Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Vitor Pereira has warned attacking talisman Matheus Cunha that his body language in Monday’s 3-1 defeat at Chelsea was unacceptable.
Pereira told Cunha he will not tolerate a repeat of his demeanour at Stamford Bridge, where he repeatedly showed his frustration with team-mates and walked straight down the tunnel at the final whistle without acknowledging travelling supporters.
Although Nelson Semedo is Wolves’ on-field captain, Pereira warned Cunha that he also needs to lead by example.
“He’s a captain,” Pereira told his post-match news conference. “I had this conversation in the dressing room. He can be frustrated because he wants to win but everybody in the dressing room wants to win. Everybody in the team wants to win.
“I don’t like this body language. I want someone as a captain trying to help the team, running, suffering, fighting, together.
“This (frustration) is something that I can understand. (But) next time I will not understand.”
On the Brazil international heading straight down the tunnel, Pereira said: “This is something that cannot happen again.
“The frustration is the frustration. I understand. But we need to be together. Together we can fix the problems and we can stay in the Premier League.
“If we start to complain about this or that, this is not the way.”
Pereira admitted that Cunha’s mindset might have been affected by ongoing contract talks and rumoured interest from other clubs. Earlier this month Cunha was understood to be close to agreeing a new deal but he has yet to sign.
“He’s committed with Wolves, when you start to listen, that this club or the other club is (interested), I think it is human that players start to to be a little bit (distracted).
“I understand it’s normal in football, but it’s to do with the minds. He comes from injury so it’s natural that he’s not at the same level now. But the team needs him with good energy, not with frustration.”
Wolves’ former captain Mario Lemina was also missing tonight despite reversing his earlier decision to make himself unavailable after asking the club to let him leave.
Pereira says the midfielder will not be considered until he either departs, with Saudi side Al Shabab interested in signing him, or until the transfer window closes with Lemina still at Molineux.
“It is very easy to explain,” said Pereira. “If a player is, with his mind, out and in, it means that he has doubt if he stays. For me, it’s very easy. He’s out until the end of the market.
“When the market closes, OK, I will see if he’s my player and he is, it’s a problem that I will solve, because he’s a good player, he has quality.
“Or he goes out and then it will not be my problem. At this moment I want players committed with the team, with the project, with the club, with everything. He’s doing training, but his mind is not here because he still wants to move, to go.”
Wolves return to action at home to Arsenal on Saturday.
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(Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)
