The dream of survival is nearly real
Friday 23rd April 2010, 9:41AM BST.
A few of you took umbrage wihen I wrote a piece about next season and another crack at Premiership football, writes Wolves blogger Nathan Lloyd.
Apologies if I was a little premature (ahem) – but I never thought our survival was ever in doubt. I must admit though to being mightily relieved to see Villa put one over an abject and disorganised Hull side the other night.
We are now a massive 50-1 to be relegated with this week’s blog sponsor Sportingbet.com and yet the majority of the media seem to feel that we have only avoided relegation by default – arguing that this season’s Premier League is the weakest yet.
Well to quote the most famous of Wolves doom mongers – pah!
Yes, Hull and Burnley have been garbage and Pompey might as well have been run by a Nigerian lottery syndicate, but I do believe that Wolves deserve a lot of credit for their achievements.
And of course I include my old mucka, Mick McCarthy in all of that. I realise it’s just as well Mick manages Wolves and not over-hysterical knee-jerk supporters like me!
I’m forever reminded that I wanted him out at the end of his 2nd season, having sat through some uninspiring football. But then he goes and wins the league and keeps us up. So, I’ll stick to my day job – whatever that is.
Anyway, what is the one word you would use to sum up the Wolves team’s endeavours this season? Resolute, dogmatic, assiduous or how about simply – organised?
Whilst other Premiership teams worry about their finances, dodgy driving tests or wife swapping, isn’t it reassuring to know we have such a well run club?
We have the finances in place, a committed chairman (he isn’t off to buy Liverpool), a great manager (he has won us round) and a young, hungry and ever developing fantastic set of players. Oh and not to mention the best supporters in the land.
Whilst MM is commentating and casting an eye over the talent at this summer’s World Cup, we will all be on tenterhooks to see who comes into the club.
And having learned the lessons of buying too many players on the cheap, we should hopefully have three or four quality signings coming in and maybe as many as a dozen leaving the club.
With the Premiership enforcing the rule that squad sizes need to be a maximum of 25 next season, there will be no room for Maierhofer-type passengers.
So with three games to go this season, some have suggested that we give the fringe players, the likes of the Hoff a chance to shine. Well, as Tony Soprano would say – forget about it.
Each league position is worth a cool 750 big ones, sorry, I’ve watched Goodfellas one too many times!
We still have a chance of finishing 14th and that could make all the difference in the summer and one extra league position could even be used to just pay Rapid Vienna that survival bonus for the massive contribution Maierhofer has made to the team, pah!
Watching the Wolves at present hasn’t exactly being scintillating. It’s all been about grinding our results and accumulating enough points, which lets be honest, is usually the order of the day at this stage of a season – whatever league we find ourselves in.
After a drought of six and a half hours, it would be nice to see a goal or two against big Sam’s Blackburn on Saturday, but as long as we match or better the results of Hull and Burnley, then mathematical safety will be in the bag and the pant wetting brigade can sleep easy.
When we clinched promotion in mid-April last year, a pitch invasion was fully justified, but would you feel warranted to step onto the hallowed turf if tomorrow goes to plan?
Football may have moved on since the heady days of the 1950’s when Wolves celebrated their greatest successes, but I think the rest of the Premiership would scoff at us if we think survival is worthy of a pitch invasion.
Don’t get me wrong – it is a monumental achievement, but it’s surely just a building block to where the club needs to be.
To invade or not invade, that this week’s fundamental question.
Enjoy the game on Saturday. Big Sam’s Blackburn are still trying to finish in the top ten of the league this season, so don’t believe they are going to just turn up and let us tickle their belly.
If you have a suggestion or a comment when this blog is closed, please don’t hesitate to drop me a line on Twitter, my moniker is – Wolvesblogger.
UTW!
UK Sport
Latest Blog — A week is a long time in football
This time last week we were staring down the barrel, third from bottom with a worse record than at the same stage last year, writes Saddlers blogger Mark Jones.
Saddlers Blog
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Sure thing Nathan, let’s invade the pitch @ full time!! Oh that extra place will be usefull to pay the fine to the prem league for doing it!! Moron!!
You seem to have a real bee in your bonnet about Maierhofer, the only reason he has not had a chance to prove himself is because McCarthy will not give anyone a chance.
What about the other strikers Iwelumo, Vokes, Blake, Keogh, how many goals have they scored between themselves in the prem? Don’t you think they are a burdon to the club’s finances? What is their worth?
How many has Maierhofer scored with the limited time he has had on the pitch?
I never see you criticise any other player in this way perhaps at some stage Mierhofer snubbed you and you have a grudge you can’t let go of?
You really are an insulting little twerp!
Report abuse
As much as everybody is desperate for an all out attack attack attack performance, I the boring ( i have been accused), safety type will be happy with another solid performance.
I do hope the goals come and we get the win our recent brave dogged performances deserve.
Then I and 2,500?? others will be partying down in Pompey.
Come on the Boys.
Report abuse
The maximum squad size of 25 for next season is going to be important. Now is the time to move the club forward. We cannot wasting shirt numbers for the likes of Keogh, Iwelumo, Jumanji, Ikeme, Halford, The Hoff, Surman.. the list is endless. We have too many “average” players. These players are for Championship clubs. And I for one, don’t want us to be a Championship club ever again.
Keep Ebanks, he’s still young, send him on loan along with Stearman and co.
Let’s hope we can finish 14th and attract some stars. Like Robbie Keane.
Report abuse
wot a great dream to have hopeing you stay up,thats wot dreams are made of,our dream will be to win it and thats wot we will aim to do,aye boing boing in RDM we trust
Report abuse
Good Blog
Regarding your speculation on whether Wolves fans should invade the pitch if we secure our place in the Premiership.
I think it sends out the wrong message, yes we will all be very happy to survive and the team deserve praise, but it’s hardly winning anything.
I would prefer to see a pitch invasion for us scoring a goal.
Maybe we should all go for a round of drinks at the Bada Bing with Silvio, Paulie Walnuts, and Big Pussy.
Report abuse
As usual I will be up till 2am watching my beloved wolves, I’ve been warned to keep the noise down and not wake the kids. 2 nil is my pic, Doyle and Blake(why not). Fair play Mick, got to be our best manager now since Turner?
Report abuse
On the question of Mc winning us round. By way of balance, I say that he has done a commendable job. He has grown up, learnt, and at least by deed, critiqued his own tendency towards naive tactics.
He is still to prove whether he can develop a team that can play genuinely premiership standard football. He needs that chance, and a plague on any who e.g. referred to him as ‘thick Mick’.
Season 2, if and when it arrives, should prove interesting.
Report abuse
Doh!
Report abuse
Nathan, not all the Media think our salvation is down to the poorer quality of the Premier this season. Just a week or so ago, I think it was the Arsenal game, Jeff Stelling asked all the Sky pundits for their honest opinion of the Wolves since the beginning of the season. Every one to a man said how impressed they were with the way we have adapted to life at the top level. They agreed, as I think everyone will that it certainly hasn’t been pretty at times, but this seasons objective was survival. That is almost with us now, so I think that next season will reveal how serious our clubs intentions are to continue with that survival and build a team that will last at the top level. Some familiar faces will undoubtedly be moved on – and it will cause uproar, but that will have to be tempered by some serious purchases in order to strengthen the side. I think around 4 or 5 players must come in with an outlay of maybe £30 million or more. Without that I think we will struggle more than ever and our time in the top flight will not be long.
Thanks for your Blogs through the season….you’re a braver man than I am facing the ‘howling mob’ at times !!
Report abuse
See thats where we differ,your happy just to park the bus and win nowt a 0-0 draw for you is like a win,were as we go out to win score lots of goals acheive somthing,thats why you will always be chasing us,and most other teams for that matter,aye boing boing
Report abuse
Nice blog nath.the west ham game was a demonstration that we were never going to go down.That was when the task(survival) was well and truly nailed for me.Not with a square peg i might add.The performance of the team and desire shown was class,the team delivered three quality goals.ZUBAR!
Since then we have ground results out with very defensive formations ultimately to ensure saftey.now we have the chance(50/1 to go down)to play a little more attacking football.I hope mick fields a more going forward/creative set up on saturday and we WILL have a disco.Give milijas a run cos hes off to the world cup soon!WWFC
Report abuse
At the start of the season we all wanted survival, anything else would have been a disaster. That survival has been achieved, the very least we hoped for. Cheer the lads to your voice has gone, but why a pitch invasion?.
We haven’t won anything so it would be ridiculous for a team staying up comfortably.
You are a prat at times Nathan – KEEP OFF THE PITCH.
Report abuse
TerryBaggie, I guess this is the reaction you wanted so here you are, comments like yours prove why WBA have been the Yo YO club.
You cant come up into this league and try and play pretty football with Championship Players as a majority.
Boing Boing Yo Yo Boing Boing Yo Yo .
Report abuse
Hats off to MM for keeping us up. I for one was calling for his head in January, after the defeat to Birmingham and others. He has done a remarkable job and the players deserve credit as well. Being such a young and inexperienced team the desire to stay up has been tangible. This summer will be an interesting time for al Wolves fans, guessing who will come in. I am sure we will get some quality players, but Robbie Keane would not be one I would go for. He was a true star at Wolves but I for one are not in favour of getting back past players. Can anyone remind me of a player who has returned to a team and performed to the highest level.
As always the Wolves followers have been a source of inspiration and I am always proud of this fact. WE ARE WOLVES!!!
Report abuse
Nathan, will you be supporting MM when there’s a run of bad results next year?
I think MM and the players deserve a few favours of faith from doom-mongerers like yourself rather than the added pressures of unrealistic expectations. That said, fan’s well directed ambition is good for the club. But it ain’t gonna happen unless we support the boys properly.
HHW
Report abuse
Sir Terry Baggie!
Please!!!
We shall see next year!!
Dorrans is your only good player and he will be gone in the summer.
Wolves forever!!
Report abuse
Nice blog Nathan.
Pitch invasion?? I’m undecided. It is a great achievement to stay up but we haven’t done it in last minute of the season or won anything. We have survived. You don’t have a party for surviving job cuts at work? (This is most appropriate analogy to back up my point. Please feel free to provide me with an alternative)
I disagree about the Media unless you are talking about the papers (the London bias makes me sick in national press!). MOTD, Sky and The soccer Saturday boys have been impressed with us, at times. As for staying up by default, that may be the case but you can only play what is in front of you. The aim is to be better than 3 teams and we are better than 4 at the minute. We have managed to ear the right to stay up because over the course of the season we have out performed the 3 teams going down.
Report abuse
Lots of talk about Buying a few ‘Class’ players, especially goal scorers like Keane. I am certainly not happy with lack of goals or even creative opportunities but I would be against spending big money causing financial difficulty.
Your comment that football as moved on since the 50′s reminded me of where the majority of those players came from, Wright, Williams, Hancocks and many more were local and lower league. The club had a very successful Nursery club policy around the country, small well run clubs who worked with Wolves to groom and advance young players. Sadly we now ship out the fringe players to save a few bob.
In my opinion Cullis and Gardener, including the scouts were far better at judging young players than the current regime. Then having made their decisions, they were relentless in their efforts to bring those players on. No stone left un-turned and heaven help those who did not give of their best. Bill Nicholson had a similar policy at Spurs, tough, strict with a no nonsense approach and the results were just wonderful to watch.
Due to current financial difficulties, greedy players and agents, no to mention profligate management, we may see a reversal to the days when more effort will be spent on youth and home grown players.
Report abuse
Himley wolf, me, a prat? surely not! Im actually saying stay off the pitch, but i thought it was a question worth asking.
Report abuse
Can we have a new blogger, he is useless and just likes to knock our players
Report abuse
TerryBaggie
So Wolves will always be chasing teams like wba? lol I think not.
Bit club silverware comparison for you:
wba league championships = 4
Wolves league championships = 8
wba domestic cup wins = 7
Wolves domestic cup wins = 8
So I guess you cant help being a little bit jealous that our trophy cabinet is twice the size of yours.
Your lot will always be the poor neighbours to Wolves, get over it mate.
Report abuse
14 wolvesonandon
Sol Campbell
Report abuse
4 & 10
PAH !!!!
Report abuse
14 wolvesonandon
Sol Campbell?
Report abuse
Well Sir Terry.. nice to see you back, but your comments are still a joke.Have WBA (Were Bottom Again)ever spent any time in the prem out of the bottom three? may be two weeks once! As for winning it you HAVE NEVER won this league (even when it was Division 1) although you were second once when the mighty WOLVES were champions. Go away and enjoy the summer and get ready to spend next season as ever in the bottom three.
Report abuse
10. Terry, how are you my friend ? Long time no speak !! If you’re honest with yourself (and the rest of your baggie mates)if you were offered right now to be in the same position as we are in now at the end of next season you would take it without a thought !! You tried to play football in the Prem last time and it got you nowhere and I don’t think your team is as good now as it was then so be prepared to grind out some 0-0 draws (if you can)
Report abuse
Hi Nath
Liked the blog, just popped on to tell you told you so. Im referring to my guest Wolves blog from a few months ago!!
As for the Nigerian lottery dont knock it ive won it three times…..
strangely im still awaiting my winnings after giving them my account number and sort code.
Report abuse
4 & 10 – You have been quiet on these pages recently. Its good to have you back. Up to now, its been like a village without its idiot…..
Report abuse
27,well have a word with your dingle mods then,its they who stop me posting and i know how much you all love me,aye boing boing
Report abuse
I think your right and we do need to get rid of a few players. We need to look hard at bringing in the quality over quantity.
Just on the 25 max registetered payers i heard that players under the age of 21 in july woudnt require registering, is this true?
Report abuse
29 I reckon its you bobwolf and fellow baggie in disguise wolves mod doing the moderating cos none of replies to you get posted and there is no bad language in them etc… summary for you. Muppet
Report abuse
No one has really bothered talking about the squad size of 25 next season. What an opportunity to get rid of all the deadwood!
Report abuse
Thank you to all your comments. Afternoon Jarrod! We’ll have to get together next season if we are still blogging. At last, head to head in the Premiership!
And Roy (20) if you feel that strongly, put together a blog of your own and send in, if you are picked it would certainly free up my Thursdays!
Report abuse
Back in August there was one goal and one goal only, PL survival. No matter how boring, unentertaining and ugly (and at times it has been ugly), that goal seems to have been achieved. For that, well done MM & boys.
But be warned 3 M’s; expectations for next season are going to be a little different/higher. Don’t expect the fans to be happy week in week out watching 11 in defense going for 38 nil/nil draws. 4-5-1 is great away from home against the top 4 but it’s primarily a defensive formation used to nullify an opponent’s superior midfield. Let’s take the game to the opposition next season and let them worry about us for a change instead of us worrying about them. (Yes I know Barcelona sometimes play 4-5-1 but we are not Barcelona…….yet!)
Mick, you should know by now who is PL material, who has PL potential and who needs to be let go. Hopefully the other 2 M’s will support your transfer endeavors to strengthen the team.
UTW
Report abuse
This should be a cracking good game, and one which has anybody in attendance in full voice for! You better be yelling your head off because our boys in Gold and Black, stuck-in against Sam’s lot, will need all the support Wolves fans can muster! Let’s first get across the line, then celebrate with class, before worring about next season; keep it simple and focus on the now, less the then until we have an honest reason (Premiership Status!) to merit such! UTW!
Report abuse
wolvesonandon – in answer to your question spurs had defoe and keane back and they both scored goals. i think there is still a chance of 14th and in any case we were one of the favourites to go down. we will have fared better than the albion have ever done in only our second go. therefore a pitch invasion is justified!
Report abuse
why do some people choose to abuse nathan after every blog he does? would you speak to him like that to his face? hide behind your computer and abuse someone….pathetic
Report abuse
I must agree with most of the blogs. The objective his year was SURVIVAL !!! Very shortly our thoughts will turn to next year. Again the objective must be survival but without being pulled into the relegation battle. This will not be easy. Newcastle must stand a good chance of staying up. This leaves the other 2 promoted clubs as favourites to go down.
Thus unless we bring in quality players there we will be pulled into the fight along with Wigan, West Ham, and Bolton for the final relegation place. Quality players mean real dosh and require decent salaries. Thus we will clearly need to sell a reasonable number of the existing squad, Iwelumo, Vokes, Keogh and Ward etc. This should relatively simple since most will be very attractive to sides in the Championship.
We are just not scoring enough goals. Hence our primary need is for a first class striker. One who can take some of the pressure off Doyle. If not then we will again be stuck fighting for our life.
Let’s also hope that Mancienne stays. At this stage I would say that it is a good bet. Keep your fingers crossed.
With Burnley relegated Flecher (9 goals) would be worth a look. He has done well both in the Premiership and in Scotland. Furthermore, with Hull likely to be relegated Stephen Hunt would also be worth a try (again). His return of 6 goals for Hull, where he is their top scorer, is good for a midfielder at Hull. Both are quality players and would be great additions.
So in short we achieved our goal this year, viz: staying up. However, without a new first class striker it will be a struggle again next year. Thank heavens for WBA. At least there will be 1 team that we can beat !!
Report abuse
chapelashwolves – thanks!
To be honest I’m pretty anonymous at the matches, I haven’t had anyone come up to me yet and tell me I talk complete cobblers. It would be funny though if someone had the kahunas to come up to me and call me some of the names on here. If anyone fancies it I’ll be outside the Steve Bull about 3:30 before the Sunderland game!
Report abuse
Wem safe!
Report abuse