Kelly backs Wolves signing

Sunday 29th June 2008, 12:07AM BST.

robkellypa.jpgFormer Wolves youth coach Rob Kelly – Richard Stearman’s mentor – believes the new Molineux defender is destined for the top.

Kelly, who managed Stearman at Leicester, also revealed he turned down ‘very big money’ for the 20-year-old from Sunderland.

“Richard is a great signing for Wolves,” said Kelly, who played and coached at both Wolves and Leicester.

“If Richard goes on to fulfil his potential, then he can go to the top.

“Richard has gone to Wolves to get to the Premier League. He certainly has all the makings of a Premier League player and that’s what Mick McCarthy has bought him for.

“He’s already started on the international route and has made it to the under-21s so he’s making his way up.”

Kelly also praised McCarthy for his talent-spotting and revealed how determined Stearman is to reach the top.

“Mick has done his homework because he’s signed one of the up and coming players in the Championship,” added Kelly, a former Express & Star journalist and now Alan Irvine’s No 2 at Preston.

“He’s a terrific player who is very driven and wants to do it. He’s an intelligent young man and an intelligent footballer.

“He can play right-back, centre-back or in midfield, but I think he will be a centre-half under Mick.”

Stearman has already played 130 games for Leicester, but Kelly believes there is still plenty of learning to do before Stearman becomes the finished article.

“He has gone to Wolves to improve his game,” he added. “He’s quite possibly a Premier League player, but he needs at least another year in the Championship.”

New arrival David Jones has revealed how his former Manchester United team-mate Sylvan Ebanks-Blake helped to ‘sell’ Wolves to him. “He’s loving his time here – he massively ‘bigged up’ the place,” he said.


  1. 1
    eddiesimp

    That seems promising with SEB saying that. I can’t wait for the season to get going. Also although I liked Freddie and would have like to have seen him have a run in the team, it was a major distraction we could have done without. Come on lads, lets take the league by the horns and be up by Christmas!

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  2. 2
    Golden Blood

    I think we are now begining to see the benefits of retaning a manager and not sacking him after 1 average season.

    No one is saying that last season was a success. But it sure was no disaster.

    I totally agree with Morgan here, consistency is what is required. Let the manager make mistakes, and let the manager learn from the mistakes and put them right. That is exactly what is happening here with these transfers and players on the list.

    Critisism was fair last season, Mick deserved critisism, but to sack him would have been a crime. We would have been back to square one.

    As Morgan said, “if you dont like what Wolves are doing here then sod off and go and tare some other club apart”.

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  3. 3
    gainsborough wolf

    GOOD TO SEE NEW PLAYERS ARRIVING SO LETS ALL GET OFF MICKS BACK AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEW SEASON AHEAD COM ON ME BABIES

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  4. 4
    HappyClapperWolf

    More positives, well done Wolves!! Good pre season so far, when Freddy has gone we can but that to bed once & for all.

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  5. 5
    wednesbury1

    I agree! another season in the championship should see most wolves players fullfill part of their ambitions and there’s no better way than winning it this season, a few more additions to this current wolves squad should give them every chance of dominating most games, it’s going to be a really good season for wolves.

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  6. 6
    alido

    superb….after all he’d know wouldn’t he….
    Onwards & upwards the Jim Henson way TeeHee

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  7. 7
    Wulf

    Sunday Mirror-”Mick McCarthy will complete the £2million signing of Christophe Berra this week.
    Wolves boss McCarthy has been tracking the Hearts defender (below) all summer and has already had a £1.5m bid for the 22-year-old turned down. Hearts are now ready to accept Wolves’ new bid.”

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  8. 8
    wolves ay we

    well done mick.lets get behind the boys, no more moaning the players wana be here.

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  9. 9
    ledbury wolf

    out of the darkness cometh light!!!!

    come on me babbies!!!

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  10. 10
    adi baker

    ….all seems well at the molineux, very promising.

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  11. 11
    wolf72

    Full of praise for MM for this one! His reputation appears to go for him, just have to wait to see how he does!

    Can anybody fault MM in the transfer market thus far? This appears to be the most promising close season I have ever witnessed! Can anybody honestly say they could have delivered better prospects to a club? Few signings short but I am confident the right players will coming through those doors in the next couple of weeks.

    Come on me babbies! Lat season was a blip….onward and upward!

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  12. 12
    pyegreenbaggie

    blimey,if wolves has been sold to him i have some nice timeshares he may be interested in.

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  13. 13
    newlynsteve

    Great news! I’m glad MM’s got some plaudits for his work in bringing in good young players. I hope he can get it from the supporters now! These guys have the talent and now they have to kick on step up to the plate!

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  14. 14
    J RIELLY

    VERY GOOD NEWS ON THE SIGNINGS SO FAR, I FEEL WE STILL NEED A BACK FOUR PLAYER AND A HARD MAN IN MIDFIELD, CAN I BRING THE MARK DAVIES QUESTION BACK ON THE TABLE? ARE WE GOING TO SEE HIM IN THE FIRST TEAM, HE SHOWED GREAT PROMISE AND YOU DO NOT GET AN ENGLAND CALL UP AT ANY LEVEL WITHOUT GREAT ABILITY. LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO MY LOCAL GROUND PLYMOUTH ( WE LIVE IN REDRUTH ONE AND A HALF HOURS) AND SEEING THE CAPTURE OF THE FIRST OF MANY 3 POINTS DURING THE SEASON. I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT OUR CHANCES.
    JAMIE AY PANYON HOLIDAY PARK CUBS JAMES AND JENNY

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  15. 15
    Philippines Wolf

    Great to read such a positive story. Can’t get to watch the Euro Final out here, but catching up on The Wolves is the next best thing!

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  16. 16
    53 years, man & boy

    Sounds like the kind of signing we need, but why is mad Mick and his “strange” ideas involved? It makes me wonder!

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  17. 17
    Danish Wolf

    Robert Kelly is a smart guy – I interviewed him once!

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  18. 18
    Carlton

    Massively bigged up the place?

    Obviously forgot to mention our moron fans, who despite the best part of 2 decades in the second tier still expect us to win the league every year.

    Tettenhall gree is nice though…

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  19. 19
    pip

    we all know its only results that will count.

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  20. 20
    nige wolf

    promising times ahead!!! decent quality young signings, just need a couple of experienced heads now to keep the nippers settled!!!

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  21. 21
    mac

    Things looking up just one good defender last season and we would have gone up.

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  22. 22
    Kent Wilf

    12 BRILLIANT

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  23. 23
    Baggy 1

    You lot will still be in the Fizzy pop league next season and for ever, because that is what Jez wants, and it is your level. Live with it, never mind you can watch us on Sky, and Think if only you had good players and a good manager and coaches, you could be there. My mate from sunderland tells me Mad MM has been seen in the city, Flashing Morgans Money around.

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  24. 24
    Jonathan

    Super mick is back!!!! love it

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  25. 25
    Freddy hater

    23 – why do we need to bother with sky, we’ll be seeing you soon enough cos we may not be good enough to go up (your opinion) but you’re certainly not good enough to stay up

    Report abuse

  26. 26
    Fred

    23 – why do we need to bother with sky, we’ll be seeing you soon enough cos we may not be good enough to go up (your opinion) but you’re certainly not good enough to stay up

    Report abuse

  27. 27
    debigbadwolfman

    23.boggy 1. yeh we will all have a good laugh at you lot next season and wots that another rat jumping ship again wot with your best player gera gone now the dane and you still haven’t signed anyone yet oh what a season you’re gonna be in for ay!good times ahead for the boggies ay!don’t make me laugh

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  28. 28
    stuart conwy

    Brillant signing, thank god wolves are signing some real talented players. the best thing about it, is that they are all young (the stars for the future). Hopefully this season we can get our together
    Hennessey
    Foley Stearman Berra Elokobi
    Henry Jones Olofinjana
    Kightly Jarvis
    SEB
    subs
    Murray
    Darren Ward
    Neil Collins
    Mark Davies
    Dave Edwards
    Andy Keogh
    Eastwood
    fIRST TEAM LOOKS GOOD AND HUNGRY, i hope we keep olofinjana, eastwood and Darren Ward, because i think they are quality. All we need now is to have a pacey defender, some one like

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