Dan Bentley interview: Being the 'fine master' at Wolves, leading behind the scenes and the potential Arsenal move

With Nelson Semedo moving on, Wolves will lose their captain for a fourth summer in a row - alongside the fall out from Mario Lemina being stripped of the armband halfway through last season.

The figurehead of the team has changed hands constantly, but the leadership group behind the scenes has been relatively consistent.

Among them is goalkeeper Dan Bentley, who has been part of that group since he arrived in January 2023.

Initially he was respectful to captain Ruben Neves and the big characters in the squad, before taking a bigger role when Max Kilman became skipper. The defender is not a loud personality or natural leader, but he grew into the role with the help of Bentley and the two remain close friends to this day.

Part of Bentley's role off the pitch is enforcing the rules on the squad and he has been dubbed the 'fine master' at Wolves.

But it is not just about breeding the right culture and environment, but also creating a family feel at the club and rewarding other members of staff.

"That, in itself, takes a demanding role in which I have to demand of other people," Bentley said.

"If there is someone that's late, the fines are there for a reason. No one's trying to take the mick, it's not a fine culture, but don't be late.

"We take the money from whatever situation it is and give it to staff, we try and gift them at Christmas a little bit, as a thanks from the group. 

"It's important because the staff that surround us give us so much and put so much into making us ready and able to prepare for the best performance possible on a game day. It's so important to make them feel that we appreciate what they do.

"We've also given money to charity and some goes to the players' dinner as well. It's all for a good cause, rather than, let's just whip money out of people's pockets.

"If people know that there's a fine on the line and it's X amount for being late to a meeting or for training, then it demands that people have a responsibility of being on time.

"There's loads of ways in which I try and help the group. As much as sometimes my role isn't a prominent one, it's definitely a meaningful one.

"I try and have a positive impact, no matter what.

"Obviously, there's times where I get frustrated that I'm not playing, because I've played my entire career. But if I can have a meaningful impact on the group whilst I'm not playing, then it means my role is meaningful.

"Those leadership skills and qualities that I believe I possess are ways in which I can positively impact the group."

Since his arrival in December, Vitor Pereira has been big on togetherness among the players, staff and fans.

The head coach is determined to create, complete and maintain the right atmosphere, particularly when supporters are frustrated at the lack of signings ahead of the new Premier League season.

For Bentley, the rules among the squad and the fines that come as a result of breaking them are all geared towards having the right characters and behaviour among the group.

"It's all about breeding culture, we want everybody to have respect for everybody," Bentley said.

"I set the fines out and agree it with the captain and senior leadership group, but I don't make the rules.

"There are some daft fines in there, £50 for doing something a bit silly, which is funny at the time.

"But at the same time, the rules are fairly straightforward. Have respect for everyone, be on time, say please and thank you and be respectful.

"They are designed for culture. They're designed for respect and if we have those two things on point, then not many people should get fined."

Wolves have worked hard on getting the right personalities through the door, but sometimes it has not quite worked out.

Lemina was fantastic until his disappointing behaviour led to him forcing a move away, while Matheus Cunha was difficult to work with at every level for people at Wolves.

Matheus Nunes even refused to train in the summer of 2023 and kicked up a fuss in his effort to drive a move to Manchester City.

Bentley did not say on or off record which players have been difficult when it comes to fines - but he did admit he has had his hands full in the past with keeping certain players in line.

"We went through a stage, and I won't mention names out of fairness, but there was a certain someone who was a lot of money down," Bentley added.

"I'm not the captain and won't go behind the captain's back, so I'll always go to them and say 'this has happened, I think we should lay off him here because he's been late two or three times in a row and he's already given me X amount of money'.

"Let's just give them a little kick up the backside so they behave themselves.

"You just have to be a little bit empathetic sometimes to people's situations, because I've been late. Everyone's been late. When I'm late, everyone tends to celebrate, because it never happens, especially as the fine man. There's big claps, and everyone's shouting and cheering!

"I don't want to start taking thousands and thousands of pounds off people, but also there has to be a line where we go 'come on, now you're taking the mick' and we have to police this. It's about respect for everyone else by being on time.

"I won't mention the player, but sometimes you just have to assess the situation.

"It's just about knowing people, knowing situations, and managing what we believe is the right way to deal with a situation without incriminating someone in front of everybody and making them feel bad."

Some of those aforementioned players could learn a thing or two from Bentley on how to conduct themselves.

Arsenal made a move to sign Bentley last summer but Wolves were unwilling to lose a player that is so important to the dressing room.

During this interview Bentley did not name Arsenal as the club in question, but agreed there was a potential big move in the offing. However, in a long monologue when asked about that move not materialising, Bentley insisted he was eager to stay professional and remain respectful.

He said: "If you ask any player in the world that they've got an opportunity to go to a club like that, and then for the opportunity not to happen, is it difficult? You obviously get excited by opportunities like that, of course.

"I wouldn't be anywhere near as ambitious as what I am if I turned around and went, 'who cares, I'm not really bothered'.

"Of course there was an understanding that this is quite big, whilst also retaining absolute respect for Wolves.

"I'm here, and unless a bid gets accepted, I'm here. I was then rewarded with a new contract which made everything and the way I acted throughout that situation.

"I saw it a couple of seasons ago, I could go and bang the door down, I could go and not turn up to training, I could be that guy, but I'm not that guy.

"I've not built my career reputation on being that guy and I haven't got to where I am now on being that guy.

"So I'm going to do it my way, which I think is the correct way, which I think is the professional way, and the respectful way, by allowing the clubs to do whatever they've got to do.

"If they don't agree, then whatever. I'll obviously be inquisitive to what the situation is, I owe it to the situation myself to be inquisitive about what is going on, but I'm also not going to chuck my toys out the pram.

"I'd be a liar and a mug to say that there was no inquisitiveness there, but I was also fully respectful, and you could ask anyone that was here at the time how my actions were, and they'd tell you professional.

"I am proud of that, because I could have gone the other way, and that, for me, is distasteful.

"I have respect for Wolves, I have respect for the club, I have respect for the people that brought me here, and then, subsequently, signed the new contract.

"Would that have happened if I'd have acted in an unprofessional way, I don't think so.

"I'm a believer in whatever is meant to be will be. If that move would have happened, would I have kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford? Maybe, maybe not.

"I have full respect for Wolves. I enjoy my time here, I like being here.

"I give my all every day. I always try and repay the faith that's always been shown in me."

As Wolves continue to seek additions to their squad this summer, they must keep in mind the personality of the person.

They will not get everything right - and the quality of the footballer is essential - but having more characters like Bentley would only add to a dressing room that needs some help.