Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui believes that keeping Wolves in the Premier League is a special achievement. Lopetegui and Wolves discussed the possibility of him taking over as head coach in 2016. The previous season, Wolves had just placed 14th in the Championship, so when the chance to lead Spain’s team presented itself, he rightfully accepted. Five years later, Lopetegui finally made it to Molineux, only to inherit a team that was last in the Premier League after 15 games and four points out of 19th. The clubs that were bottom-placed after 15 games, like Wolves, were relegated seven years ago. Wolves clinched their Premier League membership for another season after defeating Midlands rivals Aston Villa with three games remaining, despite the difficult scenario Lopetegui inherited.
“For the team, the players, and the fans, I deem it to be a big success. The most important thing was to believe. Even though I knew it would be hazardous, I had optimism that we would make a difference,” Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui said. “I found it to be a challenge, which is why I decided to become a coach in the first place. Life is not always simple for us. It was challenging for me to go to a new country and join a new league in a hostile environment—unquestionably the best league in the world.”
For a large portion of his career, Lopetegui has been vying for league championships and European football at the top of the heap. having won several trophies as a player with Real Madrid and Barcelona as well as the Europa League with Sevilla.
“The coach’s greatest accomplishment is this. I was lucky to get honors; I won the Europa League and often competed for Sevilla in the Champions League, but this was a particularly impressive feat given the difficulties we encountered,” he added. “Since I’m not used to battling my way out of relegation, I had to change some of my mental strategies, but adaptation is important in both life and athletics. The players’ commitment and the supporters’ recognition of our continual need for them, especially during difficult times, were two tremendous sources of support for us. This, in my opinion, was crucial to achieving our objective.”
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