Bully sounds a stark warning
Molineux legend Steve Bull today laid the blame for Wolves' relegation plight firmly at the door of the players.
And the club's record goalscorer looked ahead to Saturday's crunch against third-from-bottom Bolton at Molineux with the blunt message: "If we can't beat them, we shouldn't be in the Premier League."
Bull makes his comments in his exclusive Express & Star column and pulls no punches in pointing the finger at the players after watching Sunday's defeat by Birmingham City.
The result and performance, labelled a 'shambles' by Bull, has triggered a wave of criticism largely targeted at boss Mick McCarthy from Wolves fans now fearing for their team's chances of mounting a survival fight any more successful than their Premier League campaign six years ago.
Bull says he was 'mystified and frustrated' by the display, adding: "The English-born players will have been well aware of just how big a derby match is, and the overseas lads just needed to take a quick look at the Premier League table to see how important the game was – but the entire team failed to turn up.
"Attitude and effort are just as important as talent in football, and that was the thing which made me particularly angry, against Birmingham.
"Blues just seemed first to 50-50 balls or the idea of chasing down lost causes, and I couldn't understand that, because those elements of the game have got nothing to do with skill, but everything to do with desire."
The fans' favourite does not believe fans should turn on McCarthy, commenting: "Sunday was desperately poor, and no doubt some fans are now asking questions of Mick McCarthy, but it's worth remembering that he's the same manager who took us to the Championship title."
But, turning to the clash with Bolton, he warns: "I reckon it is easily the biggest day of the season so far, for us. Because, if you can't beat the likes of Wanderers at home, there's an argument that you shouldn't even be in the Premier League."
