BRUNO LAGE
Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2021-2022
When I received the offer from Wolves in the summer of 2021, I didn’t hesitate for a moment. It was the perfect project for me.
I received a three-year contract offer. I was given the task of revitalizing the team during that time while also altering the way games were played. The team wanted me to play football in a more offensive, possession-based manner. Though certain changes were necessary, I thought the first team roster was of very high caliber, and I was particularly impressed by the promise that the club’s youthful talent presented. Of course, it was also my opportunity to play in the Premier League. Stated differently, the chance to compete against the world’s top teams and coaches.
I would not, however, be experiencing British football for the first time. There, I had previously served as Carlos Carvalhal’s assistant from 2015 to 2018—first in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday and then in the Premier League with Swansea City. Thus, I felt prepared for the challenge because of my past. The outcomes were not immediate. Indeed, we suffered identical defeats in our opening three Premier League games in the 2021/22 season. They all finished 1-0, the matches against Manchester United, Tottenham, and Leicester City. Although we didn’t win those games, we were optimistic that we would eventually win them because of how we played.
The team reached the desired level of solidity between October and November. Our strong on-field efforts allowed us to convert into table points. Then, we performed at our best from mid-December through early-January, scoring 13 of a possible 15. One well-earned victory occurred at Old Trafford. We were among the teams in all of Europe who had given up the fewest goals by the end of February.
WHEN HE LEFT, IT WAS A MAJOR BLOW FOR THE TEAM”
We were able to dream of qualifying for European events in the second half of the season thanks to those strong results and our favorable position in the league. We were just one point off of the European slots in the league by mid-March, when we were ranked seventh. In retrospect, I believe we passed up a fantastic chance. However, a few events diverted us from that objective.
Our performances had been getting better, and we were competing for Europe in January. We could have been more aggressive and increased competition for a few important positions during that transfer window. For instance, a forward who was strong in the air and could play inside the box would be an additional forward. However, this was not feasible, and I accepted the club’s decision.
Raúl Jiménez was the striker we had. Being protected on his head during play made it nearly hard for him to head the ball, despite the fact that he was an excellent player and a terrific friend. We lacked a substitute for Jiménez in case of injury or suspension, as well as a second center forward, which is something I occasionally like to do. While there were other mobile players available, none of them possessed the same qualities as Jiménez to fill the position of number nine. Any squad would benefit greatly from that, but in a competition with the standards and magnitude of the Premier League, all the more so.
Furthermore, Adama Traoré was loaned to Barcelona in January. He had consistently been an important member of our team, contributing to games whether he started or came off the bench. Even that month, he had been crucial to our success, scoring in our win against Southampton and setting up the game-winning goal at Old Trafford. The squad suffered a great loss when he left. The team was tiny, but it had quality. So, it really hurt us to lose any important player. Particularly in the offensive center, where our depth was least effective.
WITH ALL THE ADVERSITY WE HAD FACED, I THINK WE HAD A GOOD SEASON”
Three of our first-choice defenders—Nélson Semedo, Max Kilman, and Romain Saïss—were also absent heading into the final four games of the campaign. In addition to Rúben Neves, who was crucial to our midfield dominance, all three of them sustained injuries. In addition to their impressive performances and goals in attack, Hwang Hee-chan and Daniel Podence both suffered from muscular issues. They weren’t able to appear every time. It is unavoidable to acknowledge that, in addition to the injuries, having a number of players nearing the conclusion of their contracts did not contribute to our last match outcomes.
All of these shortcomings ultimately hurt our hopes of qualifying for European football. Despite all the hardships we endured, we had a strong season and finished in 10th place in the Premier League.
Both at home and away from the stadium, we performed at a very high level. We won eight Premier League games away from home, including the one I mentioned before at Manchester United and at Tottenham. In context, it should be noted that Wolves had not triumphed at Old Trafford in over forty years. Without a question, it was a historic triumph. I have nothing but great things to say about the Wolves season overall. not just because of the outcome but primarily because of the way we performed on the field. We didn’t play defensively in those victories over Manchester United and Tottenham. We made many opportunities and attacked with bravery.
However, I was raised in a winning mentality, so I still find that season to be a little disappointing. We would have finished the league in the position we deserved if we had had healthy players and a better plan to replace Jiménez. That was far better than 10th in my opinion.
“THAT WAS THE BIG MISTAKE WE MADE”
My first goal for the next preseason was to persuade the management that we could maintain the positive outcomes we had experienced. We had to anticipate it. However, some players were nearing the end of their contracts, and we lost key players early in the new season, including Romain Saïss, Willy Boly, Conor Coady, and Leander Dendoncker. Other players were Fernando Marçal. Regretfully, the team had not brought in enough substitutes in the off-season. Nathan Collins, a center-back from Burnley, was the lone player we added.
That was the significant error we committed. Even if I made a lot of noise, warned of possible issues and demanding the new players for the preseason, I still hold myself accountable. Perhaps I didn’t make the point well enough about how crucial it is to have the squad prepared as soon as possible.
Any further reinforcements that arrived from outside of England would require time to adjust to a new nation and, more importantly, to a league such as the Premier League. Worse, the World Cup in Qatar, which would take place in the middle of the English season (November/December 2022), meant that the schedule for the following season would be altered. This resulted in August, September, and October having more matches than normal. This simply served to highlight how crucial that particular preseason was; we had to get the team ready to play well and be competitive as soon as possible, frequently every three days.
As a result, my conception of the team before the start of the season was drastically different from the actual one. Healthy internal competitiveness among the players is ensured by a competitive squad: every player needs to feel and know that they are in the running for a spot in the starting lineup every day.
WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS AGAIN, AND IT WAS A BIG ONE”
Still, we had an incredible preseason. Before getting hurt in our last friendly, Raúl was averaging practically a goal every game. Issues arise when you have just one center-forward available. Without a center-forward at the beginning of the season was obviously a constraint. According to the records, we never lost a game that season when we started with a recognized center forward. As a result, we had a different dynamic at the beginning of the season than we had given the team training camp. We had many opportunities to score as we were playing brilliantly, but it was incredibly challenging without a striker.
On the sixth matchday of the 2022–23 season, we finally had our first victory thanks to the arrival of newly signed center-forward Sasa Kalajdzic. We regained the momentum we had been building on during the preseason with Sasa back in the lineup, along with that crucial reference at the striker position. He got hurt shortly after, though, and missed the remainder of the season due to injury. Once more, we were faced with a significant issue.
I always feel, as does my coaching staff, that we can come out on top in a difficult circumstance, and we felt the same way about the Wolves game. However, the board chose to sever ties with us. It is always simpler for the club to replace the manager in these circumstances. Nevertheless, they subsequently admitted to the issues we had pointed up and the fact that the team lacked the necessary competitiveness for the Premier League. Top players such as Craig Dawson, Mario Lemina, João Gomes, Pablo Sarabia, and Matheus Cunha had to be brought in.
We always offered everything we had, all the time. We achieved exactly that during the 2021–2022 season: 11 clean sheets, 51 points, 8 wins at home, and 15 victories overall. Nobody who came after us performed any better.
“CLUBS MUST LOOK AT MANAGERS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE IN THE LONGER TERM”
I’m sure the Wolves supporters were aware of the challenges we encountered while we were there. Without a center forward, it’s incredibly hard to score goals in the Premier League. Additionally, the audience enjoyed our first-season performance. I always tried to solve the difficulties as best I could with the resources I had. I have never before discussed my time at Wolves in the media. It’s the first time I’ve done it, but I’m really happy of the work we produced and realize that, above all, I have wonderful memories from that period of time.
It would be great to locate a project that is made to measure in the future. One that aligns with our principles about leadership, training, playing, and our DNA-strong emphasis on excellence, as well as gifted young players prepared to enter the professional ranks of football.
Results can overcome short-term stability, but now more than ever, teams need to consider managers and recognize the long-term value they can bring. What are the realistic financial and competitive results the manager can achieve, considering the players still in place and the available investment? We achieved this at Benfica, where we produced financial returns in addition to winning championships with players from the academy. We also achieved this at Wolves, when we contributed to Max Kilman’s squad consolidation with our excellent football play. Ideally, we would be able to apply this kind of strategy to a new project.
This is my voice BRUNO LAGE.
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