We’ve had New Labour, new Wembley and this season new Wolves, writes blogger Andy Toft.
But could the bad old ways be about to return? Expectation is a dangerous word at football clubs. And after a season’s sabbatical it is about to return to Molineux with a vengeance.
Steve Morgan’s acquisition of the club has already brought a delicate but significant shift in the mood of moderation and restraint cultivated carefully around Wolves during a season of step-by-step progress.
Within moments of yesterday’s takeover announcement the Molineux men were installed as promotion favourites by the bookies.
And the confirmation of a new £30 million cash investment had the message boards crackling with talk of who Mick McCarthy should sign with his expected windfall.
After spending so long forcing the genie of expectation back into the lamp Wolves will have to readjust to the notion that it is out and about once more.
For all the club’s insistence that Morgan’s arrival will not spring the lock on the Molineux chequebook the knowledge that new millions are sitting in the Old Gold coffers will be impossible to dispel.
As soon as we received the news of the takeover at E&S headquarters I went out into the city centre to hunt down Wolves fans. To see the results, click here.
They were delighted. Asked what they wanted Morgan to do on his arrival the answer was universal - strengthen the squad.
McCarthy performed a major feat in fashioning a promotion chasing team from threadbare resources.
That saw the club reinvent itself - a new, hungry set of players sourced from remote footballing outposts, backed by fans who accepted the new circumstances and united behind their team.
Wolves are naturally keen to carry that encouraging, much-altered philosophy and spirit into next season.
But at the same time the club will surely have to concede transfer targets such as Scunthorpe’s Billy Sharp, viewed as too expensive last season, are affordable again.
And if the beginning of next season does not see the progress of this one continued, then the question of Morgan’s £30 million and where it should be invested will naturally move further up the fans’ agenda.
Money is once more an issue at Molineux.
Wolves pulled off a minor miracle in realigning expectation last season.
Now the club faces doing it all over again.
10 Comments
Expectation can be good. It keeps people on their toes. I am sure Mick will spend carefully. He’s not the type to buy millionaire has-beens for big-bucks just because he can. I am happy to shell out a million or two on the cream of the lower-division-crop such as Billy Sharp.
Don’t blame the fans for the underachievment of Wolves former players, that finger should be pointed directly at themselves. I bet Wigan or Watford wished they had our fan base.
great news for the future - i think merlin mick is no fool in the transfer market and will strengthen with players who will achieve for wolves - Sir Jack has been truely magnificant and i just hope that the new owner helps get us back to the premiership to stay and compete and complete Sir J’s dream.
What a great manager we have , the fans are fully committed as are the Wolves new guns , we have new investment too roll on next season.
Well said Dowg.
This is a great move forward for Wolves.
Well done Jez and Sir Jack for holding out for the right man.
The future is bright, The future is GOLD.
Kiwi…
I think that Wolves will return to the way they used to be. Everyone on the news were all saying we can get back into the Prem now, which will heap more pressure onto the team. Carry on with the youngsters, but bring in one or two experienced players.
Very pleased with all this news
Sir Jack Deserves no criticism and I think Moxey deserves some credit for shaping the future of Wolves with getting such a manager as Mick McCarthy who is perfection for the club we are, while he has also had a hand in giving the club the financial potential and catalyst to give McCarthy the tools to help make the wolves a permanent premiership club.
Like others I believe wolves need to maintain the same strategy and slowly but surely strengthen the team in a push for the premiership, I trust this will happen. The 1990’s saw too many gambles on player signings that never paid off. Wolves need to start from the centre and build outward in order for long term success. Let’s not go for temporary “bolt-ons”
I genuinely believe and trust SJH’s faith in Morgan, and likewise I believe McCarthy will spend wisely and the club will maintain the strategy.
However wolves fans should not return to the dizzying heights of high expectation and pressure for success at wolves just because there is financial backing – I believe Moxey, SJH and MM have done enough to have our complete trust.
I have the faith in them and obviously hope I will be able to feel the same about Morgan; SJH trusts hime……so far the time being, I trust him.
The takeover has obviosuly been in the pipeline so in some ways it’s a pity we have not been promoted this season even though the team is not ready yet, a substantial immediate cash injection from Morgan may have been on the cards and this could well have given wolves a fantastic chance of staying in the premiership.
I seriosuly think Molineux should be renamed “the Molineux-Hayward Stadium” in SJH honour, woould renaming a single stand for the gent the funded the stadium ever be enough?
Think we need to get things in perspective. Chelsea will probably pay 30 million for one player this summer, so will Man Utd.
What we have is a brilliant manager in MM, he did wonders at Sunderland on a shoestring and look what he has done at Wolves. I do not see him changing a thing, he knows that prima donnas with huge egos and salaries will destroy the dressing room. He will hopefully take the rebuilding in two stages, first he will build a young hungry side capable of storming the Championship, not far from that already. Then he will need the chequebook to ensure we remain in the Prem.
I have read so much bad stuff on here about Sir Jack and it has made me sick at times. I am a fourth generation Wolves fan and my sons eat and drink Wolves, Jack’s family are just the same, Wolves is the best supported, best loved club in the world, Steve Morgan is about to understand that. I don’t hate WB they are nothing compared to Wolves, nothing, let them have their day out on Monday, no one really cares about them, they just make up the numbers like Middlesborough and Wigan.
Give Jez a break too, he runs a business and does it very well. He appointed MM and should be given great credit. Steve Morgan would not touch an ill run club.
We have everything in place now and when we go up in a years time we will be so much more capable of staying there than this year.
We lost in the play offs and I am delighted. Up the Wolves.
Great post Caribbean Wolves!
London Wolf
Thanks to MM I think we’ve had an exceptionally good season. Obviously we were dissapointed to loose in the semi’s but as long as we have the same verve about us next season we should be fine.
With the extra finance I believe we need to improve the defence, our lack of pace at the back is what lost us the game in the first match against Albion, after that we were really timid in defence after being pulled apart in the first game.
Aside from that we have some great young players in the form of Herny, Kightly & co. and hopefully young Mark Davies can step back up to the plate.
It’s going to be an interesting season and hopefully we’ll get off to a good start and push on from there. If we don’t I think it’s important to remain calm and remember that money doesn’t buy you championships as we’ve seen in our recent history. It’s hard work and good team ethic and that’s what MM has instilled and long mey it remain.
I’m confident MM will spend the new money wisely. It’s great to finally see the end of the “Golden Tit years” when a series of over rated managers from Graham Taylor to Glenn Hoddle spent millions and delivered nothing.