Wolves have taken a step backwards since the glory days under Nuno Espirito Santo following promotion.
In 2018, Wolves were promoted to the Premier League on the back of a 99-point Championship season led by Nuno.
The Portuguese coach then ensured that his squad continued to progress, finishing seventh in consecutive campaigns in the top flight as well as enjoying a European adventure.
Since Nuno’s departure in 2021, things have regressed with four managers taking charge of the squad in a bid to restore the previous highs.
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Conor Coady linked Wolves’ success to Nuno Espirito Santo
Since the 2022/23 campaign, Wolves have been the topic of a relegation battle at a point in each season, with 2024/25 the most testing.
Vitor Pereira arrived in December and has managed to turn things around, with Wolves’ chances of being relegated now very slim.
Still, a 17th-place finish looks likely for the Old Gold, which would represent the lowest league finish since promotion, all the while Nuno is guiding Nottingham Forest to the Champions League.
Could Wolves’ downfall have been avoided by keeping Nuno in charge after a trialling 2020/21 campaign? Former captain Conor Coady seemed to think so.
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When speaking to the media in November 2019 after Wolves’ Europa League clash with Braga, Coady was quizzed on speculation regarding Nuno.
“We read things, we see things. It’s what our manager does. He’s a fantastic manager, for us and for me, he’s one of the best out there,” the defender said.
Coady went on to communicate the importance of Wolves keeping Nuno in charge, predicting that the club would ‘keep improving’ if the coach stayed put.
“I think he’s going to attract a lot of attention to a lot of big clubs but I think it’s important that we keep him here for as long as possible, it really is.
“As we say, he’s been outstanding since he’s been at this football club for the last three years, I think as long as he’s here, we’ll keep improving so let’s hope he stays for many many years.”
Coady’s words should’ve been seen as a warning for the Wolves hierarchy amid their discussions over Nuno’s future, with the former skipper’s opinion now making for difficult reading.
When Jeff Shi delivered Wolves departure news to Nuno
The problem at Wolves has been an issue at the top of the food chain, with owners Fosun and chairman Jeff Shi consistently questioned by fans.
Bruno Lage, Julen Lopetegui and Gary O’Neil have been and gone, attempting to restore the glory days at Wolves but have fallen short due to lack of backing.
Nuno’s rise at Nottingham Forest is incredibly painful, with the Tricky Trees sitting third in the Premier League table, trusting in the project.
After the Portuguese coach’s exit at Molineux, the Telegraph lifted the lid on what was happening behind the scenes, revealing that Shi delivered the news to Nuno.
It became evident that Shi told Nuno that his time at Wolves was up before a clash with Everton in May, the penultimate game of the season.
Wolves were ready to part ways with Nuno for various reasons and, the manager felt the same.
The mutual decision was bold and shocked many, with Wolves ultimately paying the price as they watch their former boss take huge strides in the Premier League.