“Don’t go giving me problems, just find me some solutions,” screamed the boss on a particularly testing afternoon in the office.
Bellow it in uncouth Scouse accent with a smattering of expletives and it could have been the same rant in the home dressing room after Liverpool.
It is this very sentiment that underpins everything to have gone wrong in this sorry season, from the players and the manager(s), right up to the boneheads with the ‘business brains.’
There have been precisely no resolutions to a whole heap of headaches this season – many of them inflicted upon ourselves, to make matters worse.
So with my love levels for Wolves sinking to a near lifeless state of indifference, I have created five solutions to reunite me with the club I can barely relate to anymore.
1. Keep the early-bird prices open until the day of our first championship game:
With unemployment levels at around 10 per cent in Wolverhampton and Early Bird sales down 18 per cent, it would surely work on financial grounds, if not sympathetic ones. Not that Jez uses either.
2. Put on some free travel for fans going to the remaining away games:
Norwich and West Brom are but two clubs to reward their fans’ fanaticism with free travel this season, acknowledging the great lengths they go to.
Difference is, they have won twice and three times the away games as our poor lot have.
And they are run by Delia Smith and Jeremy Peace.
3. Get rid of Terry Connor as soon as the final whistle blows against Wigan:
No farting about and waiting for people to come back from their holidays. No loitering with zero intent until mid-July when we’re lined up to play Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough.
Get shot forthwith and sweep with a new broom, not the plastic dustpan and brush we’ve used since Mick went.
We need a new pair of eyes and in visionary terms, Connor has a cataract in his left and glaucoma in his right.
4. Do not sell Adlene Guedioura or Adam Hammill:
Bring them back, along with Batth, Cassidy, Griffiths, Reckord, Winnall and any other poor marginalised sod stuck out in the great footballing ether. Let the new manager judge each one, free of blinkered, pig headed dogmatism. Rate them on their merits and not the amount of excrement on their noses. Then decide.
5. Say sorry:
I’m sure Elton John coined a phrase about sorry being the hardest word. In this unmitigated season of sin, a modicum of humility could have narrowed the ever increasing chasm between board and fans. (We can sing it to Elton at Vicarage Road!)
That Roger Johnson, Mick McCarthy and Jez Moxey have embarked on a crass PR ploy to blame the fans to cover their own arses during the season has been a pill too bitter for many to swallow.
Newsflash: We are not fickle. We just want to be reunited with our club – whether at Bramall Lane or White Hart Lane.
I hear you and second every one of those points Ben.
I feel that along with TC we’d be better off removing the slimeball too though!
I just want it to be a happy place and for us all to be fans together.
None of this old crap. We haven’t got time
Just the men who can just sort it out for crying load
Ben, sane thoughts all round but in particular the final one would go a fair way to cooling the heat from the majority of rational thinking fans, however, I think there’s more chance of Dicky Stearman being snapped up as the next piece in the Barca jigsaw.
Ward would look good in Barca, let alone Stearman!!!
Sir Elton has a soft spot for us, he even once played at The Mol in a charity match.
I know, coz I was there!!
The rumor mill has been grinding out some belters recently.
First off, greasel was given instructions at the start of the season to be out front and center to deflect any flak away from morgan about the preposturous housing at Compton.
“You can have a couple when they are done, our jez,” said morgan, “make a few more bob off the backs of those fickle fans.”
And bollocks to the football, that is an irrelevance, as long as we’ve got the parachute payments, we’ll make out like gangbusters.
The other rumor doing the rounds, and I have this from an unimpeachable source, is that greasel and Connor are related.
Yes.
greasel’s wife’s sister is married to Connor’s wife’s brother.
So, no wonder Connor has an unsackable job.
No wonder Dave Jones, Lee, Hoddle and Mc Dickwad couldn’t bring in their own staff.
Have you ever heard of a manager being appointed and having to keep the existing coaching staff??
Never.
New manager, new broom, new staff.
Otherwise why change?
Fuckin’ nepotism.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, moxey is a blood sucking fuckin’ cancer, and needs to be irradicated ASAP.
FUCK OFF MOXEY.
nicely put frank cannon
What a load of crap!
Were not done yet…
T.c yeah he’s understudy and never should’ve been put in this position…but everyone of you will whistling to a different tune if we win Saturday …
Do you honestly believe that morgan cares only for money…you’ve painted him as the devil and he’s not…i honestly believe he’s pissed off as much as every fan is…he’s only crime is perhaps nievety and not being completely honest…
And as for jez moxey mick credited him as “being the best ceo he’s ever worked with”..
Too many fans buy into what the digest in the media…and that’s exactly what they want…..
See the fact’s ok…
Get behind the boy’s bring your banners by all means….. but make sure they read im behind wanderers a 100%…..
And stand together were not relegated yet…so stop being the medias bitch..and throwing your toys out the pram….cause if anyones made this club a laughing stock it’s us…
Are you Moxey in disguise ??
It’s you that’s talking crap mate!!!!!
Not relegated??? After Saturday we have Arsenal, City & Everton at home, simple eh???
Great blog Ben makes alot of sense, especially regarding all of the loanee’s from the academy.
Though don’t hold your breath for the apology, especially off the greaseball, don’t forget it was ‘job done’ in August, clown!!!!!!
I cant believe anyone can be as thick as your post suggests FOG, therefore i will assume you are wind up merchant. See you in the championship!
And McDickwad’s experience of CEO’s is…………………???????????
About as good as his success rate as a Prem manager.
Why does Connor keep putting out this rubbish like ‘we’re not done yet!’
Everyone at the club knows we are almost down barring a miracle of some sorts – although one won’t arrive via any Wolves players – and that next season it will be an uphill climb to reorganise and rebuild a side capable of returning to the PL.
I have no faith whatsoever in Jez Moxey, who has security tighter than Fort Knox around the finances and little faith in Bob the Builder who has a dream of owning a 22nd century stadium fit for only looking at but complete with restaurants for the rich and corporate boxes for the prawn sandwich brigade. The players don’t excite me either with only a handful deserving to stay although of course the best of them won’t because they will be in the PL… with other teams!
Rebuilding from the TOP DOWN is required and that means should Morgan remain, he employs someone, man or woman who knows how to run a football club, has the authority and power to hire and fire ‘staff’ and employ a team manager & his assistants who know the ropes and not say what we want to hear but do just the opposite.
That then leaves us with the players, most of which should be moved on although in reality that cannot happen.
Hennessey, Jarvis, Fletcher, Doyle, O’Hara and probably Johnson will move to PL clubs leaving only what can be called the dross and I exclude the loaned players from that!
There are too many to name by name which just goes to show how poorly Wolves have bought previously.
The Academy players should be given games throughout the season to give them experience, after all that’s why we have an academy isn’t it?
The unfortunate outcome to this failed season is that all the good work which has been done since Twaddle left us has now been undone and another 2-3 years of restructuring and rebuilding must now take place BUT if left to the idiots currently running the club, all hopes will, unsurprisingly, die very quickly.
Balancing the books may work in business BUT it does not necessarily work in football and if the likes of Morgan continues to employ those ethics, Wolves will flounder and PL football will be just a memory!
I’m not confident about this season, but I am more confident about us in the championship next season. Yes we stand to lose a few of our stars if not all of them. But the likes of Kightly, Vokes, Guedd and Hammil when on loan have shown that we have a squad capable of doing damage in that division. Although our players have been put through the ringer there is no doubt that some of them have improved from when we won the Championship. Berra, Stearman, Ward and Edwards may not be anywhere near premier league quality but they have enough about them to do the business a division below. Add to that De Vries, O’hara, Sylvian and Hunt plus the likes of Davis, Forde, Docherty and Baath and we have a fairly strong squad. The important thing is to find a manager and coaching team capable of getting the best out of them and preparing them for another shot at the top flight. Get it right and we could do an Albion and come back stronger get it wrong and it could be a long wait for the promised land again.
No after bolton we have Stoke….totally do-able…..then we have Arsenal…enough in the games to take enough before Arsenal…
All you doom merchants shut the help up till next weeek and we’ll know exactly where we are…
And players are returning from injury: Karl Henry, Davis and maybe some from on loan; Hammill and Guedioura, and Johnson is back in defence.
We’re definetly not done yet.
If we can’t beat the likes of Blackburn, who hadn’t kept a clean sheet for a year, and Norwich, we haven’t a prayer against Bolton, and then come three winnable games, Arsenal, the current form team in the Prem, Man City, vying for the title, and Everton, the other form team at the moment.
We will be lucky to get a shot on target in those 3 matches, let alone a single point.
No, my friend, you are sadly off your chump and living with the fairies in some cloud cuckoo land far away.
None of us want to see The Wolves get stuffed every week, but the stark reality is we are fuckin’ crap and don’t deserve anything.
FOJM
Ben, great blog, a bit more positive than most you make!!!! I actually agree with most of it. But the fat lady hasn’t sung yet, has she? Let’s get behind the boys until the season ends. I definitely agree 100% about making life easier for us through fair pricing, but I can’t see Moxey doing that! Perhaps Morgan can override him, as he did when getting rid of Mick.
I think Ged and Hammill are decent players, but let’s not get obsessed with one or two players that show a bit of potential – I wonder whether you were one of those banging on about Freddie Eastwood a while ago? Perhaps not, but I hope you get my point.
Bloody hell Dave, thanks! I’m always behind the lads and will be again on Saturday, of course. I’m not saying AG and AH are saviours, but I just want them to be treated fairly,which patently hasn’t happened.
A few people caned me when I said AG should be playing back in October. They said he was too inconsistent, needed games, etc.
Hardly a surprise to me he’s played some games and is looking a class act.
I was on the fence with Freddy to be honest. I saw him at Stoke with Keogh and I could have cried for Keogh, working for two men as Eastwood wouldnt run! I did yearn for Freddy up top with SEB as none of us had seen it, but i wasnt shouting his name, no!
Yeah Ben – why aren’t you more mindlessly positive? That’s the real problem at the club, we need more cretins chanting ‘Super Mick’
Some people who support this club are unbe-fucking-lievable
How any of you have even the faintest shred of optimism left is frankly beyond me. We’re guaranteed to concede at least twice a match, we can’t retain possession, our only attacking option is Jarvis and if by some miracle he manages to get a cross in there’s never more than 1 or 2 players trying to get on the end of it.
We just aren’t very good at football at the moment.
… I was making the point to sone friends last night that we are the very best team in the league at getting relegated, and that no-one else is as good at it as we are, but they reminded me of Derby and Sunderland, who were both much better at it than we are, so we’re not even the best at getting relegated!
We are at least the best this season tho, so there’s something to cheer about…
He he, exactly, its such a sorry sight to watch. getting thumped by Notlob at the weekend should be the final nail (for those who still needed nails) and we can then officially concentrate on the task at hand – life in the Champs. WE ARE WOLVES !!! (just not very good ones)
Hear Hear !!! Great Post !! A sentiment I feel will sit well with the overwhelming majority. Doubt we will get 1 of the 5 though – we are treated like shit, and we behave thusly.
FUCK OFF MOXEY
Great post matey.
On your points:
1. Yes, definitely freeze early bird prices. My dad also made this suggestion and I think it would entice more people to come again next season.
2. Travel to away games would be a nice sentiment, at least for one game. Maybe the final fixture at Wigan would be the one to choose. We’ll either be relegated or fighting tooth and nail – either way, the loyal away contingent should be rewarded for a season of fantastic support.
3. Assuming we’re relegated, yes, be rid of TC asap. We need someone to step in immediately, make the big decisions about who goes and who stays and start the rebuilding process.
4. It’s an absolute no brainer not to sell Hammill or Guedioura. Don’t sell anyone until a manager has had the chance to take stock. I have a horrible suspicion though that if we’re relegated we’ll see a few players exit before a new manager comes in to trim the squad and help balance the books. That would not be a good way of approaching things.
5. It’s not just about saying sorry, it’s about being straight with fans instead of arguing for the sake of saving face. There needs to be a radical change in the way the board handle fan-relations. This season has been an unmitigated disaster. It didn’t have to get this nasty.
Also, I answered a few questions for Goal.com about our relegation plight along with fans of the other clubs involved. It’s a decent read if anyone fancies it:
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/03/29/2997190/van-persie-at-bolton-gerrard-at-wolves-chicharito-at-wigan
It’s sad reading Thomas, but realistically you’re on the money.
I really hope that the large percentage of fans who HAVEN’T renewed their season ticket makes the ownership sit up and listen.
I agree with you saying we shouldn’t immediately sell off loads of players before appointing a manager, but to be fair there’s one this season who I’d be happy to see go straight away – goodbye Roger, you could never be arsed and I can’t forgive that.
Quite agree.
You all know my love affair with Ward, but bless his heart, although he is 100% crap, he does try, which is more than can be said for Johnson, and a few others.
The ONLY employee who should be got rid of before any other changes is dear old jezgreasel.
You lot can croon on about being relegated..but i shall keep believing we can survive…even tho’ it highly unlikely..i just can’t afford to think like that…
Surprised you can think at all………………….
Flash of gold – I don`t need to read in the media that my club have been shite, i`ve seen it often enough myself home and away this season. The media reports given our results and performances this year, have only confirmed the dross so many genuine fans have witnessed and suffered with this season.
Its not the fans or the media who have cocked up this season, and produced the awful results on the pitch. The blame lies with Morgan, Moxey & McCarthy, its their mess, their problem, and only the board or owner has the power to find the solutions.
I`m leaving my season ticket in my bedroom drawer and doing some long overdue gardening over the weekend. I hope we beat Bolton, like I hoped we`d win every game this season. Right now I wouldn`t take free transport to watch them, let alone endure another 4 hour round trip for diddly squat. I`m voting with my feet, and my wallet, no season ticket for me next season unless, as most decent fans seem to agree, a complete clearout of coaching staff, and CEO is required so the club can start again.
I agree, get these academy graduates and loanees back and let the new manager decide before we give any of them away. Get in some players with pace and athleticism who are fit for purpose in whatever league we are in this year, using the parachute payments. Surely all contracted players have clauses about relegation and salary reductions, unless there has been a cock up there.
All Wolves fans are owed an apology for the mismanagement this season, I doubt we will get it, but the silence from the board as we stumble disastrously toward the championship under TC, gets more deafening after each defeat.
6. Advocate a supporters trust with the promise of a place on the board for a duly elected member of said trust. Ensuring Wolverhampton Wanderers 1986 limited doesn’t ever forget again that it is a football club (not a property development company). I quote (again) “football without fans is nothing!” true wisdom from an undoubted genius…don’t forget this bloke even managed to get Scorland to a world cup!!!!!!
WTID!
6. Advocate a supporters trust with the promise of a place on the board for a duly elected member of said trust. Ensuring Wolverhampton Wanderers 1986 limited doesn’t ever forget again that it is a football club (not a property development company). I quote (again) “football without fans is nothing!” true wisdom from an undoubted genius…don’t forget this bloke even managed to get Scotland to a world cup!!!!!!
Nothing fickle about this suggestion! Just look at Norwich…they have a supporters trust!
WTID!
6. Advocate a supporters trust with the promise of a place on the board for a duly elected member of said trust. Ensuring Wolverhampton Wanderers 1986 limited doesn’t ever forget again that it is a football club (not a property development company). I quote (again) “football without fans is nothing!” true wisdom from an undoubted genius…don’t forget this bloke even managed to get Scotland to a world cup!!!!!!
Nothing fickle about this suggesUtion! Just look at Norwich…they have a supporters trust!
WTID!
maybe this idea from Germany might help. http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/DANdLDnbQHBAZUcGo7_wBA–/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYzMA–/http://media.zenfs.com/en-GB/blogs/world-of-sport/magde4.jpg