Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Where do Wolves go from here?
Wolves’ Sporting Star columnist John Lalley has plenty of questions on where the club go from here as the reality dawns in of a relegation fight on the horizon.
The statistics make for grim reading. A solitary win in the last nine games, a paltry five goals scored at home all season and with December here, a discernible points gap is appearing between the magical 17th position and the relegation spot we currently occupy.
Those who were carried away in the euphoria of promotion and boldly predicted mid-table security for our vibrant and uninhibited team of young starlets are no doubt reflecting ruefully on their misplaced optimism.
Manager Mick McCarthy’s statement after the Chelsea game that we were now in a relegation battle was hailed by some as a brave act of honest realism, designed to elicit an appropriate response from his players. The truth is that we were in a relegation battle from the moment we booked our place in this division when the final whistle blew at Barnsley last season.
The fragile edifice that is Wolves was illustrated when our players summoned themselves into ‘Huddle Take Two’ and repeated that ostentatious but thoroughly pointless bonding exercise directly after Blues scored so early on Sunday.
Quite what was said that hadn’t been stressed in their previous love-in, just three minutes before, only the players themselves will know. Perhaps they were running a risk assessment of actually defending properly!
It gave the impression of saying ‘can we start again?’ It smacked of confusion and uncertainty, almost a public admission of tactical failure with the game only seconds old.
Within half an hour, the manager was following suit forced to admit his selection was flawed by hauling off Greg Halford and pinning his hopes on a half-fit Michael Kightly.
This is a player who only days before the manager had pointedly insisted was in need of a rest away from Premier action before, lo and behold, by some miracle cure akin to Major Buckley’s monkey-glands, Kightly’s fitness is mystically resurrected and he is restored to action. Staggering and predictably it ended in tears with injury once more.
When Kightly joined the action, we were operating with a midfield straight out of last season’s Championship, with Matt Jarvis, David Edwards and Karl Henry filling the other positions. Little wonder that we are struggling to create many opportunities.
The entry of Nenad Milijas, the player McCarthy had banked so much upon made minimal difference. Already the worry is that the Serb’s second half cameo at Stoke might just be the pinnacle of his achievement this season.
Similarly, the starting back four against Blues – Michael Mancienne, Christophe Berra, Jody Craddock and Richard Stearman are all stalwarts from last season.
The fact that no natural full-back began the game caused us untold problems. No doubt Ronald Zubar would have started if fit, but the other alternatives – George Elokobi, Matt Hill, Stephen Ward and even Kevin Foley – are maybe just good Championship players but no more than that.
Up front, Ebanks-Blake -a hitman supreme in football’s second tier – cuts a forlorn figure at present and his frustration is obvious to behold. Unable to make any meaningful impact at Premier level, Sylvan endures long periods on the periphery of games.
Pumping high balls in his direction is no use to him. If we can offer no better tactic, then Stefan Maierhofer may just as well be paired alongside Kevin Doyle. Even so, from the evidence so far, it’s hard to believe that come season’s end the giant Austrian will have greatly influenced our finishing position.
There’s the problem; we are over reliant on the bulk of last year’s squad with Kevin Doyle alone likely to forge genuine improvement in the team. Against Blues, even Doyle himself looked a picture of exasperation such was the pitiful nature of our performance.
The January transfer window is rarely the ideal time to redress the mistakes made during pre-season recruitment. All clubs, top or bottom are reluctant to release any player of value with the season so far advanced, unless inflation-busting fees are on the table.
Our business this summer saw the arrival of goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, Doyle, Andrew Surman, Zubar, Milijas, Greg Halford, Segundo Castillo, Maierhofer and a return for Mancienne. Ask yourself, was this shrewd and imaginative recruitment liable to see us playing competitively at this level?
If not, what do we do in January? Have we got sufficient funds? Can we pay the wages agents will demand? Will any player good enough to re-shape our season give a second thought about joining an all out relegation battle? Or is our current Championship starting eleven good enough to survive on its own?
Over to you Mick, you Jez and most importantly to you Mr Morgan.
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I’ve no idea what game you or swain was watching but Milijas looked the classiest player on the pitch by a mile when he came on.
He was also the only midfielder to break forward with the attackers, and as far as I can remember had the only shot on goal the whole match, which made the blues keeper save.
He should have started from the off, along with Castillo.
The blame for this lies with the manager, and no one else.
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This article says it all really.
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Have we sufficient funds? of course we have ,but unfortunately we have a manager who doesnt know how to use them and management that will not release them. If the rumour that we are after Rob Hulse is true,it says it all. We could spend £20 miilion in the January window and it wouldnt make any difference.We are down and we need to start planning for life in the Championship.
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Premiership experience does look like its coming but from players currently in the championship, as I had it on good authority about Halford, Surman, Milijas, Hoff and Zubar I have heard that January will bring bids for the following:
Joe Ledley (Cardiff)
Matt Kilgallon (sheff Utd)
Gary O’ Neil (borough)
Rob Hulse (Derby)
Ryan Taylor (Newcastle)
Andy Carroll (Newcastle)
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Where do Wolves go from here = The Championship.
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Facts incorrect again, we secured premier league football with a win v QPR we secured the title v Barnsley
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LETS FACE FACTS…
SO FAR none of the signing have done anything of note. Yes Doyle looks a good player, but if or when we get relegated, he will certainly be one to move on… Leaving us with also rans… Yes good Championship players, but we all know how hard it is to get out of the fizzy pop league, and having a good set of championship players does not give you the right to come straight back up…
As for this season we look as though we will be cut adrift before christmas, so the January window will do nothing for the Wolves… Teams like Birmingham will once again be going for the same sort of players we will, and due to there position in the table, and the fact that they have got deeper pockets than we have, means any chance of signing those players goes out the window…
The campaign before the season of telling all Wolves fans that we ‘will’ compete in the Premier League was a smokescreen…
Please STAND UP Mr Morgan and admit that you let Wolves fans dream of a multi-million pound backing from yourself… All I can see is that he has bought the club for NOTHING, and the only money he has spent was the funds we got for promotion… Doing things on the cheap is the way it seems Mr Morgan has tried to do it, and that isn’t going to kepp the club I love in the league where it should be…
RANT OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Up the wolves.
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It’s obvious what should be done!! SACK the Muppet and Clipboard and recruit a really good motivational manager.
There are loads out there if anybody can be bothered to look.
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Very good comments but alas, you miss the obvious that ouir manager does not have a clue with tactics!
May i suggest a “director of football”
Sourness or daglish..then with the true wolves fan doncaster manager; sean o’driscoll.
people say that he is the “arsen wenger” of the lower leagues.
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This seasons return to the Premiership had disaster wrote all over it when I saw despite Moxeys promise the lack of established Prem players bought in.I have no doubt that in submitting his want list to Moxey it contained numerous Prem players but Moxey decided with the blessing of Morgan to go bargain basement shopping and thats the main reason were in this mess.Unless we get an injection of experienced Prem players in January not the type of player we are supposed to be looking at the moment(Eddie Nolan Preston and Rob Hulse Derby)we will fail dismally.
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Well said, Mr Morgan needs to act one way or another, support the current manager in January or kick him out and get in someone he will support. If he doesnt support the club any further then im sad to say Jack sold to the wrong person.
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Milijas & Ward made some sort of difference but appart from that the team was a joke!!
We was asking for trouble playing 4 center halfs who never got forward and support the wingers and hanaman kept over kicking goal kicks to ebanks who was never going to win a header against there defenders
Still it will look all good again for the time being IF we get 3 points this weekend and results go our way!!
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We should play the Austrian with Doyle from the start! Otherwise what was the point in signing him! If fit the team should be: Wayne,Zubar,Berra,Craddock,Stearman,Henry,Serb,Kights,Jarvo,Austrian,Doyle.
I’m worried that we havent heard anything about Kights’ fitness!
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1. Agree ~ Milijas and Castillo must replace the inept pairing of Henry & Edwards.
Mick must be on the verge of a Xmas bonus in the form of severance. Sunday was humiliating.
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Mr Lally what good questions. I think that everything you say is spot on and that Sunday was a nightmare. I have never seen such rubbish thought we bad enough first half of Stoke but this was worse, there did not seem to be any fight in the lads like second half Stoke, the white flag went up quite quickly, This is only a personal opinion but I think we need to find a team that can work together, and stick to that team, I am sorry to have to say this MM because I think your a very honest Manager and you say how it is, but to me keep swapping the team about is not working. The majority of the fans have now voiced their opinion on the Express & Star site which is better than booing the lads because hopefully they read these comments. The lads know they were cronic. I think we all now need to put Sunday behind us as hard as that is, and look to Bolton and hope that the lads and MM can move on otherwise it will be Championship football next season and I am sure the lads and MM do not want that. We all knew it was not going to be easy and the fans were asked to be patient but there is only so much patience we all have, but we need to get behind the lads now more than ever because despite Sundays performance I know we can do it, and we must stop hoofing the ball up the field because when we play it on the floor we are a good team. I personally think we can survive this. Come on the Wolves.
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One thing MM could do now is put the pitch back to normal dimensions. One win at home equals a failure in my book of any experiment. Stoke did it to maximise on the long throw in. It has not given us anything being so narrow.
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There is not enough passion or fight in our squad.! If burnley can show fight why can’t we.The three M’s spent to much time giving new contracts to existing players knowing full well that they were not setting the championship alight last season, and it says it all when rumour control say we are interested in Rob Hulse. NO AMBITION IN THIS LEAGUE.
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An extremely well-written and truthful article, I couldn’t have put it better myself. Blues and Burnley have both floursihed this season playing their natural game as a continuation of last season. If only we had kept our pitch dimensions the same as they were last season (ie not narrowed the pitch) then I would like to think that we also would be blazing slightly more of a trail in the PL than we are… in my opinion, the buck stops with the manager. If we fail to pick up maximum points against Bolton and Burnley then I think Mick should do the honourable thing and move on, and hopefully a manager with a proven track record in this division can come in and attempt to keep us up… Curbishley would be my 100% choice for this.
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Why dont we play The Hoff alongside Doyle,the partnership of Doyle and SEB is not working we didnt win any headers on saturday if not why are we in the market for yet another Championship striker when we have an Austrian International warming the bench every week.
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You are right John Lalley. It is up to Jez and Steve Morgan. The first act should be to give our clueless manager his P45. He cannot hack it at this higher level. His muddled thinking has resulted in him making more changes to the team week in and week out that is beyond belief.
The players he has bought are no better than the Championship quality players we had before the season started. This brings into question his ability to attract the better quality players we desperately need to stay up.
He did a good job in getting us to where we are now but has been found wanting not only with his purchases but even more so in his lack of tactical nous which s becoming more obvious week by week.
If the board are serious and want top flight football at the molineux then major decisions have to be made and Mccarthy must be sacked.
If not then we, like WBA and B-Ham, will become another yo-yo team
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A well reasoned and balenced piece. I think the bottom line,is that the Premiership is a step too far for McCarthy. Our results at home against the so called lesser teams have been very dissapointing, our team selection unbalenced we have no plan A on the pitch, let alone a plan B. The whole thing is a confused mess !Reluctant, though I am, I think Saturday’s match against Bolton, should be McCarthy’s last. At least it will give a successor at chance to get us up to 17th in May. That is all we ask !
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Burnley did not spend massively in the summer and yet look at them….says it all
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7. I wouldn’t panic about the money and Morgan. He signed a legally binding document stating that he will spend ‘30million pounds of his OWN money’ not revenue made from the club. He can invest this how he chooses over a number of years, not necessarily on players but into the club. I think that the club need to make a statement of intent with regards to Micks position, the transfer window and Morgans role in all this.
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Number 4-We ain’t gonna be signing anyone from Newcastle in the January transfer window,they are flying in the championship at the moment and will be coming straight back up at the end of the season.Taylor or Carroll ain’t gonna wanna come to Wolves and end up back in the Championship.Joe Ledley will get a better offer from an established premiership team.The only people I can realistically see us getting are o’neill,Hulse and Kilgallon,all of whom are no better that what we have at the moment.Think we really need to look at a couple of more experienced player,for starters i’d go for Benni McCarthy on loan,Craig gardner from villa is a good shout aswell.
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What are the intentions of the Wolves board,I suspect that they are just looking at maximising the profit they can make from this season and not worrying to much about a return to the Championship,if this is the case they should be honest with the Fans and let them decide if they want to spend the extra 30% levied on season tickets this year.
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Rumour has it Houlier is going to be director of football with a young manager (ferguson/ince)
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Sack the muppet and the apparently unsackable Conner.If Morgan and Moxey think I will be paying£600 to watch Championship football the think again.It seems the board are only interested in squeezing every last penny from fans and sponsors this season.Im afraid people will vote with their feet.The list of sponsorships at half time is an embarrassment.I would rather have been told pre-season we will not spend rather than be lied to.Supporter of 45 years.
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keep wayno on the bench and we might just be ok
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Well said number 7.
We should have got 30 million when we went up, and another 30 million from Morgan when he bought the club.. We’ve spent less than a quarter of that, even allowing for wages increases, it comes no where near.
The fact Birmingham bought the players we wanted BEFORE carson came on board, sums up this clubs ambition.
To me, the club is continuously held back by Jez Moxey. He is no where to be seen or heard when the going gets tough, but is a self publicising accountant when the times are good.
The sooner MOXEY goes and the sooner McCarthy goes the better.
Lets get an experience manager in NOW. Give McCarthy the Bolton game. If we lose, then he has to go, and give time to a new manager to find some January targets, otherwise, its championship all the way.
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Young squad short on confidence and didn’t it show Sunday.
Now the manager really earns his wage as he’s got to lift the players and get them believing again.
Exactly the sort of thing Harry Redknapp did at Spurs. Not that I’m suggesting we’re Spurs or could attract HR but you get the idea.
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118 118 – Number for Mr Curbishley please .
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hanna,foley,stearman,berra,zubar,jarvis,castillo,milijas,ward,doyle,hoff,,,WE ARE WOLVES,,,ilk
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The facts are that the squad of players we have on paper are good, the facts are also that MM and his team selections etc are poor and that is what has caused this siuation that we are in. Look at Saturday playing the long ball up field to small strikers, playing a half fit Kightly and playing that muppet Henry.
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This article says it all..I fully agree’
We have a team of tired ex Championship players, which includes Doyle who played for Reading,and have recruted many players that other Premiership clubs would not take a second look at, we have had our share of injuries, and this is all being held together with elastoplast’s by a tired Manager who rode on the backs of the Seb/Big Chris show throughout last Season, neither player good enough to continue in this standard of football.
The last half dozen games in the Championship last season were woeful, and I was relieved when the Season ended, we were woful in our practice games, in Australia ( what a joke of a trip ) and have shown almost no fight in the games played this Season, to the stage that Sunday was a sheer embarrassment.
I have to admit that Birmingham have recruited well and are enjoying some very talanted footballers, they two are a little goal shy, because the score should have been at least 6-0
if it was’ent for our keeper.
What do we do ? we are a disaster, and getting worse…if we don’t beat Bolton at home this week then Morgan must act by bringing in a new players and replace the Manager, who even depresses me.
If Morgan can’t put up the cash to bring in at least 4 players in the January window, at least 50-60 million pounds, be be prepared to sell Ebanks and big Chris when fit to generate some cash from a Championship side, get rid of the ‘on loan’ Chelsea star who is totally out of form, and farm out Kightly, Hennersey and Ward on loan somewhere , then we are doomed.
Its clear now that the record signing ‘Doyle’ was a massive mistake…he runs all day and tries his heart out, but does not fit in and never will.
The amazing decisions of the manager are many, why did we drop Keogh, when he is the only player that has some understanding of Doyle’s style of play, and when is he going to give the giant 6′7 Hough a decent go ???
Call a taxi for Mr McCarthy……
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The 3 M’s were fools to think a lack of major investment on proven players would save us from the position we are in.
1. The summer signings (except doyle and maybe Zubar/Milijas) were NO where near good enough to be in a premier league starting XI!
2. How can we expect to compete in the premiership with an almost identical team that played week in week out in the championship?
3. As proved at S’land and so far this season, Mick IS NOT a premier league manager!
We are in danger of being so far adrift at Christmas that we would have to be winning most games in 2010 to stand any chance of staying in the premier league.
Anything other than a win on Saturday and Mick MUST BE SACKED NOW. We need a new manager in place before funds are released in January.
I’d like to see curbishley come in as he worked wonders with Charlton before he left. If we can hold on to our premier league status for a few years, that will give us the platform we need to build on. Being a yo yo club will not do anything for us as a club.
Morgan, it appears no one’s learnt the lessons from last time we were promoted, especially Moxey, and you have a inadequate manager in place this time around. please bring in someone with a proven track record in time for Jan and give them the funds to keep us in the premier league.
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LAUGHINGWOLF……
I’d love to know where your sources come from… Morgan bought the club and stated that he would invest in players, to 1) get us to the premiership, and 2) bring enough quality to stay in the top flight…
Suppose 1 out of 2 ain’t bad…
As for the players being branded about, IF WE SIGN ROB HULSE my season ticket is going in the bin… I know 1 season ticket holder will not make a difference to the clowns we have in charge of the club……..
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MM has brought this situation on himself with errors of judgement. First of all, he signed too many players in the summer, all similar standard to what we already have, consequently he now hasn’t got a clue who his best 11 is, hence constant chopping & changing, which helps no-one. Secondly he narrowed the pitch because he did not want to give good teams room to play – that’s back-fired because it’s us who need the room – we’re the team that likes to get it wide !! When did Arsenal or Chelsea ever care about width ? they just play it straight thru the middle with one-two’s and precision passing – it’s painful to watch Kightly & Jarvis running out of room constantly. Will FA rules permit us to change the dimensions back again mid-deason – I’m not sure ?? By the way number 1 – it was Jarvis who forced the only save from Hart, not Milijas.
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I have tried to be positive but after Sunday’s weak effort, a win against Bolton is a must. If we are not going to play two wingers, we must play Milijas in order to have two creative forces!
Halford is basically a one trick pony, Mancienne is not the player of last year, Edwards and Ebanks-Blake must be dropped.
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SIMPLE ANSWER – GET RID OF MCCARTHY AND WE GO AGAIN!
The sooner the powers that be get in a manager who knows how to motivate the players and have some tactical awareness we are going straight back down to the Championship.
NOW IS THE TIME FOR POSITIVE ACTION.
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We Should try to attract players that are leaders and will make a difference my choice would be.
Sol Campbell(Free)
Reo Coker(apparently not happy at Villa)
Adam Johnson
David Wheater
Alan Smith
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I have been saying it since he arrived. the manager is a joke! relegation followed by a poor start and sacked by christmas 2010. pretty sad hopes for a lifelong wolves fan but at least we get to start again
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There is one Manager in my opinion who may be the only answer to Wolves current plight….the Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock is a highly developed motivater, experienced Manager and has been an outstanding success at Palace this year, a club on the verge of administration, owned by an out and out lunertic, likely to walk away from Palace at any time, yet Warnock holds the lid on the problems at Palace, is a people manager, and I am sure could well be attracted to a team like Wolves fot the right Salary package.
He is an experienced Manager, loves a challange, and has a great understanding of the game
If I had the Morgan millions, Neil Warnock would be on the top of my list to contact, sooner rather than later.
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This is a bit of a random one to throw out there, but people keep talking about how we need some steel in midfield and some creativeness, as well as preiership experience. And we all know that moxey won’t pay for anyone that matchess that discripton. So what are people’s thoughts on Edgar Davids! He’s a free agent, has a great touch, prem experience, will scrap for the ball and also creative. I know he would need a bit of time to get match sharp and there are going to a few people that disagree with this but i think signing him up until the end of the season with an option of a 2nd year if he plays well wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world! He has also got to be better than what we have now!
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Message to Steve Morgan:-
We, as Wolves supporters will support our team through thick and thin, hopefully you already know that BUT we will not continue to be subjected to performances by a team who do not show any enthusiasm, confidence or guts on a match to match basis. Also we do not want a manager who displays an obvious persona of being tactically inept at Premier level, spends multi-millions on players to better the squad but does not play them regularly PLUS he gives statements to the media about what other teams do and how good they are when he should be talking about Wolves and ONLY Wolves!
Not one single Wolves supporter will tell you we expect to win the Premier League, nor will one single Wolves supporter tell you they expect us to even finish halfway BUT what they will tell you is that they expect Wolves to give 100% in all games and to give it a real ‘go’ to stay in the Premier League.
So far all that has happened is – the manager has tinkered relentlessly with the team formations, has tactically got it wrong in almost every game and again, just as in the previous seasons resorted to playing players in any position but their preferred ones – yesterday being a typical case in point with a left back playing at right back and vice-versa – UNBELIEVABLE!
As the owner of this fine club YOU are in the position to change things around and put the club back on the straight and narrow and by this is meant saying to Mick McCarthy, ‘thank you for everything you have done Mick, you got us promotion which was what we wanted but I am sorry, we must say goodbye because clearly you do not have what it takes to keep this club in the Premier League’.
To do anything else and that includes leaving McCarthy’s staff in charge even for one more week, will show your intentions quite clearly, that all of your pre-season comments that you really ‘care about WWFC’ were in reality, just media ’speak’!
Action is required NOW before we are condemned to Championship football next season. For let me put you in no doubt whatsoever for that is where we are heading if McCarthy and co remain at the helm for any longer!
Should you feel that the Championship is our rightful place then make a press statement to that effect and all supporters will know where the club stands and will make their decisions as to their future allegiance accordingly.
Furthermore, you will have noticed that the ground was not as full as could have been expected yesterday for a local derby game and come the next game against Bolton, the ground be even less so!
Defeat is hard to take at any time but if beaten by a better team when we have given our all does offset the disappointment somewhat but lack of effort, tactical mis-management and being totally inept will not wash!
So to repeat, ACTION IS REQUIRED NOW otherwise this club will be relegated and IF you seriously care about WWFC then you will do your damnest to see that that does not happen but to do nothing will surely see us playing at Derby, Scunthorpe and Preston (no offence meant to those teams) etc next season – and do you really want to be travelling to those places instead of Anfield, Old Trafford, The Emirates Stadium etc.? – No, I don’t think so but the decision is yours Mr. Morgan – DO YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO MAKE IT?
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Agreed no1 milijas is a class act and is our only threat in midfield who will push forward and score goals just look on you tube and see some of the goals he scored for red star Belgrade!
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23 – the point i was making was that with all the revenue gained which is more than what we have spent, does it make much difference whether he spends his own money or not as its replenished whatever……..
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The time to put a new manager in place was at the beginning of the season. The majority of these players were with us in the Championship and we really struggled for several weeks after Christmas. No new manager will convert this lot into Premiership survivors. There will be no miracle, no manager change, just the inevitable disappointment. Moxey knows that the majority of us will be back next season cheering on the team and hoping to be promoted again (God knows why we should want to be promoted!) it’s cynicism and manipulation but we fall for it year in year out. Who’s the mug around here?
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Regretably its very obvious what wrong as Ron Atkinson confirmed on Radio WM. LAck of Premier experienced players and the long ball will not be the answer in the Premier.
So lack of experience and complete lack of tactical awareness puts this painful experience into clear context – McCarthy has been shown for what he is – a good Championship manager full stop and Moxey has no intention of signing experienced players. They both should go now. not tomorrow now.
Mr Morgan look yourself in the mirror and swear you have done the best for the fans abnd the club if you dare.
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Typical example of tactics on sunday…surman long throw..Hoff on the bench who can flick on. FFS start with hoff & Doyle and use SEB as a sub to send a shot across his bow to “get with the programme” & play Keough
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44; Bloody spot on, Express & Star should print it as an open letter.
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44 – you could do worse than actually print your letter off and send it to the club. I agree by the way, action is required.
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42.. that is exactly why, you HAVEN’T got millions.
NO CHANCE.
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Reading another article in today’s E&S the players said they didn’t really expect anything from Chelsea/Arsenal! What a defeatist attitude. Compare that with Brum who picked up points at Liverpool and Man City or Burnley who beat Man Utd and picked up points at Man City! What’s the point in even playing if your already beat.
I see today in the transfer gossip we are linked with Rob Hulse. You’ve got to be kidding; Is this the limit of our ambition. Here’s a guy who was dropped from the baggies 1st team after 7 apps and no goals in the prem.
Can’t believe we had a chance for Huddlestone and Ledley and decided to stick with Edwards, Henry and Halford. Great comment yesterday suggesting we get 4 puffs and a piano in the midfield. At least we’ll have some entertainment!
Give MM until Dec 20th (Burnley) and then sound out Curbishley, Coppell or Steve Mclaren .
Lastly Seb. Son you’ve got to get in shape (and yes I know round is a shape). You look more like Lenny Henry with saddle bags than a professional footballer.
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Most of the articals reflect on how bad we are and I agree but lets get realistic. When it comes to buying good players our club is well down in the pecking order for players and agents to choose. Look at the town, sorry city! Would most of you live there if you didnt have too or have a choice. Wolves are not owned by a Billionaire just a millionaire and he just does not have the resources to make us the good old gold and black of years gone bye. We have to bulid and if we yo yo for a few years before getting established then so be it. Birmingham and Sandwell have managed it, maybe they are the models to follow. Sorry to say but watching your team getting thrashed and out played week in week out is no fun. At least next season we will have the chance to win a title again with hopefully a better team prepared for the prem.
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Does anyone watch any matches?? Milijas is no better than Silas!!!
no 1. Milijas is usejas. It’s going to be an absolute waste of money.
Again i think we need 5-6 players!
I said to my mate at the match sunday, we are no further in progressing than when we played blues last season we have the same team apart from Doyle and Hannamen (who is also a waste of money, he couldn’t get in Reading’s first team last season, what makes us think he is good enough for us??) our best keeper is on loan at Sheff Utd, where is the logic in that???!!!
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We will stay up. Sunday was rock bottom, I watched the game and was so disappointed. They are capable of better than that, we all know it. We will beat Bolton and Man U and after that the confidence will run through the team and we will finish 16th. They have nothing to fear now, they cannot play worse or embarrass themselves more. The Bolton game is the turning point and the fans have to raise the roof as they come out, getting on thier backs will do nothing and from what I have seen our fans have been brilliant this season. Get behind Mick, he is a proud man who will walk if things don’t improve, give him a break.
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55. You know nothing about football
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57 spot on. always likely to create a goal, should be first name on the sheet.
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Where we go from here is a question that only Morgan can answer.
He either sits on his hands and allows the inevitable to happen by retaining McCarthy or gives these supporters hope for the remaing 6 months by making the change NOW.
In choosing the former that parachute money will be needed as fans vote with their feet when the chance to spend £600 comes around with the money saving earlybird.
We have a man in charge who has, in 3 years failed to replace Naylor, has no established cover for Foley, has statuees in midfield compared to Blus box to box midfielders, signs players (Hoff ) then refuses to play them despite the man in situ having stinker after stinker,does not know who to pick from one week to the next and is devoid of tactical know how.
Mr Morgan, give us hope…act now by putting in your shift
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40 – I agree with you on sol campbell but the other players would not come to us also we would not pay the wages, smith must be on at least 50k a week.
I think our best bet is bringing in players on loan as attracting players permantley when your at the bottom aint going to happen.
NO NO NO ROB HULSE, i hope it is just a rumour.
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56 I admire your sentiments but please please let MM walk he has peaked believe me plus I am pretty sure a lot of players don’t like his atitude and that goes for many of his own players EG players body language on Goals on Sunday when asked about their manager
MM thank you for what you have done now please go.
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At the end of last season the fans were assured that money would be spent on strengthening the team and we were “not just here to make the numbers up”.What happened?Apart from Doyle,Milijas/Castillo and hopefully the Hoff,we are left with,well,not a lot.Hahnemann should be given a run ,Milijas and Castillo should be in midfield and the Hoff should partner Doyle.There is big money needed to get in the correct players in January but there is the danger that if we don`t get rid of McCarthy he will go on another spell of collecting lower division players once again.I here Rob Hulse has been mentioned,please god NO.It is obvious that McCarthy has not got a clue and I am sorry to repeat myself but Sunderland is stuck in the memory.His record of 4wins in 50 odd premiereship games is jus not good enough,he has no idea on team selection,tactics,or handling top class players so Mr.Morgan Wave him goodbye,get in a top manager,and we may just have a chance of climbing up the table.Oh by the way Moxey has outstayed his welcome also.
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In spite of our sorry position, the fans have got their thinking caps on with plenty of constructive criticism rather than the usual ninety per cent crying sack the manager and leaving it at that. Lots of good ideas and suggestions- as for #42 Warnock?! The day the club appoints that disgrace to football in any position other than toilet cleaner is the day I give up and buy a season ticket for Stourbridge, I wanted Ince three years ago, I thought MM was a mistake but I supported him from the day he got the job and he has done it very well. Sadly, I do not think he has the tactical brain to cut it in the Premiership and this is becoming apparent as we tick the games off one by one. There was no shame in losing by three to Arsenal, they juts lost by three to Chelsea, who inevitably beat us by four on their home turf, as the best team in the country on form, and considering we are a team that will finish somewhere in the bottom six without doubt- we should not however be finishing in the bottom three, because on paper we have far too much quality for that. Doyle, Kites, SEB, Milijias, Hoff, Zubar, Foley, Doyle, Mancienne, Castillo and even Jarvis are all in my opinion good enough to play in the Premiership and that is eleven I have named without too much thought. The fight earned us those draws against the likes of Everton, Villa, Stoke, with some great attacking football thrown in for good measure, but when the going gets tough I am afraid the manager has no idea how to turn things around. When we had our horrible run last year, he suggested he may have to change our formation, but we never did, and the players themselves kicked on and turned things around. Players, Keogh, for example are being dropped without reason, Milijias, our most creative player by far is being asked to come from the bench and change things in half an hour when we are losing, and too many players are repeatedly being played out of position. Squad rotation is all very well if you are Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, who have some of the best players in the world on the bench and/or youngsters who have been groomed for six or seven years how to play the Arsenal way, the United way, and are ready, with ability and tactical knowledge whenever they are called upon. I think we did sign perhaps a player or two too many, rather than focusing attentions, and money, and true quality that would have ensured they keep their place week in week out. MM does not know his best side anymore, and neither do the players who probably scratch their heads in training all week wondering if they are going to be playing left wing or right back. If we were not expected to compete with Arsenal and Chelsea, we should not expect to compete with Tottenham (their 9-1 against Wigan already sends a shiver down the spine) or United. That leaves us with Bolton and Burnley- considering we rolled over and were out played by Birmingham suggests we should not realistically expect much from the aforementioned upcoming home games. If we have reached a point after 14 games where we are not pinning our hopes on beating the likes of Burnley or Bolton, then it is time for a change. I have never been one to beat the drum repeatedly for any manager of ours to get the sack, Hoddle aside! but we have spent so many years waiting for this there is no other option if we have any realistic hope of maintaining the Premiership status we craved. Another performance like that, or a failure to beat Bolton, and I am afraid to say that should be the time for the change to occur. My only concern is the absolute solidarity the three M’s have forged over the past couple of years- may result in the announcement of Mick being the man for the second phase of what was always a 6 year plan?
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44: You should as others have said send a copy of what you have written to Morgan. I think what you have written is spot on.
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44,Agreed you should send it to Mr Morgan,Unfortunatly i think the statement of intent was made pre-season, Profit over Stability.Young And Hungry players tied to long term contracts therefore increasing their market value,Very healthy balance sheet,£25 million in the bank,end of season positional payment from Sky.Parachute payments for next two seasons,No real need for any more big signings as this side will be good enough for automatic promotion 2010/11,( IN the eyes of the management)Nice proposistion for new owners should Morgan decide to sell.(BET IT WONT BE FOR £10).
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As a Wolves fan you dream of being like m utd or chelsea but we know miracles dont happen and we support our team through thick and thin, good times and the bad times, but one thing i will not put up with as a Wolves fan and thats not giving 100% when you put that famous old gold shirt on, that did,nt happen on sunday. Now thats one thing Mick insists on with his players, putting a shift in, what happened sunday? has he lost his players?
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Its time for a couple of record signings, and pay them whatever it takes for them to play half a season for us. Pay 2 players 100K a week for 20 weeks to do a job for us. 4M in wages is a lot, but we should have some change out of 20-30M kitty left for transfers. We stay up & get an extra 30M-50M for doing so.
We all know it wont happen though, and we’ll end up with more Surman’s & Halford’s at best, thats assuming we even if we try to sign someone in January.
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Foley has only been fit enough to play two part games this season. How on earth do you conclude from that that he is not good enough for the Premier League?
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44. if you think for one minute steve morgan reads these messages your deluded, and what is even more astonishing is that you or anyone threatening to withdraw your support for the club if morgan does’nt sack mcarthy. its like asking your neighbour’s permission if you can have a party in your own house ,
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WHERE DO WOLVES GO FROM HERE?
Sack Mick… Sack Moxey…
And spend money on players that can/have played in the prem!
Rob Hulse heard it all now he must be the missing piece of the jigsaw along with a certain polish forward.
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by the way , i too think mcarthy should go, but results will decide that not supporters, utw
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john lalley eloquently sums up the general feeling of deflation, puzzlement and simmering discontent around the club.
other points worth noting- no.34, yes- i agree that SEB and Doyle don’t appear a natural pairing; if we apparently universally agree that Doyle’s a clever player and willing worker, why can’t we extend the same courtesy to Keogh, with whom Doyle seemed far more comfortable? Can’t, however, agree with those agitating for a starting place for Maierhoffer- surely his inclusion could only encourage more hit-and-hope stuff, and in any case, he’s done nothing either in first or reserve team football to push his case ahead of Keogh (or, indeed, the sadly absent Sam Vokes).
Also, John Lalley makes reference to the ‘Huddle’ phenomenon- I’ve no problem with it if the players actually believe they derive some benefit from it, although as a public display of unity, it rings desperately hollow when followed with a non-performance as wretched as Sunday’s. Perhaps they should confine it to the dressing room?
Incidentally, I can’t be the only attendee who’s given cause to wince at our distressingly regular pre-match ‘entertainments’? As if the loss of ‘the Liquidator’ wasn’t bad enough (couldn’t we have reinstated ‘Time Is Tight’ as opposed to a ‘tune’ that even Jeff Beck’s disowned?), we now have a sorry parade of glorified pub/karaoke singers and pre-pubescent go-go dancers foisted upon us, to say nothing of the cheesey card mosaics, which if Sunday’s was anything to go by, looked as though most of us had hangovers from the night before and were lacking the necessary coordination. Come to think of it, perhaps it served as an indicator for the events that were to unfold on the pitch…
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Some really constructive comments and really worrying as they are pretty consistent. The problem really started last year when we went through such a bad run and though we came up as Champs that was much to do with the failure of others at key times. As has been pointed out we are using pretty much the same team.
Teams can stay in the Premier without spending huge sums but that needs great teamwork and work ethic and usually a consistent team line-up that gets to know each other. We don’t seem to have that at the moment.
Unless we improve over the next few games the January window is not going to much use to us as the players we really want won’t want to come to a relegation threatened club. This is a pity as we need someone to stamp their authority on the team preferably with PL experience – Bullard being a very good albeit injured example or Bowyer and Ferguson whether you like them or not!
So I think that it must be about making the best of what we have. If Milijas is our most creative player then create a system for him. If Hoff needs crosses then use players to do it from the wings not from our own half! If a player is used to playing in a certain position then play him in it. If a player is not perfoming game after game then let him make way for someone else.
Players, however well paid they are, need to believe. The management has to create that belief soon – they are no better or worse man for man than Burnley or Wigan!
The fans believe as the comments above have shown!!
I’ll be back!
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best thing about sunday was the paper stuck to the seats.the aeroplanes were getting better through out the game.more of that please.
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Disappointing so far, but no need to panic. Lets not forget any team coming into the Premiership is likely to struggle. Wolves have players of talent and spirit and I’ve no doubt they’ll survive. Its very important the fans stay with the team and manager,booing doesn’t help, especially so soon after the euphoria of promotion.
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great article.
if you’d shown someone the teamsheet for the this Blues game in August they’d have fell about laughing. How could we possibly be at this stage of the premiership with a squad practically identical to last season.
Im sick to core of how this club is run. Blatant lies and hollow promises – nothing will change in the Jan close (go on, argue that) and failing a flipping miracle, its gonna be a swift return to the championship.
Who can we get in charge? Who will have us more like? Potential suitors will have seen the Championship champions lose out IN EVERY BLOODY transfer target cos WWFC board is too tight arsed.
NO LEADERSHIP. NO COMMITMENT. NO POINT
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55 – bang on that is aak. He’s like a Serbian Silas. For the West Ham game, read the Boavista freindly for Silas. Everyone thought he was the messiah, but in fact he was a dangerously light-weight midfielder. The idiots who comment “do you go to the games”, this guy is a realist. We’ve spent £18 million and only Doyle is good enough to be in the team, maybe Zubar.
Finally, when will people realise Henry is not good enough? Saying that they are all not good enough. I can’t wait for Plymouth at home on a November tuesday night, green army!!
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truewolves – I am quite sure that Steve Morgan does not read these pages but I am also sure that someone from the club certainly does – would you not read what people were saying if your club/company/organisation was being heavily criticised?
As for being deluded – well paying your money each week, sitting like a zombie and then saying to the person next to you ’see you next game then’ tells the club what exactly?
I can only imagine club officials saying ‘these
idiots will pay to watch anything but they say nothing when things are bad’!
These letters pages may not reach the person you want directly but supporters have to let the powers that be know their feelings and then others can make their feelings known otherwise just shut up, pay up and take your punishment.
So far supporters ARE paying up but I wonder for how much longer?
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no56 Caribbean,I so admire your faith.I think we will all be on that Jamaica rum
soon.THE PROBLEM IS LACK OF QUALITY.The real worry is not relegation but humiliation with perhaps only 18 points by the end of the season.We needed a step change in player recruitment last summer,if only they had bought a few from Laughing Wolf’s lists
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26. dole wolf
Been there as well, not nice! Our players cannot begin to understand what we do to get to the Golden Palace on a Saturday!
Your rumour would be great, and I would favour Ferguson, as we would get a route into the Man U loans.
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Even if Muppet is given the funds he has no idea who to buy and less so where/when he would play them – like our recent ‘quality’ signings they would probably end up keeping the bench warm at best. Henry, and SEB have to be dropped, get Hoff and Doyle up front – not Keogh, he is another Championship player that is only looking good compared with the current offering of dross!
Moxey, Muppet and Connor OUT they are useless and will only hold us back, c’mon Morgan do the right thing before it’s too late.
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Spot on article. I have been feeling like this all along. Couldn’t have summed it up better myself. Problem with this club is they are cheap, and have been for a long time, and the sad thing about this is that in the long run it has cost them more. They buy a lot of 2nd rate players on the cheap (and are proud of making a good deal!) and in the end none of them are good enough and they have to rebuild from scratch. They spend in quantity, rather than quality. Good players cost money these days … if we can’t spend it, then forget it.
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For 58 years I have been coming down to the Golden Castle to support my team. No work and no money, but somehow I get here.
I have never earned thousands of pounds each week like these pampered players do. My best has been £300 and then the HMRC stole 35%! But my pride in the Old Gold and Black kept me coming.
I am now disgusted with what we have descended to! No fight and no pride in the shirt.
So, OK, get rid of the filth who are just mercenaries.
If they won’t fight for us, then we don’t want them… quite simple really, just like us Black Country Folk!
That would mean that we couldn’t even muser 11 men to play for us!
How are the mighty Wolves fallen…
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Sammy Lee is coming!! so please don’t sack Super Mick. We got rid of Taylor too soon and also Jones. Mick can only work with the level of player the allocated budgeted money allows to buy. Mick is a good manager and I think we should give him the season. Don;t worry We will win against Bolton and get a point at Man Utd and win at Spurs and also get 4 against Burnley!! You heard it here first!
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STH…the really sad thing at present is there is no personality or culture at the club. There is nothing in this modern world to set this club apart except for the colour of the shirts. Think liquidator and the influence of ska music in the west midlands and set pre match entertainment around that…plenty of tunes to get the soul going. no leaders or personality at the top, in management or on the pitch. I have no respect for bowyer or ferguson at the blues but they showed up our young and hungry boys for what they were at the weekend. Please Wolverhampton Wanderers, demonstrate a peronslity and endeavour to do thing s differently, be brave, get some heroes involved and please, please show some passion…!
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Sundays game was an embarrassment, not sure how supporters can turn up and watch such uninspired dribble from a team of clueless players. No desire, no creativity, they just didn’t care. Pointless long balls to vertically challenged forwards. What a waste of time.
So who fault is this? The players or the managers?
Players can only be asked to play to there best of their ability, I would never ask more than that – but I do expect to be given 101% effort every game every time.
A pro player does get paid a lot of money to play a game we all love – and look at the disrespect they showed the game on Sunday, they should all give their last weeks pay to charity for atonement.
I definitely wonder if the manager really has a clue what he is doing – changing the team all the time, playing three backs at Chelsea what a joke. From what I hear we played Chelsea and Arsenal and expected to lose before the ball was even kicked.
To any player / manager or person at the club who thought this is ok before the ball is kicked – see the door, walk through it in one direction and don’t turn around I mean it, you are not a wolves fan. If you play any game and expect to be beaten you will be, guarantee it. Desire to prove people wrong is a great trait.
E-Banks sorry mate but you are way out of your league, the longer you keep on turning up the more embarrassing it is going to get.
Henry my friend do you know which way the goal is – hint it is not a sideways pass, on Sunday we looked good keeping the ball in our own half, and that was about it, sorry to say but you don’t score many goals in your own half.
Creative midfielder – where are you, I have yet to see any player that looks at all dangerous going forward, looking to make that killer pass. We seem to get out side the box and then have no idea what to do next.
MM I was a believer at the beginning of the season and was expecting survival nothing more. But sadly I’m not sure you can supply that any more, you don’t seem know what to do next. If you can’t motivate your team to go out there and give 101% it is time for you to move on – yes I know you don’t want another Sunderland but it is quickly looking like that is what it is going to be.
But I do have to ask should the blame be squarely on the shoulders of Morgan and Moxey. You can only work with the players you are given.
I bet you a penny that MM wished he had walked before the season begun, instead of going through this AGAIN. (Especially when he saw the quality of players he could sign)
I hope every word above is proved wrong and I am surprised at the end of the season by staying up, but I won’t be holding my breath.
New manager before the transfer window opens please – some one who can get the players to fight for every inch on the pitch and never give up.
Someone who can get results where results are not expected !!!
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I thought the birmingham game was supposed to be the turning point and they failed miserably in that one.It seems like some people are clutching straws.It’s probably back to the Championship and more of the same.The club need to ask themselves if they really want to be in the Premiership.If they do,then lets do it the right way.No more piecemeal half hearted attitude to it.
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Two things to say:
1. Why is there so much gossip and talk from Wolves players to the E&S. Its a load of paper drivel. Let the E&S do their job (journalism) and the players do theirs (football)
2. I’ve just had my burnley tickets thru the TPS. I will have to do a 300 mile round trip to get to the Molineux. If Wolves repeat their Birmingham performance then I wont be coming up on the 20th Dec. Rubbish performances = lower gates = lower revenue.
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championship if thick mick stays in charge.we need someone with tatical awareness
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32 spot on!!
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Where do we go from here…..? The transfer market in a big way or down I’m afraid. Wold be helpful to pla our BEST available players regardless of whether they ‘put a shift in’ in their correct positions. Football is a simple game. Chequebook out for christmas! Do the deals now
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Back to the Championship I think just like the last time and another few years will go by before they get another chance in the Premier, to come up for another season of thrashings and then back down again. Something must be done to address this problem of buying the right players to esablish the club in the top flight as it will be up and down all the time without the proper players for the job in the premier.
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it goes from bad to worse… if that was possible.
bookies fave to go down – and yet the muppet will remain in employ, probably even the year after we get relegated. this isnt a case of being fickle – this is a case of a proven no-hoper at the helm
4 wins ever in the prem – does anyone see him making a 5th ?
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If I have made these comments 20 times before please excuse me,but I will say them again.
1)This club went static when Mr Moxey joined. Look at the progress Stoke have made since he left!
2)Mick McCarthy IS NOT a premiership manager. You only have to look at his record to see that.
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Where do we go from here?
We take the gold shirts away from these failures and cowards who do not give us 100%. They are not Wolves!
They should wear the away black shirt until they prove to us that they are true Wolves and can wear the Old Gold with pride. Nobody qualified for that last weekend.
Our heroes who wore the Old Gold should not have their memories insulted by these self-seeking, second-rate failures! They have no right to wear the Old Gold!
As far as the manager is concerned… just don’t go there!
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95. Whilst I agree with everything you have said I am sorry but this pathetic lot do not wear OLD GOLD. They haven’t for a number of years. Old Gold shirts went out of the window when that man Moxey came. Why do you think the TESCO tribe call it the custard bowl.
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Obviously the disquiet raised on this site has frightened the Wolves management to put pressure on the E&S and now a dozen trivial articles have been published (with no Post a Comment facility) and our angry postings have now become distant history!
As far as the Wolves management is concerned, it never happened! History is in the process of being re-written.
What is obvious is that the 3M conspiracy continues and we will end up back in the Championship, and instead of replacing Thick Mick, a failed manager, we will be bombarded by Happy Clappers shouting that he is a great Championship manager and he should continue managing the Wolves! He will get us back into the Premiership!
It is a self-perpetuating deceit that bears all the hallmarks of Moxey.
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I said this months ago (before a ball was kicked)4 to 5 Prem Proven Players
Moxey talks of players not just coming for cash – Imv Moxey has a track record of spouting off about how “mean” Wolves are with players agents and whilst being prudent is one thing – its totally another to make potential players agents keep a wide berth of Wolves because we have a Chief Exec who cant attract Prem Proven Players and a manager who has a reputation of picking his favourites and isolating anyone who has a difference of opinion – not to mention appalling lack of tactics!
Moxey claimed “Job Done” – I hope this comes back to bite him where it hurts!!!
A Chief Exec who spouts off that we could not attract the players we wanted and also relentlessly made public that Wolves would not do a “Leeds etc”
Absolute tosh and an apparent smoke screen – Wolves fans have never expected any less than a squad that has a go and in return us fans would go to hell and back providing our team showed as much commitment as we do!
Failures to attract the right Prem Proven Players – I believe lie firmly with Moxey who imv failed miserably (again)
Thanks MM for promotion you , Moxey and Clipboard are simply not good enough for the Prem – Mr Morgan should now be looking at suitable replacements for all 3 to step in before Jan 1st 2010
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