Vokes target after Ruud meeting

Tuesday 1st July 2008, 10:37AM BST.

wd2813677vokes-1-gd-23.jpgNew striker Sam Vokes has already rubbed shoulders with Ruud van Nistelrooy this summer – now he’s targeting a first team place at Wolves.

The 18-year-old faced Real Madrid striker Van Nistelrooy when Wales met Holland as the Dutch warmed up for Euro 2008 with a 2-0 win.

The meeting whetted the former Bournemouth attacker’s appetite for forcing his way through a jam packed forward line with his new club.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Andy Keogh, as well as transfer-listed trio Freddy Eastwood, Jay Bothroyd and Stephen Elliott are all still at Molineux.

Vokes said: “To be on the same pitch as Ruud Van Nistelrooy just shows what a massive summer it’s been for me and how it’s all happened really quickly.”

“Now it’s a case of making sure I knuckle down here, keep my feet on the floor and hopefully get a chance.

“There are some really good strikers here but competition is good. Everyone knows how hard they’ve got to work to get in the team, which can only be good.

“It was a great confidence booster to hear the manager saying it was up to me to win a place.

“It’s good to know when you join a new club that even though I’m young, if I work hard and do well I’ve got a chance.

“Wolves are a big club and it’s a good step up for me and that’s something to thrive on.

“The chance to play in front of 24,000 as the average was last season is an opportunity to relish.

“Going into the Championship is a big step-up for me and a great challenge.”


  1. 1
    WetWolf

    What a great attitude this kid shows.
    I hope he earns his chance and makes the most of it. He looks good from what I’ve been able to find so let’s hope he makes the step up and becomes a Wolves legend.

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  2. 2
    Ragster

    Majority of McCarthy’s signing since he has took over as manager:

    Sam Vokes from relegated Bournemouth
    David Jones from relegated Derby
    Richard Stearman from relegated Leicester
    George Elokobi from relegated Colchester
    Kevin Foley from relegated Luton
    David Edwards from relegated Luton
    Freddy Eastwood from relegated Southend
    Matt jarvis from relegated Gillingham
    Andy Keogh from relegated Scunthorpe
    Gary Breen from relegated Sunderland
    Neill Collins from relegated Sunderland

    When are we going to sign players with a winning mentality? We need Premier League reserve players, purchased or on loan.

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  3. 3
    southbank barmy army

    NEVER MIND VAN NISTLROY MATE..NOW YOUR COMPETING AGAINST THE BIG BOYS FOR A PLACE..STEPHEN WARD..STEPHEN ELLIOTT, AND THE MIGHTY KEOGH FRANKOWSKI.

    GONNA BE TOUGH BOY BUT PUT A SHIFT IN AND WHO KNOWS!!

    Report abuse

  4. 4
    Lycanthropist

    Can’t wait to see him in action, he looks like a quality player.

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  5. 5
    Arnyking

    Good Luck Kid

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  6. 6
    Bully4Engalnd

    Thats an excellent email number 2 and worthy of a spot in the paper me thinks.

    Report abuse

  7. 7
    Glorybox

    You’ll get your chance, but i hope you are able to put in a shift as talent alone doesn’t wash with MM

    Report abuse

  8. 8
    Loyal-Cannock-Wolf

    3. Your the most negative person on these pages, whats your problem?

    Report abuse

  9. 9
    southbank barmy army

    8# NO I’M THE MOST REALISTIC PERSON ON THESE PAGES.
    YOU ON THE OTHER HAND ARE ONE OF THE MOST BORING HAPPY CLAPPING NUMPTIES ON THESE PAGES.

    BUT NOWHERE NEAR AS BAD AS NEWBRIDGE AND NIGE WOLF..OR DUMB AND DUMBER AS THEIR BETTER KNOWN.

    Report abuse

  10. 10
    wolveswolves

    24,000 fans ….lol.
    Still waiting for the fat controller to tell us how many people are stupid enough to be backing Mick again this season.

    Report abuse

  11. 11
    Merridale Wolf!

    2 – your an idiot! And Im not going to waste my time explaining why!

    Report abuse

  12. 12
    Wolfie

    8. Its gotta be a baggies fan, does it every day

    Report abuse

  13. 13
    wolverines

    Why are people still being negative, 2 and 3, I’m sure once he’s had some abuse off you lot he’ll be a better player. Why can’t you just support the club, it’s a new season get behind the lads now.

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  14. 14
    John Birch

    3-whats wrong with taking the best bits from a poor team? Why sooo negative-give the guys a chance-when we won the play offs were their not players in that squad that had suffered relegation? bet you weren’t moaning then.

    Report abuse

  15. 15
    PSDT

    2 – I see your point Ragster, although you’re being very pedantic on Keogh who can hardly be blamed for Scunny going down a season and half after he left! (Particularly having won the league at the end of his final season there).
    Does this also mean we’ll sign Kevin Phillips in 12 months time after the sparrows sorry thrushes have come straight back down?????

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  16. 16
    MINTY

    Ragster – Scunthorpe got promoted the year we signed Keogh, Colchester got relegated AFTER Elokobi went, Luton got relegated AFTER Foley and Edwards left, David Jones and Gary Breen have been promoted with derby and sunderland and Stearman and Vokes are highley rated kids who need support, not the constant, negative rubbish that people like you spout.

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  17. 17
    finchy - wolves

    2 – these teams werent all relegated while these players were still there you muppet!!!! thats like saying robbie keane hasnt got a willing mentality because wolves got relegated from the prem 5 years after he left get a grip son and stop being so negative!!!!! only 2 players out of that list who havent done anything for us eastwood and collins!!!! so stop moaning and shut it or support them lot down the road!!!!

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  18. 18
    BNMAwolf

    All these negative and back biting comments are made by Sandwell town Muppets in wolf’s clothing,surely not by genuine black and gold blood, grow up and get behind your team, please dont knock your own lads before we have even kicked a ball.

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  19. 19
    Roger Rabbit

    Still got the feeling we missed out by not trying to get Ched Evans from Man City, even on loan… I saw him and Vokes play for Wales against Iceland a few weeks back and frankly Vokes looked a bit of a donkey compared to Evans…still there’s time… look what happened with Peter Withe!!!!

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  20. 20
    Spirite Wolf

    2 & 3 I’m not an MM fan, i’ll give him support untill he fails but there is a lot of truth in what you right. Also Young and hungry diciples need to get a realism check. Quality and passion is what i would look for irrespective of age. Hope Sam does well but nothing looks any different from last year un proven signings. We signed SEB who was recognised as one of the best in the division and he delivered. We gamble a lot on these players, look at the size of the squad, we didn’t need another 6 players we just needed a quality midfielder origionally to play along side George now we need 2. You must have been to the games where we strugled to have a shot. Plymouth last game lot’s of huff and puff but the goalie never made a save in the game. We had 1 shot on target. MIDFIELDER please.

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  21. 21
    Radoom

    2 where do you expect them to come from Barcelona? Real Madrid? Man Utd? Juventus?

    Seriously, where do you think Championship challengers Wolves should be getting thier players from?

    Here’s your options:

    1) The jewels from other relegated sides (a la Foley, Edwards, Keogh etc)
    2) The journeymen from relegated premiership teams that aren’t up to it anymore
    3) Premiership loan players that potentially won’t stay a full season and if we got up could well be taken back.

    Think about the situation we are in, apply a little thought to it and then attempt to have another go at a considered response.

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  22. 22
    Merridale Wolf!

    10 – im backing WOLVES next year like I do every year. Does that make me stupid??? NO IT MEANS IM LOYAL!

    Report abuse

  23. 23
    southbank barmy army

    SO ACCORDING TO A FEW ARM HOLES ON HERE, IF YOU DON’T HAPPY CLAP..THEN YOU MUST BE A TESCO IN DISGUISE.

    LMAO IT GETS BETTER ON HERE EVERYDAY.

    Report abuse

  24. 24
    bill

    First of all I agree a lot with what 21 said.

    My main point is I dont know why we are obsessed with signing strikers, we seem to have dozens of them. Surely our problem last season was the lack of a creative midfielder to feed our army of interchangeable strikers

    I hope Jones is the creative midfielder we lack but I havent seen him play so I reserve judgement

    Im no fan of Micks but so far this summer the signings at least appear to have had a bit of thought put into them

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  25. 25
    Spirite Wolf

    21 You miss the point all these wages all these contracts for 2 and 3 years. We could have bought 3 quality players and paid the wages from the championship if needed. Also Stoke had 4 players who had played in the premiership in there squad and Hull had 2 and Albion most. It’s not about quantity it’s about quality. these players might well be a success and i hope they are but it seems like we are spending a lot of money where we dont need too. The clubs comming down will all be there or there abouts and you know what you get. Not convinced about the buying policey but i know you can’t knock Steve Morgan he really is putting his money where his mouth is.

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  26. 26
    Grogphil

    I hear Sparky’s free, at a price just missed out on Kenny Miller!!!!! No get in the real world 2 MM has lowered the age of the squad, ok he may not be everyone’s favourite but no one can moan about his signings.

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  27. 27
    James

    Bournemouth were relegated due to a points deduction last season. I think they won 6 out of their last 8 games.

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  28. 28
    irish smurf

    number 4 looks at one side

    he looks at some of the players that we have bought have a negative mentality, but look at these examples.

    jemal johnson premier side blackburn

    jay bothroyd premier side charlton

    sylvan ebanks blake mid table plymouth.

    darren potter champion league winners liverpool

    darren gibson manchester united

    charlie mulgrew celtic

    stephen ward champions league qualifiers bohemians

    karl henry newly promoted stoke

    the point im making is tht it doesnt matter were the players come from i belive as soon as they walk through the molineux gates, thier mentality is premier league football

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  29. 29
    wolfshead

    Sam Vokes from relegated Bournemouth
    David Jones from relegated Derby
    Richard Stearman from relegated Leicester
    George Elokobi from relegated Colchester – success
    Kevin Foley from relegated Luton – success
    David Edwards from relegated Luton – success
    Freddy Eastwood from relegated Southend – toerag
    Matt jarvis from relegated Gillingham – success
    Andy Keogh from relegated Scunthorpe- success
    Gary Breen from relegated Sunderland – relatively succesful
    Neill Collins from relegated Sunderland – once seen as the best centreback we had.

    Mick’s made some shocking signings eh? Why was Ebanks Blake and Kightly mising off the list? Oh, yes, because it didnt support your argument.

    On teh whole Micks buys have been solid and he hasnt bankrupted us.

    Premiership reserves? who from? bottom 6 sides? Quality post.

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  30. 30
    Ragster

    21.Randoom

    Who cares if the loan premiership players go back after their loans, at least (as in Hull’s case with Frazer) the do their jobs and get teams promoted. Stoke had a few premier loan players as well.

    All i’m saying is that we should look at quality, not necessarily quantity. The Arsenal reserve teams always give the lower league teams a good thumping in cup competitions, premier reserve players have that winning mentality.

    I just think the players we are currently signing aren’t good enough, not for promotion anyway. As proved in the past, it was only when we signed quality players like Ince and Irwin, to compliment the other signings, is that we got promoted.

    Report abuse

  31. 31
    Rob Wolf

    I am sure Jez Moxey looks like the Fat Controller.

    As for the signings….can they cut the mustard?

    The team seem to promise a lot every season and then fail. I don’t see spending millions to be the answer. Rather a consistent, quality winning team.

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  32. 32
    finchy - wolves

    29. quality post mate trouble is with ragster and fans like him they love to be negative and when things are going well you rarely hear from them kind of fans wolverhampton wanderers could do with out!!!! im not biggest of MM fans but while he is managing my team he has got my support and watever players pull on that gold shirt!!!

    Report abuse

  33. 33
    NigeWolf

    “We need Premier League reserve players, purchased or on loan.”

    Like Gibson and Potter then? Muppet.

    Report abuse

  34. 34
    AJ

    Its strange cos he does remind me of a young Ruud Van Nistelrooy

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  35. 35
    brummie rob wolves

    Interestingly now MacLean has handed in a transfer request. We need to hold firm and offer £2 million tops plus sell-on clause. No one, even QPR, will come in at £3 million, as he is unproven at this level!

    Report abuse

  36. 36
    Radoom

    Ragster,

    Here’s the challenge with Prem reservists and why I think it is dangeous to have more than one or two:

    1) You pretty much have to guarantee them 1st team football otherwise the Prem teams won’t let you have them. Do you want a Prem team dictating the team we put out?
    2) What happens if we have 4 or 5 of them that help us go up and then they go back? 50% of our Championship promotion side gone? Realistic chances of staying up = zero, realistic chances of you then slating the manager for taking us down = plenty

    I appreciate that we need quality rather than quantity, but eggs and baskets and all that. What happens if we spend bigger on a few players and then they don’t work out, who do we turn to then?

    Get behind the manager, the signings, sing your hearts out for the lads and let’s take this league and have a squad capable of competing for Prem survival!!!!!

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  37. 37
    Eddie Wolf

    3 & 8:

    I shake my head in disbelief and shame!

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  38. 38
    Billy Wrights curls

    Surely Keogh is on the transfer list? What use is this puffed up powder-bowl to us?

    Report abuse

  39. 39
    AJ

    Totally agree with 38 get rid of Keogh now- get a million and buy Dagnall from Rochdale or Bishop from Bury

    Report abuse

  40. 40
    mr smug

    Sam Vokes from relegated Bournemouth – one of the brightest prospects around at the minute
    David Jones from relegated Derby – missed a big chunk of last season and highly regarded.
    Richard Stearman from relegated Leicester – England u21 defender and set for a bright future
    George Elokobi from relegated Colchester – crap
    Kevin Foley from relegated Luton – looks good to me.
    David Edwards from relegated Luton – not yet made my mind up, buthasn’t really had a chance yet.
    Freddy Eastwood from relegated Southend – crap
    Matt jarvis from relegated Gillingham- great signing who adds balance to the team
    Andy Keogh from relegated Scunthorpe – nothing wrong with keogh… international striker
    Gary Breen from relegated Sunderland – “war horse”.. done a good job.
    Neill Collins from relegated Sunderland – absolutely the biggest pile of shite i’ve ever seen…

    you can’t win them all, i think on the balance of things that mick has done pretty well. If you look at the value of the squad he had and the value now I doubt you could argue.

    Report abuse

  41. 41
    Loffing Wolf!

    Ragster you are a disgrace, you need to get your facts right first. As already pointed out, most of the players you’ve mentioned weren’t even at their respective clubs when they went down. I bet you are one of those moaners who ruin it for everybody else on matchday barking out insults and crap everytime a misplaced pass or effort goes wide. You along with the other cancerous morons are the reason why certain young players never fulfill their promise with the negative jibes and slagging off during games. Its as though certain players are condemmed men before they’ve even kicked a ball in anger.

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