Top six required for Wolves – new owner or not

Wolves' minimum requirement next season is a top-six finish – whether they've got a new owner or not, Jez Moxey has stated.

Kenny Jackett's side finished 16 points off the play-offs this year after a frustrating season.

A host of injuries and star names Bakary Sako and Benik Afobe departing certainly had a big impact on the team's performance – and Moxey duly absolved Jackett of blame.

But next season may be a different story, with the chief executive saying Wolves 'have to improve'.

This week he told a meeting of the Wolves Fans' Parliament: "We want a much better season.

"We would like new investment if we can get it. With a new owner potentially comes with new investment policies.

"Ideally, we want to be challenging for promotion regardless of ownership... I think being in the top six if at all possible is a minimum requirement.

"Kenny Jackett is here to help us do that. We have to improve on what we have seen in the last year."

Wolves have come under fire for their recruitment in the past year.

The seven permanent signings made last season – Conor Coady, Jed Wallace, Nathan Byrne, Sylvain Deslandes, Joe Mason, Michal Zyro and Mike Williamson – made just 66 starts between them, with Coady accounting for half of those with 33.

Moxey, though, defended the club's record, saying Wolves were looking at a long-term view.

He did, however, admit that they weren't in the market to buy players from the Premier League or the top end of the Championship, given their financial position.

Moxey said: "Mostly, they came from Leagues One and Two. It's not just about today. It's tomorrow as well.

"We hope everyone can contribute on day one but it can take time.

"What we're not doing is buying Premier League or top Championship players... we're not in that position.

"That's the reality. We have only a certain amount of money.

"There was big criticism about us not replacing Sako when we took in (Sheyi) Ojo and bought Wallace... two players in the hope that one would fill the gap.

"It's not possible to get every player right but we have nurtured someone in Jordan Graham, who is a more than adequate replacement; a young kid of 20 and Jed Wallace has started to show what we know he is capable of.

"Six months after Sako has gone, Jordan Graham is making everyone smile and having experienced Championship players doubling up on him.

"If he had not got injured, we might have challenged, who knows?

"These players may take more time than we would like to gel but I don't accept they aren't good enough."

Since Morgan took over in 2007, Wolves have spent three of his nine full seasons in the Premier League.

Both Moxey, who joined in 2000, and Morgan have come under fire from supporters this season.

But the chief executive defended the regime, saying they weren't as bad as people on social media claimed.

He said: "Steve Morgan provided us with a lot of money. In the first year (2007/08), we finished seventh.

"In the second season, after spending some money, we won the league. Unlike some clubs, we didn't yo-yo.

"We stayed up for three years on a relatively small wage bill.

"Then we all know what happened... we made a couple of very bad recruitment decisions. So I don't think this regime's position is as bad as some people on social media say."

Moxey described recent proposals of a bigger Football League – of four leagues of 20 teams – as the most exciting proposal for a generation since the advent of the Premier League.

He said of the plans: "It would solve a lot of the problems we all face.

"Clubs would have to be at least recompensed for that same amount (of loss of revenue for fewer home games).

"It won't get done unless they are better off and that would cost money from organisations (the FA and Premier League) who have more than the Football League."

And on his recent elevation to the FA board, on which he will represent the Football League, Moxey added: "For Wolves to have a seat at the top table and try to influence the decision-makers is good.

"There is an FA board meeting this week and another in July.

"It allows us to affect the issues that affect the whole game.

"It's a big responsibility but not massively time-consuming."