Shropshire Star

Wolves boss Nuno doesn't care about manager award

Nuno Espirito Santo says he doesn’t care about individual prizes as he prepares to face manager of the year Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City in a title showdown.

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Leaders Wolves travel to take on the second-placed Bluebirds in a televised promotion clash tomorrow night.

Cardiff are six points behind Nuno’s team but have a game in hand – away at Derby later this month. Wolves also have a superior goal difference of eight more than Cardiff.

Veteran boss Warnock was this week named as the Championship manager of the year.

However, Nuno said: “Congratulations (to Warnock). It doesn’t change, the game is the players, not the managers. We are here to help.

“I don’t work for prizes, I work to build a team and try to make Wolves a good club able to compete on all the pitches against all the teams, I don’t work for individual prizes.”

Wolves did have three players – Ruben Neves, Conor Coady and John Ruddy – named in the team of the season, while Neves has been nominated for the Championship player of the year and young player of the year awards.

“I think it’s well deserved, not only these prizes but also the national teams that the players go to for the first time.

“But it’s all about the team, it’s a collective sport,” Nuno added. “We know what it means to play at Cardiff, it’s a big game for us and a big game for them.

“They gave us a tough game (in August, winning 2-1 at Molineux) and it’s a good team – we know what we’re going to face there.

“First we rest, then we prepare to be ready for it.”

Neves and Matt Doherty will return from suspension.

Nuno added: “They are players we’ve used in the starting XI so they’re important for us.

“Having fresh legs always helps.”