Harper plans to prove Mick wrong
Thursday 27th August 2009, 11:30AM BST.
Reading midfielder James Harper has insisted Wolves manager Mick McCarthy was wrong to deny him a return to the Premier League.
The 28-year-old was set for a move to Molineux earlier this month after a £2million fee was agreed with Reading. But the transfer hit the buffers, when the buyers called off the deal amid concerns over the player’s fitness.
Now Harper, who has played more than 300 games for the Royals, including 76 in the top flight, wants to prove to McCarthy – and any other boss in the market for a new player – that he is fully fit.
The 28-year-old said: “I respect his decision but I don’t agree with it. I was just recovering from a groin injury and when Mick looked at the scans he told me I wouldn’t be ready. I think he is wrong.
“Since then he has been to the Madejski Stadium to watch me play and I hope my performance demonstrated that I can do a job.
“Don’t get me wrong. I am not desperate to leave Reading, but they have now put on record that they are willing to let me go.
“I am happy here, but at the back of my mind is the fact that Reading accepted a fee and told me I can go.
“It’s not a nice feeling when you think they don’t want you. Everyone wants to feel wanted.
“All I want to do is play football and I am not complaining. I realise how lucky I am to be doing something I love and to have money coming in, when so many people are struggling to find a job.
“At the moment I don’t have a clue what is happening. It seems that Reading have said they are willing for me to leave, but Wolves have said I am not fit enough.
“I have no idea whether any other club will be interested in talking to me before the deadline. What I do know is that I just want to play football.”
Wolves has not necessarily finished recruiting as next Tuesday’s deadline approaches and a deal for Harper – who has played in five of Reading’s six games this season – could still happen.
McCarthy said: “Once that window shuts that’s it, you can’t do anything else until January – we’re mindful of that. I’m happy with what we’ve got – but we’re still looking.”
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Get him in asap, especially if Michael Kightly continues to suffer injury problems
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I have always rated Harper; hard working midfield player and a really good tackler and distributor.
However, if there isa doubt with his fitness don’t do the deal. I am sure there are good players out there who can do just as good a job.
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forget him – go any get nolan from newcastle.
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Just sign him up, what is £1.8million to us?! Absolutely nothing. We got that money from the Lescott transfer. What is there to lose?
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This another of Martin Swain,s reporters trying
to drum up copy for the paper. Why don,t they get off their backsides do some proper research,and find out whats really going on behind the scene,s.
Instead of old news to fill in.
Like why are we not going for Tuncay, who could
be going to the blouses.
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Think it’s the right decision really… If the chap ain’t fir, then why spend a reported 1.8 million on him. I think we all know that there are other irons in the fire when it comes to transfer targets, only worry is that nothing has happened for the past 2 or so weeks… We Still need a BIG NAME signing to shut up the armchair fans… Those of us who have been there for the past 3 games will say we have done OK so far, and when Kights, SEB and Doyle are fully fit we will be fine…
C’mon me babies!!!
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Just the sort of player Bob Wolf would be buying – crocked and past it!! Jog on!
UTW!
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I’m not sure if Mick is an expert on MRI scans, but think he would be a good signing if there is a minor injury with no long term implications. We do not really have an alternative to Karl Henry (who has made an excellent start to the season) as a holding midfielder. If one more muppet comes on here and suggests we should pay the $40000 a week it would take to get Kevin Nolan …..
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3 – Nolan is past it, he has been poor over recent seasons… his best years at Bolton are behind him. Verdict – distinctly average. Better than what we’ve got in centre mid? No
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Has anyone noticed, while the windows open you
do not see or hear from Moxey in the media. But i bet after Tuesday he will be on Talksport, WM,
Beacon, on how we have spent well in the close
season. NOT!!
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I’m not too excited about Harper but we definately need cover on the wings and in Midfield. I can’t believe we didn’t get Hunt!
Harper’s ok but is he any better than Carlos Edwards? Maybe a late move for him would be good.
I just hope Kites get back asap as we are missing his creativity.
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Get some quality players in – not another Reading reject, a team almost in the bottom 3 of the Championship and out of the Cup.
We urgently need cover for Kightly and Jarvis -if Jarvis goes down we will be playing with Edwards and Ward on the wings and that will not cut the mustard in the Championship, let alone in the Premiership. Mick should have addressed this by now.
Any chance of getting rid of Collins – what happened to the list of clubs wanting to sign him?? Oh well, only another 3 years left on his contract…
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Go for Alan Smith (would prefer Tom Huddlestone but he looks like he is part of Harry’s plans for the future now), Joe Ledley and Jermaine Beckford and then we’re done!!!
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A player l think will fit in and be a great player for us is Ried of Sunderland, plenty of prem experience good on the ball and scores. Get him in MM, think they will let him go. UTW
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We paid a record 6.5 million for Kevin Doyle fully aware of his impending Hernia operation, we have brought in two or three players without Premiership experience, one with little or no match exposure this season because of his inability to speak English, another who had to apply for a work permit after the transfer, and a washed up goalkeeper
from Reading ( like we need another goalkeeper)so why would we reject Harper who has played 76 times in the Premiership, has an excellent Football understanding with Kevin Doyle, and wants to play for Wolves.
For Gods sake , all he had was a groin injury, a very common Football injury, and one players recover from, he has recovered and is playing now…so what is the real problem here ?
The way we are going suggests that Wolves Management has no intentions of adding to their team, believing that their Championship team of last season plus three or four new signings, most of which would not have attracted any other Premiership club, will see them through the Premiership this season.
Who out there agrees that with one goal on the board after four games, we have a forward line capable of seeing Wolves through the season ?
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Wonder if Mick will be at Villa Park Tonight to check on Megahoofer?
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spend the money on someone with a higher profile and more premiership experience. if this deal goes through i dont think its money well spent
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Keep away from players like this wolves. Something is clearly not right. A player that has looked really good for small patches of his career but never really kicked on and fulfilled his potential. Nothing to suggest that he will now.
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1 – why are you comparing Harper to Kightley? They’re completely different players!
Foley’s injured isn’t he? Why don’t we buy Kevin Kyle as cover?!
I despair sometimes. I really do.
Trust Mick’s judgement – he’s done pretty well so far.
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Does anyone actually know what is wrong with Kightly or how long he is going to be out for? All gone very quiet on that front!
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Forget Harper & Nolan, get Papa Diop from fulham!!
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I think he is a good player ,but they are right to back off if he is carrying an injury.We have been caught before. But we need a quality signing, someone who can score the winner, before 1st Sept.According to a recent financial review we made £15M profit in the last 5 years,and Redrow shares are doing nicely, so Mr Morgan show us you care for the Wolves as much as the owner at Stoke cares for Stoke, and let us beat them to Tuncay.
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Not sure about Harper, he is a good player and he falls within our wage budget but people like Nolan are on 50k a week and have no hunger hence why a club of Newcastles size went down last season. Get Ledley, Adam Johnson and Robert Huth. I see the albion were pleased to get past Rotherham as these lower league clubs need the revenue especially with no sponsor!
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It has got to be Noel Hunt from Reading. Quality player. I watched him at Dundee United before he joined Reading and he was quality. Quick and versatile.
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Its Karl Henry who picks the team!!
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We Should Sign Tuncy Sanli Versatile attacker Can play anywhere in midfield and up front. cover for the wings i see being vital! he would definatly do a very good job there!
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Sighn him hes a hard working player with premier league experence and for just 2 mill!
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We’ve got bigger fish to fry! Just ask Sam Charmers when he gets home after picking up his GCSE results!
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isnt that for the in-depth medicals to show up the problems and determine if he is fit??….maybe another option would be butt or o hara at spurs?
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Hope we are looking at other players as well as Harper! Not long to go before the deadline I am a little worried especially when I hear Blues are after Tuncay for 5m! Come on Moxey get the cash out before its too late.
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4. All of our strikers have been out injured (ebanks blake, iwelumo, doyle) and our player with the most assists (kightly) has been out injured you absolute numpty. We do have a strikeforce good enough for the prem.
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I hear blues are preparing a £5 million bid for Tuncany. With our healthy profit margins why don’t moxey show some ambition and sign some quality players. How can MM be happy with what we got . Even Fergy & Wenger have reportedly said they need strength in depth.
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19. What planet have you been watching football from? Harper is a right sided midfielder and has experience as well as goals to his credit. If you have ever seen Harper play, you would know that.
I can understand Mick’s concern about an injury and therfore any deal must be structured to reflect that fact.
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I am a fan. I sit on the terraces and shout alot, so i know what it takes to sign a player. I watched that Tuncay bloke last season on MOTD, the last 15 seconds of each week if I remember correctly, he looked well good he did, spunk £6 million on him. Talking of MOTD, I remember some bloke that used to be on that week in week out for Bolton, Nolan was his name, where is he now ? Anyway, he looked good four years ago, why doesn’t Mick splash £5 million on him ? He’s only only on 40k a week, plus i like his goal celebrations. More importnatly, I want to know why Mick is commenting on the comments on this forum. we’re hard paying fans a deserve to be heard.
LOL !!
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no12Bob Wolf, Personally I don’t believe in criticising players at the match, but I had to smile on Tuesday.I came late and they had flogged my season ticket seat ,so I was in a different part of the ground. On one occasion when Collins hoofed the ball into touch,the guy behind said’ just think we have got another 3 years of this’. I thought is that Bob Wolf and then I realised probably 6000 other people were saying the same thing.I was pleased for Collins though that he scored his penalty.One thing you have got to say the player gives his best.
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33. Interesting that, whenever he has played against the Wolves he has dominated the game from central midfield.
He has played the last few games for Reading, proved his fitness so why not buy him? The right experience and an ability to keep the ball under pressure.
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Tuncay’s on 65k a week at Boro, we’re not in that league yet (neither are Birmingham but let them get on with it). We’ll see who has the last laugh when Carson Yeung runs them into the ground. Half full stadiums aren’t going to pay the wages of the likes of Tuncay!
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no34 Of course if you went to the FA cup match last season you would have seen Tuncay play and score. If you had listened to Mick’s post match comments you would be aware that Tuncay is a player that he highly rates. I suppose butlers don’t do irony very well.
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Shades of the Alan Gow affair. Mick wouldn’t take the risk but Norwich did and he doesn’t appear to have been a crock. That said, he was relegated so maybe Mick used the injury as an excuse for a change of heart.
I think Mick has made some good buys but I believe his flexibility and man-management remain suspect. Players either think he’s the best thing going or if they don’t get a chance, they are soon ostracised and moan about lack of communication.
My reading of the report is that irrespective of Harper’s quality, this is not a sound basis to go forward and it has the potential to end in tears very quickly.
I’d forget it and strengthen the forward line. It’s not only during the season but pre-season – Scunthorpe apart – where we’ve failed to set the world alight in front of goal. I think Tuncay would be a good investment but I can’t see a buy in the £6m bracket being negotiated by the 3 M’s this close to Tuesday.
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15 – cant be bothered to go into reasons why, or what part of your ramblings im referring to but your a muppet.
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hello, im alex raes butler
im probably nearing bus pass age yet i im still down with all the lingo ROFLMAO, if i was half as good at my job as i was at being condescending i’d be on a yacht somewhere in monaco and not hunched up at my desk in smethwick
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£15M profit over 5 years, £40M for going up, £2M from Lescott. Then why the hell have we only spent £15M Morgan? I think he knows he got a bargain, afterall the blue noses are being sold for over £60M?! I think his heart just isn’t in it, he’s creaming some cash off and still loves Liverpool which makes me very uncomfortable. Proof? Did anyone see the sky tv shots of Liverpool’s new Greek defender in the crowd at Anfied for the Liverpool V’s Villa game? Guess who was sitting just infront of their new signing? None other than ‘Ive well and truly divorced my relationship with Liverpool’ (not) Steve Scouse Morgan?! This just doesnt sit right with me?
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dont want to sound negative but after all the spin the 3 ms gave us about signing experienced prem plaayers and not making the same mistakes as 2003/2004 it seems we’re entering the last 5 days of the window considerably under strentgh in the centre mid and wing areas january is a long way off when the injuries start coming thick and fast and you only have a small squad.so i suggest the 3 ms get the players in asap
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34 you have summed these message boards up perfectly! Classic!!!
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I am glad to hear that Mick is not going to buy a player who he thinks still carries an injury although the player in question is a good player and could have been an asset to us.What does worry me is when Mick says he is happy with what we`ve got,a good manager should always be on the lookout to improve his squad.It really is time for you to walk Mick as once again your lack of ambition is showing.The fans do`nt deserve to be let down again,this should be their season.
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fully agree with No.15.. You make perfect sense mate.
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34 i totally agree
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Tuncay & Huth have signed for STOKE of all teams.
Says it all really. Why havn’t we tried for them? Better than what we have, no?
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21….I’d rather have Papa Smurf.
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Tuncay sali is going to stoke will huth …. stoke mean business this year and were going to be a joke… we cant win at the start of the season against teams like man city who need to tAKE TIME TO GELL… whats the hope nearer the end of the season…. They should have spent more money… what happened to that other big summer signing we were prmoised? surely not mancienne?
wolves yet again have managed to stab themselves in the foot with their reluctancy to spenmd money and pay decent payers wages…
we would have never got huddlestone anyway why would he come to wolves when he has spurs or villa after him … were not good enough…. as for nolan he wouldnt come to wolves anyway bolton want him again…. alan smith well i dont see why he would want to choose wolves if he had other choices….
harper …. is in our league there the players wolves can attract thats all….
prove me wrong wolves get three more players….
beckford and ledley are more realistic….. but i doubt well spend any more money now.
relegation teams portsmouth… burnley wolves… unless they wake up and sign 3 quality signings before monday….. for example a decent striker…. midfielder and winger….
has any one heard any rumours today….
its not all doom and gloom well done wolves on their performances so far lets just hope we can push a win out of hull….. while other teams are not at their best.
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We still need quality:-
Alan Smith
Joe Ledley
J Beckford
Nolan
End of message. Our competition is ramping up and we will get the usual injuries. :-)
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personally I like the way Moxey does his business. i am sure he has quite a few alternatives up his sleeve as we read all this and that about players going here, there and everywhere. Better to keep your cards close to your chest than reveal to all and sundry! I guarantee by late Tueday we will have some fresh faces and we will all bemore than happy.
Roben is on his way!
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tuncay and nolan if we want to stay in the prem and a big strong striker
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could be a good buy but when u see stoke in talks with huth and tuncay i am asking myself why are we not in for these players? we need some more experience youth alone will not keep us up. please lets make a couple of big signings this week
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No 34 Alex Rae,s Butler, Well said young man..
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the only players we get in and will get in are players no one else wants
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they should get him and get shut of mad mick
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There are a lot of good players been sold at the moment, players we should be in the market for, if we can’t compete in the market with STOKE we might as well turn the lights out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
El Toro Wolf…..
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Chris Hoggard – Of course I went to the Boro cup match last season I remember it well as Alex had given me the day off. I especially remember the parts where Alves and Emnes scored for Boro and not Tuncay !! Does this mean we should spunk £15 million on the pair of them, or does it mean you dont actually go to games ?!
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As always the silence of the transfer dealings from Wolves heirachy is DEAFENING. Still we be alright if we put ina good SHIFT.
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Tuncay and Huth now signed for Stoke. Good buys I think but expensive wages!
Stoke are a big strong side and will now have a bit of pace so good luck to them.
What amazes me on here are the people who think that the 3 M’s don’t know what they are doing.
MM has been in football all his life and will see the failings as much as anyone else.
He will also see things we, as fans, do not
If we don’t get anyone in then it wont be for the want of trying on MM’s part.
No use getting anyone in though and panic buying.
Trust in the 3M’s they have produced a financially solid club, now in the premiership and with a good young side playing attractive football.
They need to keep on building.
MM will know more than any of us what needs to be done!!!
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we are signin castillo on loan for the season.
he and his agent were at compton trainin ground and i spoke to his agent and he told me the medical side is being done today and that he will sign within 48 hours.
good signin!!!!
he was on loan at everton last season for those of u who dont know him.
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Oh well it was nice to have at least 3 months of hope!
The only hope we have now is that Morgan takes fat boy with him when he runs off with our money!!
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13)
Agree with you 100% – Beckford and Ledley and we are looking at possibly 12th finish!!! Not sure Harper is hungry enough.
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no59 Of course I was there, and I could remember a Turk scored. Do you remember Mick speaking so well of Tuncay? All water under the bridge now, he has gone somewhere else.But I tell you something I will be very surprised if we have a midfielder this season who plays as well as Alex did last time we were in the Prem.
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Look, Huth and Tuncay have joined Stoke because they have established themselves as a Premier League Team. At the moment, we are a side who have won promotion, but haven’t proved to be an established Premier League team. I personally think we have signed some decent, bright players this summer. Big names don’t always prove they are good do they? Anyway, my starting XI would be for Sat:
Hennessy
Stearman
Mancienne
Craddock/Zubar
Elokobi
Halford
Henry
Milijas
Jarvis
SEB
Doyle
UTW!
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With one goal in three Premiership games and a lack of true quality in midfield, MM needs to take another look before the deadline.
Why are not looking at Dunne – surely we have the money for that deal!!!
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Amidst all the criticism of the 3M’s policies in the transfer market, I was interested to hear a report on football finances on radio 5 last week, where our beloved Wolves were highlighted as an extremely well run club, where the Chairman hasn’t risked the club’s long term future with rash spending.
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no38. Chris Hoggard i would just like to point out which FA cup game was it when tuncay scored? because i hope your not referring to the wolves middlesborough game, because we lost 2-1 to goals from afonso alves and marvin emnes, just thought id point that out, you muppet, tuncay has gone stoke anyway so everybody shut up about him
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Not too bothered about Harper (kebe is arguably better). Just disappointed Brunt has now committed to Tescos.
With 5 days or so to go to the deadline i am staying positive. And when Jez is quiet means he is busy (no puns about pies please guys). Hopefully we will have some good news …. very soon.
Disappointed to miss out on Tuncay but if i was offered Tuncay or Wheater for Wolves i would go for Wheater (fat chance i know), and at the time of typing this Stoke havent quite sealed Tuncay …. just Huth.
Plenty more possibles out there … Man City (e.g. Petrov, M.Johnson), Boro (Wheater, A.Johnson, Hoyte), i know very little about Castillo so won’t comment.
Any opinions of Stefan Maierhofer against the Villa … on the last 30 mins he looked ok (for the right price) and a decent target man (i.e. knock downs, awkward for defenders).
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Ive never read so much drivel as i have reading this message board!!
Only a couple of posts make any sense at all and its clearly obvious that most of you are all armchair fans getting your team sheets from fifa 09!
I dont think any of you would be happy until we sign ronaldo, aguero, terry and rooney!
What do you think this is?? if any of you remember all we did last time we were up was to sign merceneries who did not care about playin with the old gold and black.
What Mick is trying to do is bring together a team with a hardworking ethos and somthing to prove at this level. Many of them would never have thought they could have the chance to play in the prem and know they have and having been to every game over the last 8 years we look more comfortable in the premiership this season than we did in the championship or prem 5 years ago! Anybody who comes on here and doesnt put keogh in their starting 11 clearly has no clue! what we do need however is a good cdm who can break up play and make short simple passes with a good succession rate as we only have henry and if he becomes injured we have no one else.
So no we should not spend any more money on our front line as the engine room still needs some development!
Bunch of idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IN MICK WE TRUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Our spending so far has been pathetic, Milijas is quality but I think that is more luck than good judgement. We have scored 1 goal in 4 matches. We desperately need a striker and a CB, Henry is not a premiership player anyone who thinks he is does not know football, his distribution is appalling and he is too lightweight to be considered as a hardman, another void we need to fill.
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1.Everyone concerned with WOLVES and even those those are not, are aware that the current squad is not good enough to think of anything other than a serious fight against relegation we have 30% chance of survival.
I do not want to read people saying anything else as these are the facts and facts are what matter.
2.Jez Moxey is a Dell boy whats known as a chancer!! things he will get right but got three times as much wrong!!
Again all WOLVES fans are aware of this fact yet we still get crazy dudes suggest otherwise!
For someone of his standing in the club he tells a little to many porkies to the public!
3.Micko needs to go and will be gone in the next year.He as done well but he is a “YES MAN” and this will bring him down and take de wolves down!! Everyone knows wolves need srengthing yet he insists no they are good enough and he is happy!!When we get relegated then MICKO will tell the truth!
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no69 I suppose you are an alias of an alias.We will have a look at Tuncay on 31 Oct.Strange way of supporting the Wolves some people have got ,they don’t want to sign quality players,they prefer to have brownie points from the Chief Executive.
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i think if we get the 3 players were rumoured to be getting- meierhoffer, harper and the fella from everton (cassillias?) then i think we will be fine
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73 – WiE
Utter drivel!!
Most doesn’t warrant a reply ( the bits I could actaully understand that is), but to suggest that MM is a YES man demonstrates that you either know nothing about this club or you are a very poor judge of character.
Probably the only point You have made which is close to the mark is that we will be in for a serious battle to avoid relegation.
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TOTALLY agree with 71
For those of you who want to get rid of MM who would you suggest we get.#
Perhaps you think Sir Alex would come and then we could go for Renaldo and then Champions league.
Get real we are trying to establish ourselves with players who want to play for us. No mercenary has ever done any good in the old gold shirt!!
We all know what the failings of the club are we just need to support it.
How many of you were there when we went into the 4th under the Batty brothers!!
Why would premiership players want to come to us in our first season when the odds are against survival
Please stop the stupid comments and take a reality pill of the club we are AT THE MOMENT!!!
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MM strikes me as a poor man’s Brian Clough – “it’s my way or the highway!”
I don’t mean that disrespectfully, I think it’s a great compliment. He is by far the best manager we have had since I’ve been going to Molineux (1987), and he has built over the last 3 seasons the best team over that period. I just wish he would play it in the League cup: – The only thing we have any realistic chance of winning!
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