Braga's Joao Novais: Wolves boss Nuno part of a golden generation
Sporting Braga midfielder Joao Novais says Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo is from a golden generation of Portuguese coaches.
The 26-year-old midfielder was coming through the youth set-up at Porto when Nuno's playing career was coming to an end.
The Wolves boss would leave the Portuguese giants and take on a role assisting former Porto man Jesualdo Ferreira at Malaga before starting own managerial career at Rio Ave.
Novais then joined Rio Ave in 2015 after Nuno left to take up a new role at Valencia.
A return to Porto was next on the cards for Nuno before his switch to Wolves in 2017.
A promotion to the Championship and seventh-placed finish in the Premier League now see the Portuguese natives meeting again.
For a young Novais, nobody could have foreseen the likes of Nuno and his old Porto and current Almería boss Pedro Emanuel going on to have this great success.
But he is delighted to have been coached by that generation that also produced the likes of ex-Chelsea, Tottenham and current Marseille boss Andre André Villas-Boas amongst others.
Novais said: "Nuno is from a generation that has produced a wonderful amount of coaches.
"My coach at the time at Porto Pedro Manuel was a great coach who was from that same generation.
"These really top coaches that at the time you could not imagine them to go on to have this great success.
"But I'm really happy and satisfied to have been coached by these people."
And Novais believes Braga's desire could overturn Premier League side Wolves' financial advantage.
But he is wary of Wolves' threat and home advantage when they meet in the opening Europa League group game at Molineux on Thursday.
He said: "We know the reality that some national championships have more money than the Portuguese championship but I think our desire could match this financial advantage to try and get three points in England.
"We know how strong Wolves are. They will be at home and have the fans behind them but we are very motivated.
"We are fully aware of the achievements they have made over these last few years with Nuno.
"We need to have a good game."
