Nuno Espirito Santo
Photo: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Is Nuno Espirito Santo becoming a Wolves legend?
by Charlie Bamforth
A current 7th place in the Premier League with a solitary defeat in eight games brings Nuno Espirito Santo the manager of the month award for September.
The hirsute Portuguese maestro is clearly weaving magic at Molineux, guiding a team that is playing more attractive football than has been seen in many a long year down the Waterloo Road. Following on from his impressive delivery of the gold shirts back into the top stratum in a scintillating 2017-2018, the question is whether we seeing early evidence of someone who might just become the greatest gaffer of all time for the 141-year-old club.
Many would argue that he still has a long way to go to earn his place in the top echelons of Molineux management. Some would point to the success of several managers in hoisting the club back to the highest division but who could not sustain the pace, men like Ronnie Allen, Sammy Chung, Graham Hawkins and Dave Jones. With the possible exception of Allen, the others would not rate on most folk’s list of great Wolves bosses.
A straw poll of supporters would undoubtedly come up with Stan Cullis as Wolves’ most acclaimed manager. Two FA Cup wins and three League championships, not forgetting the celebrated floodlit friendlies of the fifties that were the forerunners of European competition.
This is the real stuff of legends and surely tough for anyone to emulate in anything other than a prolonged sojourn in the role. Wolves have not been particularly admirable for the commitment that they have shown to managers – they even sacked Cullis in 1964. Stan was not a great buyer of players, with many a failure amidst his acquisitions. However, as a developer of young talent, the Ellesmere Port man was a genius. There are indications that Nuno likes to promote the younger element, although he is of course blessed to have a board who are not afraid to open the checkbook.
An earlier manager at Molineux, Major Frank Buckley, is even more famed for his use of kids, though he led his side to only one trophy of significance, the second level championship in 1931-1932.
Two names post-Cullis really warrant consideration for placing amongst the echelons of great Wolverhampton Wanderers bosses.
The first is Bill McGarry. He built on Ronnie Allen’s groundwork (let it never be forgotten that Allen brought the likes of Mike Bailey, Derek Dougan and Ken Hibbitt to Molineux) to bully into life the splendid team of the early seventies.
The second, to my mind the manager most to be admired, is Graham Turner. He took the reins in the rat-infested demoralizing days that found Wolves adrift in the lowest reaches and, with little money to spend.
He plugged the holes in a sinking ship, steadied it and launched it back to the second level, primed for the final assault on the top stratum to be led by others. Turner bought Steve Bull and partnered him with Andy Mutch (signed by the avuncular Sammy Chapman). He built a true team that restored the respect to the club.
Graham Turner is alongside Buckley and Cullis in the Wolverhampton Wanderers Hall of Fame. I would not bet against Nuno Espirito Santo joining those ranks, hopefully after several seasons of bringing silverware and delight to the long-suffering Molineux faithful.
