Jordan Graham: Me and Wolves boss Nuno couldn't agree on best position
Jordan Graham insists it did not work out for him under Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo as he did not see himself playing at wing-back.
The 25-year-old was released by the club last week, having spent the past year with the under-23s before a loan at Gillingham.
He did, though, catch the eye under Kenny Jackett when he first burst onto the Wolves scene and the winger was offered a chance to impress by Nuno, but in a more defensive role.
And Graham told The Athletic: “Nuno came in and it was a case of he wanted me to play as a wing-back and I didn’t necessarily agree.
“For someone who’s played as a winger, a striker, or a No 10 for my whole career, to be told I won’t be allowed to play in that position, I thought, was quite strange. I gave it my all, I just didn’t really feel comfortable.
“I felt like I wasn’t being allowed to express myself totally. His vision was for me to do that, I wasn’t necessarily too pleased at the thought of it.”
Graham came on as a substitute in Nuno’s first league game in charge of Wolves, against Middlesbrough, and started League Cup wins against Yeovil and Southampton.
Shortly afterwards, though, he was sent out on loan to Fulham – and it turns out it was the player’s idea.
“My carer is one-v-ones, beating players, being in the final third, shots, crosses, deliveries, I felt I was a bit limited from wing-back,” said Graham.
“I wanted to play where (Helder) Costa and Cav (Ivan Cavaleiro) were but I was limited to playing as a wing-back.
“That was it really. I remember saying to him: ‘I’m not enjoying this, I’m not in the team, I’d prefer to go on loan’.
“I said (to Nuno) if that’s the case I’ll look elsewhere because I do want to play as a forward player.
“I completely admire Nuno as a manager, I think he’s absolutely incredible.
“To see how he works, trains, his vision for the club, it’s incredible and the proof is in the pudding.
“ He’s amazing. I don’t have a bad word to say about him at all as a manager.
“I’d try and say I could play and could I train more forward and I wasn’t allowed to, his vision was for me to play as a wing-back.
“Now I look at the way Doc (Matt Doherty) plays I think I could do, for sure. The vision, I understand it, but at the time I felt I was under-performing.
“I felt I wasn’t able to show him the real Jordan Graham, the one who rips defenders, chops people, delivers crosses, gets shots off.
“I felt like ‘I’m not going to get in this team here, Doc’s a more natural full-back than I am’.”
Graham added: “I think he has a lot of respect for me, in the way that I told him what I felt I was comfortable doing. He said ‘it’s this way or no way’. His vision was for me to play there and my vision kind of wasn’t. That was it.”
