Wolves players waiting to take starting places
John Ruddy says no-one can afford to take their foot off the gas – or they risk losing their starting place in Nuno’s team.
Ruddy lost his No.1 spot to Rui Patricio despite winning the Championship’s Golden Glove award last season.
But Ruddy has taken that setback in his stride and believes he is encouraging Patricio – who arrived this summer from Sporting Lisbon – to keep playing well by providing him with competition.
The 31-year-old said: “No-one can take their foot off the gas in the starting Xl as you know your place can be taken in the next game.
“I do what I need to on the training pitch first and foremost and get the work in that I need to get in. I know by doing that and setting those standards, that will drive Rui on to maintain his performances as he’s been really good since he came in.
“But it is likewise with me last year, with Will (Norris) and H (Harry Burgoyne) in the squad, training every day and pushing me as hard as they could. It keeps you on your toes and makes you want to improve and get better.
“We only have a small squad but everyone wants to play and wants to involved in that starting XI, we’re all working hard to make sure that the lads who are in the team are working even harder to keep their place and that’s exactly the way it should be.
“The squad is so important, to be able to maintain standards on a day-to-day basis it’s integral that everyone is buying into it and we understand how important it is for the lads that aren’t playing to be involved and everyone has a massive role to play during the week. Everyone has bought into that ethos.”
