Comment: An emoji paints a thousand words for Wolves boss Nuno

“If a picture paints a thousand words...” they say. Well – and it is 2017 after all – in this case an emoji painted a thousand words, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.

A wolf head was all Nuno Espirito Santo tweeted when he sent out his first Twitter missive since February 21 (@nuno for you Twitterati).

There were no words, just an emoji, but it spoke straight to the hearts of thousands of Wolves fans who have already made it the most popular tweet Nuno has ever put out (now at 1,500 retweets and counting).

It was also the only confirmation they needed that the 43-year-old is going absolutely nowhere.

It's a good thing Nuno did end his self-imposed Twitter exile, because anyone who had sat through the head coach's press conference a couple of hours earlier wouldn't have been wholly convinced that his future lay at Molineux.

Nuno was a more than a little cryptic in front of the small smattering of three assembled reports (from the Express & Star, BBC Radio WM and Sky Sports).

Press conferences seem like the least favourite obligation of Nuno's week. His answers can be curt, his mood occasionally disgruntled and he's always delighted when there are only a couple of reporters there as it means the ordeal will only last a few minutes.

On this occasion though he had his 'game face' on. It lasted 14 minutes all told – a Nuno record – and he was in cheery form, happy to answer (almost) any question that came his way.

Most of those were about the links with the vacant Everton job. He began with a pre-prepared mini speech, which he felt answered the speculation.

"Regarding that issue...when we joined Wolves in the summer, not only me but my technical staff, we came with commitment of something important and a big challenge, perhaps one of the hardest challenges that we have to face.

"Since the first day we've been working really hard on that. The same thing that I ask my players is that every day is a day of hard work and only one focus. It's the club, what we want to build, how we want to perform.

"If I ask my players that, that goes to me also. The only focus I have in my mind today is the game of tomorrow. Nothing else can distract us.

"We are in the way of something really important and we are in a good way and doing things well.

"The boys are working very hard and believing in the idea that it's possible to always perform better, always grow, always be more competitive.

"So there's nothing else in my mind, or the mind of the players. Tomorrow is our focus, okay?"

It lasted one minute 47 seconds – which for a Nuno answer is as long as it gets – and thereafter he ignored direct questions about whether he's staying, or whether Everton had made contact, saying that he'd addressed those questions, only adding that he must respect his contract, before tantalisingly finishing the whole thing with the line "Jorge knows what I say to him".

Yes, that man Mr Mendes, pulling the strings at every turn.

He did it his way, but Nuno answered the speculation, particularly with the key line: "When you sign a contract you must respect that contract and people who know me personally know what kind of man I am and my beliefs."

Nuno's commitment and devotion to his Wolves project is unstinting, his work ethic remarkable and his in-depth planning impressive.

He gives that to his players and he expects the same dedication in return. And a close bond has formed between him and the supporters, as anyone who witnessed the two-way love-in as the players left the field at Carrow Road on Tuesday can testify.

They are the pack. He is their leader.

Is there wriggle room in what he's said if he were to leave? Yes. Does it feel like he's about to abandon the Wolves project after only 19 games? No.

Nuno has spoken. And his adoring public is satisfied.