Is this the end of the fairytale? The loss of innocence…
…or the start of our road to greatness?
Recent happenings at Molineux have given most of us a bit of a ‘Welcome to the new season’ wake up call.
Laurie Dalrymple leaving under bizarre circumstances, and rumours abounding that one of the reasons may be that he was a big supporter of extending our beloved ground, whereas Jeff Shi and Fosun would rather build a brand spanking new out of town complex to compete with the top Premier League and European Giants.
Now we hear that the Molineux staff will no longer receive complimentary season tickets as part of their employment package.
Two completely different events, but they show a change of approach by our owners.
This is a side of Mr Shi and Fosun which we have not seen before.
Up until now, the last couple of years have been like Nirvana to us poor put upon Wolves fans.
New owners who have nothing but our best interests at heart. Am MD who has got just about everything right. A manager who is Universally loved and revered by us foot soldiers.
And a team that we could only have dreamt about a few years ago.
Now suddenly, just before one of the most important seasons in our recent history, a cold wind is blowing around the South Bank and clouds are drifting across the sun that lights up the Steve Bull.
What’s happening?
Has nice uncle Jeff suddenly gone from Father Christmas to the Wicked Stepmother?
Are we about to experience the brutal, heartless pragmatism that goes with building a successful football club these days?
Or is it just the natural progression towards being a Top Six Club.
I’m not sure what to think. But I AM sure that I don’t want to leave Molineux.
And if we go, I don’t think that I’d renew my season ticket to watch my team play in a soulless stadium somewhere just off a motorway.
What do you think?
Thanks for the post Doog. My thoughts on your thoughts…
– Like everyone else, sad to see Laurie depart. Money and good decisions are the difference between success and failure in football and it felt like in Laurie we had a guy in an important role making the right choices a lot of the time.
– On the subject of complimentary season tickets for staff, that’s a thorny old issue but having absorbed some of the facts I don’t immediately think ‘outrage’. It seems like a policy they reviewed and took a decision on and at a time when tickets are hard to come by for many loyal supporters, I think they have to closely scrutinise who is getting access.
– The message that’s repeatedly been put forward by the club regarding the stadium is ‘we aren’t moving’ and with reported development of that whole area around Molineux, I’d be surprised if they do a 180. But it would be the kind of move to trigger a fall out I suppose so you never know.
– FOSUN don’t want to stand still and that continues to encourage me about where they’re taking the club. OK, I’d like to see a few more new signings sooner rather than later and key staff retained, but I’m not ringing the alarm just yet. We’ve got one hell of a season ahead (assuming Europa progress) but I still fully expect Wolves to meet that challenge.
I hope you’re right Thomas.
I know that a few people have already commented on the strange happenings at Molineux over the last few days but I thought it was worth having a proper discussion about it.
I think what has concerned me most is the lack of a clear statement from the club as to why Dalrymple had to go, what was the thinking behind it, and how they mean to replace him.
With Laurie in charge, there had been a refreshing openness about all the doings at Molineux, unlike the ‘smoke and mirrors’ we got from the two Ms.
Now it seems like we are seeing a new inscrutable face of our Chinese owners.
Nuno also sounded a little concerned, in a recent Press Conference, about the lack of new signings.
We are all sensible adults (Clive excluded of course) and can take the truth.
Let’s have it please.
Changes are not always right,we have had a brill season we need players signing up for wolves.because we believe in our players
Always enjoy reading your posts and getting your insight. As a long distance Wolves fan (from over here in Detroit) that has suffered for the past 20 years with our beloved team’s trials I almost feel a sense of inevitability about the current happenings.
I am not sure that keeping one foot in the “good old times” camp and another in the “let’s return to the glory days” camp is feasible. The glory days of the Wolves were in a much simpler time to which we can never return. It just doesn’t exist any more.
Can we be a kinder and gentler version of City…maybe. Can we avoid going back to playing with the yellow ball on Wednesday night…probably. Can we give away tickets to staff and still bring in world class players…probably not.
I will enjoy following posts from locals that live this every day. It is certainly changing times. I for one do not want to return to the Championship, or League One, or ???
Doog excellent and thought provoking article.
Molinux is the heart and soul of Wolves and Wolverhampton take that away and we may as well call ourselves MK Wolverhampton.
Recent events are worrying because everything was or seemed to be going along fine. The ticket thing just shows Fosun and the club in a bad light is shows lack of caring and appriation of the staff that work for not much.
Very sensible comments. 2nd season syndrome is something WW must avoid. Many teams take a dip and are relegated 2nd season. Our Europa adventure puts different pressures on us. Remember how Burnley messed up last season. New signing will be made so we must be patient and not get over critical with this Asia Trophy. We will play a weaker side with youngsters. Treat it as a practise game and forget the hype
Once a club offers perks like free season tickets , it looks bad to withdraw this concession. If i worked for WW i would be narked. They should find another way of rewarding staff eg Thomas Cook flights.
It would be good to stay at Molineux but boy does it need upgrading. On the plus side it is our spiritual home and you have a great view wherever you are in thecground. However, it is a very, very uncomfortable stadium. Cramped, congested, terrible service areas and inadequate toilets. In Steve Bull Upper you can spend most of half time queueing for the loo . Facilities for the ordinary fan need a massive upgrade . Is there the space at Molineux to do this I wonder? The need for more space to make the stadium more multi-functional may be the deciding factor to move.
The Dalrymple sacking is a reminder we are only so far a family. I wonder if Laurie will spill the beans on why they let him go. I would love to know. Anyway he did a fine job and was far better than Moxey
Here is to a wonderful season again. After all thosecyears of sipping shandy a spor of champagne does taste good.
I for one am not worried in the least.
The glory days of yesteryear are clouded and selective memories.
Yes, we had some great teams and games, we all remember stuffing Arsenal, and two League Cup wins, but do any other magical games really stand out?
There was also the mudbath of a pitch at times, having to queue all night for semi final tickets, crap facilities (some things never change, it seems) and no news from “the board” that faceless entity who hid behind an anonymous cigar smokescreen.
I like to remember the past, fondly, but not live in it 100%.
Changes are inevitable in all walks of life, some call it progress, and they are going to occur however much bitching and complaining goes on.
I don’t suppose any of us liked Abramovitch at Chelsea when he first appeared on and changed the scene, nor Man City buying every player under the sun, seemingly, but as the old and hackneyed saying goes,
If yow cor bate ‘em, joyn ‘em!!
Running with and beating the big dogs means playing with them at their level, and the only way is to put money into the club.
There were a lot of fans who embraced Fosun with open arms three years ago, and a lot of naysayers also.
After the past two seasons, I think most of the latter have shut up naying.
Some staff members have had a job perk suspended, and I feel sorry for them, but not all staff are match attendees, and sell their tickets, and not all staff are Wolves fans.
Them I do not feel sorry for.
If you don’t like it, same as any employment, get another job and move on.
However, having said all that, I agree 100% about The Molineux.
It is our ancestral home, and our Chinese owners are fully aware of the importance of ancestors, and should not under any circumstance consider moving our home.
Everything else, Laurie sacking, transfers or non transfers etc is pure speculation.
Two great English sporting results yesterday as well.
Well done the boys at Lords, and that bloke at Silverstone.
And five more sleeps until Dooglemas!!
FOwb
I am in the concerned camp .Having done all the right things to date I am concerned Fosun May be starting to believe their own hype .I very much hope we stay at Molineux but recent events have shaken my confidence in Shi ‘s confirmation we will not leave .
In the short term losing Costa I can see makes sense especially at the price but Cavaleiro before we have any replacements looks highly risky as Nuno has now in effect confirmed .Some on this blog say Fosun would not sell without a deal in the bag for replacements .I don’t believe that for a minute as everybody knows no deal is done until it is done .
I will wager that this season will not repeat the success of last although I hope we are still good enough for mid table .God help us if we have injuries .Whilst all credit to the medical staff last year we were still lucky not to get any unavoidable material on field injuries .
How do Wolves benefit by taking away seasons tickets and then paying the employees more to make up for the benefit being revoked? Seems like a wash.
I get the feeling Laurie might not have been so gung-ho about all of the China stuff. (Incidentally, Gung Ho is rumoured to be another Chinese player we are looking to sign).
Signing nobodies because they are of Chinese descent. Opening a Chinese megastore. Competing the the Shanghai based tournament when the Europa League starts so soon afterwards.
And I thing Jeff Shi wanted to go into the transfer market full force but some people, like Nuno, didn’t. Now Nuno seems to be saying that we will be signing a lot of players. Has he changed his tune because he no longer has the backing of Laurie and how has to bow to Jeff’s desire to really have a go at the top 4 or, should I say, 3rd and 4th.
Has it occured to you that some employees might actually prefer a little extra money instead of a season ticket? I’m sure there are a few people working for Wolves who do it to support themselves and their families rather than the team.
It is difficult to be sure what is going on with our beloved club. The sacking of Dalrymple did come as a shock and some explanation would be welcome, if only to avoid speculation and rumour. And it has already started with talk of fallings out over ground improvement versus a move to a new site.
Fosun come from a different culture, where politically and traditionally transparency is not always regarded as a given. These are people who have made an enormous amount of money, and one would guess, sometimes by keeping their plans to themselves.
But we should remember they have already given us the best couple of years many of us can remember. You have to be as old as me to have witnessed better times, and trust me, The Molineux then was a slum. In deed an accident waiting to happen. Witness Bradford and Hillsborough.
So much as I would like to know the ins and outs of what plans are being laid, we can be sure Fosun won’t do anything that will affect “the brand”, they’re businessmen and we can only hope their plans match our dreams. So far they have and I believe they’ll continue to do so.
I am in the positive camp. Laurie did a great job but now, for whatever reason. he has gone. Time to move on.
Fosun have made a massive investment in our club and common sense says that they will take all steps necessary to protect this. This will essentially require that our squad be strengthened. I have no doubt that this will happen very shortly
I regard the departures of Costs and Cav as being sad but necessary. Despite major initial impacts, it is the case that neither featured regularly during the latter part of last season, and clearly Nuno believes that both are one step below the standard that we now need. We should respect his expertise.
I note that during the off season a significant number of fringe players have left the club. The decks have been cleared, and we carry little baggage The future is bright.
Yep!!! Enobakare has a good future.
Greetings to all from California. Yes I am a bit peeved at lack of news on incoming transfers but, in the losing of Costa and Cav, I’m taking as indication of the higher quality imports the Club is seeking to bring in, Sure they won’t be cheap but are the top six getting any bargains? No. I like that there are no leaks and I am confident that our owners, plus Mendes, will ‘do the business’.
Now to the issues of Laurie’s sacking and the employee ticket perks. I was once fired because the Chairman/CEO told me that ‘people were talking about me taking over from him’. He had told the Board that I was conspiring against him. Those bright sparks didn’t work out that , as they were his bosses, they would need to be part of the conspiracy. The official announcement talked along the lines of ‘things hadn’t worked out’.
What’s my point? Corporations lose senior folk for all sorts of reasons and they will NEVER explain the detail. The leaving person probably gets a pay off and that money is linked to a strict confidentiality agreement…so they will never explain either.
Its shitty and its the world of corporations…like Fosun. So lets not wait for more insight into the real reasons for Laurie’s exit…it ain’t coming.
Yes, we would all hate moving from the Mol….but its not our decision. Spurs have just spent a breathtaking sum on their new stadium….just next door. If Fosun can figure that option out then good luck to them. They have loadsamoney.
Program sellers liked their season tickets and who wouldn’t …but were they using them or selling them? Who knows ? Its not a family club any more but it hasn’t been for a very long time.
I don’t see any owners of the top six that I ‘d like to take for a pint. They are not stupid and they are scarily ambitious. I think now at Wolves we have their equivalent. As long as Nuno is backed then I’m OK with that.
Still wouldn’t mind a couple of big signings tho……
Very wise words here Brian and accurately detailed too.
In the world of business, ownership, money, management, direction and policy plans let’s all be clear…. “the owners way is generally the only way.”
No matter how much an opinion we all have if it doesn’t match the hierarchy’s then often the s@@t will hit the fan…. and goodbyes are inevitable.
Regards answers… we’ll speculation is futile as the threat of loss of settlement pay and having to fulfill compromise agreement takes over.
I’m afraid Laurie’s departure has to be swallowed and we move on.
On the subject of ticket perks I know for definite that some were selling them for financial gain and imo have sh@t on their own chips … you can’t expect folks to ignore selling on a perk by turning a blind eye… given the ever increasing demand for them.
As for a purpose built ground my own view is that it’s not my preference but as Fosun might think… who’s he anyway.. it will be a business decision not a sentimental one.
For sure I’m not sure of the timing of all of this and that of the absence of marque signings but I’m convinced that Fosun will deliver…. they’re just currently bailing out Thomas Cook…!!!
its strange how the dalrymple sacking has now turned into a stadium moving discussion.
we are all clutching at straws as to the reasons behind what happened and as marin stated we will never know.
building a new molineux up the road is probably a good reason for the fall out as we all know laurie was firmly in the remain camp as i am…..but i am not going to pay for it…. and i am not going to lose a shit load of money from a third of the ground being closed for 18 months at a time over a probable 5 year period and because of the logistics and everything else pay god knows how much more for it.
take your gold and black glasses off (which i still have) and look at it as a pure business decision.
redeveloping the molineux will be too expensive and take way too long to complete and i am no architect or builder but it is blatantly obvious.
building a new purpose built stadium with all the add ons from scratch on a site as close to the old ground as possible simply makes total common sense and if i was paying thats exactly what i would do.
you can be as sentimental as you want but it doesnt make sense .
the utter carnage around molineux for years on end would cost a fortune and drive everyone mental in the process.
if a site big enough were availible down the stafford road or similar would it really make that much difference ?
arsenal moved from highbury to just down the road would you balk at a ground like that …i wouldnt.
yes the mol has given us all mind blowing memories down the years and yes it would be heart breaking to move but what do you do .
i for one will back our owners and i am convinced if the decision was to build new down the road it wouldnt be a souless concrete mess i am certain fosun would re make the molineux with a view to building it in a way which would remind us all of the old ground .
i hope this thread is wrong and i do hope we stay where we are but i have a strange feeling doogle that your right.
Yes, these are disturbing times right now at Molineux. The decision to revoke the season tickets for match day staff is just brain dead. It’s a throwaway amount of money for the club and it shows a very insensitive and one-eyed attitude on the part of Fosun, It makes the club look bad and I don’t like it. Add to that the departure of Laurie, presumably because he let his own feelings known about this dreadful decision, and it looks even worse. It would appear that very little by way of an explanation from Fosun has been released to the media concerning these events. Certainly the Express & Star have had little or nothing to say about it. I’m presuming that’s because they’ve been fed little or nothing?
By the by, does anyone know what “exciting new venture” Tim Spiers is off to?
As for the ground? Obviously I’d prefer to stay at Molineux, but if it really does create major difficulties with respect to expanding the stadium then perhaps a move to pastures new, while regrettable, may be unavoidable.
But a bigger mystery to me is why we have done absolutely nothing yet in the transfer market. Here we are, already with a small squad which is now diminishing with the departures of some our existing first-team players and, on top of that we have a very arduous Europa League campaign to cope with as well. And yet we have apparently done little or nothing to add to our squad and there is now a very short period of time remaining before the start of the season. Has Mr Mendes been advising during this period? If so, then it looks like a baffling strategy, or lack of one, to me.
Tim is off to some subscription site. Wolves seem to be trying to sign top players but don’t have the allure that Champions League teams do.
Harder to sign top young talent than above average young talent.
That’s why we need Mendes to convince his clients that it is good for them.
Thanks Tim. Answered all of my questions.
I’m still very concerned about our diminishing squad size though, but I take your points absolutely.
First thing to say. Fosun are in it to make WWFC great again. And I mean great. What Fosun need to guard against. And it saw the back of Steve Morgan. Is Wolves fans are Black Country born and bred. No matter what rich benefactor. If we see our club being used for whatever reason we will tell them to f**k off. As much as Iove Fosun they really need to have regard to the fan base. It can and will turn very quickly.
Absolutely correct. If Wolves fans turn against a manager or owner the results can be poisonous.I go back to remembering the fans turning against the young team under Stan Cullis, which had performed so promisingly the previous season, and the outcome of that situation was truly dire.
Soul less how some Arsenal fans have discribed the Emirates another bowl stadium what is unique about it ….. NOTHING.
Last season Wolves fans were taking the Micky out of city because the atmosphere at another airport named stadium was shit ………Is that what we really want a soul less concrite corporate bowl……..!
Sell your soul to the devil at your peril.
Could you ever imagine Liverpool leaving Anfeld or Utd leaving Old Trafford….. NO they know the value of there history there DNA .
There was as survey by Arsenal fans a couple of years ago and a lot wished they never left Highbury.
Totally agree that the next huge challenge facing Wolves is now to improve ground facilities, what level to scale up to and when.
The Mol is showing its age in many areas and pretty urgently needs a facelift. Ideally the capacity needs an increase to accommodate the ever growing waiting list for season tickets. But how long would the waiting list be If the price went up a third?
Spurs did amazing to reach a Champions League final on the back of no new signings, a policy clearly linked to the investment in the ground.
If we had to face that decision when would be the right time for us to take the foot off the gas on transfers, are we still in the process of needing to upgrade several areas of the team or could we hold a mid table position with a few tweaks and would we accept that if planned massive ground improvements were announced?
I really don’t know the answers to these questions. We have come so far but that has just enabled us all to see massive potential. Maybe too much potential and I suspect Nuno is trying to keep us grounded.
People say Fosun are limited on how much they spend because of FFP. I don’t think grounds development is included in FFP.
If they want to get where they say they do they can increase the value of the Wolves company by increasing the value of the stadium.
first priority has to be the team .
the revenue from making the ground bigger is negligible
the cost of either is enormous
both require huge investment but both at the same time ?
i think not.
improvements within what is already there have been started and i think thats about as far as they will go for now
the team improvements must take priority over everything else .
we are not an established prem side yet and the second season rebound could come back to bite our arse then where would all the plans and dreams go
the ground is bursting at every game lets keep it that way with fantastic football
yes fosun have squeezed a few employees for the tickets a lot of them dont use or sell on and at least they have given them the chance to purchase them at a very generous discount .
nothing more annoying than a sell out crowd and no tickets available and when you look around there are dozens of empty seats well that should put a stop to most of that
as i have already stated replicating a bigger molineux at a new site not too far away has to be an option despite the fact that some will say we lose our identity but us old ones who have been tramping the same path to the ground for years may just have to live with it. after all,
we are not the future we are the past and if you take your seat in a brand new state of the art molineux replica with your side top of the premier league and in the champions league final you can look back at the old days and thank god for the new ones
I’m not sure improving the squad and investing in a new stadium/increasing current capacity have to be prioritized. Others may be better informed than me but I thought funding in ground improvements etc was unaffected by FFP. If this is the case Fosun can see spend on both simultaneously.
Whether they can afford to or are willing to do so we of course have no way of knowing.
As a Wolves fan whose glass is half full or half empty ?
My goodness we like burning the candle at both ends we live on a daily mixture of pain and pleasure. For the past 2 seasons it has been a massive high of pleasure, but the last few months have brought back those niggling fears of everything going tits up again.
So what’s happened to make the Fosun juggernaut wobble just a little?
Well getting rid of LD sent shock waves through us fans as we are down on the street and not really in the know now are. All sorts of rumours flying about. But at the the ned of the day Fosun and Big Jeff clearly running the show so I say deal with it Wolves fans and move on. Thank LD for everything positive he has done in his tenure but the Wolf Pack moves on;
Program sellers get free season tickets, wish I had known would have done it would have paid for my car parking and free entry! What Fosun have done is brought us in line with most of the Premier clubs handling of the circumstances. Plus they have been offered 50% off this season and 20% season after. The demand for season tickets is through the roof so decision made rightly in my view so I say Wolf Pack move on;
Molineux stay or go ? Its a good one this. I am 71 years young and spent all my Wolf life in the Golden Palace from the age of 5 when my Grandad (God bless him) took me to reserve games till I was old enough for the real stuff. First game for real was Real Madrid for my birthday ! Anyway the question that always comes first to mind when they discuss upgrading The Mol is ‘where will everyone park’ ? Its a hard enough issue at the present level so to add 20k on top where do we all go ? Molineux to me is all memories good and bad, but its memories so I say move to e new ground. Its not affected any of the teams that spring to mind. I lived in Derby for 20 years and was there when the issue of leaving the Baseball Ground cropped up, boy that was just like us severing limbs, slashing of wrists the lot. Now years on dust settled stadium usually at least 60% full last season. Al the bigger clubs their new grounds a re well attended if not full. I have all my memories so I say Wolf Pack move on to a new ground we can turn it the new Wolfs lair;
So new additions to the squad, or so far lack of them which is causing the most concern. Difficult one this as I do not really know what to make of it. Are Fosun saying ‘look we are way ahead of schedule let s draw breath for a season, we have paid out £42m so no more spending get our house financially in order and kick on in 20/21’ Does it work that way ? Spurs got away with it last season but our squad is not big enough in quality or numbers to possibly stand the rigours of this coming season with the inclusion of the Europa Cup. Nuno has now thrown his hat in the ring stating an influx is necessary. By the way LD had nothing to do with transfers so can’t use that as a reason. So what is causing the delay ? I honestly do not know. I say Wolf Pack stand firm, grit your teeth and get ready for another roller coaster ride into the unknown.
Wolves Ay We !
My goodness, what a refreshing change to see Wolves fans being able to discuss their preferences on a ground move without an avalanche of abuse being thrown at them for having a different view. I’ve just been banned from another fan site just for having a similar view to yourself? Spikeboy above does a good job of explaining why I see a move as a better option but I was, apparently, a Villa fan and psychopath for considering such a move. You’ve got 12 years on me but your views mirror my own in that Molineux is a very important part of WWFC history; but a slavish and emotional devotion to stay at the ground, I feel, could hinder the plans Fosun have to, genuinely, put Wolves right up there. Apart from allowing a blank canvas to get the stadium spot on, it would allow us to continue our progress, uninterrupted, at Molineux until the time was right to move. I understand the preference fans have to stay at Molineux I just think the arguments to move outweighs the disruption a redevelopment would incur at Molineux by some distance. Just m opinion.
A thought provoking article Doog.
I don’t think we’ll ever know the full reason for LD going, as has been pointed out they’ll be non disclosure agreements etc. We can speculate all we want & I’ve already seen loads of conspiracy theories. Personally I think he did an amazing job & I’m sorry to see him go. I wish him luck.
Staff tickets is harsh I feel but then again if folks sell them on I can understand why it’s been stopped.
As for the ground issue, this year is 40 years since Tipton Exile took me to see my 1st match in the new John Ireland stand. I don’t want to move but I can also see the points raised by parking issues, upgraded facilities needed, lower attendance while work being carried out etc etc.
It may be that the only sensible option available is to build a new stadium with everything there that Fosun want just down the road. Attendance wouldn’t be affected this way. OK it’s not what a lot of us want but at the end of the day we don’t hold the Fosun purse strings.
Really would like to see some incoming transfers though!
The Laurie thing is definitely a strange one, but I don’t think we will ever know the truth.
I was reading the express and star regarding the staff season tickets and was suprised by a lot of the comments saying good I might get a ticket now I’m on a waiting list. I dont get to go to hardly any games myself now with my job and running a boys football team but I tell you when we were in the championship and league one I never had a problem getting hold of tickets. I certainly don’t object to the staff who are almost all wolves fans getting a few perks to go with a low wage job and think it’s sad that these people are losing a perk that a lot of other clubs offer. All these fans moaning about waiting lists, there was no waiting list in league one I wonder how may of them were moaning they couldnt get tickets when we were shit.
There are some really intelligent comments and countering thoughts from the contributors above expressing ideas and feelings about the current issues and worries.
Personally, at present I am a little disturbed at some events or proposals.
Watching the Nuno interview in China, I felt aware that all he genuinely wished was to be working with his squad and preparing for the upcoming season thoroughly, rather than to be in the fishbowl he was enduring; that may be unfair or even wrong?
Only time will show us if we are approaching our second season in the best manner; the real movement of top players will gather momentum soon, hopefully. Good luck to Laurie, who seemed to me to be top drawer.
As master Nuno said , this year is a bit different with the nations cup , African and South American comps happening and only just finishing now, hasn’t left much time for negotiating transfers
Nobody ( apart from villa) has done much in the transfer market yet , it will happen later so chillax peeps
I loved costa and cav but how many of us could say we were too upset when either failed to make the bench last year! I have to admit I’m more excited about their replacements .
Laurie seemed like a great guy but hey , we don’t know what happened and I for one have been over the moon with Jeff and he gets my absolute backing
I predict we will have one of the best under 23 teams by year end too
The future looks nothing but exciting to me looking at what’ Fosun are doing in Shanghai atm , fahookin hell who’d a thunk it a few years ago !
Wolves 2
Newcastle 0
Utw
Fwaw
Thanks Mark for a thought-provoking post. The thing that saddens me most is the dismissal of Laurie Dalrymple. I thought he was doing a great job in building trust between the club and us fans.
I was equally sorry to see Cav and Costa go. They were bit players of late but we do need to strengthen up to accomodate their loss.
Molineux is our home and I want us to stay there but it does need expanding and upgrading.
I’m not expecting to be any the wiser by the end of the week but I’m off to Nanjing tomorrow for the PL Asia Trophy (we arrived in China this evening). The second match is here in Shanghai on Saturday.
Hi Dougie. I hope that you and Mrs Exiled are having fun in the Far East.
How’s the shopping Barbara?
Look at the clubs that have moved, Southampton, Sunderland, The Foxes, but to mention a few all since moving have lost the atmosphere similar grounds no character and 90 per cent of West Ham fans would go back to Upton Park tomorrow.
Its no coincidence that they’ve all had problems with setting in and lack of atmosphere and identity.
I know what I think but I’m going to wait a year or so before putting it in print.
Albeit to say I’m more than a little nervous.
I was a bit surprised when we heard that we were playing in China right bang before our entrance into Europe..then what happened to laurie …and also , no signings.
Left a strange atmosphere and all just before a new season.
But………I’ll give the men with the money the benefit of my doubts- for a little bit longer.
UTW
Our all-time highest goal scorer attended the opening of the Wolves mega-store in Shanghai.
Does that make him?….
Wait for it….
A BULL IN A CHINA SHOP!
I’m in The Hogshead Wolvo . Wolves 1 Newcastle 0. Diogo . There are a fair few Wolves fans in here. Obviously got out of work today. Woooaaaaahhhh 2-0 Morgan gibbs-white!
Will get back on here to comment later.
In the meantime I am off to watch Newcastle v Wolves on hesgoal.
3-0 to Wolves so far with 46 mins gone.
4-0 to the greatest team the world as ever seen. Load of shit man city v West ham coming on now. FWAW.
Great game under the conditions, mgw looks ready to start for me but in who’s place ?
I liked the look of Sanderson too and in front of a new bunch of fans
Man City in the final would be great
Happy days
Utw
Thanks for this post Mark. Lots to think about now, as it is our Wolves DNA to always think the worst.
Just watched us demolish Newcastle 4-0 and I continue to be impressed with how we are playing. Yes, it would be great to see more additions, but I remain convinced that it will be another good season ahead.
Okay, here we go. Dicko left, Afobe left, Sako left, and a lot of other playing staff have left. At the time of each departure I heard and read comments of doom and gloom. Their individual departures did not result in a Wolves demise, in fact we became better, bringing in other players (over time), resulting in them not being missed (over time).
Dalrymple has gone. So ……….. he will be replaced. Yes, he was good for us, but so may be his successor. I am not fussed. He is one man who has moved on, and I do not see the club falling apart because of it. Fosun are here for their own reasons, and I am currently enjoying them being here.
As was said/alluded to earlier, rebuilding the ground will most certainly cause an enormous amount of turmoil for both the club (fans included) and for the City. Whilst I personally would not want to move to a new stadium, I would also not want to attend matches in our current stadium whilst the massive overhaul is being carried out. Building a new stadium in a location near to where we currently sit is that much more financially viable and will have no effect on our current situation. I believe that as effective businessmen as they are, Fosun will consider that as the way foward.
When a large number of us bloggers leave this earth for pastures new, it will be fans like Ben’s son and Stu Wolfs grandsons etc that will grow to remember Wolverhampton Wanderers stadium on the Stafford Road (or wherever it may be) as fondly as we remembered it on the Waterloo Road.
We move on. Wolves ay We.
The results not important. Yes it is!
Picked up where they finished off last season.
Ok Newcastle were off the boil but that’s there problem.
Everybody looked good, fit and ready to go.
I liked the Fosun sponsor logo too.
Before all the naysayers ( I love that word!) jump on the band wagon, about only a pre season friendly, result don’t matter and all their usual negative bollocks, let me state here and now, we played fuckin’ brilliant!!
Liquid foot ball is back.
If we gel like this in our first pre season kick about, think what the future holds.
The conditions were the same for both teams, and we adapted superbly.
Shows what a full season of playing together, with a fairly small and uninjured squad can do.
And oh what fun is was to see that racist bastard Shelvey falling to his knees with twisted blood!!
And they got Brucie to look forward to!!
Can we play them, and Manure, every week?
I’m dissapointed Leroy Sane has dispensed with his George Berry hair style. If I had some hair I would have the George Berry. Why not Leroy? Gutted.
Coz Dr. Nuno told him to cut it before he joins us!!
The redevelopment of Molineux is a proposed 4 stage plan – the first phase is completed. Running a football club is an exercise in plate spinning, only for a Premiership team the plates are fine china. Youth development, training facilities, club infrastructure, first team performance etc all go hand in hand. It’s feasible to expand the capacity to 45-50000 which for a Midlands outfit with a number of other clubs nearby seems sufficient.
On the other hand our former MD was spearheading the ground redevelopment – we may never know why LD left ( NDAs ), but it isn’t too big a leap to hypothesise it could have been to do with the stadium and disagreement as to its future. I for one hope that isn’t the case. Molineux is Wolves and Wolves is Molineux.
On the topic of signings some are concerned that there haven’t been any first team additions so far, others saying be patient and have faith. I’m in the mildly concerned camp, simply because I so want Wolves to kick on from where we left off in May. With three quarters of the transfer window gone we are entering that tricky final period although I understand other European transfer windows started much later and global competitions have stalled business.
I think the China link is essential for our future growth. A huge untapped market. Without stating the obvious and our owners origins, successful premier league clubs need revenue streams. Fosun knew when they bought us that marketing a brand with a wolf ? would have huge potential so let’s make the most of it !
Just a word of caution – I think most of us, had we been asked at the end of last season where we expected to be by the middle of July, it wouldn’t have been the loss of our MD and no first team signings.
Fingers crossed that we do some great business before 5pm 8th August.