Wolves foundations being laid for next season

Boss Kenny Jackett believes Wolves can lay the foundations for future success in their remaining eight games.

Rooted in mid-table, Wolves sit 14 points outside the play-off zone as they enter the final stages of the Championship season.

Jackett has watched as Burnley have built a four-point lead at the top of the division having used just 23 players – the lowest total of any side in the league.

Meanwhile, in League One, Burton Albion, Walsall and Gillingham are all competing for an automatic promotion place having used 25 players or less.

Injuries have forced Jackett to field 32 players this campaign – a total which is the seventh highest in the Championship.

And the boss admits he believes a settled side will be key to any future success, with Wolves having the chance to really build something in the coming weeks.

"We are working on a settled team," Jackett said. "And when we get one or two players back from injury it will settle down.

"It's very important players get into the groove of playing together, especially for some of the younger players, who aren't too young.

"The time has come for them to gradually improve – to understand each other and improve cohesion.

"Training undoubtedly helps but it's in the games that you get comfirmation of the standard you are at. You can do all the training that you want but you gain confidence by doing it in a game no matter what level you operate at. Then, once you have gained that confidence, you can start to get a foothold, start to improve, start to learn.

"We have now got the players who are at the right age to improve as a group."

Wolves return to action against Ipswich this weekend after almost a fortnight without a game following the international break.

But while he would have rather carried on with the season, Jackett believes a lot of his internationals will return to Wolves with their confidence boosted.

"It has been a long break and we would have rather have kept playing," Jackett added.

"It was strange not to play games over Easter. With League One and League Two there was lots of football and we had a lot of players involved in internationals.

"Carl Ikeme managed to play one game for Nigeria before he was ill. Both Dominic Iorfa and Kortney Hause played a full game for England Under-21s, which is terrific for the club.

"They are top and will hopefully qualify for the Championships in Poland next year.

"Matt Doherty has been with the Republic of Ireland. It's great to see him back in that squad. From our first-team perspective, there has been a lot of involvement and some very good performances, particularly with the two young boys going away with England and doing so well."