When Ståle Solbakken was batting away the questions on transfer deadline day, he was quick to emphasise that Wolves can still do business in the loan market between now and January.
He’s quite right of course and there are a number of Premier League players who might fancy the chance of some first team football at Molineux.
Here are 6 possible targets I think could be useful additions to our setup.
Stephen Warnock
Left back has long been a position many have felt needs reinforcement and Stephen Warnock could be the answer. He’s been frozen out at Aston Villa so there’s an opportunity to do something. Still only 30 and with bags of Premier League experience, it’s not a massive gamble.
Alan Hutton
Ronald Zubar hasn’t exactly showered himself in glory at right back since the start of the season, so how about a move for another Villa player struggling to get a game? Alan Hutton is useful at getting forward, so would surely suit Ståle’s system. Like Warnock, it’s only down the road too, so no major upheaval.
Emmanuel Frimpong
I think we’d all welcome Frimmy back with open arms. He’s approaching fitness again after that nasty injury he picked up at Loftus Road in February and you’d imagine he’ll be sent somewhere to get some games. So why not here? We’re still far too open through the middle and he’d be useful for plugging the gaps.
Jermaine Jenas
The Spurs midfielder is reportedly a target for Leeds, but I think he could be a useful acquisition for us. We desperately lack a creative influence in the middle with Guedioura and Milijas moved on and O’Hara still on the sidelines. I wouldn’t say no.
Danny Higginbotham
This is the sort of signing that won’t get many fans jumping out of their seats with excitement, but could actually be an inspired short-term move. We need someone who can bring experience and organisation to a back four leaking goals left, right and center. And where better than Stoke to look for this sort of player?
Kenywe Jones
This is a bit of a wildcard suggestion, as it’s not likely to happen and we’re not short of strikers anyway. But still, I’d love to see Jones in a gold shirt. At Championship level he could have a huge impact, using all that strength and power in the same way Chris Iwelumo did back in 2008. With Michael Owen heading to the Britannia and Crouch, Walters and Jerome already ahead of him in the pecking order, why not?
Those are my picks. What do you think?
Anyone else?
* Apologies for lack of posts over last week. Taking a break when Wolves do is normally a decent idea, particularly with so many matches to cover in the Championship.
Interesting that this should be the blog post when I was talking with a friend about Frimpong coming back for another season. Following his (if i’m honest, pretty eccentric) twitter ramblings I seemed to get the feeling he enjoyed it here. Perhaps enough to coax him down to the championship?
I’m sure there will be premiership clubs vying for him though. But in terms of a defensive midfield option, which we seem to be lacking on, I doubt we could find better?
I’ll admit I’m pretty clueless with these things, but it seems like there were suggestions that Stale is going with what he’s got. If that is the case, it doesn’t fill me with much joy about our back four. I’d still like to see Danny Batth given his chance alongside Johnson, but an experienced head like Higginbotham could do a job.
Frimpong would be fantastic, but I could imagine plenty of interest from elsewhere that may prove too tempting for him, especially if it is at a higher level.
I suggested Warnock in a previous post before the transfer deadline. I’ve had no reason to change my mind since then. Hutton would do a job and ease the settling in. Also, Frimpong would be a great reaquisition (is that a word?). Interesting to see what occurs but I think that given the size of the squad, loanees will have to go out before we get any more in.
I’d love to see Frimpong or Jenas at Molineux but think it’s unlikely as Stale has seemed to indicate in interviews that Wolves wouldn’t be looking into the loan market.
However I wouldn’t thank you for Villa or Stoke rejects. The Villa fullbacks don’t seem to be highly regarded by their fans. And Kenwyne Jones is too inconsistent for me. I’d rather see Frank Nouble given experience in the hope that he develops as a good target man, if that’s what we want.
Anyway, what’s happening at Molineux? Stale was appointed on 11 May on the proviso that he wouldn’t take up his appointment until 1 July. In the meantime he was going to take home dvds of all Wolves games last season. Well, he presumably watched the dvds but still came here! Then when he arrived he had two months of transfer window to try and sort the team out. Did he form the judgment in all that time that the defence was adequate? Surely not. But the only incoming defender has been the Austrian centre back who seemingly wasn’t up to the game at Cardiff. We know Stale did previously try to sign other defenders but I wonder now if he’s been told that he can’t bring any players in on loan unless some existing players are unloaded off our wage bill.
I’m puzzled too by the termination of Milijas’s contract, a player whom I’d always regarded as rather skilful albeit a bit slow, while keeping a workhorse like Edwards.
I just hope that with the potentially exciting midfield and attacking players we have signed. we’ll be able to score more goals than we let in
I’m reflecting not on who Stale has brought in, but who he hasn’t got rid of. The cull was not as wide as I think it should have been and I’m surprised at some of the names still on the books. As a consequence I think we are still in “no mans” land so far as having a decent squad is concerned. Nobody will be interested in our “deadwood” so I think our prospects of bringing in additional players (on loan even) are slim
Didn’t realise Warnock was available, we’d be foolish not to bring him in. Would also like to see Frimpong return.
I agree Tom, I think Jones would be pretty effective in the Championship, but given are area of greatest strength in depth is upfront can’t see it happening.
Alan Hutton? Really?! I guess it’s ok if you want another Kevin Muscat type. The others would all do a job if they were willing to drop down. I just wonder how much Stale would know about British fringe players. He’s only shopped from abroad so far.
Muscat was one of my favourite players growing up (this was in the days before you realise Wolves players can commit fouls/make mistakes/generally do any wrong!)
Don’t expect any of these to be at Wolves any time soon. He’s not exactly a fan of existing uk players anyway and I think the wage bill is the issue and loanees are mostly on full (premiership wages)
With Berra, Hammill 🙁 etc all still on the wage bill and looking at his press conferences I think he’s been told no loanee’s. I hope I’m wrong as we won’t get far with our back four this season.
Apparently he’s happy with his squad… now where have I heard that before.
No one will be happier if I’m proven the old cynic.
is hammill still on the wage bill even though he’s been loaned out to huddersfield?
No reflection on your blog Thomas, but it makes my blood boil that we are still having to ask these sorts of questions.
The truth is our defence is, and has been for a very long time, absolute junk. Players either out of position, hopeless or both. We had clubs begging to give us £20m plus for 2 players to add to our parachute payments and our already healthy bank balance and at the end of the window we had signed one CH who was apparently too ‘shocked’ by the mighty Northampton to play against Cardiff. Cobblers indeed.
In the meantime, as our hopeless defence continues to ship goals against all levels of opposition, Stephen Ward’s stock apparently keeps rising to vice-captain amidst glowing commendations on the official site.
The truth is we are a very average side with an appalling defence and most, if not all, of the back four need rid of. It looks like that’s not on the agenda and so we’ll carry on conceding goals and losing games as the millions in the bank account grow and grow.
Pathetic. this should have been sorted years ago. We are not going anywhere with that back 4.
Glad I am flying out of England on Saturday. Having seen Foxes the other week fear for the result.
It is clear SS has not been backed. 2 M’s and the same old story…..
Where you going?
Just on a secret scouting mission for SS! Seriously just the Greek lslands and will of course be following every kick on the web.
Pity you aint coming to Texas, I would let you buy me a drink!
Have a good time.
FOWB
Maybe one day…might be even nicer to have a beer at Wembley when we win FA Cup……….one day
Defence is shit and we need all the help we can get. sadly Stale and the club do not appear to recognise this, and if there is any loanees brought in … you can bet they will be midfielders … or perhaps another useless Scandinavian striker … yeah, we need another one of those …
Never had any faith on Fat Moxey, Idiot Morgan and am fast losing faith in SS …
Sigurdarson is a strange one. No sooner had he signed than they were saying he had a minor knee problem and i never like the sound of that. I saw him twice in pre-season and he’s got real pace when he wants to use it but he just seemed to be going through the motions a lot of the time. Now they say he’s had a few different niggly injuries but i’m just wondering if this knee thing might not be quite as minor as they are making out. You know the next step, an exploratory examination followed by he may be out for a while.
I hope not cos he’s got the raw materials of pace and power and he looks like he can play a bit too.
First of all Thomas, thanks for the new topic.
Of the players you suggest I’d like to see Frimpong back I’m concerned that the others are players who have failed to make any impact in the premiership in recent times. If we are really an ambitious club why would we want to sign cast offs from a team who themselves are struggling to survive in the premier? I don’t see any of the others being part of a long term plan. If by some miracle we did get promoted we’d probably have to replace them.
I’m not certain why we are in this position. No one wants us to end up like Portsmouth or Plymouth but I do think we could be in a similar position to that of Stoke, Swansea, Sunderland, Fulham etc. Surely there must be a happy medium. I don’t think I am being unrealistic in comparing us with these clubs. We may never be able to compete with the Manchester clubs or some of the London clubs but I see nothing wrong with expecting us to become an established premiership club, hoping for a top ten finish and a decent cup run. That doesn’t seem to be too high a target for a club with our potential.
While I don’t know exactly what’s going on at the club I do know that we’ve got between £25M and £30M from transfers. We have parachute payments, which I think amount to £16M.
http://footyfinance.wordpress.com/2010/04/22/what-is-a-parachute-payment/
Player’s salaries have been halved and I can remember, in the spring, SM promising that the new manager would have a “treasure chest” with which to buy new players.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2012/05/10/steve-morgan-in-pledge-over-transfer-treasure-chest/
I’m not certain what this totals up to but it could be as much as £50M, perhaps more. We have spent around £8 – 10M on new players. My own feelings are, if we were really ambitious we would have freed up another £10M – £20M on new players and/or wages and we would still be in a position where we would have improved our already stable financial position.
Maybe the players SS wanted to sign in the transfer window were unavailable and perhaps he will bring in more players in January. However, we have missed out on a couple of centre backs he was keen on!
I am sure that the money must be there but am unsure whether we have the ambition to match it.
Yes please Thomas i’d like to take all of them,but any would do,getting a bit worried by the lack of any movement.still time now the internationals are out of the way,so come on and make a move…
Think we all know , The money will be going on The Steve Bull stand.. Pulled down next May.
Lets give the guy a chance. With Foley and Hennessey on the way back and Henry fit again, things may start to click into place in the next few games…
As for loan signings, I think we would all love to see Frimmy back, but doubt it will happen.
If the Steve Bull Stand is demolished, and a brand new stand built in its place, is it still The Steve Bull Stand????
When is A stand Not a Stand…
Not sure why they call em Stands anyway, cos you sit in em now not Stand…
Except when your in the South Bank of course..
Comes from the word Grandstand, which is a single part of a stadium.
The word grandstand was actually stolen from the BBC programme of the same name, originally hosted by Frank Bough until he got caught doing drugs and stuff.
With Leicester at home coming up, I gotta share this story.
In 2007 me and the boss travelled for a few months, up through Jellystone, Montana, Washington State through British Columbia, Yukon and into Alaska.
Didnt see a single Brit. Didnt see many people at all, to be honest.
One fine day, at a parking spot on the Ice Field Parkway ( look it up, its the most beautiful drive in the world ) overlooking a gorgeous lake, I saw a couple of people down by the water’s edge. Guy was wearing a blue footie shirt. On closer inspection I saw it was a Leicester City shirt.
So, me being diplomatic, went up to him and started talking about our Prem match when we were 0 – 3 down at half time, and came back to win 4 – 3. I told him that on the day in question, it was my birthday, and we were actually in San Francisco for a long weekend, and I got a running commentary at 7 am local time, while eating breakfast, from my Dad. They were mortified, coz they had both been at the match, and didnt think in their wildest dreams that they could go 5000 miles away on holiday, and still have the piss taken out of them about it!!
Oh the joys of travelling!!
FOWB
Busing players in and out of the club doesnt really float my boat.Is that one of those mixed megaphones ? Anyway what we need to see now is what the manager can do with what he has got.All good managers get some good performances out of some average players.
The whole problem is our midfield an strikers were ok even really good at this level an yet we have sold our best players and replaced them with hopefully players who are as good ( im not holding my breath on that).
Whilst our piss poor defence has had 1 young centre half from another country. Its not rocket science Morgan an Moxey our defence needs a major upheaval.
Im not over great with stats an such i cant remember who scored against barnsley even though I was there so i am going to ask. Have we brought an established prem player from another club who was playing regular. Not 1 from a relegated club just your bog standard premiership quality player. The closest I can come up with is Ohara. Any one else have any ideas?