Toti is enjoying being back on home soil for pre-season training and is doing so as more of a leader within the Wolves group than in recent years.
The Old Gold are based in the Algarve for their warm weather training camp and for Toti, hailing from two hours north in Lisbon, it’s a taste of home, having spent his summer nearby, relaxing but also preparing for a fresh campaign with Wolves.
The defender captained the side on their final Premier League away outing of last season against Crystal Palace – the first time he’d held that responsibility – and being a newfound leader is something he’s relishing.
On pre-season so far
“It's going well. It started in Wolverhampton, the first days, the medical tests and everything. It went well. We are building up slowly, waiting for everybody to be in the group. Most of the rest of the group met us here in Portugal. The weather's been good to train, everybody's doing their best. It's good to see everybody get back to work.
“It's not easy, but it's good to prepare for the season. When the season starts, we're going to be even more ready, because we've been training in this heat. We’re looking forward for it. We've been training in the morning, then training again in the afternoon. I think everybody's been enjoying it and working well.”
On being back in Portugal
“It's amazing. It's not the first time we’ve come here to Portugal. It's always good to come here in Algarve, my home nation Portugal. So, it's good to be here, because I know the weather is good, it's good to train here and the mood is good too.
“I'm not far from home, just two hours, so my family are close. So, of course, when the Gaffer gives us some time off, I will enjoy it and go to see the family, for sure, and that's the good thing about doing pre-season at home.
“I was actually here on holiday as well. The last week of my holidays I was here doing some training camps and just relaxing as well, preparing for the new season. It's not my first time here, I always come here, either holidays or with the team as well. We’ve come here many times, even with the other coaches as well. It's always good to train here.”
On training in the close season
“It's really important. I completely feel the difference, because I'm prepared. I've been training before the pre-season. It's good to keep the body awake. I'm a person that cannot be the whole time doing nothing. So, I'm always either doing some gym or doing some running, because I always have my cousin around with me. It's always good and a motivation to train every day as well, because they've been training as well. So, we are always together training and preparing for the new season.”
On being a leader in the group
“Each year it has been more and more. Of course, a few leaders that left. But now we need to look at the players that are here, and we need to step up as well. I think I'm one of those players, not just me, the other guys that are in the team too like Jose Sa, Doherty as well. I think we need to step up, give some examples, and help everybody to integrate in the team.
“It’s a big responsibility, but a proud moment, a good moment when you are one of the captains for the team, it shows the respect that they're giving to you and using the armband shows you need to show some respect and try to be one of the leaders from the team.”
On his role within the group
“I was always someone that likes to talk on the pitch, on the training ground, but I didn't have a big voice before, and I learned that. I remember the first captain that I had, Conor Coady, he was always telling me, especially us being centre backs, we need to have the voice.
“We are the players at the back, and we see the whole game in front of us. So, we need to have the voice, and it's very important, the communication – having someone like that in the team is going to help you. Having someone that's going to talk with you, right or left instructions, it's always good.”
