Wolves boss hails summer signing as ‘an idol’ after cup victory | OneFootball

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto was full of praise for Raul Jimenez after he made his second debut for the club in a 3-0 win against Port Vale.

The Mexican striker was a fan favourite at Molineux before moving to Fulham. However, after three years in London, the 35-year-old has now returned to the west midlands.

Jimenez received a warm welcome during Wolves’ season opener – a 3-0 win in the Carabao Cup first round. It was also a positive result to kick off Peixoto’s tenure.

“I liked the crowd, the atmosphere and the noise,” reflected the new manager. “The stadium is amazing.

“Raul is an idol for the fans, so that reaction is normal. He is important for us because he improves the level of the team with his quality and experience.

“Today it was important to give him more minutes because he needs them. But, for me, the team is always above any individual. That’s very clear. Raul is an important player for us, but the team comes first.”

After a dismal campaign last season, Wolves will have their eyes set on a Premier League return this time around.

Peixoto continued: “At this stage of the season it’s normal that there are still a lot of things to improve. Every team has areas they need to work on.

“I think we’re at a good level, but there are still things that will happen over the coming weeks because we need to bring in more players to give us more solutions.

“The players are working very hard. They are organised, they play with passion and they have quality. I think we’re in a good position to start the season, but there is still a lot of hard work ahead.”