Matt Doherty: Wolves can aim higher

That is the view of Matt Doherty after Nuno Espirito Santo’s team enjoyed a stellar first year back in the Premier League.

They finished seventh to qualify for the Europa League, while also reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.

With four competitions to juggle next season and an early start to the campaign owing to the Europa League qualifiers commencing in late July, Wolves know it won’t be easy to repeat their success. But that will certainly be their aim for 2019/20.

Doherty said: “I guess we have to try to match it and then better it. That will probably be the aim for everybody in pre-season.

“As players we all live up to each other’s standards. As a team we just seem to click, whatever we do. The training we do, the preparation we do – a lot of credit has to go to the management and the staff.

“But, whatever the reason is, we just seem to know each other’s games – everyone knows exactly what the other wants to do. It just works for us.

“It could be different if we suddenly change to a different formation, but the way we play right now, it suits us down to a tee.”

Wolves have enjoyed a high success rate in terms of recruitment. Joao Moutinho, Raul Jimenez, Rui Patricio, Leander Dendoncker, Jonny Castro Otto and Adama Traore were the club’s main new signings last summer and all made an impact.

Doherty says the way the club recruits personalities, not just players, has played a big role in them hitting the ground running and making a contribution to the team. “Yes, definitely, that’s important,” the Irishman said. “Recruitment is looked at and we have people with no egos who just want to get their head down and play football. You couldn’t look at anyone in the squad and say they’re not involved at all. Everybody’s close, everybody’s friends, so recruitment has been very good.”

Doherty is away with the Republic of Ireland who play Denmark and Gibraltar in Euro 2020 qualifiers on June 7 and 10.