Dean Saunders: Rookies will revitalise Wolves
Boss Dean Saunders today insisted Wolves' struggling team needs the rookies because some established stars are jaded and have taken too many "punches on the chin."
Saunders surprised many by drafting in 21-year-old Matt Doherty for his first league start for the club in yesterday's 2-1 home defeat to Cardiff.
Doherty, a £70,000 a signing from Bohemians in August 2010, was preferred ahead of Kevin Foley at right wing-back.
Roger Johnson also returned as Wolves started with three centre-backs for the first time since November 2009, and Tongo Doumbia made only his second appearance under Saunders. David Edwards and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake dropped to the bench.
Jack Robinson, 19, kept his place but at left wing-back as Saunders fielded an unfamiliar formation and line-up then scrapped it at half time as he reverted to 4-4-2 with Kevin Doyle and Ebanks-Blake up front.
"Everyone knows what the players are capable of and what they've done in the past," said Saunders. "You look around the dressing room and think 'surely we've got enough'.
"But we've not been getting good results, and the young lads have got fresh minds, fresh legs and enthusiasm.
"Sometimes that's what you need to turn things around rather than playing the same players who have had punches on the chin non-stop for two-and-a-half years. Some of them look a bit jaded from it all.
"It might do them good to sit next to me for the next couple of weeks."
Saunders added: "Jack isn't thinking about anything apart from he's playing for Wolves in a big game.
"Matt has the same mentality – he's got no mental baggage and went on the pitch thinking it's his debut. They're both good athletes.
"It was also our third game in eight days and I put some fresh legs into the team.
"The two young lads played well and Danny Batth didn't do anything wrong, but I brought him off at half-time with bringing two strikers on. Tongo has fresh legs because he hadn't played for two games."