A new leader is seemingly emerging at Wolves, in what is a real boost for the dressing room.
Gary O’Neil oversaw another pre-season win last night, as Wolves beat fellow Premier League side West Ham United 3-1 in Jacksonville.
Matheus Cunha and Rodrigo Gomes (brace) got the goals for Wolves, who are now three for three in terms of pre-season wins.
Preparations for the new season have been going very well so far.
The three new faces have all settled in well, with Rodrigo and Pedro Lima both combining for one of the goals last night.
There were actually four signings this summer for Wolves, with one of those being Tommy Doyle signing permanently from Manchester City – and the midfielder already looks like he is becoming a leader at Wolves.
Wolves star Tommy Doyle was given captaincy during win over West Ham United
Doyle turned his move to Wolves permanent for just under £5 million this summer, which is an absolute bargain fee.
Last season, Doyle proved his quality and was often played in games where O’Neil felt his side could have more of the ball.
The playmaker regularly showed his wonderful passing range, and he looks set to play an important role once again in 2024/25.
But Doyle isn’t just a great signing for Wolves for his passing and playmaking abilities. He also appears to be imposing himself at the club and establishing himself as a bit of a leader now.
He is still only 22 years old himself, and has only been at the club for one year. But last night against West Ham, Doyle finished the game wearing the captain’s armband.
Mario Lemina started as the skipper, having now been confirmed as the new club captain. It then went to Hwang Hee-chan when he went off, as was the case in the games against Como 1907 and Bristol City.
Hwang was replaced by youngster Luke Rawlings on 78 minutes, with the armband then being passed to Doyle.
This was despite much more experienced players like Craig Dawson and Dan Bentley being on the field at the same time.
Really good to see
- READ MORE: Why Gary O’Neil’s tactical switch could actually benefit ‘sublime’ Wolves talent in 2024/25
Doyle wearing the captain’s armband last night clearly shows he has some really good leadership qualities and that the manager feels comfortable with him taking on more responsibility.
This follows Doyle coming in for praise from assistant coach Tim Jenkins. He had noted that Doyle had been really good with the young players in Marbella, especially young Rawlings. Jenkins said: “He not only encouraged him but gave him details to try and help him and spoke to him after the session.”
Wolves fans will have noticed Doyle barking instructions at his teammates during games last season, and it’s clear he is very comfortable communicating and leading.
It is really refreshing to see given he is still relatively young himself at 22, and it definitely bodes well for the future.
Who knows, perhaps he could be the next skipper at Molineux once Lemina’s stint comes to an end.