Karl Henry targets promotion for Wolves
Wolves captain Karl Henry today greeted his return to the captaincy with a promotion pledge.
Wolves captain Karl Henry today greeted his return to the captaincy with a promotion pledge.
The 29-year-old midfielder was handed the armband as boss Stale Solbakken’s first permanent Molineux skipper at yesterday’s training session before today’s televised Championship opener at Leeds.
Henry has captained the side whenever he has been on the pitch this summer and led the team to the Championship title in 2009.
Regaining the armband he wore from 2007-11 and at the end of last season capped a memorable week for the Wolverhampton-born midfielder, who signed a new four-year contract on Tuesday.
Henry’s stepfather is a lifelong Wolves fan and has told him how he is following in the footsteps of legends Stan Cullis, Billy Wright, Ron Flowers and Mike Bailey.
“I’m delighted – again!” said the midfielder, who has played 236 games for Wolves after signing from Stoke for a bargain £100,000 in 2006.
“I’ve always seen it as a massive honour to captain Wolves, my hometown club.
“To lead the team to promotion again is my only focus and to do it for a second time would be fantastic.”
Mick McCarthy’s controversial decision to take the armband off Henry and give it to Roger Johnson this time last year contributed to the breaking up of a previously strong team spirit.
But Henry has pledged to rebuild that togetherness, adding: “We’ve had a great team spirit in the past and it’s important that we get that back again this season.”
Meanwhile, Solbakken admitted the transfer sagas which have dominated the club are what he expected.
Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis remain Wolves players while the club waits to see if Sunderland and West Ham meet their respective valuations, believed to be £15m and £10m.
“I was quite prepared for this situation,” he said.
But Solbakken said Wolves want the sagas resolved one way or another now.
“I think we’re very close to that stage,” he said.
“It can’t drag on for much more time now.
“It’s been there for a while now, especially the Fletcher saga.”
Comments for: "Karl Henry targets promotion for Wolves"
portobello
Oh no
SEATTLE WOLVES
Go on, skipper!
In less than two months, or there abouts, from pundits to punters, I have seen odds on Wolves being promotion favorites to, now, lower mid-table nobody's. All in respects to the turmoil created by the vacuum effect of falling out of the EPL and a group of unsatisfied players wanting away; many have seen this as our downfall. Maybe so, or...
Maybe not!
I think Karl and company are going to show amazing character. I also think Morgan and Moxey are doing so as I write, withstanding the over/zealous "player power" amidst huge and over-inflated salaries and the unreal lifestyles that go with; players need to realize, especially the "big names," that they were in those team sheets, most of the thirty-eight games that helped to get us relegated. Now, show some loyalty and class, fight for our promotion status. Be classy enough to gut this out. So, glad M2's are playing hardball with West Ham (Jarvis) and Sunderland (fletcher). If one or both are going to go, damn well pay us our valuation. If not, those players stick to their contractual agreements, show some class and integrity, and get on with it.
Siege mentality and Fortress Molineux!
UTMW
mossman
More Karl Henry's in the team please replacing the 'I want to leave ASAP' - Berra's, Kites, Fletchers's and Jarvis's
STEVEWOLF
He is Wolves through and through, get behind him, he wanted this.
khs
wwfc will get promoted, with or without fletcher.
utw.
chillo Wolf
Wolves would have stayed up last season if the armband had not been taken away from Henry
FACT
soggy_wolf
I've just been reading the Championship preview for the season and it looks like another strong league this season. Ipswich have picked up the players I really wanted us to get this summer, Scott Loach and Luke Chambers while we have dawdled and retained a group of players who blatantly want out.
We have brought in three players.... two of them on loan and we still have the same shaky defence minus Incompetence Berra who will rightly not get a look in for the side now he has submitted his petulant and delusional transfer request. He'll end up as a free agent and will end up with a club like Forest or Derby this time next year.
Henry has been our one ray of hope this summer, I just hope that Solbakken has curbed his positional instincts and is making him sit in the Makelele role by covering the full backs and occupying that space in front of the back four from which so many goals were scored against Wolves last season. He's great at holding the midfield but has absolutely no offensive value, as two assists in three seasons in the league will testify.
Davis will push him for a starting place this season.
Finchley Wolves
wqas the only choice for me. we need stabillity, what more stabillity can we get than a player who has done it beofre and got us up before. he has shown a serious coimmitment by signing a new contract and starting the way he means to go on.
i am sure there will be many neg lords on here saying different, but i just want us back up, any way that we can do it and this is one way in my book!
up the wolves
Buxtonfox
Henry is a important player for Wolves and should remained captain.
What's Berra doing on the bench? He's not good enough and he doesn't want to play for us! Where Danny Batth????
jimmy's paige
Well we're losing 1-0 at Leeds (13:17) Karl - so slightly off course... but carry on we need people like you.
English Exile
Wolves to get promotion???
Where's Henry going then??
Anybody else notice the major change when we kicked off??
It always took us FOUR passes to get it back to OUR keeper from OUR kick-off.
Not now.... we do it in TWO passes.
That's progress....
Other things I've noticed, Stearman has taken over wrestling duties from Berra and Blake obviously enjoys watching the Wolves, because that's all he's done besides clap when he didn't go for a ball he should have.
The future is bleak.... very bleak....
Realistic Wolf
Early days to moan but oh for the centre and left back Stalle said we wanted.
Filthy Wolf
As players are stripped out, players are asking to leave, we are left with a very average mid table side.
Admittedly I can make this comment after a 1-0 defeat by Leeds who outplayed the 'new' team at every turn. Stearman and Johnson playing the comic relief for the goal.
Get Fletcher and Jarvis out to clear the mood. Spend the money. Get a team that can play, will play and can make the play offs. Instant promotion? Not this year.
Alan in Cyprus
Absolutely terrible performance apart from the goalkeeper.
We have serious problems and must act NOW.
Alan
David
Admittrdly I only watched the game on the TV - but - new style of play? I could only see us not being very good at the old style of play.
Little closing down, Stearman and Johnson arguing with each other abou who was most out of position. Oh dear!!!
Best Wishes
David
portobello
Stalle watch those dvds again
anna
Does he really! If I were You Karl, I'd concentrate on avoiding relegation,when that fails, this time next year, maybe you will keep ya trap shut as you ply your trade in Division 1 as Captain of the new 'Titanic' WWFC !
Alan in Cyprus
Be under no illusion...............we are in trouble.
A terrible performance from most of the players.
going nowhere but downwards
lol' clearly those posting gold and black through and through, etc didnt see him much last season, ca or not, poor and not cap worthy. er villa at home anyone, or wigan at home the previous season, how anyone thinks a player who passes side ways all game is going to lead us straigght back is mind boggling. We are going no where without serious investment and that clearly isnt going to happen. How the two m's can sleep after promising and not delivering for a second season is worrying, classic case of we wil say what the fans want to hear but do nothing about, and blame others for it. WWFC have blown the best chance to settle into the top flight, they will not repeat not get another chance, we all know mm should have gone after the second season and invested in the defence but we built a new stand !!! History repeating itself I'm afraid and thats what makes it so hard to take. Dont blame those wanting out they clearly can see whats coming, and i'm not going to pay to watch it this time ( along with a larger number of fans than the 2 m's think ) funny how the chant at villa away of 'your ground to big for you' has come back to bite us on the bum !!!!
henry is god
less than 6 mins in and hes done a suicide ball already, sheer class. You couldnt write this stuff !!!!! lol lol lol ( and no i'm not a boggie fan, but wish i was after their result yesterday !!! )
FLETCH
getting fed up now, the Fletcher saga!!! does anyone remember FLETCHER POINTING OUT TO DOYLE HE SHOULD COMMIT TO WOLVES BY SIGNING A NEW DEAL!!! then what do these players do talk a good game? FLETCH and JARVIS should now grow up and remember they signed a deal on a contract regardless of division WOLVES are in, and if they did not like the wage contract they should of not signed then!and tried harder to keep them up and admit they were to blame honor their contracts and shut up, and work to put right what they did wrong. and before everyone says they were our best players, our slogan WE ARE WOLVES should mean that a team.if Fletchers ability to get up had been present yesterday I think the result would have been different. come on wolves
1959 WOLF
I seem to remember a similar pledge to stay in the Premiership. If there were points awarded for hot air, we would be in Europe by now.
Cut the cackle and do it on the pitch