Nuno has faith in his Wolves youngsters
Nuno Espirito Santo has called on Owen Otasowie to take his next chance in a Wolves shirt – as he insists he trusts his young charges.
The 19-year-old stepped off the bench for a short cameo and impressed as Wolves drew 3-3 away at Brighton.
With the last touch of the game he blazed a free header over the bar, when he should have scored, but Nuno has backed the midfielder to come back stronger.
“He has a long way to go yet,” Nuno said. “He’s very talented, very powerful.
“Again, he gave a big hand. Not only Owen Otasowie but all the young players that were on the bench.
“All the academy players, we expect good things for them.
“This is the way we work. We work with a young and short squad because we believe in the way we do things.
“We’ll keep supporting them and at the same time teaching them that when you have your chance you have to take it.
“Otasowie had one, he didn’t take it, but he will have another one for sure.
“We have our arms around all the players in the squad.
“This is an educational process that we are on. We have a lot of young players that have to take responsibility because they are playing in the highest level of football – but always with our support.”
Otasowie was one of six academy prospects named among the nine substitutes with several first team players currently injured. But Nuno insists he trusts the youngsters. When asked if signings will be needed due to the youthful bench, he added: “We need to rebalance our squad in terms of our positions in the squad and all these things. But we will not change our philosophy because this is the way we work.
“We must be aware what is happening to us in this moment, that we have more players out but these players will return.
“They are going to come back to the squad. When we have young players, like we have, we must trust them.
“This is the moment to, first, appreciate and be thankful because through the years the young players are very important to us. Now they will earn their chances and they will do well.”
Daniel Podence missed Saturday’s trip to the South Coast through injury and Nuno has revealed he is likely to miss Friday’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace.
“We still have to see,” he said.
“He had a problem in the first action against Man United. He proceeded through the game but he was not available for this game and probably for the next one. We have some issues on those terms, we have important players out, but they are slowly progressing and will come again to join the squad.”
