MATHEUS CUNHA has been told to enactment retired of occupation and support proving his worthy astatine Wolves due to the fact that helium is not “Lionel Messi oregon Cristiano Ronaldo”.
The Brazilian striker was linked with a determination distant successful January – and appeared to person his caput turned by Arsenal earlier signing a caller woody until June 2029 connected February 1 with a £62.5m merchandise clause.
Getty
GettyWolves brag Vitor Pereira has had run-ins with Cunha since replacing the sacked Gary O’Neil successful precocious December, antecedently criticising the 25-year-old forward’s assemblage connection and suitability arsenic captain.
That looks to beryllium successful the past present with Cunha scoring successful Wolves’ past 3 games successful each competitions – including a beauteous onslaught successful past weekend’s 2-1 decision to Liverpool astatine Anfield to instrumentality this season’s tally to 13 goals and 4 assists.
Centre backmost Abdoulaye Ba, 34 – present astatine Saudi 2nd tier broadside Al-Faisaly – played nether Pereira astatine Porto from 2011 to 2013 wherever helium lifted the Portuguese apical formation successful 2012/13.
And Senegalese defender Ba told SunSport: “Pereira is precise strict with subject and his crippled plan. I retrieve helium would often archer our Porto side: ‘I person 2 hands, 1 to springiness and the different to receive’.
“He acted similar a begetter oregon a protector erstwhile the players gave their each without limits and raised the level of the team.
“Cunha is not Messi oregon Ronaldo oregon adjacent Neymar, truthful it does not astonishment maine that they person worked unneurotic to find the champion mode to assistance the team.”
Cunha was berated by Pereira for allegedly refusing to admit the distant fans successful a 3-1 nonaccomplishment to Chelsea astatine Stamford Bridge past month, having been banned nether O’Neil for 2 games by the FA for an on-field scuffle with Ipswich information conscionable earlier Christmas.
Pereira, 56, who has managed successful Greece, Turkey, Germany, China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia during his varied managerial vocation to date, besides played hard-ball with want-away midfielder and then-captain Mario Lemina, 31, earlier the Gabon planetary was sold to Galatasaray successful the wintertime window.
Ba continued: “Under Pereira, I became much mature with tactical subject and respected the crippled plan, and supra all, trusted my team-mates successful hard situations.
“He ever prioritised teamwork and the group. In his speeches, helium would accidental that optimism is simply a magnet of happiness.
Getty
Getty
“While helium was a manager successful the Porto younker team, helium convinced maine to motion successful 2008 arsenic a teen with an inspiring video call. He knew however to find the close words to person and motivate me.
“He has the consciousness to explicate and speech with you. He says titles are won with subject and attitude.”
Pereira was linked with the Everton occupation successful 2013 to regenerate David Moyes, and again successful December 2019 to regenerate compatriot Marco Silva but turned it down to enactment with Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai SIPG.
He was past tipped to instrumentality implicit astatine Goodison successful January 2022 aft Rafa Benitez was axed, lone for Frank Lampard to beryllium hired pursuing protests from Toffees supporters.
Wolves person won 5 of 11 matches with Pereira successful complaint astatine Molineux, 3 those successful the Prem.
Should Wolves debar relegation – presently 2 points disconnected the bottommost 3 with 13 games remaining – the Portuguese manager could beryllium a wanted antheral again successful the summer.
Ba added: “To travel managers similar Jose Mourinho and Andre Villas Boas astatine Porto, helium indispensable person the aforesaid worldly and DNA arsenic them. He has the assurance and the ability.
“His bureau doorway was ne'er closed and helium wanted communication. He is simply a humble idiosyncratic and a existent leader. His loyalty to each players was incredible.
“He has already shown a batch of bully things successful antithetic countries. The results, the numbers, the grounds is there. He is precise stubborn and has each the abilities to win successful the Premier League.”
English (US) ·