Blog: Hands-off Bakary Sako, he's a luxury Wolves can afford

As a writer and a football fan I find the two often come hand in hand when it comes to dictionary definitions, writes Wolves blogger Tim Spiers.

You could write a book – or indeed a dictionary – of terms summed up by the actions or people entwined into the sport we love.

Like, oh I don't know, 'turncoat', which the Cambridge Online Dictionary judges to be 'a person who changes from one opinion to an opposite one in a way that show they are not loyal'.

Or in sporting terms – Henri Camara.

And take 'ignoramus' as another example, defined as 'a person who knows nothing'.

That'll be Adrian Chiles then.

Then of course you've got 'legend', as in 'someone very famous and admired, usually because of their ability in a particular area'.

No, not Richard Stearman for his disbelieving slapstick abilities, but of course Stephen George Bull for his onion bag prowess.

Pretty standard stuff Wolves fans, I think you'll agree.

But one word that's been troubling me this week has been 'window'.

This, apparently, is a 'period when there is an opportunity to do something'.

The footballing window in question is the transfer window, which is allegedly 'closed', as in 'not open'.

So what on Bully's green earth are Nottingham Forest doing still bidding for our player?

Now yes I'm aware we brought in a player last week, the promising James Henry from Millwall, but it's a completely different situation – he was out of favour at the New Den and the Championship side were happy to do a deal.

But the ongoing saga – 'a long complicated series of related usually negative events' – of Bakary Sako's proposed transfer to the East Midlands is really starting to irk.

Forest came in repeatedly for Sako towards the end of the window – a legitimate process on their behalf, as he's a quality player who makes no secret of the fact he wants to play and (let's be honest) belongs at a higher level than League One.

The situation came to head when he asked not to be selected at Port Vale, with the lack of a deal clearly too tormenting for poor old Sako.

Fair play to him though, he's got his head down since then and played every game, more often than not making a positive contribution.

As we know on his day he is a match-winner and this was illustrated perfectly last Saturday with a delicious assist and an incredible goal.

So for Forest to have the cheek to come back in for a deal now, in October, with the January window fully two months away, is astonishingly galling.

And lo and behold Sako, it would appear, has once again been unsettled, throwing a sickie at training yesterday, which may or may not be an almighty coincidence.

Except that it isn't,

Sako wants to leave and he may well get his wish in January – you know, when there's a transfer 'window'.

But – and I hope Jez Moxey and co are on the same wavelength here – a deal can only be done if we've got a replacement lined up.

Sako is simply too valuable to let go now and to be honest our reported asking price of £4million is a good deal for Forest.

What did we pay for him, £3m? Last season that looked like small change for a player who was certainly not three-to-four times as bad as Matt Jarvis (the £11m winger he replaced).

In an absolutely dreadful team he was a shining light and his value, despite what league we're not in, has gone up considerably as he's proved he can cope with English football.

And despite the hissy fit before the Vale game, he genuinely doesn't come across as a troublemaker.

Kenny Jackett siphoned out those before the season started with such relish, sticking to his guns on Roger Johnson and Jamie O'Hara in particular with dogged determination.

But he judged that Sako would be an integral part of the team this year, which has proved correct up to now.

Yes he looks like he really can't be bothered at times in League One, but that's just because it's too easy for him.

And he's infuriatingly skilful – electing to dazzle the journeyman full back of Crawley Town with 71 step-overs instead of whipping over a simple cross to an unmarked team-mate.

But Sako is a match-winner, plain and simple, and he's a luxury we can very much afford.

Loan him to Forest, though, and a team already shy on creativity becomes positively dull and predictable in one fell swoop.

The message should be a clear and vigorous 'hands-off', at least until January and preferably until May.

Heck, we've got enough money in the bank, and promotion this season is imperative.

So in the politest way possible, naff off Forest – and if you want a dictionary definition of that it'll be x-rated.