Wolverhampton Wanderers assistant head coach Rui Pedro Silva has insisted young players must get time to adapt when they come to Molineux.
Currently Wolves have quite a young squad, with the club having brought in a plethora of youngsters in the last transfer window.
The likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri, Ki-Jana Hoever, Fabio Silva and Vitinha all joined and have had mixed fortunes.
Arguably, Ait-Nouri has been the standout so far. Hoever has looked quite solid, but opportunities for the Dutchman haven’t been as forthcoming.
Silva has been under a particularly intense spotlight, with the 18-year-old having had to cover for the injured Raul Jimenez.
MORE WOLVES STORIES
Some have stated that Nuno was never intending to use Silva this much following his big-money move from FC Porto, and coach Silva’s comments do back up that theory.
Using the club’s handling of Pedro Neto to make his point, he told the club’s offical website in a lengthy interview: “As Pedro Neto had, who arrived young, he had his time to adapt, and now he is starting to become more a part of the base than, exactly, that young player who is arriving.
“It is important that the young player does not come with the responsibility of having to be the one who has to take over immediately.”
Early spotlight has not been ideal for Silva
Jimenez’s injury was a hugely unfortunate freak incident.
It was likely never Nuno’s intention to expose Silva to the rigours of the Premier League this much so soon – especially given how little he actually played for Porto’s first-team before his move.
Coach Silva is right to point to Neto as an example of how it should be done.
He was eased in in his first season, and that careful managment has now seen him become one of Wolves’ most dangerous players.
Unfortunately £80,000-a-week star Silva (Spotrac) has some people on his back early on because he’s had to play perhaps before he was ready.