Exclusive interview: Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's midfield dream, renewed confidence and Wolves fight
Wolves' Jean-Ricner Bellegarde sits down with the Express & Star for an exclusive interview during their pre-season camp in Portugal.
Wolves had just lost four Premier League games in a row at the end of January and Vitor Pereira still had his work cut out.
The new manager bounce from when he first arrived had faded slightly and Wolves' next test was at home to Aston Villa in the West Midlands derby on February 1.
Joao Gomes was serving a one-match suspension and Pereira's options to partner Andre in midfield were Tommy Doyle or Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
The head coach went with the latter - despite him hardly ever playing there in his Wolves career - and it was an inspired choice.
The Frenchman scored the opening goal in a 2-0 win, arguably put in his best performance in a Wolves shirt and then went on a run of consistent performances that saw him emerge as a new midfield option.
"This game is very important for me," Bellegarde said in an exclusive interview with the Express & Star during the club's pre-season training camp in Portugal.
"Joao was not there and gaffer had a choice between me and Tommy Doyle to play in the midfield.
"The gaffer told me 'you can play in the midfield, I believe in you'. I thought, OK, I need to push more. The game is very important for us.
"Sometimes people don't believe in the team because we played against Aston Villa and had lost a lot of games, but in my head this game was for us.
"I played and scored and I'm very happy for this game. After, I'll keep pushing and do better."
"Yes, I think so," Bellegarde said when asked if the weeks that followed was his best spell at the club.
"When I play in midfield on the pitch, I feel more comfortable.
"But in football, it depends. If the gaffer tells me to play on the left, then I need to play on the left because I need to help the team the best I can.
"Both is OK, I just need to play.
"If you put me as a midfielder or a striker, I can play. I just need to be ready for this.
"Now I need to prepare for the game in the midfield.
"Now I can feel more of the game. The Premier League is different to France, now I'm more comfortable in this league."
