wolverhampton, hopefully being an advantage as we could kick on.
This being said I am very sceptical this would be any improvement from Bruno with the current squad. One issue with Nuno at the end of his time was a lack of goals, this issue has not been resolved since he left – I am doubtful he is the man to bring lots of goals to the Premier Leagues lowest scoring team. Such an appointment makes me wonder what goes through the minds of Jeff Shi and the rest of the board, rumoured to have left Wolves over transfer disputes. We have since spent millions to dismantle Nuno’s team and sign the players Bruno wanted. To then give these players to Nuno would be a strange decision. Away from the confusing decisions and inept planning (lack of a backup plan) of our Board, I also worry Nuno wouldn’t be able to play a three at the back system with this squad as all the eggs went in the four at the back system and we have never seen Nuno deploy such tactics.
The final verdict from myself is that I would be happy to get behind Nuno and his staff but I really hope this reunion isn’t a sour one. As I have so many good memories from Nuno’s Wolves era, for me I would opt for Shaun Dyche as I believe we are in a firefight this season and he has the character to pull us through this, especially with a more technical squad. If it is to be Nuno let’s hope it all works out and get behind him!
KARL WHITEHOUSE
I do hope Nuno will come back to the club, he has unfinished business with the club. He has the passion, motivation and attitude and celebrates with his coaching staff when the team score a goal, he gets the players going not sitting on the bench watching the team. One thing we have missed…the Nuno fist pumps to the crowd to all parts of the stadium when we have won the game.
If Nuno does come back to the club will he change the team’s formation from a back 4 to a back 3? This is the main question and we are missing one key person who was the leader at the club will he try and get someone else to do it?
Hope he will sort out the main problem of putting the ball in the onion bag and get Costa firing with the help of other players in the squad and also sort out the issue of the other players chipping in to get goals.
We have certainly missed his charisma at the club with his interviews after the game on tv and with wolves. I hope he does come back to the club and also don’t forget the money he put in to the wolves foundation the only wolves manager to do this since it started.