It’s funny to think that virtually no-one on this blog had even heard of Ståle Solbakken, never mind were able to pronounce or spell his name.
Now, just weeks on from his appointment, I just can’t imagine having anyone else.
Agreed, he’s only had success in Scandanavia and has never managed in England. True, his only experience in a major European league ended in relegation in his first season. However, his position at Cologne was widely recognised as untenable. Look beyond that and his management history as a whole makes for impressive reading.
In his first 2 years in management he won the second division title with Ham Kam in Norway and then took them to fifth place in their premiership, the Tippeligaen(apparently with one of the lowest budgets in the league).This was their highest finish in 33 years.
In 2005 he was appointed head coach at FC Copenhagen and won the title by six points, largely as a result it is said of the team’s ‘oak-hearted defence’. Now wouldn’t that be nice?
His team impressively defeated Ajax to qualify for the group stages of the Champion’s league( the first time in FCC’s history), a group also comprising Celtic, Benfica and Man Utd. Although they lost all 3 away games, 2 draws and a victory over United left them unbeaten at home and bottom only on goal difference.
That year they also retained their league title, this time by a huge 13 points and with even fewer goals conceded. Now wouldn’t that be nice?
Ståle went on to win 2 more titles and one cup before again progressing to the group stage of the Champion’s league. This time their opponents were Rubin Kazan of Russia, Greece’s Panathinaikos and some club called Barcelona. All 3 were their current league champions.
A 2-0 away win in Athens(not many do that) was added to by 2 home wins and a 1-1 draw against a full strength Barcelona side and FCC became the first Danish side to reach the knock out stage of the Champion’s League.
Pep Guardiola described Ståle’s team as ‘the best organised opposition in his time at Barcelona’.Blimey!
I got this information from an article by Charlie Andersen, the editor of the Nordic football blog Stone by Stone. He goes on to say:
‘In terms of his tactical ability: well, a year or so ago I mentioned him in the same breath as André Villas-Boas and Jürgen Klopp, and I stand by that. I think Solbakken is one of the best young tacticians around, and I don’t mind standing or falling by that statement. The way he organised and prepared his Copenhagen side for big games was impressive, but even more remarkable was the tactical flexibility he instilled in that team.
To take a side so dominant in their domestic league (in 2010-11 they won the Superliga by 26 points) and get them to put the shackles on Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta shows genuine coaching quality. His transfer policy at FCK was sound, too: he tended to sell his most marketable players and replace them prudently and intelligently.’
OK, it’s just one man’s opinion, and all managerial appointments are gambles to some extent, but I am still very excited by this one. And don’t forget, if he hadn’t failed at Cologne, we wouldn’t have had a sniff.
Brendan Rogers at Liverpool, Paul Lambert at Villa, Woy at England, whoever the bleeding A****n end up with. Naah, not for me. You can keep the lot. I wouldn’t swap ‘the bald head who came back from the dead’ for any of them.
Thanks Martin for the ‘background research ‘.I am looking forward to what could be an exciting season and a new era.Back in the Prem looks like at least a couple of the clubs could be in for a long hard struggle (and thats just to find a manager !).
The big question is how well the players reacts on his commands; tactics. He need the right players to carry out his philosophy. In Cologne he didn’t have the right players. I have no doubt in Staale’s capabilities as a manager. I really hope, for his sake, that he manages to get in the right players quickly. Not everyone in the fans section is as patient as our board, and I hope we’ll avoid negative atmosphere in Molineux during this campaign.
Everyone assumed we would lose our best players – no players have left the club yet, although Fletcher and Jarvis will probably leave. And that is thanks to the board. The 10 million price tag on the heads of Fletcher and Jarvis makes them replaceable. Good work board!
Really good blog mate. I sincerely hope and think that Stale will be successful for us but if he is I think it will be limited credit to the board. I think a foreign manager that nobody had heard of was the cunning choice of Moxey et al because they weren’t prepared to pay out for the type of manager that the fans were demanding at the time. E.g. Hughton, Poyet, Mackay. Stale was compensation free, isn’t bringing a new backroom team with him (yet!) and isn’t in a position to kick out half of the existing backroom team yet either, including the brother in law!Most importantly, the board know that us fans won’t slag the bloke because we’ve never heard of him! I also reckon Moxey read the same blog as you before the appointment Martin- ‘His transfer policy at FCK was sound, too: he tended to sell his most marketable players and replace them prudently and intelligently.’ Before I get slated for negativity, let me stress again that I do think and hope to God that Stale will be fantastically successful. I just don’t trust the motives of our fat chief exec, and after the last season I certainly don’t trust a word that comes out of his fat gob!
I completely understand your point of view Carl but i’m just glad they appointed him, for whatever reason. We nreeded a huge change of direction imo and we’ve certainly got that. I’m just praying it works.
Agreed. We could be sat here now looking forward to a season of Mr Potato Head. Hopefully that honour could now be reserved for the a****n who seem to have taken some tips in their manager search from our very own JM!
SS developed at least 3teams in Kopenhagen. I have no doubt in his abilities, but like others interested to see how Greaseball copes with someone who isn’t going to take much bull.
I have no doubt he is here on the back of a recommendation from Hodgson.
Any news on the DOF anybody?
Praying that MM gets a job soon so that Clipboard does not have to be dragged screaming and shouting from the training ground.
Ther will be a lot of coming and going.
One of the best young tacticians around? Oh yes! 😀
Excellent piece of writing and well researched. Obviously not a journalist. He seems to be his own man which suggests to me he will have people alongside him who understands his philosophy and vision of the game. If its correct that he develops highly organised and adaptable teams with astute tactical know how, i,m afraid there cannot be any future for TC. The regimented and predictable style Mad mick played and continued by TC is something that is hopefully in the past and never to be repeated by the Nordic man.
Stale’s record at all three clubs was Games 369, Won 198, Draws 74, Lost 97. Win% 53.66.
Honours:
Player – Aab Danish Superliga: 1998-99
Copenhagen: 2000-01
Manager – Copenhagen : Royal league: 2005-06
Danish Superliga: 2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11
Danish Cup: 2009
Individual – 1995 Kniksen award as Norwegian Midfielder of the year
2004 Kniksen award as Norwegian Manager of the year#
Danish Superliga Manager of the year: 2007, 2011
I for one think we could have a cracker of a manager given time and backing by “everyone”,
We are Wolves…………Onwards and upwards.
I think the vast majority of supporters are right behind this appointment. And yes, we must give him time and i think we will.
this is going to make for a very interesting season….jarvis and fletch may yet want to stay if stalle can convince them we are on the up. i think this season ahead is either going to be one of the best in years or COULD end up much the same as last season…i reckon it smells very promising even if it takes a little while-the fella deserves a fair bit of rope to turn our fortunes around and i WILLbe behind him come what may! GO STALLEY BOY!!
I’ve said it before and I don’t mind repeating it, this bloke seems to be one very smart and astute cookie, and is a brilliant appointment for us.
However, if he is shackled in any way by greasel, and has to keep last year’s training and backroom plonkers, then he’s doomed.
I sincerely hope that he is as strong in standing up to the board for what he wants and needs as coaching staff etc, as he seems to be in sorting out the teams he manages.
If he does not get that, he appears to be the sort of guy to tell them to kiss his arse as he walks away!!!
I don’t think Fletcher will leave, for me he’s no better than plenty of Prem forwards, and I don’t expect us to get any stupid offers for him.
Jarvis….a luxury we probably won’t need this coming season, so let’s make a few mill and move on.
But, once again, let’s not over speculate, let our new manager think his thoughts, consult his oracle and work his magic over the current squad.
We live in exciting times!!!!!
And, as ever, FOWB
Not sure how you can call Jarvis a luxury.
On coaches, I reckon we’ll start hearing about that side of things when Stale officially takes over. I can see him bringing his assistant, and someone said something about another coach.
An interesting and enjoyable read Martin, thanks. Out of interest, any idea why his position at Cologne was untenable?
To be absolutely honest SKD, the word ‘untenable’ was an edit by Thomas who was very kindly tidying up the blog. My original wording was something like, ‘very much considered a poisoned chalice’,which is much the same thing isuppose. This is because, historically, Cologne has been a graveyard for managers who have come and gone with frightening rapidity.
The players seem to rule the roost there and Ståle had plenty of his own disciplinary problems to deal with. This is a quote from an article on the Bundesliga Lounge website entitled ‘Chaos at the Carnival Club’:-
‘There was little chance of instant success for Solbakken with the Cologne soap opera in full flow. There was Miso Brecko’s drink driving, Kevin Pezzoni’s Carnival punch-up, Slawomir Peszko’s run in with a Taxi driver, not to mention the Cologne fans stopping the team bus for a chat and smashing up another with Gladbach fans in. There has been a lot to deal with at the Geißbockheim this season’
On top of that he had a player, Lukas Podolski, who was bigger than the club and a sporting director, Volke Finke, who signed a player without Ståle’s agreement.
As long as JM doesn’t try any of that i think Ståle should have a a good stable environment to work in. Which is great because the above article concludes,
‘ Stale Solbakken… would be a perfect coach for a stable and progressive club’.
Blimey. Any chance Cologne will take Roger off our hands?? Sounds like he’d fit right in over there.
Excellent blog Martin.
From what I read it was total chaos for Staale at Cologne, but there were many extenuating circumstances.
At the moment he seems like a potential breath of fresh air, especially after the ‘staleness’ of McCarthy’s reign!
Can’t wait for July and Staale at Molineux.
The appointment has certainly increased my respect for Morgan; as I think (hope) he, not Moxey, was the prime motivator in the appointment.
This will unravel with the varying pre season comings and goings, especially in relation to the back room staff. I think it would be out of character, in regards to what we know of Staale, for him to have taken the job without some sort of autonomy, on this front.
To me, the first signs in a shift of power, will be if there is no movement of players until Staale arrives and assesses the squad.
Onwards and upwards looks like an interesting season ahead.
I’m as happy to jump on the optimism bandwagon as everyone else. But why is his time in Germany being glossed over? Anyone know?
Hi Kowloon. My reply to SKD is the case for the defence.
Oak-hearted defence… what a great term!
Or in our case with Johnson – ‘The contents of an oak – barrel defence.’
This blog makes great reading, what a fantastic cv and seems a great fit for wwfc. Lets hope the DOF when appointed knows the English leagues, players and who is available, as our new manager will know by now he probably needs an entire new defence, if thats for him where it all starts.
I don`t have a problem selling off our so called stars for really big money, and buying in inexpensive replacements. Thats good business practice, and there are always new players coming through in the lower divisions, as well as our own academy graduates whom seem of ever better quality.
can`t wait for the fixtures, or for our new manager to start.
“The 53-year-old has also been on the radar of West Bromwich Albion but has been rewarded with another crack at the Premier League by Norwich.”
Direct quote about Chris Hughton in The Electronic Telegraph today.
I Love the inference that the shit are not a Premier side!!
Ha!
I don’t want to put a dampner on things, and I really do wish Solbakken well, but I do think people are getting a bit ahead of themselves if they think there is going to be some instant transformation. The style of football that Solbakken plays is similar to our direct hoof it approach although he does base his teams on a strong organised defensive unit (which will be a breath of fresh air!). All in all if he sets out his team as he has done in the past I fully expect 1-0 wins and draws rather than running away with games. It won’t be pretty and certainly won’t win us any friends, but hopefully it will be bloody effective.
So here’s my optimistic prediction for our season up to Xmas: Wolves chasing promotion but trailing the leaders because there scoring more goals or playing “prettier” football, we’ll have got the best defensive record in the league and have lost the least games. I also predict that there will be fans calling for Solabakken’s head on here as why can’t we play more attacking football like “x” team who are leading/trailing us by a few points. Certain fans will be branded as happy clappers as they see that its all about promotion rather than style whilst others will simply quote that “x” manager/player would do it differently and bring us instant success.
Meanwhile the shit will be proceeding to the worst prem points total finish ever under Mcliesh/Bruce/Clipboard eclipsing our run of defeats on the way!
I can Dream can’t I.
Interesting Sheffield about his style of football. Did you read this somewhere or have you actually seen some of it?
Can’t say I’m an expert but I have seen a few of the games he was in charge of Copenhagen and kept tabs on them whilst I was in Denmark a couple of years ago. Also have a few Scandanavian football fan friends who I tapped up for background info on him when he was first appointed at Wolves. But have to admit as a manager he really only came to my attention as someone tactically smart when they held Barcelona.
I do tend to keep tabs on the bundesliege a bit as I do a bit of work over there and can confirm he did really take on a mess in managing Cologne. They have been spiralling off the field for a few years and last years relegation wasn’t really a surprise. I can understand why he took the risk in managing Koln are a big club (50,000 seater stadium isn’t bad) and they have a relatively recent history of success having won the bundesliege a few times in the early 90s. But recently they have been a bit of a yo yo club between the top two divisions in Germany. If I had to describe Koln as an English club they have the attitude to mangers of Chelsea, off the field antics of Barton, Terry, Cole and Johnson, the mad and dangerous fan mob culture of Millwall and player power of the old guard at Chelsea. For Stale to have been successful there in hindsight it would have needed a complete culture change at the club something that wasn’t likely to happen without the sting of relegation. However, there loss will hopefully be our gain as if he had been successful his track record would have steered him towards the more high profile jobs in Europe.
Personally, I feel he’s a good left field appointment and I certainly feel he is a better appointment than Bruce, Clip board or Solskjear. He will need time to look and assess the squad but he will bring some organisation to a side that has been desperately lacking it. He certainly won’t tolerate willingly the backing off and allowing teams to run through the centre of the park that we have been seeing the last couple of seasons.
Really interesting Sheffield. Cologne sound a nightmare. Those good years you mention in the 90’s, was that when Tony Woodcock went there from Forest?
I must admit i’m with Clive on the quality of football, at least to start with. I am sick to death of losing all the time and a manager saying he only worries where we are in the league at the end of the season. I want to feel happy at 5.00 on a Saturday for a change, so 1-0 sounds lovally to me too.
Have to admit my memory was wrong on that one a bit of googling reveals that Koln didn’t win but were runners up in 89 and in 1990. Have to admit its a bit before I was following the bundesliege! Woodcock joined FC Koln for the second time in 1986 but moved to FC Fortuna in 1988. Woodcock originally joined FC the year after they one their last title in 78 (well before my time!).
And believe me I would take 1-0 wins if it guaranteed us another shot at the big time, I just can see the disgruntled fans being disappointed when we draw nil – nil with a Barnsley or Peterborough because were playing not to lose.
1978? Bloody hell i had hair then. Well, a bit anyway.
Are you Scooped in disguise?
No, come to think of it, he was bald at birth, and has regressed in the hair department ever since!
As I posted on a recent blog, I would stand in 6 feet of shit to watch us win 1 – 0 every game.
I am not interested in pretty pretty Wenger football, I want The Wolves to win shiny things with handles.
So, if we win every match 1 – 0, bore the arse off opponents and win few friends, then I will gladly accept the label of clappy happer!!!
Not sure what style Stale will bring but as we are about to witness in the Euros compared to the English everybody passes and moves.
Not to mention he’s also turned down coaching Norway a couple of times…
True I forgot about that! He’s definitely a bit of a coup for us.
Will that be the F A Coup then???
Great stuff Martin. I am excited about next season, far more than I thought possible when thinking back to how I felt when getting pissed on by the elements against Man City.
Maybe Morgan and Moxey’s Terry Connor fuck up was actually part of a cunning plan: our expectation levels drop so massively, enabling the appointment of an unknown, cheap Scandanavian feel positively cosmic.
It’s working on me!
Its all about expectations to me Ben….
A very clever appointment to lower our expectations and give them (M&M) time to take a breath whatever happens.
R still ay gooin tho.
Trouble is 2 of the fuckups are still here,until Morgan realizes that we are doomed he must get rid of whats left.imo.FOJM.FOTC.
I see Moxey is reverting back to his normal complacent smugness if the piece in the Shropshire Star is anything to go by. All the usual, we took a lot of unreasonable flak, staying in the Premiership is jolly hard, forget Swansea and Norwich i doubt they’ll keep that up, fans need to get some perspective.
He’s obviously feeling a lot safer now the Solbakken appointment is well recieved and even before we’ve won one game he’s telling us all how lucky we are. It’s an attitude that’s at the root of the club’s problems in my opininion.
And probably the most worrying line in the interview,
“ One of the issues with Stale is he obviously needs to assimilate into the English game.What better way to do that than to keep around him people who know it inside out?’
Sounds as if keeping TC may have been part of the deal?
The ” Greasel Out” campaign should be screamed from every outlet possible for as long as it takes, blogs, letters, banners, protests in Queens Square and Beatties cafe, everywhere.
That fat, useless, smug, greasy, slimey, spinning turd needs to be stuffed with the rough end of a pineapple and fucked off out of Wolverhampton ASAP.
He has been a cancer at the club for 13 years, and until he’s gone, there will be problems.
Keep Connor?
On what grounds?
His managerial and coaching record?
Ha!
If our new manager is not allowed total free rein with his assistants, then it will be obvious who is still pulling the strings.
Fuck Moxey Off or the club will stagnate.
While I don’t particularly like him, he’s not useless.
Totally agree, I could live with loosing Doyle, Jarvis and O’Hara but I’m hoping they go all out to keep fletch even for just one season in the champ. His goals would get us back up.
But whatever happens, dispite his faults I have every faith that Moxey will get the maximum value possible out of any player wanting out.
That’s good. I’m just imagining Cllve confronting Moxey, ‘You fat, useless, smug, greasy, slimey, spinning turd.’
Moxey, ‘I’m not useless!’
Reading JM’s latest spin definetly think he is just trying to defend his corner and justify failings – If Stale isnt allowed to bring new people in you are tieing one hand behind his back and it will make it much harder to change things.
I agree Colin. This continual attempt to, as you say, justify failings really winds me up. We all know the facts of last season. Loss after loss, appalling home record, inept performances.
If they had admitted the problem earlier we might still be in the prem now.
Fans seem generally happy with this new appointment and he will know that. Well done on that but he still precided over a calamatous 12 months and he should just shut up and learn from it.
I see the new managers at Liverpool, Norwich and A****n are all bringing other staff with them. It worries me that there’s no news of Ståle doing the same. I know he will need local advice but i want to see a complete change in the coaching regime.
Clipbored and his gang of cry-babies must be hounded out of town.
Greaseball hopefully will follow. Moron needs to put his foot down and get rid of
the reason we are were we are. Baldric Johnson must go too.
I believe the influence of both Moxey and TC are ‘over’.
It maybe that they will be moved ‘sideways’.
If Staale is primarily Morgan’s appointment and considering what we have learnt about him, he is hardly the type to sign a contract, wherein Moxey can dictate who the training staff will be.
Yes, Moxey can blither on, in the ‘Shropshire Star’, but he has been relatively quiet.
Let’s face it, Moxey, M.M. and TC have overseen the worst ‘managerial’ season in Wolves’s history. Now you do not need the brains of Einstein to work out their influence was detrimental if not disastrous.
I will be very surprised if the ‘old guards’ are allowed any say once Staale gets down to business.
Roll on July!!!!!!
I have heard a rumour from a reliable sauce (!) that Morgan was 100% instrumental in getting our new manager, and that greasel was not involved at all.
Also, Connor might stay on, as assistant manager. On the face of it, this looks like a bad decision, but it is comparable to the position of Vice President of The United States. A lovely grandios title, but actually means fuck all. No power, no decision making, and no influence.
Connor, if this is true, will be in charge, partially, of overseeing the kids, not even academy players, so effectively will be totally divorced from first team affairs.
Kind of like last season, really, only officially so!!!
In addition, when the position of Director of Football is sorted, there will be even less for greasel to meddle with, and once his current contract has run it’s dastardly course, he will be shown the door.
As I said, it is all rumour, but it has a ring of truth.
If so, then Morgan would appear to have grown a pear!!!
And, less the summer rain has dampened your memories, as always………..
FOWB
Breaking news from Norway: Sigurdarson is on his way
Source Dagbladet: http://translate.google.no/translate?sl=no&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=no&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vg.no%2Fsport%2Ffotball%2Fengelsk%2Fartikkel.php%3Fartid%3D10073845
Arson, eh??
We’ll have some fun with that name, methinks!!!
I’m sure he’s gonna lit molineux on fire.
Amazed that we beat Everton to his signature. He said for a month ago that he would love to play for Stale, so Stale has already managed to pull off a little miracle. If Mick was a wizard, what is Stale then? God? :=))))
No, there is only one God, Steve Bull.
Although his time was up Mick Mccarthy was the big personality in the club.Since his departure everyone has been trying to save there job by saying how much they like working together – the need for continuity – must have people who know the club etc – blah blah blah…. they couldnt win one single football match and as for the scouting its been chronic.The team is still basically the one that got promoted.Surely the backroom has got to change ?
Anyone else seen in the gossip pages today about Everton being interested in Steven Ward?
I would hope we bite their hand off BEFORE he kicks, or attempts to kick, a ball in anger at the Euro’s coz they sure as hell aint gonna want him after Wards!!!
Are they blind?
No wonder Everton struggle all serason long!!
Imagine Tim Howard having Ward in front of him…..he’ll shoot the fucker!!!!!
Turned his back as usual to deflect the ball for the first goal and SLICED the ball into the path of Jelavic for the second. The man is class.
Does it mean he claims an assist for Croatia? Or does it not work that way? haha
It means that Moxey choked on his lobster as the fuckin clown’s valuation has halved overnight. He’s now down to £7.99!
Maybe ebay with free delivery.
Ward played ok for 88 minutes and disastrously for 2 minutes, like at least one player in a Wolves shirt every game last season.
Ireland strangely paralleled our performances under MM.
Also Ward was the first player at these championships to pass back to the goalie, Wolves style, for Given to hoof it upfield and Doyle manfully wrestle for possession.
In fact, I can see Ireland doing a Wolves in their group and coming away pointless…..
I don’t rate what he does as a fullback even as ok. His technique is to stand off and back pedal. Wingers don’t need to go past him, he just allows them to cross. He probably made about two solid tackles in the whole game. In the second half it looked as if St. Leger was playing CH and LB at the same time.
To me the game showed him up for what he is; out of position and out of his depth.
Agree Martin.
He is not a good enough left back.
Personally see him as a bit of a ‘Jonah’ at Wolves and hope Staale farms him out to pastures anew!
Y’all know Ward is my fave player, so lay off him!
He did in a green shirt what he did for 90 minutes of every league game last season….fuck all.
How can you constantly criticize a bloke who is Mr Consistency personified?
!00% shit all the time, no exceptions. Never has a mediocre or good game, just pure unadulterated shit.
How any one with even an ounce of footballing knowledge can call this clown a footballer is beyond me.
Please David Moyes, buy the useless twat before Ireland’s next game!!!!
FOWB
He is such a joke isn’t he!
I hope LB is one of the first positions Staale strengthens!
What’s annoying me even more about him these days is he’s in the press all the time as if he’s a superstar or something. Farcical.
It will be intersting to see what Stale does with him but i’ll be amazed if he stays as our first choice LB. Hopefully he’ll ship him out if he can find someone who’ll have him that is.
Well true words did you see the clown last night!!!!!!!!!!
Daily Mail this morning………………
“Hammers bid for Jarvis……….West Ham have tabled a £4m offer for Wolves’ winger Matt Jarvis…………………Sam Allardyce’s bid for Jarvis is likely to be met with resistance as the 26 year old is one of a cluster of players who Wolves’ boss Stale Solbakken will be hoping to keep…….”
This time last year we were waiting in anticipation for the fixtures to come out for the likes of Man utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. Just seen we’re in the first round of the league cup that’s came out today-Aldershot at home-bring it on!
As a true Copenhagen fan, who really misses Ståle here, I just have to say that you are all in for treat!!
The man is highly committed to what he does, as well as being respectfull of the players, management and fans! His press interviews are amusing and sharp, and his results speak for themselves. But he didnt succeed right away – it took some time, and I hope he will be given the same time with The Wolves. As opposed to what went on in Köln! 🙂
In any case I will be following The Wolves closely in the future, and expect the best for all of you!
Forza FCK (and the Wolves!)