Comment: The cult of Nuno is so crucial to Wolves’ rise
The players, Fosun, the recruitment team, the backroom staff – they’ve all played their part in a remarkable couple of years for everyone associated with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
But when captain Conor Coady declared this week ‘it’s all down to Nuno’, it was hard to disagree.
Coady was referring specifically to the on-pitch performances of the players, but looking at the bigger picture it’s difficult to envisage any of the huge success Wolves have enjoyed happening without Nuno at the helm.
His man management, attention to detail, tactical nous, motivation techniques, it’s all second to none.
The man carries an aura around him. You know he’s boss – Nuno is renowned among the press pack for shaking everyone’s hand in the room, be it reporters, cameramen or even work experience kids – before he starts his press conference.
And for the fans he has become a demigod, a mythical figure, the beard-stroking philosopher. It’s the cult of Nuno.
Never before in this correspondent’s lifetime has a manager or head coach enjoyed the universal trust of his fanbase.
Everyone inside Molineux adores and respects this man. They place their unstinting faith in him – and that faith is being rewarded week after week.
For the players, he perfectly treads that fine line between fear and friendship.
Yes, he can hand out a rollocking, but he can put an arm around the shoulder too. The best managers, Sir Alex Ferguson being the prime example, walk that line.
Most importantly though, that ‘R’ word again, they respect him.
As an example of that friendship, John Ruddy told a story last week about Nuno playing golf with the players last winter in Marbella. “I’ve never been at a club where the manager will play golf with you and socialise with you, but he knows what he needs to do to get the best out of us,” Ruddy said.
“We went away last year to Marbella for a bit of warm weather training, and he’d just taken up golf.
“We didn’t have any idea how good or how bad he was – and as it turned out how bad he was.
“I thought to myself ‘I’ve got an opportunity here’.
“We arranged a round in the afternoon and said ‘What balls are you using boss?’
“He said he’d just got ones that someone gave to him, so I said ‘No, I’ve got these ones for you, they’ve changed my game’.
“I’ve given him this ball with no markings on and he’s looked at it. I thought he wouldn’t buy it, but he teed it up and there was about eight of us behind him.
“We were just stood there, shoulders bouncing up and down because we knew what was coming.
“To be fair, he’s absolutely struck it. It was the best strike of the day, and it’s just gone up in a puff of powder.
“The lads were rolling around on the floor.
“Nuno took it incredibly well, saw the funny side of it, and I think that sums up the spirit we’ve built.
“We feel very comfortable around him, but we also know when we can and can’t do stuff like that.
“It was a good moment and, to be fair, he went and hit a really good shot with the second one!
“He knows his man management skills are excellent, and that demonstrates that.”
Ruddy has previously spoken about how Nuno has helped get him through, up until this glorious FA Cup run, arguably the toughest season of his career, being out the league side.
We’ve seen it with Adama Traore recently, too.
A bit of love and TLC and keeping an eye on those dissatisfied players on the fringes is just as important as keeping your first XI happy.
Nuno can do no wrong. Long may it continue.
