Nelson Semedo is thrilled to remain a Wolves player, after the club exercised their option on the defender, and he's targeting an improved campaign for the team next time around.
The Portuguese’s third season in old gold is coming to an end on Sunday, with Wolves assured of another top flight campaign long before the trip to the Emirates Stadium. Although simply survival won’t have been Semedo’s pre-season target, the 29-year-old highlighted the turning point as the arrival of the new head coach and teammates during the winter months.
On staying on a Molineux
“I’m happy because I like to be here and the club like me as well. The coach trusts me and that’s important for me. I will try to do my best to give them back the confidence they gave to me. That’s my aim, to try to help the club the best I can.
“No matter which players are here, I just want to see the team winning, the team confident, playing well, giving a lot of good moments to the fans. I really like the fans. They can make a difference in the games.”
On his season reflections
“My first year here was tough as well. We were playing to stay out of the relegation as well. My second year was good. In terms of points, we’re not too far away, but we’re not in the position we wanted to be.
“This season was tough since the beginning, but after Julen came in, things started to get better. We started to get points, away and at home, so we could achieve our aim which was to stay in the Premier League again.”
On a season of two halves
“New coach, new players, so that made the change. Even if you’re good, it makes you change because it’s a different team, different work. Everything is different, but the change was good for us. We knew we needed a big change because we were not doing good. That was big for us to start to think what we really wanted for the rest of the season. Even the players that were here, it changed our mindset.
“The second part of the season we were better. We’ve got to keep the focus that we had in the second part of the season, the belief, the confidence, the trust that we had in each other, the work. The way we were playing as well. If we can improve all these things, we’re going to be a better team and I’m pretty sure we will do a good season next season.”
On the Everton game
“It was disappointing because we were controlling the game. We scored in the first half and were not expecting to suffer their goal. We don’t have to be disappointed, it was a special game, with our families, our last game at home in a good environment. Of course, we wanted to win the game, unfortunately we couldn’t do it.”
On taking on Arsenal
“A very good team, they did a very good season. They have to be proud for the season they did. We’re going with the aim to win the game, like we always do. Try to do our best and work hard to finish the season in the best way.
“I expect a strong team because it’s their last game at home. I’m pretty sure they’re going to give 100 per cent, we’ve got to go to our best level as well and match their confidence and physically.”
On a summer to recharge
“It’s only a month so I try to rest for the first two weeks – don’t even touch a ball, only for fun of course. I try to switch, rest with my family and friends, and two weeks before the start of the season I start work to be fit and ready for pre-season.
“Pre-season is very tough, very difficult, a lot of training – two sessions per day, so I have to try to do something that can help me, so I don’t have a shock or get injured. It helps me in a lot of ways.”
