Nelson Semedo: Wolves boss Bruno Lage has been pushing me on to improve

The head coach publicly challenged a number of his players back in October to force their way into their national teams, before Wolves went on an impressive Premier League run.

Months later Lage revealed that Semedo was one of those players that he was ‘nasty’ to, in order for them to improve.

Speaking back in March, Lage said: “Now I can tell you, I was so hard on Nelson Semedo in September and October. In training I asked him one time if he was Nelson Semedo from Barcelona, for example.”

Now, the right-wing-back has admitted he was comfortable and has thanked Lage for helping him find his best form in a Wolves shirt.

“I was feeling that he was pushing really hard for me and I needed that,” Semedo told the Express & Star.

“I have to thank him for this because I needed someone to really push me because I guess I was comfortable.

“I was comfortable playing for Barcelona and having a good career until here, but he saw that I can go further and he pushed a lot for me. It was good. In the beginning of the season I was better but he wanted me to be even better because I knew I could be.

“With games I started to be better and better and I have to thank him. Sometimes a coach is not only for training, but to push us.

“We already know how to play. Of course you have to improve here and there a little bit, but sometimes you need a coach that pushes you and it was great. It worked.”

Lage enjoyed a largely successful first season at Wolves but witnessed a late collapse as the team missed out on European football.

He attempted to change the style, following four years under Nuno Espirito Santo, and help Wolves look after possession while attacking more frequently – something Semedo has welcomed.

“We’ve been way better this season, to last season,” Semedo added.

“In my case personally it was great for Bruno to come because he’s given us confidence to play with the ball. He likes to play from the goalkeeper and in training we do exercises with the ball. Of course we do defensive exercises but we only do it with the ball, because we want the ball. We’ve had great games against big teams and always want the ball.”