New Wolves signing Craig Dawson has revealed Julen Lopetegui felt like another player when he faced him in the Europa League.
The defender completed his move to Molineux last weekend from West Ham United.
Wanderers had wanted Dawson last summer, but the move fell through.
They kept him on their radar, and finally got their man last Sunday for around £3.3 million.
The hope is that Dawson will be able to provide competition for Nathan Collins and Maximilian Kilman. It is also hoped that Dawson can raise the standards behind the scenes and become one of the leaders of the dressing room.
Dawson recently sat down with Wolves for a first interview since his move.
He spoke about settling in and his decision to join from the Hammers, citing being closer to his family as a big factor.
He also gave a brief word on his new manager Lopetegui, and made a very telling comment about his touchline presence.
On his previous meeting with Lopetegui in the Europa League, Dawson said: “I remember it was a tough game, but one thing that stood out the most was the coach. He was stood right on the sideline and felt like another player.
“You could feel his passion, his love for the game there, and that was something he mentioned to me when I signed a few days ago. You could really feel his passion for the game and hopefully we can see that here.
“We’ve had plenty of conversations and even just training with him a few days, you can really tell he’s a top coach and I can’t wait to get down to business and keep working with him.”
Julen Lopetegui’s touchline presence has made a massive difference to Wolves, as Craig Dawson praises his new manager
Lopetegui’s touchline presence really has been significant for Wolves.
Bruno Lage could be intense at times.
But Lopetegui is constantly there on the sidelines barking orders and offering encouragement. And it appears to have made a difference, with intensity and fitness levels up. He is a different animal compared to his predecessor.
He’s already picked up three yellow cards which is some going considering he’s only taken nine games so far.
But if anything it just shows the passion of the man.
Without doubt, he sets the tone and it will only serve the team well in the coming months.