Wolves teenager eyes more first-team chances after debut joy

Saheed Olagunju hopes Tuesday night’s dream professional debut will lead to more first-team opportunities at Wolves.

The towering 19-year-old centre-back scored and helped Wolves keep a clean sheet as they won 2-0 at Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

Olagunju justified Cesar Peixoto’s decision to bring him into the starting XI with a composed performance.

The experience has left the former Chelsea academy star hungry for more.

He said: “The more I play, the more I play well, I will have more trust from the gaffer.

“With a lot of games coming up this season in the Championship, it might free up some more spaces. Hopefully I will get more chances to prove myself.”

Olagunju, stands 6ft 4ins tall, featured in pre-season and has trained regularly with the first-team.

He was informed he would be starting by Peixoto on Monday and later conceded things could hardly have gone much better.

Solid in his defensive work, Olagunju notched his first senior goal when he headed home Tommy Doyle’s cross on the stroke of half-time to double the advantage given to Wolves by Sil Swinkels’ third-minute own goal.

While delighted to get on the scoresheet, the youngster claimed the clean sheet was more satisfying.

“I’m buzzing with that,” he said. “100 per cent I’m happier with that than the goal. When you are a defender, scoring is just a bonus!

“Could it have gone any better? I don’t think so. As a kid, you work hard for this.

“The first 10 minutes I felt a bit shaky but then I settled down and got to grips with it. It felt all good.

“We were speaking about performances and how he wanted me to play. He didn’t want me to do too much, just settle into the game.

“He had confidence in me to play and I think I did well.”

Olagunju’s performance earned praise from Peixoto, who said: “We know him and he trains with us sometimes, we gave an opportunity to him and he did a great game, scored a good goal.

"It is not his task because he is a centre-back!

"We look at age as just a number. I believe in the players, their quality and personality.

"Saheed has the capacity to improve and I think maybe in the future he can be in the first-team."