Before I get on to more important footballing matters, let me just clear something up, writes Wolves blogger Nathan Lloyd.
Some people have accused me of being a tad fickle.
Apparently one minute I come out saying that I think Mick McCarthy is the greatest thing since the slicing of bread was first introduced into Britain in 1930, and then I go the opposite way and say he should be replaced and then I’m back to the sliced bread analogy.
Well. I don’t think that Mick is the long term answer to the success of this football club.
However, as much as I think at the end of the season he should be replaced, I will fully support him whilst he is at the club.
And at the end of the day, I’m just one voice in a cast of thousands.
Some will agree with me, whilst others may well think that Mick has what it takes to take this club to where we all want it to go.
And if he proves me wrong, I will be delighted.
Has that cleared that up? I’m not being egotistical or a megalomaniac.
I only ever see my blog as the start of a discussion point and let’s be honest, I don’t think Mick will read this and worry he doesn’t have my support.
Right, away from sliced bread and the like, what else do we have?
I’m writing the blog as late as I can on Thursday night so I can see exactly what plays out at the end of the January transfer window.
And with one hour to go, it seems that we have more departing the club either on loan or permanent deals than coming in at the death.
Mulgrew, Bennett and Bailey have all departed on loan, whereas Jamie Clapham has finally left Wolves and I wish Ian Holloway and Leicester all the best in trying to find an ounce of talent in him.
It’s now 11:15pm and I still haven’t read any confirmation that George Elokobi has signed, but no doubt by the time I get near the end of my writing, the deal will be confirmed.
I think Mick did some great business in getting in Edwards who was very impressive on Tuesday night. Unlike Olofinjana and Henry, he likes to push forward from central midfield and he was finding space and getting in some great positions.
Also I think when SEB gets a little fitter; he could be a fine acquisition. He already knows where the opposition goal is, which is one-up on most of the army of stickers we have.
Talking of which, who was as bewildered as I was to see Kevin Kyle sign on loan from Cov?
Thanks to Charles from ALOB fame for alerting me to this momentous news just before the game on Tuesday!
I’m sure we wish Kevin all the best, but it’s frustrating that rather than keep stumping up small amounts for these second rate strikers, why doesn’t Mick just lump his funds together and buy one decent centre forward?
Leroy Lita, Robert Earnshaw or Clinton Morrison are players who would probably cost £2-3 million, but surely you would get something better than the combined efforts of Jay Bothroyd, Kevin Kyle and Stephen Elliott?
Tuesday night against Sheffield Wednesday was where we saw the best and the worst from this Wolves side.
The best bit was our first half, which was probably the best entertainment we have seen down at Molineux for three or four months.
We strung some excellent moves together and if only Andy Keogh’s striking abilities had matched his effort and endeavour, we could have been 3 or 4 up by the break.
The worst was the defensive lapse between Rob Edwards and Ward which meant that it was somehow all square at the break.
The second half was a pretty torrid and dull affair and but for Hennessy’s heroics we could have lost a game we thoroughly deserved to win.
As it turned out, Bothroyd had the vision to square the ball for an injury time tap in from SEB. Happy days!
David Edwards, who I have already praised, was excellent as was the first half performance of Matt Jarvis.
Performance of the night though has to go to Phil Joslin, the referee. He really hadn’t got a clue what was going on for most of the match.
He actually changed his mind and gave us a corner at the end of the game which resulted in the goal. Good lad!
As it is now five minutes to midnight, I’ve just read that we have finally signed “Big George” from Colchester.
I think he will probably have the legs on Michael Gray, who is nearly as old as I am!
Good luck to the boys on Saturday, although we are on the TV, which is never a good thing for this Wolves side.
One final thing, can I urge you to vote for Andy Keogh as the player of the 4th round of the FA cup? He ran the show last Saturday against Watford and is lying in 2nd place in the voting behind Alfie Potter (Havant & Waterlooville).
It would be good to see him win, and if he does a local Wolverhampton school will get the benefit of £500 worth of footballing equipment from the FA.
Voting closes on Monday, so If you get a chance, place your vote at:-
www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFACup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2008/01/Potr_FourthRound.html
And to finish with a song……Those were the days my friend, we thought they’d never end, we’d sing and dance for ever and a day. We’d live the live we choose; we’d fight and never lose…. We are The Wolves, oh yes we are The Wolves!
It’s now gone Midnight and my blog widow (Heidi) is not happy that I haven’t gone to bed.
Wolves fans what do you think? Have your say below
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63 Comments
Spot on again Nath, I have to agree with you 100%
Nathan I tend to agree with you, all i can add, is you didnt touch in the Freddy issue.
We have arguably the sharpest hitman in the division warming the bench, because too-big-for-boots mccarthy wont back down.
i dont think mick is the guy for the job, but i would be prepared to stop slagging him off if he’d A: play Freddy alongside EB with Keogh just behind em, or B: explain just WHY he hasnt featured.
Nice Blog though, please keep it up !!
oh, and
COME ON YOU WOLVES !!
Decent blog. On the striker issue. KK hasn’t played for us yet, yet you’ve made a decision on how good he is. You’ve also failed to recognise he is a different style of striker to the others you mention we should’ve signed, who’re far more similar to SEB. KK offers something different to what we already have, he may not have the best scoring record but he is finally someone who may be able to make use of some of the decent balls going in. As you would have seen Tuesday, when chasing the game some good balls were going in, often from set pieces and there did seem a slight lack of ariel threat. It is these situations that would suit the likes of KK and would’ve been good to have him to bring on.
As for Elliot who you’ve singled out with Bothroyd, yet not Eastwood, is a little strange. Elliot, who Bully rates, as done okay for Wolves and done far more for us than Eastwood and some people would do well to remember that.
Not just fickle, Nathan, also banal and superficial. Dont give up the day job.
2
So you’d be prepared to not slag MM off if he did what you want is basically what you’re saying. You idiot. He doesn’t always make the decisions I would want but no manager is going to, as everyone has their own thoughts. Managers don’t have to do what you want and shouldn’t as, guessing by your complete lack of understanding, you would be a rubbish manager. You want to play all three failing to see that we’ve finally found, what appears to be, a more balanced side and you want to change this. Think on.
good blog agree with strikers
but with what you said kyle a loan jay was free and elliot 1m! but i understand where you coming from specially if combine wages etc…
1st half the other night we certainly looked like last seasons wolves which was pleasant sight!
vote for keogh!!!
Constructive as ever, although 2 points - Robert Earnshaw isn’t/wasn’t playing for Derby because Paul Jewel openly said he has “questionable work ethic” I really don’t think we need to go down this road…AGAIN do we? And Lita? Well, £2-3M was a touch short, as I’ve just read Bolton couldn’t get him for £7M. Good day to all Wolves fans and roll on Saturday!
Come on Lee (2), Eastwood, SEB & Keogh ? You’re just trying to accomodate all of ‘em and it would never work - who you gonna leave out to accomodate 3 strikers? Jarvis? Kightly? Edwards? Three strikers is never a plan as far as I’m concerned - if MM did something wrong this season, it was that he confused the issue by buying too many strikers - that’s all. It will settle down and two strong candidates will emerge as the 1st choice pairing - unfortunately for Freddy, at the moment it looks like Keogh & SEB, but there will be injuries and suspensions and Freddy will get his chance - just hope he takes it. Kyle will be used as an alternative, off the bench when we need a last-minute header from a corner or the like……
Ok then, so after all that rubbish, who would you want as the new wolves manager? and more to the point, from your possible choices who would actually be likely to come to wolves. Its all very well for you to sit back and slag MM off when you like, and then come back every now and then and say, Oh, but I support him whilst hes manager. But why dont you actually think about what your saying, and think, who could replace him. Look at every single successfull club, theyre built on stability and managers staying at the helm for at least 5 years. Im sick of reading tosh like this, sadly all to often in the express and star. Typical wolves “fans” who nothing about real world football and live in some sort of wonder land with comments like, ooh clinton morrison, leroy lita, only 2-3 million, WAKE UP! if wolves did sign them, you would be the first one to get on their backs for having a bad game or 2. To get out of this division player need to be, as the overused phrase goes “young and hungry” they need to be players who have had to work hard to get on in football, players who want to achieve big things, look at bully, he worked his nuts off to get to the level he did, and we wolves would have had a team of players with his commitment and hard work, wolves would have been out of the division a long time ago.
Wolves have tried before many times the route that our neighbours the Albion are taking, by spending big money on players nearing or over 30, it didnt work for wolves, and what this article is suggesting is that wolves go back to the days of “boom and bust”, well, I, along with the majority of fans who really understand football say NEVER. Wolves need to build up from a stable base, a strong team who works for each other and works for the manager. Wolves have been in this division too long, so I say, whats another season, if it means once wolves do get up, they stay there. You talk about whats best for wolves in the long term, yet you say, oh go spend 2-3 million on some big time charley, Im sorry, but how on earth does that make any sense to anyone? Long term means building a team of youngsters who learn to play together and improve their skills. Just look at Man Utds greatest ever team, that came out of a group of players who had played together from an early age. And taking another look at Man Utd and also Arsenal, I go back to the word stability, Fergie and Wenger have been at their respective clubs for a very long time, even when times were a little rough, they were supported, because they had a long term goal plan.
You use the right words Nathan, yet to dont seem to understand what those words actually mean, just think about what long term means and look at the bigger picture.
2-lee, When will you ever say something positive about MM? This innane happy Clappy Freddy stuff gets me down. Let’s look at what you are saying in the cold light of day.
1. Freddy Eastwood is NOT the sharpest hitman in the division. (A certain Mr Phillips at the Poorthorns must surely be that.) In my mind FE is not even the sharpest hitman at the club. (Mr Ebanks-Blake has that one in my opinion.) “Sharpest” means to me that he is always on top of the game, and ready to move to wherever on the pitch to get a chance. Eastwood will wait for the ball to come to him. He rarely attacks the box. Never did a footballer less deserve the adulation that is heaped on FE.
2. A. If you play FE up top with SEB, and have AK just behind, who else would you play in the midfield? If you have Keogh as the point of the diamond, and Kights and Jarvis as wingers, who becomes the fourth man? Let’s suppose it’s David Edwards. He is a real box-to-box midfielder, and a joy to watch thus far. Would you really want to shackle his attacking tendencies in order for him to play defensively only? If the answer to that is “No,” as I would imagine it would be, who would give any support whatsoever to our back four? Would you expect Keogh to track back when Edwards goes forward? It doesn’t work, does it? The alternative is to drop Edwards, and play Henry there. Who is better as a midfielder? Sorry, I would rather MM’s tactics than yours.
2. B. The reason that “Freddy hasn’t featured” is a nonsense. Prior to two games ago, Eastwood had played more minutes than any other striker at the club this season. He had started as many as the others, but, apart from the first four games, hasn’t been scoring. He seems to be one of these players that constantly whinges, and people still love. The thing he has to do is to put in 100% when he gets his chances to play. People say that he only gets bit parts. There was an article by Spiritual Wolf a week or so ago where he had worked out that Freddy Eastwood rarely has just ten or so minutes, but usually gets a half hour to 45 minutes when it’s not the full game. If I were him, I would make sure that the part of the game that the manager remembers best is the part where I am on the pitch, and for all the right reasons.
Sorry, but I rate FE as third or fourth in our pecking order of strikers, behind SEB, AK and maybe SE.
I’ve placed my vote for Keogh on the FA website, has anybody else?
He is still in 2nd place. Come on boys and girls, lets make it happen!
Good blog by the way, keep up the good work.
Just remember Nathan, you can’t please them all, some will argue any point because thats what they enjoy!
Not going to comment on the fickle / not fickle debate - looking from the outside i COULD tell you what everyone else thinks, but whats the point.
Just wanted to pick up on Sneaky 9 - a very well written piece mate with lots of decent content, lots of which i agree with… just can’t understand your comment about albion spending big money on old players. Brunt, Morrison, Miller, Tex, Barnett, MacD Dorrans, Danek etc…. most under 25 some under 23 and all under 29.
Kev Phillips is 34 and he cost about £800k - but he has scored nearly 40 goals in one and a half seasons so I wouldn’t call that a “waste” - would you ?
As I say, you make some great points - why spoil it by slipping into the old dingle tripe again ??
I think we are frustrated not necessarily any more fickle than Albion fans, who have been getting on theri players backs thsi season until their recent run. They are also lucky in that they rarely squander money. It pains me to say that they are a very well run club who deserve bigger (not better) support, but I woul dlove to see the mentality of their fans if they had waste dmoney repeatedly like us over the years.
10
Well said, pretty much what I wanted to put, but didn’t get chance.
10 breretonwollf why the hell he drop eastwood when he was championship manager of the month. There is underlying issues and eastwood is the only proven striker wolves have.
*THERES ONLY ONE LAZYJAY BOOTHROYD,*
****ONLY ONE LAZYJAY BOOTHROYD,****
*****he walks through a match!,*****
********counting his cash!,*********
***lucky to be in mccarthy`s side!**
(to the tune of winter wonder land)
panheads
So FE’s a good manager is he? Could do with showing us a bit more on the pitch first though ha. You do realise FE asked to be rested don’t you.
10 Agree with pretty much everything you say just one little tweak I’d play FE just behind the front two… with AK and SEB upfront.
Nathan Llyod chatting complete nonsense again.
E&S you have my email address, if you want someone to write a blog worth reading, get in touch!
sneaky no 9, you got it dead right mate, choppin an changing when things go a little wrong, is not the answer. Stability is what is needed, l think changing the manager often makes things worse. Up The Wolves.
Oli
Why don’t you post a proper comment up and then we can decide whether you should be the new blogger or not?
What do you want for the blog to say that Mick should go or that Mick is a genius.
Whatever the poor bloke writes he just gets slated by idiots like you who think they could do better.
So put your money where your mouth is and lets read your thoughts Oli.
lee (2), totally agree, having managed a west midland premier team i know that 2 good strikers with a workhorse playing behind them works and i think wolves have that option begging to be played, also with the talent of jarvis added to that they woul leave some defences not knowing their butt from their elbow!!!
15-panheads, It’s another of those urban myths that Mick dropped Freddy Eastwood when he was going well. Freddy played for Wolves and wales on weekends and midweek consecutively for several weeks, and travelled extensively in that time. He came back from Wales duty carrying a small injury, and also feeling, in his own words, “exhausted.” Mick rested him for the next game, to enable him to shake off the niggle, and recover from the tiredness. He then played him a few days later in a reserve game which Freddy resented, and put in no effort whatsoever. The next league match was Hull City at home, and Freddy had an absolute stinker. He was then dropped, but then brought back again a couple of games later. Again, he was dire. Mick then played others that were more deserving of the shirt.
I was excited when I heard when we signed Freddy, and I still want him to succeed. It is in his own hands though. He doesn’t bust a gut to get into the box, whilst others do. He likes to hang back, get the ball, and then to try and drive on to score from 20-25 yards. The better defenders in the Championship won’t allow an attacker that luxury. They will always get a block, or tackle, in, and prevent him scoring. People say that he scored a lot of goals in the Championship for Southend. I think it was 11 if I recall correctly. How many of those, though came from set plays,? (Free kicks, and penalties.) I believe it was over half of them. You say he is a proven goalscorer, but I would say he is only really proven in Division 1. As stated earlier, I want anyone in a Wolves shirt to succeed. I would love to see Freddy prove me wrong. So far though, I don’t see the evidence of it, and would certainly not play him in preference to SEB or AK. I cannot understand the hero worshiop he gets. He is not outscoring Elliott in about the same amount of time on the pitch as strikers, and yet he gets adulation, whilst Elliott takes stick. The great thing about football though is that we all have our own opinions. You and I obviously differ on Freddy.
22
Hahaha. Brilliant Nige, you make me chuckle. If it worked for your Midland Premier League team, it must work for Wolves ha. I played 3-4-1-2 on Champ Manager before and it worked well, maybe we should play that. MM could do with your expertise. Get in contact Nige mate, sure they’d like to hear from you ha. Nige ha, brilliant.
Nathan Lloyd - “And at the end of the day, I’m just one voice in a cast of thousands”
At the end of the day Nathan, that’s a pretty big voice seeing as you represent the E&S. You make some good points but I really don’t like the way you deliver them most of the time. The fact that you’re constantly misunderstood by most of us lot just proves that. Stop re-hashing the same old negatives and find something new to write about, it’s getting old.
22-Nige, can you please tell me then, who would do the defensive duties in midfield? Who would you drop to put in FE? Would you honstly sacrifice Edwards or Henry at the minute? I believe the reason we are doing better at the moment is that there is a balance in the side. Midfield is well set up, and will only get better when Kights comes in. Henry holds, and that allows the other three to get forward, which in turn provides more ammunition for the strikers. Take that balance away, and we either do as we did earlier (concede little, but score little) or score a fair few, but lose regularly 4-3 or worse. (as with Reading in the Prem.) You cannot leave even the best of back fours exposed in today’s football. It is a remedy for disaster. The back four has done okay so far, and will get better with Elekonobi ((Obiwan) coming in, and Breen and Craddock returning. (Competition for places at the back will be good for us.)
Happy Baggie- The point I was making was, spending money on more “seasoned pro’s” is working for the Albion, and good luck to them, but, it hasnt worked for wolves over the years, millions have been wasted. I think the biggest problem is that, and Its hard to say this..but albion fans are more realistic on the whole and more supportive of their players, wolves “fans” are unique, they get on the back of players, managers and the chief exec far too quickly, football doesnt have a set formula for success, but, i think the formula for wolves is going for youth, MM is spot on with that.
One further note, I believe wolves should perhaps enlist the skills of Bully to help out the strikers, and perhaps sit down and act as mentor for these younger players.
All in all, I think its about time West Midlands football got back to where it should be, lets let the likes of Derby, Leicester etc from the “other side” take the place of the w.mids clubs. Comon you real wolves fans, just support the club, be real fans, go with the ups and downs, but back the club, opinions are one thing, but continuing to knife the club again and again does nothing to help.
Nice blog Nathan! I certainly would not call you fickle. You have called it how you saw it and most on here will surely agree that you were right, except those who cannot bring themselves to admit the failings that McCarthy created.
Like you, I also hope McCarthy goes at the end of the season because his inabilities to change things around when the going gets tough has been his modus operandi for years and like an old dog, he will not learn new tricks!
More respect would be earned by him if only he would admit he has made numerous mistakes this season, the reasons have been said over and over again and everyone knows what they are by now.
As the window has now closed, I hope the team with its additions can maintain this momentum, continue winning matches and make significant progress up the table. I cannot see auto-promotion being realistic but the tortuous route through the play-offs should be possible …. unless McCarthy plays another blinder and plays Hennessey as a striker, Jarvis as a full back etc, etc.
The players know what has to be done and I trust they will do it!
Heres hoping.
Couldn’t agree more with comments 9 and 10, I’m still amazed by these people who put Eastwood on a pedestal, HE HASN’T DONE ANYTHING FOR US! For me he doesn’t work hard enough and plays too deep, wants 3 or 4 touches to tee up the ball before he has a shot, the main reason we’ve started scoring again is because we’ve started getting strikers in the box, for me MM has now got it spot on with his 2 main strikers.
And on the subject of KK, this may just be a masterstroke from MM as this may be the decider in the last ten minutes of hard fought close matches. I know its a bit of an obscure reference, and someone will probably to be able to offer a better one, but did anyone see the impact David James made when Stuart pearce played him as striker for the last ten minutes of the last match a couple of years ago for man city? Big impact, and hopefully that’s what KK will offer, a big lad to mix it up a bit!
Ok here goes, would we not benefit from a blog which was not an embodiment of a sterio-typical, whinging, nothing is ever good enough, opinions change like the wind Wolves fan?
All Nathan Llyod does is encourage or legitamise the boo-boy culture, see the above article whereby he states he is not fickle yet realistically thinks Mick McCarthy is not the man for the job, I am sure we all thought that when he turned a potential relegation season in to one of such promise last year?
And don’t go on about ‘he has spent this, he has spent that’ a football league season lasts 46 games, we are not out of the running for the play-offs, we are on par with what we were achieving last season, and if the fans had not jumped on the teams back so quickly this year who knows we might even be 4/5/6 points further up the table!
The comments on the strikers, we should have brought Leroy Lita should we? Reading were quoting £7 million if you had done your research, I think a striker of the quality might maybe be sceptical of a drop down a division? Rob Earnshaw? Why move for a pacey striker when we have Keogh, Earnshaw would be a terrible partener for every striker we have bar… Kevin Kyle probably. Finally, Clinton Morrison, ok he scores goals, but is a loud mouth under-achiever, I thought we had Freddy Eastwood?
And the reference to strikers such as Elliot, Bothroyd and Kyle being mediocre? Stephan Elliott is playing a big part in our turn in fortunes currently, Bothroyd cost us nothing (and has scored and set up one in the previous 2 games for those who are counting) and Kevin Kyle thats right cost us nothing, and hasn’t even put the shirt on yet and it is characters like Nathan Llyod who won’t give him the chance (I can just hear the groan now when he gets subbed on for the amazing striker we have by the name of Freddy Eastwood).
So there we have it, my thoughts on the matter, knocked out in 15 minutes.
We thoughts are simple, at this moment in time how about abit of enthusiasm? How about taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture? How about doing your research before you write a blog?
How about a cheer for Kevin Kyle?
Let this lad know that there are some fans that would not love to see him fail.
22 nige……………..mate…………….can you expect anyone to take your comments serious? I managed a west mids premier team, lol. Just because it worked in your micky mouse league is not going to work at championship level.
Excellent posts realistwolves keep it up. Particuarlly like the champ man evaluation, (I was always a 3 5 2 man myself).
I’ve now heard it all Realistwolf
FREDDY is given 4 outings in a Wolves top and you say his contribution is less than that of Elliot, who’s started just about every freeking game
When i come up against that level of logic, i dont know why i bother.
Lee
To quote Breretonwolf: “Prior to two games ago, Eastwood had played more minutes than any other striker at the club this season”. Think on little boy.
You say Frreddy has had “4 outings”, my answer to that can also be taken from your post “When i come up against that level of logic, i dont know why i bother.” Take it you stopped watching Wolves after 4 games then? As maybe Breretonwolf’s stats could be wrong, but I certainly know yours is, 4 outings ha, so who’s that bloke who looks like him, who’s been playing in all the other games.
Sneaky - again I don’t fully understand. “seasoned pros ?” are we talking about age or quality ?
I would argue that someone like Morrison who at 21 has played over 60 prem games and a EUFA cup final is a seasoned pro - but also Micheal Gray who is over 30 and played for lots of teams is also “seasoned”. They are however VERY different in terms of quality and what they bring to their repective clubs.
In other words I think Albion (mainly under TM) have gone for quality and not worried about reputations. Also most of our team cost less than £2M each - not exactly big money. Both Wolves and Albion have been guilty of making some right rubbish buys (Hartson anyone ??)
I’m not saying you are anti-albion, but perhaps don’t understand what we are doing with our rebuilding - we are developing our players and not always buying the finished article.
Not too sure about signings Elokobi and Kyle but lets give these guys a chance this is Micks final swan song he will be judged in MAY.
Can’t agree with your take on the strikers. I think most strikers in the world would have had trouble at Wolves over the last few months. We haven’t exactly provided a service for them have we? If the midfield has four players with a tendency to move from side to side or backwards then goals are going to be in short supply. Strange how we seem to be getting a few goals now we have a fit winger again, not to mention a central midfielder with a map to the opposition goal!
I don’t believe Earnshaw is any better than the players we have at the club. He’s not exactly setting the world alight at Derby. For the kind of money he would cost in transfer and wages I would want more than he seems to have. Lita is a reasonable player but not that prolific considering the price tag he commands and Morrison is approaching thirty and going down in value, not up. I don’t want us buying players who are looking for one last big payday.
Elliott was singled out for what I think is unfair criticism. He’s had a lot of stick, most of it unjustified and I believe he has been the scapegoat for our frustrations over Eastwood. It isn’t his fault if Mick chooses not to play Freddy. Elliott isn’t rated by Bully for nothing. If he can stay clear of injury he might yet live up to the promise he showed early in his career when he was being tipped for the top.
A lot are already having a go at Kyle when he hasn’t even had a game for us. I was as surprised as anyone when we signed him but I can actually see the logic now. He’s been brought in to do a job and we should wait and see how well he does it before we attack him. Mick has wanted a “Quinn” style forward for ages, let’s see if he can do that kind of job when it’s needed before we get on his back.
I believe a lot of the problems with our attack stem from Mick. He is the opposite of Keegan! He understands defence but is out of his depth with attack. That’s why he wants a player of the Niall Quinn mould, it’s what he knows from his Ireland days.
I’ve made my feelings on the manager clear all along. I didn’t want him but now we have him we should give him a chance. He did a good job last year (perhaps too good) and has added some decent young players to our squad at very little expense. Mick will build us the core of a team that will serve us well for many years. I’m not sure if he will be able to get the players we need should he win promotion (he’s never had money to spend when he’s been there before). He won’t waste all the funds in building a team capable of going up though.
Maybe Mick would make a great “Director of Football”, identifying and acquiring young talent for the club while someone else actually puts out the team!
We should stop talking about sacking Mick now. It isn’t helping anyone’s morale. Let’s see what he can do with the rest of the season. If he doesn’t reach the standard he set himself, then we can think about what happens next.
We are certainly in better shape now than we were when Mick arrived.
OK, so we’re all going to interpolate the facts in a way that supports our own personal views.
Nothing new there.
Why am i anti MM ? I think Freddy’s (I said arguably the sharpest) confidence has been pulverised by a manager who just cant seem to keep his mouth shut in front of the media.
also, How can you possibly explain the signing of KK, Why has MM persisted with the likes of Breen and Gray and Ward for that matter
Look, we’re gonna disagree, and thats fine, but when you’re plummeting faster than the Zim dollar, and the man in charge is making glaring and obvious blunders, i dont think jumping up and down and applauding him is the way to go.
i hope for our sake that Mick turns out to be the best manager we’ve had in an age, but just how many of you really think he will be able to keep us in the top flight if we make it.
Good Championship Manager, sure, Good Premieship manager. hmmm.
Now, Mick’s made a couple good signings, and they’ve made an immediate impact, so well done Mick. Now dont undo it all by slapping all your returning walking wounded from sunderland back in the squad.
COME ON YOU WOLVES!
Regards the theme of the blogg. I wasn’t going to comment, but as you brought it up, find the opportunity irresistable.
Firstly, nearly all football fans are fickle - we love players that wear our shirt - but give them dogs abuse when they come back with another club…. same with managers.
We also have our favourite players and players we don’t rate… how many of us have been moaning about a player just as he smacks one in from 20 yards - and we all cheer like mad = FICKLE !!
Where I think wolves fans let themselves down is in their REFUSAL to support certain people - no matter what happens. Even if elliot scores or MM buys SEB etc.. there are elements that still moan.
This goes on at all clubs - but its always more vocal at wolves than most places.
ALSo booing players…. I don’t care how bad someone is playing - to boo a man on the pitch is just insane. But again, its a trait that wolves have become well known for. Also there is more “in-fighting” between wolves fans than any other group of supporters i have ever known.
The area where you are NOT fickle is in supporting your club…. even the worst boo boy will claim to love wolves to the bone - they just don’t show it very well.
So is nathan fickle - probably… but let he who is without sin etc..
30. Oli King
Not a bad effort.
Your spelling and grammar need quite a bit of work though.
Nathan said he wasn’t fickle, and isn’t. He doesn’t want Mick McCarthy as manager. That isn’t being fickle, thats just an opinion.
I think he (Nathan Lloyd, not Llyod) made a valid point that we do seem to buy strikers until one sticks. Why not go out and spend some proper money on a striker?
And you think that Stephen Elliott has been good? He is useless. Playing wide, he is no better than playing centre forward.
You are obviously very passionate about your club, but then so is everybody. Just because Nathan’s opinion doesn’t fit in with yours doesn’t mean its incorrect.
A blog is meant to be someones thoughts not a political broadcast to please the masses.
But by all means, write to the E&S and see if you can take over. I look forward to reading your blog next week!
37-Lee, “…Plummeting faster than the Zim Dollar?” We have just won three on the bounce, moved up to within 1 point of the play-offs, are now only 8 points off automatic promotion, have just bought some decent players, have started playing well, have a manager that is well respeected throughout the professionals in football, have the financial wherewithall to buy players when needed, have a loyal fan-base of 25 thousand regulars, have a ground that is the envy of many clubs, have an academy that is starting to produce stars of the future, etc, etc. WHAT THE DICKENS ARE YOU ON ABOUT? There are clubs and supporters out there would love to be as failing as us.
As for the walking wounded, Breen, and Craddock are great organisers. they have been there and done it. We have a young squad in the main, and these old heads will organise those young players, and give them the guidance they need on the pitch. The manager can do so much, but he needs leaders on the pitch.
38 - Happy
Was really glad to read that you think all football fans are fickle, I 100% agree with you.
I don’t agree that Wolves fans are any worse than lots of other teams. Just have a read about what our new boy says about Coventry fans.
You are bound to think ill of Wolves fans because you are a baggie!
Don’t let yourself down because of that, I can tell you from first hand experience that Newcastle and Sunderland fans are much worse when it comes to voicing their feelings. And I am willing to bet there are lots of sets of fans just the same.
I don’t want to start a fight because your I enjoy reading your posts, most of the time, they are well thought out and bang on the money!
But you can be a naughty boy sometimes!
I read some of the inane, idiotic comments on this site with absolute disbelief sometimes.
I think any right-minded fan wants stability at any football club, but if the guy in charge is not right for the long term aspirations of the club, then what is the point in hanging on? Following that logic through further, by that premise, the FA were wrong to sack Steve McLaren!!!
Come on lads, lets be sensible here. We haven’t got a Wenger or Ferguson here, far from it, despite MM’s heroics last year.
His style of football is dour and turgid, relies on a target man hence Kyle’s signing. His use of tactics and personnel in the correct positions is questionnable, and yet some of us continue to make comparisons of this situation to Man Utd’s and Arsenal’s in years gone by!!!
Footbally fans are a fickle yet passionate lot, and everyone has an opinion. However, as Oli has eloquently proved, writing a blog isn’t as easy as Nathan makes it look.
We have a guy that goes out of his way to take time to write his take on what’s going on, only to get unfairly slated by some. I’m sure I speak on behalf of many that read and get entertained by your blogs, but keep up the good work Nathan and ignore the ramblings of the village idiots!
39
Why are you so rude about peoples spelling and grammar?
This is not an English class it is a fans forum, try sticking to the point and refrain from crass point scoring against people who hold a different opinion to yours.
And by the way, I think it would be a great idea to have several different blog writers, perhaps you should try it!
Have you any ideas or are you just a sycophant?
Looking forward to a well spelt and grammatically correct response.
Abdon - yes i can be naughty and am not above giving things a little stir… but i have never seen banners saying “You let us down again” anywhere else. I also know fan power was partly responsible for getting big Sam the sack so its not unique.
However to be fair, my knowledge of fans across the country is limited - perhaps I was referring more to Midlands football fans. No one moans more than Villa fans - but they don’t boo like the wolves.
Well said Wolferoo… I think Nathan has a pretty difficult job as it is without some of the idiots on here thinking they should be writing it.
Oli couldn’t do the blog because his writing his extremely average. He writes as he speaks, which isn’t how it should be done.
I think Nathan is damned if he does and damned if he doesnt. He got slated when he supported Mick and is now being slated because he doesnt.
I personally think he does a great job writing these blogs. I agree with some of it and disagree with other parts, but then isn’t that the point?
Kevin Kyle is a ludicrous signing that has Mick McCarthy stamped all over it. He should be banned from signing ex-Sunderland players full stop.
Bless Oli though. He has a break from serving fries and thinks he is a journalist!
So, I would give the blogger a break. Hate him, love him, disagree with him, do what ever… just remember he is one of us.
43. abdonwolf
My point about Oli’s spelling and grammar, is that if he is to take over the blog, he needs to write in an aticulate way that the majority of people can understand.
His ramblings were a bit school boy, that was all.
Different blog writers could be great idea. Could take some organising from the E&S, but who knows.
And I’m certainly not blowing smoke up Mr Lloyd’s backside. I enjoy his blogs but I don’t always agree with him, if that is sycophantic then shoot me down.
Sneaky, Happy Baggie,
Well done to you both, you both raise lots of good points and in the proper well mannered and eloquent way as true football fans.
Yes most every football fan is fickle in some way, shape or form thats football uinfortunately. I think Happy that you are so right about wolves fans we do and are very over critical and quick to damn certain players, managers etc, I don’t know why that is, perhaps because we have been promised so much by previous managers and owners that we have become more synical due to the lack of success and by that I mean not being in the premiership sooner and staying there. I am not usually a manager knocker and the club have disappointed me over the last 20 years or so with their choice of managers with the exception of Graham Turner, Dave Jones and no I don’t rate this one very highly but he is there and he has the support of the board so no amount of chanting for his head or slagging him off on posting like this that they don’t read or take any notice of will do much good. Its results that will get him the sack or keep him in his job, that what its all about, so as hard as it may be my dear wolves fans we have to keep on supporting rather than berating the players and manager.
As for your comments Sneaky on building a young hungry side and keeping it together its great logic and wonderful to think that we could but and its a big but, Man U or Aresenal we aint and when we develop the talent the big boys will come a calling and we like others will fill compelled to sell because everyone has their price. The reason that Man U and Arsenal can keep their young talent is because of their wealth, reputation, strength and success which has been built up over many years. And yes I am very much aware of the fact that we Wolverhampton Wanderers was once bigger than them in all of those areas but sadly no more and for us to compete with them on that level of keeping talented hungry young players, such as Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, etc is not unfortunately in our grasp just yet.
But thanks to you both you have restored my faith in football and postboards like this. Good luck to our respective teams this weekend and lets get all our midland sides into the top flight sooner rather than later.
46.Cpt Wolves
I think the word you were after was articulate, but I get your point.
Oli’s attempt was passionate but poorly written.
I’ve only just started reading the blogs and I don’t even know who writes them.
More importantly, shouldn’t we be discussing the Wolves and not the writing of the blog?
Some great signings recently and it looks like we are on the way up the league.
Come on guys, why are we bickering amongst ourselves when we should be doing that with Sandwell council?
Still think Mick should leave… tactically inept and we were lucky to win on Tuesday.
Nathan as you state in your article you are creating your blog to basically create a debate, I think you well and truly got one mate…..and fair play too you!!!
Don’t be too down beat on your responses (take it on the chin).
If Wolves continue their winning ways and the genre of your blogs start to differ with confidence, you will see again that the repsonses to your blogs will be along the lines of good Blog Nathan.
As mentioned above i can be fickle you can be fickle and everbody above can be fickle.
This blog has been terrific for debate and has got me sending in my first ever post/email.
I think this Wolves team have been so boring this season and I would have been quite happy if Micky had buggered off in January.
But the league we are in is so uselss that we probably have a chance in the playoffs if we get there.
Why do we keep buying strikers, and not very good ones? A friend of mine who supports Man Utd laughed when I said we had signed a striker 1.5m. What do you get for 1.5m he asked. He had a point.
Surely if Morgan is serious about this club he would try and prise a serious striker and spend a few more bob trying to get this club up. Or is he happy just to keep us in this league so he won’t have to spend any serious cash?
Keep the faith.
44 - Happy
I think it is a fair point about midlands football. Apart from the Villa there has been very little to cheer about in recent years!
22. If we’re boasting our managerial qualities…I coach a Pre-K soccer team.(3 against 3) I too play an attacking 1-2 formation, with a workhouse behind the front 2.
If it works for my 4 yrs old girls, then it should suit Jay & Freddy.
Simon
And I am 8 games away from Automatic Promotion with last years squad on FM2007.
It ain’t that hard LOL
53 - are we supposed to be impressed by someone who calls football “soccer”.
Haha, OK, my writings were schoolboy… but to be fair, I was just writing a response to the above article and what I find unappealing about the blog, as I said I knocked out that piece in 15 minutes and perhaps should have proof read it!
I am not trying to say that Nathans opinions do not count only like I said in my previous piece, I think he is encouraging and legitamising the boo boy culture around Molinuex.
Neither am I trying to say that the blog needs to be a piece of pro-club Propaganda, because it dosen’t.
The blog should be a realistic evaluation of the previous weeks events, the tactics of a game, the worth of new signings and the writer should be able to follow through on his beliefs and convictions without being swayed by sensationalist chanting from the South Bank.
If you ask me Nathan Llyod thinks the support of the vocal minority means more than the majority, that he determines his opinions based on what has his ear (the moaners, the whingers, the pessimists) rather than what he sees with his own eyes.
I hope this has been a better effort, spelling and grammar wise.
Comments? I actually would like to hear people’s opinions on the matter, i’m not scared of anyones! Nor will I dismiss them in arrogance.
Another question? Does Nathan ‘I’m not fickle’ Lloyd reply to posts on his own blog? If not, why not?
Oli (56).
Afternoon. I’ve said before that replying to my own blog is not a great idea as it probably looks a little bit desperate… but here goes anyway!
I just thought I would pick up on a couple of Oli’s points from today.
My opinions are purely my own. I sit in the Steve Bull stand, so the south banks’ musings wouldn’t really have an influence on what I write.
I don’t believe that my opinions in any way perpetuate the very small boo-boy culture that exists around Molineux.
I write about what I think and what I see happening at the club. I feel very passionately, as you do, that the football should be played in the right way and I think it has improved in the last few matches.
I don’t represent the Express and Star’s views, thats the whole point.
Not everybody will enjoy reading my blog or agree with any of the contents. But then, thats the whole point.
Oli, you make a lot of assumptions about my thoughts. You said that blog should be about what happened in the week, well what did I write about? Tuesday night’s game and the January transfer signings.
Anyway, its great that you have passionate views on the Wolves, and I look forward to some more heated debate on Tuesday.
All the best.
RE 55
Sarcasm detector for Mr Baggie.
Response to 3, Elliot as been given more of a chance than Eastwood,i dont think mick is the one for the job and should be gone end of season,we also need a good clear out the likes of Ward Breen Cradock Bothroyd Collins to name just a few.
If only Freddie would have been with us when Kites,Macca were with us early 2007 onwards…..that guy would have been a cert every game to start.
But cos he has tried to get into a team where the midfield’s directive is to go sidewards,backwards,what chance have we got!!!!!
Bit too like Hoddle Era this season Mick - we do not like that.
If Mick gets you promoted will you still want him out in May Nathan?
Nath, you are that good I reckon you should have your own column in ALOB
Jiwal
Thanks mate, the chq is in the post!