It seems like only last week that we were celebrating a record breaking season for the boys in Old Gold.
Now that the new campaign is nearly upon us we’re all hoping for similar success this year.
The sky’s the limit….
…Isn’t it?
Rumours like the one that is doing the rounds at the moment about Aston Villa and Danny Batth have brought me back to the the reality that comes with operating in the higher echelons of the football pyramid.
English Premier League clubs continue to escalate the ridiculous sums of money paid for, and to, average footballers who, in spite of signing long term contracts and swearing loyalty to the badge, everyone knows will be off somewhere else as soon as their agents can persuade some other club to fork out a few £K a week more for their greedy, tattoo covered clients.
I’m not putting Danny Batth into that category, but I think you all know the point I am trying to make.
The big clubs think they can take who they want – and they invariably do. Money talks.
And that raises a question that we have all asked in the past.
How prepared are Steve Morgan and Jez Moxey to invest in the future of Wolverhampton Wanderers?
Last season Kenny Jackett blew a hurricane force breath of fresh air through our club, without spending shedloads of Morgan’s money, and his inspired leadership, together with Kevin Thelwell’s astute judgement of players’ potential, built a side from the ashes of previous regimes’ ‘Bonfire of the vanities’ that made us all proud to be Wolves supporters again.
They played a brand of football that would have seemed impossible a few short months ago.
They played with freedom.
They played with confidence.
They played with skill…
And they played as A TEAM.
I can’t remember enjoying a season so much since Bully’s heyday.
Now we stand on the threshold of a new season, with high expectations of establishing ourselves in The Championship and no little hope that we might just challenge for promotion.
This is where I start to worry.
If we get promoted to the Premier League what, realistically, will we be able to achieve?
Transfer fees and players’ wages are increasing year on year.
Small clubs, like Hull City have spent nearly £20M on a couple of new signings and even smaller ones like the one from Sandwell which I can’t name here, have apparently spent £12.6M on some guy I’ve never heard of.
Neither of the Clubs I’ve just mentioned are going to be challenging for honours. Their aim is purely to stay in the Premiership and keep picking up the huge amounts of dosh that are being flung their way.
Over the course of the season they might manage ten wins if they are lucky and their fans will probably see them get humiliated quite a number of times.
I would love to see the team that KJ has built take the Championship by storm and, a bit like Southampton did, make their mark in the Premiership.
But if they start to struggle……
Will Steve Morgan be prepared to risk big money to try and ensure promotion or avoid the drop?
If so, what effect will bringing in ‘big name’ players have on the Wolves ‘family’ that Kenny has fathered.
Finally, if we get close to promotion but just miss out, how many of our team will be headhunted by clubs who have had a chance to see them playing at a higher level?
You can call me a pessimist if you like (you wouldn’t be the first) but there is a distinct possibility that last season will be the best it will get for us fans and the club that we love.
I desperately hope not.
I hope that Kenny will carry on building, and being allowed to build, another great Wolves team to rank among the ones that us older bloggers remember.
The potential is there for Wolverhampton Wanderers to achieve virtually whatever they want.
But if it doesn’t happen, treasure the memories of last season.
I know I will.
Thanks DOOGooder … A magnificent appraisal of English football generally and where Wolves sit at this moment in time.
I well remember our baptism in the PL (of recent times), away to Blackburn Rovers 2003. We lost 5-1 and Sir Jack followed this up by putting the club publicly up for sale. (Not thro Whathouse!!).
Sir Jack is a wise man and despite his millions spent on players to get there realised that it needed more than a MILLIONAIRES money .. it needed BILLIONAIRES money. It’s where football is at.
I’ll bet at least 16 PL teams are in it to solely to survive (accept many a drubbing and plenty of defeats) BUT ultimately have a Chairman rubbing his/her hands at the thought of SKY Money rolling in .. in it’s Millions.
Perhaps the FFP rules will re-address the balance.
I just can’t see Morgan as being in the Billionaires category, and having suffered 2 relegations with tattooed, over-rated, overpaid prima donna’s he sure isn’t going to waste anymore of it.
So WE ALL WAIT WITH BAITED BREATH …
Yes!
Wolves v Rotherham!!
When will we win a game like that again.
Peter
DOOGooder:)
You speak as if we were alone up there. Wolves attracts not only big spending clubs, but also young and hungry players – and will always be attractiv to them who wants to play in the big leagues. Call us the ladder up.
But, with our solid finances, we could grab some of the prospects around us if (I say if) we need too strengthen the team during the season. Not all clubs have potential to do so.
COYW!
Excellent write up DOOGooder & sadly all too true. All most PL teams can aim for is survival. Unless you have a billionaire owner who views buying a football team as pocket change then you can’t compete at the top level.
The top teams get the tv coverage so therefore get even more money & so it goes on. The likes of City & Chelsea will spend more on 1 player than most teams will spend on their entire squad.
I worry that decent offers will see our best players out the door, as to the money getting reinvested – well I’m not so sure about that happening.
Players now demand ridiculous amounts & I feel that a salary cap is needed & the sooner the better. As much as I love my team & the game I don’t believe anyone is worth thousands a week just for kicking a ball around, not when the rest of us are trying to make ends meet.
I’ll stop ranting now but yes the concerns are there so let’s hope M & M hold firm, keep our best players & invest sensibly to keep us where we need to be.
UTW
Oops,
DoogNGloom in this one,
I’m Quoting you here Doog.
“They played with freedom
They played with confidence
They played as a team”
Well That is exactly what they did on Saturday against the greasy, overpaid, grossly over rated and certainly tattooed Cela Viga boys. We made them look what they were, average, we could have been watching Oldham, Preston, Crewe or Peterborough. Kenny was Masterclass in this one, playing Jacobs and Henry at the same time with Van La Parra on tne wing, the Diego’s didn’t know who to kick first, but to be fair they tried to kick everyone so there is that. They were out played at times and if it had been the Championship, then Wolves would have run out winners by a huge margin because at least two players would have been red carded. When Tommy Rowe comes in and Sako is supporting, then I think we have a great chance in this league. The millions the stripy boys and Steve Bruce have spent will not be any use to them, they will still be Poo.
If the hype is to be believed then we are looking at raw talent, in Patrick Bamford, Max Clayton and the guy from Chesterfield, I would much rather watch those guys than try and pronounce three quarter of the names now being bought by Numskie Premiership managers will very little sense. Be honest, can anyone reading this truthfully say they know anywhere near half of these tattooed, over rated under qualified idiots, what the heck is happening this year? Thank God for Kenny, the obscene amount of money spent his close season, for Gods sake we could build and equip a Major Trauma unit for that money,
In Kenny we trust.
For everything else there’s Visa.
🙂
Let’s see so how well we fare in the Championship first. We have a young team which crushed all opposition last year. We’ve managed to hold on to our best players so far, even strengthened. The problem is the fair play rules. Players like O’Hara, Johnson, Ward and other players from previous eras prevents Jackett from really dig into the pockets for players he’s earmarked.
If we’ve managed to get rid of these players before, I’m certain Callum Wilson would feature in gold and black. I’m very disappointed he signed for Bournemouth. He scored hattrick for Bournemouth in their last friendly by the way.
I don’t fear that Batth will sign for Aston Villa. They are even worse off than us – a club with no ambition. They’ve signed J. Cole and Richardson so far… and they always end up selling their best players.
Wolves on the other hand has a team which has great potential, and we’ve got some exciting youngsters on board. And the most important thing of all, a really good manager which stands for an attacking football philosophy. And this time we have players with pace. It’s not many teams which manages to win something without money, but some clubs have achieved fantastic things without spending to much money: teams like Ajax and Atletico Madrid.
Under McCarthy the board had a 5 years plan which was exciting. Unfortunenatly we had a manager that couldn’t reach these goals no matter how much money he would have to his disposal (not that he had a lot of money to spend players for). The team didn’t develop at all.
Ikeme, Batth, Goldbourne, Henry, Jacobs, Sako, and the future’s La Parra and Dicko, aren’t far away from mid premier league standard in my opinion. Both Sako and Batth have been transfer targets for premier league clubs. The future is bright. And as StuWolf mentioned, the friendly match against Celta Vigo was encouraging indeed. Although it was only a friendly, it holds promise that our team maybecan produce a decent cup run also.
Its all well and good lamenting the modern footballer and how PL clubs can pay huge sums for, in many cases, unexceptional players, but lets not forget that this type of cut-throat business works both ways: yes, if a player has the opportunity to play at a higher level and, whilst doing so, earn more money, they invariably do – regardless of any professed loyalty and allegancies etc with a club; however – as we have seen from KJ over the past season, and as Fergie was renowned at doing during his time at Old Trafford – if a manager doesn’t see a player as part of their plans, they too are quick to act and do what they feel is best for them and the team. I think the sooner we recognise that this reality exists both ways, the sooner we can save ourselves the emotional torment we subject ourselves to re players wanting to move on, being picked up by bigger fish etc.
I’m an optimist !
Nice touch on the van door ! Baggies squad ?
It was for non compostable rubbish.
…So Yes!
Nice post mate. Well written as expected! I have just uploaded my smart card for the Cardiff game on the 23rd. Fancy meeting up for a beer in “the garden”?
Sounds good to me.
Just bought my tickets too.
See you around 1230 then. And it’s MY round!!! You bought the last one and paid an extortionate amount for that T Shirt!!
Best Blog I have read in ages.. Well done theDOOGooder.
you put it exactly how it is.
We will struggle this season because of the lack of investment going into the championship. which is also becoming a very rich mans league.
Billionaire is what you now need.. Morgan is small fry compared to that. The same as Delia at Norwich his good friend. The only reason Peace has splashed the cash at the s**t is because of the 65 million he got for finishing 4th from bottom of the greed league.. and he spent it on s**t…
Midtable finish and be pleased with that…
Good article Doog….
Football, excuse the pun, is no longer a level playing field, financially speaking.
Certainly the Premiership title, is far less competitive, than the dog fight for relegation.
In fact the title race is slightly boring, probably decided by a referee’s decision or two, rather than the ‘best’ team. When you have billionaires throwing huge amounts of money at their teams, the differences are negligible.
Still, am hoping, that my end of season thoughts about Wolves are correct, which is that if we kept Sako, we would be fine in the Championship. There is a niggle, in the back of my mind, re the dreaded ‘M & M’, that he still might be go, but in Kenny we trust. It’s a long time since we lost a game and I shall treasure the memory of last season, whatever the future holds…. …Roll on Sunday…..
Unfortunately I get less and less enthusiastic about the Premiership, it’s arrogant attitude and football in general each year. That was why last season was so refreshing. It reminded me of what football was all about when I was a kid growing up. I hate to say it but part of me has no interest in getting to the Prem and having to spend ridiculous amounts of money just to tread water.
Loving the camper Doogooder, haven’t had chance for a outing in mine for over a year! I’m not as fortunate as a lot on this site to remember any of Wolves glory years, the best I can muster that glorious summers day in Cardiff men were in tears and I may have been one of them! But something I have noticed in the last year is we are really moving in a different direction and I’d like to think for the better. I suppose only time will tell if FFP will have any significance but if it does I think wolves have been canny in decision making. We all love our home grown players and would like to think the way we are cherry picking certain youth teams and inter grating them with our own academy talents should bear well for the future.
Get out in your van Honey badger while you’re young enough to enjoy it!
What sort is it and what’s his/her name?
We’re off to Glastonbury this weekend to see Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters play in the Abbey grounds.
For a Wolves supporter and Led Zep fan it doesn’t get much better than that!
I shall make sure he clocks the Wolves flag.
Great article. Although I think (and have bet on it) that we will get promoted immediately, in many ways last season will probably be the best it gets for us, certainly in terms of number of points and goals scored. We swept the board. My gut feeling is that we’ll struggle many times in the Championship but go up through the playoffs. We have a better team now than our Championship title team, but the Championship is so much stronger these days. Several of our players will be holding their own in the PL in the near future, and I just hope it is with us!
I understand what your saying in mu option UEFA have made things worse not better the bigger clubs at this moment in time ie Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City , Arsenal, Liverpool are far better equipped financially in that they been in the Premier Legue since it started so there for have reaped the benefits financially and commercially and established revenue streams products so any team coming in who have been out of the top flight and not had the same oppertunities commercially are years behind in putting there product together and out there to a wider audience, the audience for the most part is not interested in Wolves say Hull, West Brom intact there not interested in most of the Premier League clubs there for it harder for those clubs to generate the same or any where near the same income commercially as the big five. All UEFA has done is say Man Utd you generate let’s say £500 million right you can spend 50% of that on transfers and players right Wolves you generate £50 million you can spend 50% of that on players and transfers now how’s that fair .
What UEFA should have done was a wage cape and introduced a draft system like they said they were going to do so the so weaker teams financially could have the pick of new talent thus making the league more competitive, now we all no the Scotish Premier Leagues a joke, the F.A Premier League will be if something doesn’t change , it’s on competitive for the big 4 teams at the top ,Man City are the new money, then old money Chelsea, as much as it Gauls me to say Arsenal are the only team at the top that seems to live within there means, Man Utd will always attract interest both commercially and by players wanting to play for them, Liverpool also but even they have struggled the last few years to keep up, last season apart time will only tell if they are going to be a force again
Thanks Doogooder
Her names Cilla!
What’s yours?
She’s a T25 c reg Devon conversion, she’s off the road few engine problems. May have had something to do with the caravan I tried to pull with her,let’s just say she didn’t like having something hanging from her arse! Going try get her ready for lattitude next year may even push her for campdown! Watching the legend planty well I’m truly jealous have a good one!!
If you guys with campers want to spend a little time reading a blog about the journey that MrsClivefromHouston and I took a few years ago, check out rollinghills2007.blogspot.com
We basically stuck two fingers up at our respective employers, bought a 40 ft diesel motor coach, and took 6 months off to travel.
The blog evolved, with more and more friends around the world wanting to follow our journey, and it kind of took over, pictures and all, and even a book at the end!
We ended up living in our coach for three years, until big dogs arrived, when we had to buy property and build fences!!
I am not trying to brag, or be oneupmanish, but you might like a peek.
As regards your blog, Doogle, perfectly written, and, like all Wolves fans, I hold my breath with every one as to what will happen.
When we get to the Prem, and if the shit have somehow managed to stay there, I don’t care how many we don’t win, as long as we get 6 points off them lot!!
Roll on Sunday.
Excellent blog Clive.
just had a browse through and bookmarked it for later perusal.
Something almost ‘Durrellesque’ about it.
You really capture the vastness of the USA…..
C’mon you Wolves…..
You old hippie!
Great stuff mate.
Good on you – and even gooder on the present Mrs CfromH to even consider spending so long cooped up in a coach with your good self.
She’s obviously in to S&M.
Thank you, kind sir.
Have the Texas Bluebonnets flowered yet?
The lady wife hasn’t planted them yet.
She’s a bit confused.
Apparently you told her not to sow them ’til the fall.
You are correct, sir!
Just checking to see if you both had been paying attention!!
That looked like quiet an adventure, Some great pics from a land i have never been but hope to some day. Especially like the cover shot that’s one hell of a beard you had there!!
Caravans are not a good idea.
Ours is called Monty.
Named after Withnail’s uncle in one of the best films ever committed to celluloid.
All sorts of similarities in character but mainly because when he won’t start, me and the present Mrs DG’er shout in unison:-
“Monty you terrible c**t!”.
Get Cilla back on the road. You’ll have ‘a Lorra lorra laffs!’
You certainly have taste Doogooder, Withnail and I certainly gets my vote!!
Writing talent indeed..Doogooder..
When the shit hit the fan and the double drop I for one suggested £50m just to change things knowing that we wouldn’t get it ..
A customer of mine really did have an Arab link re purchasing an ailing club and Wolves was mentioned..but there was a lot of other clubs out there to buy too.. the crux was a team rebuild with £200m …the assets of wolves with the two companies were not necessarily as significant particularly as more building needed to be done ie corners..
The point is that our current owners share holding after hanging it out will go up now with little personal input ..the ground and players have the value..and to get back to the premier would provide a spectacular rush of cash ..Sky etc
We are financially a small club with a big name if KJ gets us back to the premier it would be without spending loads and unfortunately the attitude will continue I feel..
Most of us will be happy just to keep in the premier if we get there again..
KJ s job would be almost done but it’s avoiding that dreaded bottom 5 places without real resources that brings us back to square one again.
Survival..
You’ve hit the nail on the head we re a big club in name and history only commercially we are not. The biggest damage to Wolves happened 20 years or so ago when the Premier League was created we were fighting back from the brink of extinction we missed the boat and I think along with a good number of big clubs ie history fan base Leeds spring to mind I carnt ever seeing us recovering financially/ commeriacially after missing the biggest gravy boat in sporting history to be able to compete at the very top we will need someone not with millions but billions
I understand your comments, and hate the way that money has been allowed to take over the game, but right now if someone offers me an extra grand a week I’ll take it. Hell, I’d even accept Rooney’s weekly pay as an annual salary. All offers through the reply button please.
Perth Wolves
Rooney’s weekly pay would fund 5 Cancer nurses round the clock. Life is screwed up somewhere boy.
Brilliant Blog.
One of the best I have read.