Wolves great John Richards hails their perfect mentality
Club great John Richards has praised Wolves for their ‘exemplary’ work after Raul Jimenez’s injury at Arsenal as they aim to continue doing the Mexican proud.
Jimenez fractured his skull at the Emirates last weekend after clashing with Gunners defender David Luiz early in the game.
He has since had surgery and should be able to leave hospital early next week having made ‘excellent’ progress, but his Wolves team-mates had to carry on while unsure of his condition and managed to win 2-1.
And Richards – while wishing Jimenez all the best – feels the brave showing should stand Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in good stead for a difficult run of fixtures this month, starting at reigning Premier League champions Liverpool on Sunday.
“Without a doubt, it’s testament to their strength of character,” he said. “And that comes from the management and the support that’s there, allowing the players to perform in the way they did.
“It’s easy to switch off as it’s always in the back of your mind when someone has been carried off on a stretcher. He’s been on the floor for 10 minutes before going to the hospital in an ambulance, so it’s always going to be in the back of your mind – wondering how he is and hoping he’s all right.
“To carry on playing for 85 minutes in the way that they did was exemplary, really.
“It’s got to give Nuno a lot of comfort from that point of view.”
Former striker Richards was particularly impressed with how the forwards did in the wake of Jimenez’s injury, with Pedro Neto and Daniel Podence on the scoresheet.
Adama Traore was involved in both goals, too, while Fabio Silva impressed as a substitute in difficult circumstances.
“They all performed well, the front players,” said Richards. “It just shows you, with the concern of losing Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty, that they are starting to click.
“Podence, Neto, and Silva came on, and I thought he was excellent.
“It took him a little while to settle, but I thought he looked comfortable in the team and playing against top-class players.
“Raul will be missed, there’s no doubt about that, because of the experience and quality he brings.
“But then you look at the rest of the players, and they all responded. They all wanted to do their jobs for Raul, and they certainly did.
“That must give Nuno a lot of comfort and confidence, that he’s got a lot of quality there – and in depth now.”
Richards now hopes Jimenez is able to make a similar recovery to his friend Don Goodman, who returned to action six months after fracturing his skull for Wolves in 1996.
He says he has also been contacted by the family of Jeff Astle – the former Albion star whose death in 2002, aged 60, was ruled by a coroner to be the result of an industrial disease brought about by repeatedly heading footballs – to pass on their best wishes to Jimenez.
“I’ve had lots of people asking me how he is, and asking me to pass on their best wishes,” added Richards.
“Jeff Astle’s family, his wife Laraine, rang me up and asked how he was doing, really concerned.
“Obviously, I know Don and he had a similar bad experience with a head injury. But he recovered and carried on playing, so you just hope it’s the same with Raul and that it all heals well as it was a nasty incident.”
