Goncalo Guedes unique interview: Wolves winger on Bruno Lage reunion and adapting to the Premier League

At first, Goncalo Guedes refused. Bruno Lage, his coach within the Benfica academy, had proposed a guess whereas on a go to to Madrid for a event. He would get a haircut like Cristiano Ronaldo, however provided that the younger winger bought a Mohawk like Mario Balotelli.

Eventually, and far to the amusement of his team-mates, Guedes got here again with a counterproposal. He would get the Mohawk, however it will be inverted; shaved by way of the center, however with sufficient on the edges, he hoped, to hide the harm.

Lage fortunately accepted and, needlessly to say, it was Guedes who got here out of it worse, his inverted Mohawk so ridiculous that he had little alternative however to shave off the edges as nicely.

“I was 14 or 15 but I had been moved up a year, so I was the youngest in the group,” Guedes tells Sky Sports with a chuckle as he recollects the episode. “I was a bit young and crazy. I joked with the manager a lot. After that, we always had a good relationship.”

Guedes would go on to interrupt into Benfica’s first group, subsequently shifting to Paris Saint-Germain after which Valencia. But he at all times saved a watch on Lage’s profession. A decade on, they’re reunited, Guedes having joined Wolves from Valencia for £27.5m in August.

His pre-existing relationship with the supervisor helped.

“When I was young, the míster had already won a lot of championships at youth level with Benfica,” says Guedes.

“He also coached my brother, who was a goalkeeper, two years older than me. So, I was aware of him from then onwards.

“I believe the profession he has had reveals his stage,” he adds. “He has clearly carried out rather well and reached the Premier League.

“I am very happy to be here and I hope to learn a lot from him.”

Guedes, scorer of 11 targets in 36 video games for Valencia final season, spoke to Lage at size earlier than making the transfer. He additionally picked the brains of the membership’s varied Portuguese audio system, lots of whom he is aware of nicely from the nation’s nationwide group.

“They told me the Premier League is a completely different league to the others,” he says. “I think everyone who understands and watches football can see that it is the strongest league in the world.

“That was the principle motivation, to play within the Premier League, to be in nice stadiums the place the stands are at all times full, dwelling and away. It is only a utterly completely different environment.

“The people are…” Guedes pauses as he searches for the appropriate phrases. “Well, in Spain and Portugal, they are all about ‘football, football, football’, and don’t respect the players as much.

“Here, although, we are able to stroll on the street and, after all, individuals know who we’re. But if we’re with associates or household, they respect that. They proceed supporting us, too, even after we are shedding.

“To be here, playing in the Premier League, is something I have always wanted and I am enjoying it a lot.” Even the climate? “I just put on a jacket,” he says, grinning. “I am pleased with my decision.”

Guedes is talking at Wolves’ coaching floor forward of Saturday’s journey to West Ham and already feels comfy in his new environment. “That side of it has been very easy,” he says. “Of course, it helps that there are so many Portuguese players.”

Out on the pitch, nevertheless, the method of adaptation has not been easy.

The 25-year-old has solely proven glimpses of his appreciable expertise to this point and outcomes have been poor, one win from seven video games leaving Wolves seventeenth within the Premier League desk, two factors above the relegation zone with solely three targets scored.

“I think the team deserves a lot more than it has got,” says Guedes. “We have played very well in some games and had a lot of chances; we just haven’t taken them. This comes with work, with education, with believing in what the míster is telling us to do.

“I’m certain issues will enhance and the wins will come. Then, when issues are higher collectively, the people can present their greatest selves as nicely, and that’s what we would like.”

For Guedes, the troublesome begin to the season meant he was ignored of the newest Portugal squad to face Czech Republic and Spain within the Nations League. But, having missed pre-season with Wolves, his disappointment at not receiving a call-up was tempered by the chance to spend the worldwide break getting in control.

“The last two weeks have been really good for my adaptation. I needed that time to train with the team and better understand our way of playing. I feel better now. I know very well what I have to do.

“I’ve improved quite a bit and I’ve bought used to the way in which we practice, the depth and all this stuff.

“Of course, going with the national team is a huge source of pride.” Guedes has scored seven targets in 32 appearances for Portugal since making his debut as an 18-year-old in 2015. “But I also understand there are a lot of players to choose from.

“I’ve to simply accept the coach’s determination and work arduous to win again my place for the World Cup.”

The hard work is already underway.

Guedes’ offensive qualities – his speed, one-on-one ability and penchant for scoring spectacular goals – are not in doubt. But there is an acceptance that his off-the-ball work needs to improve dramatically in the frantic toing and froing of the Premier League.

“The mister wants me to be able to contribute as much as possible offensively, to have the ball, to make us play, to receive it inside, to receive it outside, all of these things,” he says.

“But above all, and something I have to improve a lot, is that when I lose the ball, I get it back quickly. I am trying to change a few things so I am able to attack and defend with the same intensity.

“The change in depth could be very huge within the Premier League. In Spain, you’ll be able to lose the ball and never be punished, as a result of normally the opposition will not transition ahead in a short time.

“But here, in the Premier League, when you lose it, all the teams want to move it forward as quickly as possible in order to exploit the spaces that are available and have a better chance of scoring.

“It means what you do if you lose the ball is way more essential.”

Guedes made 178 appearances over the course of his 5 seasons at Valencia – “I felt at home there,” he says – and his final one was his greatest but, largely as a result of a change of place which noticed him transfer from the flanks to the centre, forming a part of a entrance two with Uruguay worldwide Maxi Gomez.

“Of course, I felt very comfortable in that position,” he says. “But I wasn’t only in the middle. The manager, Jose Bordalas, gave me freedom to move around in all directions. It turned out very well.”

Does he count on the identical positional freedom at Wolves? They are, in spite of everything, struggling badly for targets.

“Here, the system is a bit different,” he says. “Of course, the míster has his own idea of how he wants to play, but you have to be ready to do whatever is asked of you.

“I believe he sees me as extra of a winger, taking part in on the appropriate or left flank, than a striker, however that’s the place I’ve performed nearly all of my profession, apart from final season, so I’m glad to play there.”

Besides, Guedes is greater than able to offering a menace from these areas, slicing inside and driving in direction of the opposition field, and he now has a brand new goal to intention for in Diego Costa, the previous Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker arriving on a free switch earlier this month.

“Diego is a very good person, very happy, very funny, and very good for a dressing room. He has arrived with a good mentality. He wants to work, and with his experience in big clubs and the quality he has, he can help us a lot.

“He is progressing nicely and that’s excellent news for us as a result of he’s a participant we all know can do quite a bit harm if he will get again to his regular type. We have to assist him in order that he may give us his greatest stage and assist us a lot as doable on the pitch.

“We have a very good squad generally,” he provides. “We have had a few injuries which have hurt us, but things will improve when more players are at 100 per cent. I am sure we will start climbing the table.”

Older and wiser than he was at Benfica, Guedes can also be certain he will not be accepting any extra bets from Lage any time quickly. “My focus is on getting as many goals and assists as I can,” he says with a smile. “But above all, I want to help the team. That is the most important thing.”

Watch West Ham vs Wolves stay on Sky Sports Premier League from 4.30pm on Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm