Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Stephen Ward signs new Wolves deal
Friday 11th November 2011, 9:30AM GMT.
Wolves today announced Stephen Ward has been rewarded for his excellent start to the season with a new three-and-a-half year contract.
The 26-year-old, who completed the deal before heading out with the Republic of Ireland for tonight’s Euro 2012 play-off first leg in Estonia, is now tied to Molineux until the summerof 2015.
His previous deal was due to expire in 2013 and the Irishman becomes the second player in as many days to be announced as committing his long-term future, after goalkeeper Carl Ikeme’s similar deal yesterday.
Manager Mick McCarthy said: “He’s earned a new deal by the manner of his performances. He’s made a great start to this season, not only in the defensive side but also by chipping in with a couple of goals.
“He’s one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with.”
McCarthy is so impressed with Ward’s performances that he has called off his search for a left-back.
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Heading for Wolves player of the season!
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I know I will get a lot of stick for this, but I don’t even know where to start with this news.
So lets look at the evidence;
vs. Man City – torn to pieces by Richards
vs. Swansea – torn to pieces by Dyer
vs. Wigan – torn to pieces by Moses
You can never knock his effort levels, but the man is too slow to make it as a full back at the top level. How people who actually go to the matches can’t see this is beyond me – anyone with half a yard of pace is straight past him every time. Defensively he is not up to the job and the whole team structure is mucked around to provide cover for his chronic lack of pace.
If Mick can’t see this then sack him.
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He is a truly excellent team member and has been now for some years. What he lacks in outright pace (he can be shown up by blinding pace) he makes up for in application, defensive technique and fantastice ability in the air (often overlooked as part of a full back’s job).
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well done Ste A good player wish we had some more like you, a player who stays on his feet a lot and knows where the back of the net is at Liverpool.
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Ward has been our best player so far this year. Its ok with people ripping him to bits on these boards as half of you are what Mick says, “Muppets”. Do you think the players even care what you write about them on here?
The fact is he always gives his all and if caught out by a player of genuine class occassionally, tell me a left back that isn’t? Even Cole! Its the hardest position on the field to fill.
Congratulations Wardy.
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Thoroughly deserved, has been excellent this season, improved all the time.
Had an awful lot of stick from some fans early days but has come good.
Believe it or not some “fans” are still moaning. We really could do without them.
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Fully deserved in my opinion.
Of all the defenders he is has been the best and most consistant for sometime now. Probably will never get the recognition from all of the fans as he is not flamboyant enough. He simply gets on with the job.
Best of luck to him in tonight’s game.
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Im not Ward’s biggest fan, however he may have been torn to shreds by some, but give me a full back who doesnt at some point! (can of worms open)
MM’s son in law or not, at least ward has a go, think the further up field he plays, the better though!!! Contracts are up for grabs for the better performing players so it just shows how bad the rest of the team are at the mo!!
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bob wolf or bob baggie ?? he is one of our family…and in my house we look after our own mate..so if you are a true wolves fan get behind the lad instead of critisising him…well done stephen ward well deserved
and bob if you really feel this way..go and get yourself another family
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My favourite Wolves player by miles, epitomises everything about the current Wolves team, top player and top bloke. He could well be playing in the Euros next year with a bit of luck
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“McCarthy is so impressed with Ward’s performances that he has called off his search for a left-back.”
NOOOO!!!
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Bob – So on your reckoning if any left back gets skinned then they are not good enough for Wolves. Wow… I wish I had your ability to be perfect 100% of the time.. I remember seeing Roberto Carlos getting skinned by Ronaldo.. good job we never signed him either eh?
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A fitting reward for our most consistent performer this season so far.
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Great Stuff, this guy is great! :)
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#2 Bob Wolf
Regardless of whether you are right or wrong re his ability, and are entitled to your opinion, I would suggest that we look at the commercial aspect of what we have done.
Why would we want to sack a player who is worth money to us?
By renewing his contract, we can at least obtain £s return via transfer fees if we choose to sell him later.
If we do not renew, he is worth nothing – free transfer! If we had a fleet of cars worth £20,000 each, would we give one away because we didn’t like the way it ran? the same applies to our team.
Building a good Wolves team is a slow & painful process. Many players who we would like to sign up, do not want to join us. Therefore, we have to hold onto our existing players (and assets) untill we can upgrade them with a better “model”!!
I often think people loose sight of the reality of the situation in the commercial world.
The 3Ms have shown great commercial accumen in the past and continue to do so!!!
UTW
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12 George’s Vest – How about Ashley Cole, Oh no, he has been skinned by most wingers in the league so hes not good enough either. Dont think he realises that one of the main attributes looked for in a winger is Pace and therefore most full backs defending against those wingers are going to be outpaced.
Just look at all the full backs Jarvis has skinned in the premier league, looks like none of those full backs are good enough for Bob Wolf’s Wolves either. Maybe we shouldnt play a full back at all?
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Stephen Ward is a decent utility player who can and does cover a number of roles in the Wolves team when called upon to do so and therefore deserves a new contract. I am however wondering if “McCarthy is so impressed with Ward’s performances that he has called off his search for a left-back” is wishful thinking on the part of the E&S. We are still weak in the left back position if Ward is injured and I am sure if a left back became available who was better than the players we have, MM would try to sign him. The problem that fans have is we may not hear about this as the Wolves policy is not to reveal who they may be trying to sign. There are reasons for and against this policy but, as can be seen from the sparcity of signings in the summer, this can make a rod for the manager’s back even though the club may have been in negotiations with a number of players/agents from which ultimate signings did not materialise.
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Well done Mr Ward.
An excellent professional footballer who represents his club with utmost integrity and honesty. Compare this with the antics of so called more skilled footballers who shout their mouths, and trousers, off in the national press.
That lovely back heel to Jarvo to set up the cross, together with his smart touch before volleying the ball home versus the Lactics, sums up his attacking abilities.
As for his defensive weaknesses…I recall some astonshing last ditch lunges to deny certain goals for our opposition.
Good luck to you Mr Ward for the Euro’s, stick it up ‘em with the Wolves.
Wherever you are
Whatever you do
We are The Wolves
Vic 3187
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Bob Wolf = Muppett
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Progress, NOT !
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I take it back so far only 2 Muppets on here today lol most comments are positive regarding this deal! :)
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Well done Wardy! Richly deserved.
He is not the most naturally gifted player in the Premier league by a long way but I think he is very close to being the most improved over the past 3 years.
He epitomises what is good about team and has played in all sorts of positions for us without ever complaining. He is now starting to win over the crowd too and has won a regular place in the Ireland team.
So far this season, he has probably been our most consistent player – let’s hope he keeps it up and continues to repay the faith shown in him by MM.
UTW
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BobWolf – I think you’ll find that a left back who is good at everything probably wouldn’t want to come to Wolves.
Most people can see that SW has made great progress this season, and although we are all aware of his shortcomings, I would agree with MM that a left back should no longer be a top priority.
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I guess BIG GEORGE must be out the picture now.
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BOB WOLF = IDIOT
A BAGGIES FAN WHO ARE FOREVER IN WOLVES SHADOW
WARDY HAS BEEN A REVELATION AT LEFT BACK AND JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT MERLIN KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING
THE FAT MOANERS WHO COULD NOT EVEN TRAP A BAG OF CEMENT OR RUN 100 METRES WITHOUT VOMITING KNOW NOTHING SO SHUT UP
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK WOLVES
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Well Deserved!
Loyal, Hardworking, Gets forward and can score goals, Yes he is not the quickest, but he is our best left back since Andy Thompson :)
Keeping Big George out of the team – great competition for a position at the BEST club in the world.
If you dont agree, your entitled to your opinion of course – but you ARE wrong.
Wolves forever!!!!!!
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Ashley Cole may be the best left-back in the premier league, but could you really sing his name every week and still look at yourself in the mirror…?
Wardy may not be the finished article (yet), but he’s a good, honest bloke who gives his all and is getting better every year, every match.
He’s the antidote to the modern, money-grabbing, egotistical footballer. He’s the reason we support Wolves and not Chelsea (that and the bus fare).
He is Wardiniho, he’s our number 11 and he’s the first name on the team sheet.
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You were right Bob Wolf, you did get a lot of stick!
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Who cares if the players give a hoot about what we write or not, Rich? We’re all equal in the blogosphere! Anyhoo, this time last year I would have treated this news with an almighty “MEH!” but who’s going to deny that he’s been one of our best players this season? Although that, of course, could be accompanied by the caveat, “although there hasn’t been much in the way of competition…”
Congratulations, Wardy! Now, about us not needing another left-back…
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Always bafled me why fans get on this guy’s back he has played really well at full back for a number of years. Well done lad on of MM’s better decisions.
Think we need a new coach though.
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Really pleased for Wardy – he’s been a revelation this season and really deserves it.
Points to note for Bob Wolf:
1. All full backs in the PL often get skinned by various wingers……..Ashley Cole is supposedly the best and he had a nightmare against our Jarvo last season.
2. No doubt you’d be moaning about the wingers being too slow if the above wasn’t the case.
3. I can’t see how anyone can take you seriously when you still talk about getting Ince in as manager???????? I can’t believe you still mention his name – a complete failure as a manager.
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Bob Wolf, what on earth do you do to cheer yourself up. Supporting Wolves is a love affair, frustrating, exhilarating, disappointing, but when we win, that feelling is the best. But you seem to be glass empty , always. Come on, cheer up for once and write a positive comment
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BOB WOLF – You are absolutely spot on mate.
Wardy – Nice chap, just not a left back, nor a striker, nor a err midfielder.
He was shocking against Wigan.
But, I can’t fault his commitment to the club.
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So Bobwolf wants to “throw the bomb” into the room then walks away… care to try and defend your original comments Bobwolf? or are you sticking to your normal preferred Albion pages under a different alias…..?
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In my lifetime i’ve only ever seen one perfect Left Back – Paolo Maldini.
Stephen Ward has been our best player this season , tremendous energy levels allow him to continually support and link with Jarvis and he’s still improving defensively.
Wonderful temperament , great character , a credit to the club and to Ireland. Wish him all the best against Estonia tonight , if the muppett Trappatoni plays him.
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A player who is underestimated by a lot of people but good luck to him and may he carry on improving as he has this year.
bob wolf?
richwolf64 must have been at a different match?
UTW
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never mind propper wolves supporters(not happy clapping morons) when a new manager comes players like ward,berra,stearman,and most of the squad will be gone
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What, did I read that right?? Mental patient Bob Wolf asking for MM’s sacking!!! Now i’ve seen everything…
Congrats to Wardy. Not his biggest fan but I must admit he’s doing pretty good this season and deserves it. Keep it up my friend!
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stop kidding yourselves, Steven Ward is not a good left back, he is just better than he was.He could only go one way.
It looks like Mick is getting his Championship side together.
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Yeah, Ward was useless against Wigan. I mean he only scored the goal that sealed the game! If he was any good he would have got a double hat trick and then kung fu kicked Alcaraz, Cantona style!
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WARDINHO !!!
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bob wolf-cant wait for chelsea to put ashley cole up for sale then,he was torn to shreds by theo wallcott in the 5-3 defeat.
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Well deserved in my opinion.
Worked hard to win fans over and gives his all in every game.
Bob Wolf or Bob Baggie would moan if Lionel Messi played for us.
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Well nice to see how every one is supporting our genius full back
i think if he could defend he would be one hell of a player pity is he is a defender so evidently he aint one hell of a player, mind compared to the right back i suppose he looks ok as if there are two worse full backs in the division i have yet to see them
on Micks quote alone i realise that this season will only get worse and perhaps when he finally succeeds in getting us relegated some of the blinkerd happy clappies will come to there senses
when you beat wigan but look second best for long periods of play you certainly have problems
lets hope for a miracle as we need it to survive
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Yet another management master stroke by mick and while most the deluded happy clappers among you idolise Stephen for his exceptional efforts. Effort is not a alternative term for quality or ability of which Ward has neither. Stephen is the model professional and left back of choice based on his family connections with our inept manager and clearly not on merit. Stephen much like Henry and in the past Keogh are players that mick has an insistence to base team around these “all stars” while many talented professionals are left out in the cold or to provide alternative heating to the substitutes bench. Bob wolf is spot on with his estimation that young Stephen is really a sheep in wolfs clothing, trying so desperately hard and may I add not succeeding in convincing us he is a capable defender, winger or striker or who knows goal keeper. Sure you can praise up Stephen or Karl or any of the weak links because once mick has succeeded in running us back down to a championship club, I’m sure ward will finally be in his element.
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110%wolves ‘when you beat wigan but look second best for long periods of play you certainly have problems’
It seems 3rd placed Newcastle are having the same problems as us then!
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It wouldn’t surprise me at all if other clubs were keeping an eye on Ward. The contract is not just a reward, it’s to secure his rapidly improving services. Apart from at the top 6 clubs, is there a better (attacking) left back in the league at the moment?? The Swansea bloke maybe??
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lol 47 Jersey
You are taking the pee, you have to be!!
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Everyone relax… as long as McCarthy doesn’t get a long term contract himself, then we can all sleep easy at night.
Remember, his previous favourites, Keogh and Neil Collins have both disappeared into the footballing abyss and Wardy will surely follow as soon as this manager goes too.
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110%Wolves – I’m just wondering how many years McCarthy will have to keep us in the premier league before the negative posters stop talking about taking us down ?! It must hurt that he keeps proving you wrong time & time & time & time again……. as does Ward, as does Henry.
Well done to Ward by the way, fully deserved.
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45 Matty Wolf
The same inept Manager who got us promoted and kept us Premiership side after a string of mostly forgotten fakes failed…. and wasted a lot of money doing so ?
There’s a whole bunch of you MIs who can’t wait for failure.
Enjoy the Silence
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What a transformation this season!!!He has worked hard and is now getting the rewards.
A lot of credit MUST also go to McCarthy who has stuck with him through some horrid performances.I also feel that the coaching he’s getting from Trappatoni at the Republic matches has improved him,he now believes he’s an international player and its showing.
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Well done Wardy, you deserve the contract extension.
Ward has had a lot of stick in the past but never grumbled or moaned. He just got his head down and continued to give his absolute best week in week out, and has gradually improved.
Now compare him to someone like Johnson who seems to be better at talking a good game rather than playing one!
Is Ward a fantastic left back? No. Has he shown remarkable improvement recently? Yes.
So lets stick with him and hopefully he will continue to improve. He has the work ethic to improve defensively, and attacking wise I think he is a real threat, overlapping on the left with either Jarvis or Hunt.
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Ward is not a Premier league left back, and never will be.
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Faultless game for the Republic. Off to the Euros as a left back. Still expect Bob will say that Trapottoni is a clueless idiot too ….
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Wears number 11 shirt, signed contract on 11/11/11
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richwolf64, the only one of the few taking the pee is yourself and bobwolf/spainishray/wanderer in eire/manchesterwolf,
who decided to get rid of keogh/collins??
oops, thats right mcarthy.
and if mcarthy keeps wwfc up next may and he gets a new contract, then what? are you not gonna renew your season ticket?
or if we get relegated , which most of the anti mm/moxey/morgan brigade want, then what? are you gonna stop supporting wwfc?
no, it is you that is and have been taking the pee. utw, well done ward.
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Still haven’t forgetten how you told us all you were in the top five per cent.
Wow, were we impressed !
Regarding MMs reference to the Mindless Idiots, after reading your latest bit of nonsense you could form a gang and call yourselves the MI5
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Well done Wardy.
Well deserved. The guy is bomb proof to play like he has with richardheads like boring bob and dickwolf, sorry richwolf dogging him all these years.
He might not be a world beater but the lads a true professional and deserved a big pat on his back for where he’s progressed from in the last 4 years.
Played for Ireland tonight and kept a clean sheet. Well done Wardy.
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What a master stroke by our inept manager if this is not nepotism I don’t kmow what is, if MM gets the sack (he will not though because Mr Morgan is not bothered) his favourite son will have a good income.
He would not survive if we had another manager and neither would the others mentioned. The sad thing is it looks like we are stuck with the dynamic duo MM and his assistant Clipboard.
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Look, I’m delighted for him that he has now got the Euros to look forward to. And when I’m watching it on TV, when Eire play, there will be added interest in watching them. With our connection through our Irish players, if you’re not from the Republic, they should be our second team in that competition. UTW.
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Richwolf64
Clown, absolutley clueless.
Congrats to Ward, well done son superb this season, including against Wigan, had a tough time against Moses first half but, stuck at it, did Moses touch the ball in the second half???
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BOB Wolf: you’re an idiot.
Wardy certainlt was NOT “torn to pieces” by anyone. It ws fashionable to have a go at Ward a while back, and muppets like you can’t walk away from that.
His speed is largely irrelevant. There are few left backs or right backs with the speed of half the wingers in the Premiership but his positioning has been superb.
Yes he gets beaten frequently, but so does every back most games a lot of the time, you fool. The key is whether he slows down the opposing player(yes he does), whether he pushes him out wide (yes he does) and whether he has the timing to #spoil a cross (yes he does).
Thew trouble is, Bob, that your specious, vacuuous arguments influence others.
I am thrilled by Wardy’s contract extension – and yes, as some others have said, he’s on hois way to being player of the season.
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Can i just say that if the people who think MC CARTHY is a success because Birmingham comitted suicide in the last few weeks of last season keeping us up when we couldnt even beat Blackburn and every week the wide players who keep taking the ball into the box past stearman and ward evidently arent creating chances for there teams as ward is a top full back must be in a diffrent ground to me
i go every season hoping for improvement not to the north bank but to the team i was happy standing in the cow shed watching dougan baily wagstaffe parkin munro ect getting soaked but being proud
stick your nice stadium give us quality on the pitch
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Thrilled for Ward with his contract and for Ireland at the euros in my view a prefect professional, got his head down and got on with it,shut the boos boys up, well most!
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110% Wolves, maybe you should change ur name to 870% wolves cos you certainly aint 110% behnind them.
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