Wolves' Walter Zenga and Prince Oniangue ready for derby action
Walter Zenga is psyched up for his first West Midlands derby tomorrow – and could unleash new signing Prince Oniangue against Blues.
Wolves make the short trip to St Andrew's hoping to extend their unbeaten start to the season.
Oniangue moved from Reims for £2million earlier this week and is set to feature, with Zenga enthused about what the 6ft 3in 27-year-old can offer his team.
The Wolves boss was tight-lipped on whether his new signing would start but was unequivocal that Oniangue was 'ready to be involved'.
"We sign him because the characteristic of him is a characteristic we don't have in our squad," Zenga said.
"He's an offensive midfielder, has a special feeling with the goal, is good in the box, runner, fighter, good body, and a quality player.
"We have to introduce into our squad characteristics that we don't have.
"We have to complete the squad in the quality first, in my opinion, and then second in the special offensive situation.
"He is ready to be involved."
Zenga has been involved in dozens of ferocious derbies across the world, most famously the Milan derby from his many years at Inter.
This particular West Midlands derby might not hold quite the same intensity – but Zenga said his previous derby experience would stand him in good stead.
"The derby is a fantastic atmosphere game, it's something strange.
"It's a particular game that in the end only gives to you three points, not six or nine. But what happens beside the game is important for our fans.
"We have to prepare for this game for them.
"My career as a player was in Inter with a big derby against Milan. Then I move to Sampdoria and a big derby there against Genoa.
"As a coach I have had a lot of derbies in Steaua Bucharest, in Serbia, in Sicily (Catania v Palermo).
"My life is all the time in the derby.
"The life experience is always important, as a player or as a coach, to permit to you to understand some particular situation.
"Sometimes (as a coach) you have to push (your players) hard, sometimes you have to calm down because if you push too much they become too nervous.
"It depends on the moment and what the coach feels with the players.
"I know how I can treat this game and I understand now how the players prepare themselves."
