Wolves blog: Conor Coady for England?

Wolves’ Player of the Season vote is rarely an easy pick – we fluctuate from having to choose from a bunch of players who have had a great season to selecting some minor positive performance from a poor season.

Thankfully for 2018 it has been the former – and there are a vast number of players who would justify the fans’ votes.

Ruben Neves has been the star of the Championship with real class and an eye for a pinpoint pass – although arguably expected given his cost.

Ivan Cavaleiro has drastically improved on last year and tops the club’s assist chart, also managing eight goals in the process.

Others such as Willy Boly, Matt Doherty, Barry Douglas and Diogo Jota are all worthy mentions – but for me, with eight games to go, it has to be Conor Coady.

From being known as the versatile but average player in the squad before this season, occupying spots first in central midfield and then at right back, Nuno made the season-defining decision to place Conor Coady at the heart of the three-man defence.

What a revelation he has been. He has used his passing expertise to even greater effect as the deepest player on the pitch, pinging balls up the field Ruben Neves would be proud of.

Just in the last game against Burton, he spotted Helder Costa with space to run into off the left back and lifted it to set up the first goal of the game from inside the centre circle.

Nuno spotted Conor’s strengths early on, and his presence and consistency have been a key part of Wolves’ promotion hopes this season.

Only Matt Doherty has started as many games this season as Coady, with 40 across all competitions.

He is a natural leader on and off the field, more than ably deputising for club captain Danny Batth, who has found game time hard to come by this season.

His passion is fantastic to see and Wolves’ media team have regularly posted short clips of Coady’s celebrations – the best being the post-match embrace with Nuno a few months back.

Whilst Matt Doherty and Benik Afobe chose Coady as Wolves’ least funny player in the most recent ‘Question Tankard’ video, his enthusiasm, warmth and passion is infectious - you can’t help but smile when watching one of his interviews.

In all likelihood Wolves will be promoted this season and Conor Coady will be part of Nuno’s plans going forward – if he has a good start in the Premier League with Wolves, who is to say he won’t get a call-up in that first international break next season?

The most recent selection of defenders by Gareth Southgate for this international break were Ryan Bertrand (ruled out with injury), Danny Rose, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Joe Gomez, James Tarkowski, Alfie Mawson, Kyle Walker, and Kieran Trippier.

Tarkowski and Mawson were both uncapped going into the games – although these are just friendlies, England’s international team isn’t the strongest at the moment and there are opportunities for those who aren’t the usual faces.

If Coady can continue his high standard in the top flight, he would be a great asset for England with the organisational attributes of a defender but comfort with the ball of a midfielder.

A lot depends on him being able to progress into the Premier League, but his performances have raised eyebrows this season for all the right reasons.