Returning to Wolves after three years away, Matt Doherty believes his experienced during that time has set him up to come back a stronger player in gold and black.
The defender becomes Julen Lopetegui’s second signing of the summer as he strengthens the right-back position, and will be looking at retuning to the team in time for next weekend’s meeting with Celtic at the Aviva Stadium – the home of his Republic of Ireland national team.
With the 2023/24 campaign less than a month away, Doherty will also hope to add to the 302 appearances he racked up during his previous 10-year spell which included helping Wolves to successive seventh place finishes and a Europa League quarter-final.
On returning to Wolves
“It’s been great. Obviously, it’s a little bit strange, seeing some old faces as well as a lot of new ones – I think there is only five players here who were there the last time, so it is a bit strange. But once I get training and everything like that, it will all be fine.
“I’d been here a long time and had some great times here as well. I still have my house here in the midlands and I’ve been able to move straight back into that, so everything has been running really smoothly.
“My kids were brought up here and my first was born during the first pre-season when Nuno arrived, so it’s kind of all that I’ve known really.”
On meeting Lopetegui
“I spoke to him on the phone before and he was obviously a big reason why I came back. I saw him earlier on today, but it was a brief face-to-face, but I’m sure we will have some time over the next few weeks to try and get to know each other.”
On growing away from Molineux
“I’ve grown as a player in my confidence, physically improving again, tactically – I’ve worked with some of the best managers on the planet, so if you can’t improve with them, then you’re never going to improve.
“I’ve experienced some really good trips away in Europe and it was three years that I had a great time also, but I’ve managed to find my way back home.
“I always feel like I’m improving every single year. I’ve had some times when my form hasn’t been great and I’ve not been able to play as well as I would have liked, or as well as I did when I was at Wolves the first time.
“But I still feel like I have a lot to give and I know that I have a lot to give. Let’s hope that I’m able to keep improving under this new manager and that he can get the best out of me.”
On Wolves’ right-back battle
“You want to go somewhere you’re going to play as much as possible. As much as I loved my time at the other clubs, I wasn’t able to get a run of games consistently for whatever reason.
“I guess that was a challenge of playing against some top players constantly and consistently, but let’s get my head down here first in pre-season and see where it takes us.”
Welcome home, @mattdoherty20!
— Wolves (@Wolves) July 20, 2023
🐺✍️ pic.twitter.com/ATycKOaNHR
On aims for the season
“Success. You’re always trying to get better. As a club, we obviously had a lot of success last time and I want to try to continue that and see what happens.
“There’s been a big turnaround with the players and the staff, and the playing style is a look different, but hopefully there will be success.”
On heading to Dublin
“I know the Aviva Stadium, I know how big the pitch is, so I know how hard the game is going to be, especially in pre-season, but that atmosphere in Ireland will be great because Wolves have quite a big fan base over there and Celtic does also, so I think that will be quite a special day.
“Dublin is a great city. I don’t know anybody who has gone there and not had a good time. I’m sure the fans will end up in the right areas in the city, but Irish people are just friendly in general, so I’m sure they’ll have an absolutely fantastic weekend.
“For me and or my family, they get to go to another game where they get to see me as they’re not always able to get over to games in England.”
