“I’m happy here, I’m committed to Wolves. It’s a great club. You do the job at a club like this until someone tells you different.”
Those were the words of Kenny Jackett almost exactly a year ago after he was tentatively linked with the vacancy at QPR.
Little did he know that seven months later a man called Jeff Shi would indeed be telling him different and he’d be packing his bags.
If you look up pragmatism in the dictionary I’m pretty sure there’s a picture of Jackett nestled snugly alongside so consequently he won’t have dwelt too long on his Molineux departure.
Indeed, things moved so quickly in August there was barely time for anyone to reflect.
Walter Zenga arrived within 12 hours of Jackett leaving – all open collar and sunglasses – soon followed by 12 shiny new signings, meaning the man who’d restored credibility to our club over three years was soon forgotten.
Thanks for your efforts Kenny. Now jog on son.
Call me a romantic, but I felt he deserved better than the month long speculation about his position before being told he was staying, before then being shoved out through the back door late one Friday evening.
He would never say it, but I will – a total disgrace.
Notwithstanding my emotional response, swapping Jackett for Zenga was an act of gross stupidity. With such sweeping change elsewhere, maintaining a level of stability with a head coach who already knew the players, the division and the requirements was common sense.
Bringing in a guy whose previous job was with Al-Shaab, whom he’d left by mutual consent after failing to get them off the bottom of the Arabian Gulf League didn’t feel quite so grounded in reality.
Still, against my better judgment I bit my lip on the matter, embracing the new era and ready to extend the same courtesy I’ve given every manager – a fair opportunity to demonstrate their value.
Early signs suggested I needn’t have worried. Nobody left the New York Stadium on the opening day more buoyed by what they’d seen in a mesmerising performance that saw Wolves fightback from two goals down with ten men.
Similar periods of dominance against Birmingham, Reading and Newcastle made me question whether Zenga’s volatility could bring greater success than Jackett’s steady-as-she-goes approach.
The Italian also brought an emotional intensity to the setup that resonated with the hardcore support and that sense of unity remained, even after a turgid defeat to Leeds in what proved to be his final game in charge.
Ultimately though, Zenga couldn’t deliver consistency. For every Newcastle performance there was a Norwich, for every Birmingham there was a Barnsley – games in which Championship know-how was the difference.
And with one point from fifteen, the wrong type of consistency was beginning to emerge so little surprise that Fosun developed itchy trigger finger.
14 games is a nonsense to judge anyone, particularly a coach whose never worked in this country, let alone in this unique competition.
That said, you’ll forgive me if I don’t cry a tear for Zenga, who only won four league games and was widely heralded, given the way many responded gleefully to the shoddy nature of his predecessor’s exit.
To labour the point, Jackett gathered 181 points in his first two seasons at the club, delivering a record-breaking title win and a record-breaking tally for finishing outside of the Championship play-offs.
One mid-table season in which his team was effectively dismantled around him was enough to convince those with short memories he wasn’t worthy of being given a chance to thrive under owners who might provide adequate resources.
Ironic now that only months after ditching Jackett, Wolves are now fixated on the idea of employing someone who fits his exact profile, which is to say astute, experienced and Championship-ready.
Finding these qualities from the interested and available candidates is no easy task, which begs the question of why the club so readily dispensed with them back in July?
Hopefully it’s a case of lesson learned for Fosun and not the first of many other illogical managerial changes that take the club anywhere but up.
In the midst of what seems like an encouragingly diligent recruitment process rather than another whistle stop tour of Jorge Mendes’ phonebook, a few names have spilled out to a typically mixed response from supporters.
After obvious first port of call Sam Allardyce seemingly ruled himself out, Paul Lambert is considered the front runner and would be a shrewd choice.
A Champions League winner as a player for Borussisa Dortmund, the Scot has Premier League experience as well as a Championship promotion on a largely unblemished CV.
Critics point to struggles at Aston Villa yet he kept them afloat through a period when the owner had long since lost interest in supporting his efforts. Sound familiar?
As a personality he couldn’t be more far removed from Walter Zenga, which is perhaps another reason for many who interpret a reflective outlook as a lack of passion, to pour scorn on such an appointment.
Were Lambert to be the preferred choice it would represent a small victory for common sense and pragmatism.
And there certainly hasn’t been enough of that lately.
Brilliant article.
I tell you who else would be a great pragmatic choice at this level – Mick McCarthy. Nothing like progress!
Dave,would he be allowed to bring his assistant with him ?
Speaking of Mick McCarthy I see Ipswich supporters now want him gone.
Classic football fan reaction.
He comes in with them heading for relegation, saves them, spends two seasons over achieving in and around the play-offs but now one period of difficulty they’re hounding him out.
The most likely scenario is he leaves, they get someone more ‘exciting’ in and end up in League One.
Too old school. Lambert is the one.
Excellent article & I’d second your thoughts on Jackett, & less heartily on Lambert, but he’s done the business before with Norwich.
Jackett was certainly shoddily dealt with & it’s yet another Wolves mess due to poor decision making at the top of the club. I mean the previous owner appointed Terry Connor over Steve Bruce!
Surely Sod’s law means we may get it right again after a big cock up. Lambert for me, he’s got the pedigree, deserves another chance,maybe he’s learned from his Villa days of gloom.
No one in any walk of life has total perfection, give Lambert the time & the backing maybe we will realise the top level again.
Patience is a requisite in life & crucially for us Wolves fans, knee jerk reactions & off the wall decision making equals us being nearer the drop than the top.
To repeat an earlier post,,
I cant believe the best Fosun’s money can buy is Lambert.
As a Fan you feel like you have won the lottery but still go shopping in Poundland.
They’ve got to want to come to the club though Nige.
And keep in mind a manager basically gets one, maybe two chances at a proper club before being discarded on the trash heap. Given how Fousn have flippantly got rid of two already we’re not exactly poster boys for giving people a fair crack.
There’s nothing wrong with ambition, but it has to based in reality.
If you make them an offer they cant refuse they will want to come, make no mistake about that.
The reality meanwhile is that any manager is only as good as they players out there performing and unfortunately these players are not good enough on a consistent basis.
They are a mid table team at best and in fact I would say our 27 man squad is worse now than when we gained promotion from League 1.
If Lambert is our Messiah then I will be willing to give him a chance, but I wont hold my Breath.
If at the end of the season he doesn’t get us in the playoffs will Big Jeff give him the bullet too… Most Probably and we are back on your Roundabout..
Well he’s achieved great things under ideal circumstances for several clubs. One can never know for certain. Will Mourinho achieve results at Man U for instance?
Fantastic article Thomas, one of your best.
Thanks Ben. The type of article I’d like to write more frequently if time and circumstances allowed.
I’m with you Thomas, Lambert does seem to be the pick of the bunch. I seem to remember he was a possible manager of the year contender for his first premiership season. Coupled with his promotion from this league and keeping Norwich in the premiership comfortably he does tick a lot of boxes. Whoever it is they have my full support for what its worth. UTW!
The main problem is who is giving advice to Fosun and Jeff.
If it’s Mendes, then we are doomed, since he has only his interests at heart, has no experience of this division, and even less experience of who is a good manager in it!
Heed the advice from the fans, Jeff, not some mercenary foreigner!!
It easy to be all wise after the event Thomas. The football, tactics and erratic team selections by Jackett were baffling, madding and down right stupid playing players out of postion, now all of a sudden we were wrong to let him go……..if Walt had been a success I think your article would never have seen the light of day.
Jackett lost the plot and most the fans his press conferences were like a scene from Das Bunker ( a film about Hilters last days ) as I’ve said before with new owners It was always going to happen.
And yes Jackett ‘s departure could of been handle better but Morgan and Moxey hardly treated him fairly either. Jackett got a job straight away more or less as did McCarthy they both think that much of us fans they told us what really when on didn’t they, NO they haven’t they’ve just moved on to the next club…….now who’s treating who badly.
I remember sitting through those games last year under Jackett thinking why the hell am I here..
Can see it being very similar under Lambert and the phase same old same old comes to mind.
Fosun have the ambition and the money but unfortunately at the moment have no idea how to channel it.
Paul, I put an article out as soon as Zenga arrived stating ‘everthing I know to be right in football tells me it will end in failure’ and I continually lauded Jackett as someone we should persevere with long before he left. One thing you can’t accuse me of is being wise after the event.
I also don’t appreciate the insinuation you make about my integrity in releasing the article and what might or might not have happened under different circumstances. I have my views but always try to express them fairly and respect others so would appreciate the same courtesy.
Jackett is a man with a high degree of integrity and professionalism so it didn’t at all surprise me he didn’t attempt to throw others under the bus after leaving. Instead he released a simple, unassuming statement thanking everyone for his time at the club and quietly moved on.
Not questioning your integrity Thomas, the point I was trying to make is that regardless of how Jackett was treated, us the fans are not given the full picture even after his departure for one reason only and it’s the same with all managers is that they would not get back on the managers round about if they disclosed the TRUTH regarding the time at the club.
Ultimately they keep there council until such time as they cannot get another job or they have accrued more than enough money to retire and then write a book making even more money, where is the integrity in that.
The only people who suffer are us the fans…..one more point Birmingham Council are getting rid of the yearly pay rise for ordinary working folk, many football supporters of local clubs they were even talking of doing away with sick pay, those are the people I feel concerned for, not Jacckett and Mc Carthy ordinary hard working folk having what little pay rise they did get taken away.
Agree totally Paul.
I’m amazed.
During last season almost en masse this blog was anti Jackett.
To me, (and it is only a matter of opinion), but thinking we would be better off with him is lunacy.
I’m glad he has gone.
If it’s Lambert give him a chance.
Five games undefeated and he will be the Messiah.
What a load of rubbish.Jackett was brilliant at re vigorating our club at a time when the whole thing was disjointed and out of kilter.He did wonders with the team and brought the fans and the players together which was no mean feat.He was successful winning league 1 by a record number of points.He filled the stadium with fans (remember the Rotherham game 5-4 win)and the team played attractive football certainly during the first two years.He missed out on the play offs in the second year on a points total that had previously seen teams automatically promoted .Last year he had no support whatsoever from above and his spend was extremely limited.Yes he made mistakes last year , but let’s not forget what he did for our club. So Thomas you are right the way he was treated was an absolute disgrace.Also ,Paul what do you expect sacked Wolves managers to do remain loyal to Wolves and not take another job.Get real!
No manager has ever been loyal to any club, Franko and no manager has ever but the fans above themselves.
Jackett left Wolves…..yes did he give the fans his account of events re: money, lack of money was he forced to cell players…?
No nothing he got back on the gravy train like all mangers and good luck to him…but don’t try and tell me he’s some super being he’s not and when the gravy train drys up he right a book and make even more money…..don’t talk to me about integrity I’ve friends who from now on wont be getting a yearly pay rise people that provide essential services to us those are the people I feel for haing the employment rights stripped away even losing there jobs because of cuts. I no sympathy for and football manager they milk the fans and the clubs they work for, get pay offs when hey are not performing, if I lose my job I don’t get my contract paid up and a nice pay off…..!
Lets play a game.
McCarthy, Connor, Solbaken, Saunders, Jackett, Zenga, Lambert,
Spot the Difference… ??
I think I know the answer to this one…
McCarthy had a track record of promotion from the Championship and Jackett had a track record of promotion from League One. After we hired them we ended up getting promoted.
Connor, Solbakken, Saunders and Zenga had no such track record and we ended up either relegated or sliding down the table.
I think in business its called due diligence. In horse racing its called studying the form. For everyday numpties like me its called common sense.
Do I win a prize?
Connor is the onky one with two Ns in his name.
I don’t know about “Das Bunker” Kenny Jacketts team selections and tactics were like a scene from “Das Boot” two hours of sleep inducing celluloid whizzing before your eyes, watching paint dry was more entertaining than some of the fare we were served up for the last two seasons. The group of foreigners we have now are more exciting than anything (apart from Kevin MacDonald) we’ve watched in the last two years.
Kenny acted not with dignity or professionalism as he wrecked our pre-season campaign, it was a sham, a farce and downright disgrace towards us fans that paid good hard earned money to travel to Ireland to watch the team, only to be presented with the U23’s and similarly at Northampton with Wallace being the only first team player on the field. At Crewe and the Swansea games he played the first team after going in the papers saying the future is in our youth squads, total bullshit as he threw his dummy out and sulked until his departure.
Talk of treating folk badly cuts both ways, we pay their wages and give up a lot to see that rubbish played out in the name of pure bloody mindedness.
When Lambert is unveild tomorrow we shall see pomp and bullshit, he will talk a great talk but I don’t give a damn as was the case with Zenga, what he produces on the pitch is what we pay to see, what we saw under Jackett diminished week after boring feckin week after he left his level of Div 1.
I am Old Gold &Black to the core, I am under no such illusions that any manager we have had in the last few seasons gives a damn about us fans on the terraces, Zenga sank to his knees in front of the adoring hoards at the end of the Blues game and then pissed off to Dubai when the going got tough. Lets not forget the sums these guys get paid to dish up this stuff they call football at Molineux, I for one am not going to get all teary eyed and sentimental over these puppets.
As they announce the Wiininer of the Golden Tit award the coverted poisin chalise, I will prey that as Thomas said they get it right, I hope as much as anyone for Mr Cullis, Ferguson or Clough but they are as rare as hens teeth and so we await the Messiah.
He (Lambert) will have my full support as Jackett and Zenga both did. They will throw money at him like he’s never had before, so there will be no hiding place for a British manager who has experience of the Tuesday night winter weather. So as a paying punter, if it goes pear shaped I reserve my right to get on his back and demand better from Fosun.
Shall I say? it once again, we are work in Progress and enter a transitional period, yet Again.
Out of the darkness, there must be feckin light somewhere out there.
Come on Lambert’s boy’s, make us Proud once again.
Wolves am we……..
Well said Stu……read my blogs response to Thomas, Franko. Ordinary folk losing yearly pay rise which was oner per cent by Birmingham Council were going to do away with sick pay, and we are expected to feel sorry for Jackett and Co…….bollocks.
Nobody has said that you have to feel sorry for Jacket Paul.Just respect him for what he achieved for the club.
I do if you read my blog when he left I thank him for the best season, League 1 we had for years and the footbal was a joy to watch, but sadly one sunny day does not make for summer.
If Rob Edwards can handle coaching the last couple of weeks, was it really wrong for Zenga to leave while Rob handled training for a couple of days?
Spot on Stu.
A good summary of how I felt about Kenny particularly last season’s mind numbingly boring fare, which was so bad that 2 people who sat next to me in the South Bank for the last 10 years ( WWFC through and through and season ticket holders for the last 20 years) did not renew this season, because they had had enough.
Not all Kenny’s fault, I know, because Morgan and Moxey steadfastly refused to invest in the team once they had cashed in on our better players.
At least there is a bit of talent and flair now, which we can build on, if we can only get the right manager and support him in January with some cash.
UTW!
I know Kenny has got some big fans on the blog i was always fairly uninspired my imagination remained uncaptured. A very decent guy but also one with something of a pedestrian personality. Rotherham are actually the first second tier club to hire him i wish him well. Will have to see what Lambert can do. Did not go well at Villa but he has certainly scaled heights that will probably always be out of KJ’s reach.
Thomas, you and all of us should take an obvious view..so Jacket was treated badly? i don’t think so he floundered under M&M and showed himself up in his final season as a confused man and a dreadful decision making manager at a particular level..
I understood unofficially he was given the chance but simply blew it and bolted under the new regime..Change of decision from Jeff Shi through circumstances and I must confess probable intervention from Mendes..
I agree Zenga was potentially disastrous but he was a stand in because of lopetigui and a gamble was on..
But overall we have to face facts if the manager is inept by having poor results then they have to go.,that includes both Jkt and Zenga (and Lambert if he becomes the next manager.)
Wolves have new owners who aspire to put us where we belong in the PL.
If we have to sack 5 managers to get there (and even get rid of Mendes) then so be it.
We are in a position where we have the money to buy success so there will enevitably shrapnel and blood on the way to get there ..
Whether a change of heart regarding Jkt a wrong appointment with Zenga or a more sensible choice with Lambert all this is incidental ..it’s all in the process of the new era of at last having owners who are doers and quite frankly having the best chance of getting us back to where we belong…
Money is the key here to the PL for us as fans whoever gets in the way…
I agree in light if Sam not in the mkt Lambert is the best current choice..
When KJ came in there was no doubt we were in a terrible position. The main thing he did first was to actually connect with the fans again, what he achieved in L1 was brilliant. He was unlucky not making the playoffs as we all know but where he fell down for me was not articulating on why he made such bizarre decisions the following season. Dignity is one thing but that cuts both ways, if you haven’t been shown any then it is fair game to give your side of the story. Kenny should have done that then at least we would have had a fuller and perhaps more balanced picture. Anyway he moved on and all the best to him, a word of advice to him if the game is going against you don’t wait until the last 5 mins to bring your subs on. For the knew guy yes I would be happy to see what Mr Lambert can do. Just hope that whomever they pick we really do need to give them a realistic timeframe. What are the thoughts about Rob Edwards being given a shot?
On our last performance Rob Edwards is not the man for the first team.
Milk
Spilt
Crying over
ALL of you.
Get over yourselves.
We will never know if KJ could have/would have done any better with more cash and support.
All the crying, wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth wont change anything.
Stop trying to do what ifs, instead do who cares?
Its history.
We will never know.
If we hadnt broken the Enigma in World War Two we might all be speaking German now……… but, we’ll never know.
We cant change the past, but we can embrace the future, so lets do that and welcome whomsoever is our new manager ( unless its pulis ) and give him 100% backing.
I know postive thinking is not a Wolves fan’s usual trait, but how about US changing as well??
FOwb
“we will never know if KJ could have/would have done any better with more cash and support”
But that’s the thing. We DO know. We have empirical proof! Season 2014/15! Having been given the money and support to build a squad with the quality of Sako, Dicko, Afobe and McDonald, we came within goal difference of the playoffs in our first season back in the champ.
We finish 14th the following season, with a squad effectively shorn of all the above, blighted by injury, and bolstered by totally inadequate signings.
Did Jackett become a bad manager after two great seasons? Or did he simply not have a squad at his disposal capable of promotion? My answer to those is probably pretty clear, and I realise he is now long gone and it’s time to move on. But it just seems ridiculous that people see Jackett’s record at Wolves as a sign of him not being up to managing at this level.
Hope we hire Lambert, he will at least keep us up this season.
Up the Wolves
Well Stephen, I was going to add my two pennyworth to this discussion, but as you’ve summed it all up so succinctly, I probably won’t bother.
Brilliant blog! I also wanted Jackett to stay, he didn’t deserve the sack. We needed the stability he would have given us. The zenga appointment just didn’t make sense. It might seem harsh but getting rid of him was the right thing to do. Nice guy and gave his all but he wouldn’t have worked. Whoever comes in needs to be able to bring in his own staff and players in January.
An excellent write up Thomas. Jackett ,McCarthy and Jones all have my respect as former managers because of what they achieved for us as a club. Whether we liked their personalities, style of play and whether their departures were handled or timed correctly can be debated at length but the one thing that cannot be questioned vs. the likes of hoddle, mc ghee, solbakken et Al is that they actually delivered tangible success I.e promotions.
Fosun clearly made a mistake in the appointment of zenga but if they are sincere in their stated ambition for wolves they will get it right. It is right to honour the past but it is also important not to dwell on it, otherwise we run the risk of being distracted from our future which is ours to shape with our next appointment.
Bang on the money.
Nice blog, Thomas.
I think you’re right to defend Kenny Jackett here. Be a shame if people choose to remember the boring draws of last season. Not as if he was leaving out world beaters. When he had Bakary Sako and Nouha Dicko fit, it was some of the most exciting stuff I’ve seen down the Molineux.
Are Kennys fans trying to re-write history a little bit because…well because they are still fans ? Yes we lost Afobe but Kenny kept dropping him anyway. Yes we had a lot of injuries but squads struggling for form and a sense of direction often do. Even in that last season Kenny had more backing than many Championship sides can give. He was able to bring in more players and have a bigger squad than the likes of Brighton and Birmingham who had a much better season.
Anyway lets see where he goes from here my guess is just missing out on the play offs will be the high point of his managerial career.
Colin, I think if anyone is guilty of re-writing history it’s Kenny’s detractors. Their favourite line is being ‘he’s a League One manager’ or ‘he can’t cut it in the Championship’, completely disregarding the fact that he amassed 78 points in our first season back.
You say:
‘Yes we lost Afobe but Kenny kept dropping him anyway.’
…perhaps a reasonable point, although the reality is he was dropped on only a few occasions due to poor form and simply wasn’t anything like as effective without the Dicko and Sako alongside.
You say:
‘ Yes we had a lot of injuries but squads struggling for form and a sense of direction often do.’
I say:
What does that even mean? Are you suggesting Dicko did his knee ligaments because he didn’t have adequate direction from the manager? That is a bit of a stretch.
You say:
‘Even in that last season Kenny had more backing than many Championship sides can give. He was able to bring in more players and have a bigger squad than the likes of Brighton and Birmingham who had a much better season. ‘
I say:
Perhaps some merit to this as most have to cut their cloth which does even the playing field. The issue was we had a good team and it was quickly dismantled meaning it needed to be rebuilt. Brighton and Birmingham, albeit with less resources were already into their own rebuilding phase. And this is the crux of it. Many fans simply weren’t prepared to accept the team needed rebuilding. They thought ‘we finished 7th last season’ so should do even better again this year, which wasn’t realistic, particularly with how things unfolded.
You say:
‘Anyway lets see where he goes from here my guess is just missing out on the play offs will be the high point of his managerial career.’
I say:
This seems like an unnecessary dig Colin. Maybe 7th in the Champ will be his high point if the only teams prepared to give a coach who hasn’t really failed anywhere the chance to thrive are the likes of Rotherham.
Quality blog Thomas. It seems opinion will always be divided among bloggers about Jackett but I am in agreement with you. He was 100% the right appointment at the time, he had two good seasons and then Morgan pulled the plug. But as Clive says in his wonderfully eloquent way its all history now. As is the wisdom of appointing Zenga. Let’s hope they make a better decision third time around.
It never fails to amuse me that there is a section of fans at all clubs not just Wolves who seem to enjoy moaning about everything. Your comment on the Ipswich fans and McCarthy is spot on. The fans who moaned the loudest about Jackett are the same ones who moaned about McCarthy and will no doubt in the future be the first ones to moan about our next manager, Fosun and so it goes.
Still if we all had the same opinion then there would be no point in brilliant blogs like this so long may the disagreements continue!
The last two years of his tenure this particular blog was quite anti-McCarthy but it was not the same bloggers.
Thoughtful blog Thomas, you write like a classy midfielder aware that you could be clogged from behind by a less considered opinion at any moment but carrying on because that’s the way the game should be played. Integrity probably does not figure too highly in the job requirement for a new manager and it is simply a case of paying the price for success. As to common sense and pragmatism they’re lucky if they get on the bench never mind on the pitch
If,we get lambert who will.be his backroom team?
I’m wondering if he might ask Keane to come along?
I would like,to keep.sellars and Edwards on
Robbie or Roy? I hope you mean the former!
Fully agree Thomas that Kenny deserved better. He’s not the only one. The fans deserved better too. We have all suffered and been short-changed by the previous regime, Misery Guts and Scrooge. Ben summed it up in his “Good Riddance” article. I wish Kenny all the best at Rotherham. If Ipswich or QPR are foolish enough to sack their managers, Kenny would be a good fit at either club, giving him a greater chance of the big time.
Zenga, as I said at the time, is a rough diamond. I think the main reason for our inconsistency under him was his less than total commitment to the job. He lived in Dubai throughout his time at Wolves. Passionate about Wolves? Yes, as far as it went, which wasn’t far enough.
Paul Lambert is by contrast to Zenga a calm and collected man, but with an infinitely superior managing record. Of the British names he is head and shoulders over other candidates who want the job. My first choice would be AVB but Lambert will do nicely, thank you very much. Two successive promotions with Norwich, and kept Villa in the PL. Speaks for itself.
Having said the above Thomas, Paul Lambert is also head and shoulders above Kenny. If we went through the process of treating a decent man shabbily (Kenny) and then recruiting the Great Pretender (Walter), it will all be worth it in the end if Lambert comes in and succeeds.
I played golf today with an ex Rotherham player, small world but he said the last 2 games there is a very noticeable improvement.
Brilliant blog Thomas, thoughtful and thought provoking at the same time, only what we have come to expect from you.
Like many I was probably anti KJ at the start but he did do a wonderful job in the first 2 seasons, then as we know Morgan threw his dummy out and it all went pear shaped from then. However as Stu says we would have had more enjoyment watching paint dry than the dross served up by KJ last season. Would he have done any better this one? We will never know, he had gone end of.
Along came Zenga, and I along with a lot of others predicited that he would be gone by Christmas if we were not in the play offs at least. And so it came to pass as they say.
Who next? If the bookies and Stu are to be believed it will be Paul Lambert, of the three in the frame he would be my choice, been there, seen it, done it, at least at Norwich. He will obviously need time to get his messages across, god knows how the portuguese will cope with a Scottish accent, but I am sure he will get a suitable interpreter in.
I would like to see Edwards and Sellers kept on, even if only to continue their good work with U21’s & the academy it would be stupid to loose them from that.
Still whoever comes in they will get my support as they surely will all the rest of you, its WOLVES we support not the bloody manager.
Fosun just get on with it and appoint the best man for the job now.
Onwards & Upwards
Wolves aye we
Hi Thomas some very fair points bottom line perhaps is you are KJ fan and i am not. Anyway we both got it off our chest probably for last time.UTW.
Just like to point out that McDonald was out in the cold for parts of last season, even when fit.
Was that KJ’s decision, or was he given instructions?
Unless he comes out and writes a tell all, we probably will never know.
And for those fans of Afobe and Sako, ………where are they now?
At the homes of Prem nobodies, and they cant get a kick.
Just the sort of Prem quality we need to help us get up and stay up, eh?
This season has been more exciting already than the whole of last year, and yes, we are currently shit, but things WILL improve.
We were all gung ho to get on the roller coaster of a new regime, and nothing has really changed.
We have in Jeff someone who is approachable, lets give him a chance.
Its only been a couple of months.
He got it wrong with Zenga, if he learns from his mistake we gonna be ok.
But why is Lambert in Germany?
Sako Dicko Afobe McDonald Iorfa did it for KJ at his peak not through tactics ..
But it does go to show how we stand in comparison as of today..
Throw in DB and his dreadful form and that’s why we are 18TH..
Rebuild we must.. but surely surely there are two players in that group that could be acquired back..
I’ll eat my hat if it’s not thought about ..Lamberts not daft..
See I’ve already installed him..
Just to be clear, are you suggesting that nearly half the team performing consistently to a high standard has nothing to do with tactics, man management or team selection? That would be an interesting perspective.
Just also to be clear on my opinion KJ didn’t seem to have any cohesive tactics particularly when we were outfoxed at half time he was a useless man manager and his team selection caused outrage particularly on here..
The point I was making was’ at his peak’ and that was when we won the first division
Which of course we should of with the players we had..Mc Donald thrived then and the senior players carried KJ to promotion.
I do remember crawley away though when we lost through KJ not seeing that DB had serious failings (a lot of the other matches we were 70%in there half)
Unfortunately his total blindness caused the problems we currently have inherited at the back..
Other than the first division he was a very inept manager..
Utter tripe.
We will finsh 11th this season, regardless of who comes in. Next season we will be promoted as Champions.
You heard it here first lol.
This is a brilliant article Thomas, and I’m not just saying that because I agree with virtually every word you have written. (But it helps).
Jackett WAS treated abominably and deserved much better.
As I’ve said before, his last season was played out under the Moxey Morgan edict:-
“We’re not going to build on last season’s near miss, we’re selling our best players, not replacing them, and you’re task Kenny is to make sure we’re not relegated”.
But, as Clive says, there is no point in dragging up the past or pontificating whether Kenny would have done better with the Fosun millions, it’s all water under the bridge now.
The one thing I do take exception to is saying that Kenny keeping his counsel after he was pushed out and not airing the dirty washing shows a lack of integrity.
Surely just the opposite. A man with no integrity would go bleating to the press and clear himself of any responsibility for last season’s debacle.
To me, Kenny’s silence speaks volumes.
As far as Lambert is concerned, he seems to be a man of integrity and character who probably deserves a chance to make the Molineux mix into a tasty cream cake.
A sort of Kenny Jackett in a kilt.
Let’s hope he has the legs for it.
Doog,
I would hazard a guess at “Kenny’s silence speaks millions” but then I’m bitter amd twisted at having thrown good money after bad, and also the fact that it’s my pension.
Us poor pensioners blah, blah, blah. God almighty, Iv’e become my father after all.
Or Walter under the bridge!!!
Oh! I hate myself!
Over thirty years earning part of my living as a writer and I transgress the first unwritten rule.
Never mind the new manager/coach.
I’ve misused an apostrophe!
Apologies’ to all concerned.
Oh! Bugger! I’ve done it again.
Thanks for the kind words Doog.
Thomas – a thoughtful and timely piece, and what a hornets nest it’s stirred from the anti-Jackett brigade. The point I thought you were making was his departure was outrageously badly handled. After all, the world and its grandmother (apart from the Spanish FA that is) thought it was nailed on that Lopetegui was coming to take over from Jackett, and he was then left swinging in the breeze for a week until Zenga was pulled out of Mendes back pocket.
They say that you must learn from your mistakes and there’s some evidence that Jeff Shi and the Fosun team have learnt from their errors in late summer. Firstly by keeping some continuity in Kevin Thelwell, Rob Edwards, Tony Daley and Pat Mountain, it was not out with the old, in with the new, and this continuity seems to have played a part not only in Zenga’s downfall, but also the new recruitment process. Secondly Shi seems to have realised that buying/loaning a shedload of players and expecting to bolt them on to an existing squad is not going to change the world.
Having Sky Sun at Molineux on a daily basis has also helped Fosun to start to understand the DNA of the club.
It’s clear that Shi has been listening to the old guard who’ve told him that the way out of the championship is with someone who’s done it before and knows how to grind out results (when things weren’t going too well under McCarthy he reverted to grinding out scoreless draws). Only Watford have managed to play their way out of the Championship in recent years – but they did have a conveyor belt of players from their sister clubs, and also managed promotion whilst going through four managers in the season. It’s even more interesting that Thelwell was asked to pull together the shortlist for this appointment.
What happened in the summer was almost a casebook study of how not to do things. Player recruitment seems to have been down to Mendes/Butti/possibly Thelwell, and the manager was told to mould what he hadn’t a say in, into a team. Whoever comes in is going to want assurances
that the club will scout the type of player he identifies, and he will want too see them in action in the flesh. Not unreasonable if Fosun want the club to progress.
Thoughtful reflection on the part of Shi appears to have lead to a logical process being put in place and the right remedial action taken. Whoever comes in will have six weeks to assess the current assortment and decide what is needed in the transfer window. Expect another few turns of the roundabout (mainly with exits I feel) in January. Meanwhile hold on tight and enjoy the ride. Boring it ain’t.
Hi Thomas. I agree entirely.
Just as our giddy ‘Dicko, Afobe, Sako’ anthem was floating across the hazy spring air inside Molineux, we lost the trio in circumstances seemingly exclusive to Wolves. I.E. It goes tits up due to our own stupidity.
(Just like when Michael Kightly was becoming a world beater only to get crocked and us misdiagnose it, or Robbie Keane was sold, or Dean Richards was involved in a car crash instead of a seat on the team coach)
It was typical Wolves. We never replaced Sako (Wallace and Ojo), we never replaced Dicko (Le Fondre) and the Afobe dosh went up the M6 with our esteemed ex-owner.
I won’t rake over any more old coals (Stearman, McDonald) but Kenny was discarded all too hastily in my opinion. But he’s gone and I guess we just sit tight and hope whoever comes in is an upgrade.
But the point about him ‘only being an average championship manager’ is a pertinent one.
In my opinion, he worked miracles with the clubs he was at to be just that, when a heck of a lot of other clubs would have gone down under so many budget restraints.
But on this point, I assume that Lee Johnson at Bristol City or Gary Rowett at Blues would be tarred with the same ‘never got a team promoted’ tag. I just wonder if we are missing out on the next Dyche or Howe because managers like the above are being discarded, despite performing admirably with their clubs? Similarly, where did O’Neill at Norwich come from?
In 2 years time, you might find Johnson managing someone like the Canaries in the top flight, and we’re all hankering after him as we sit where we are, having sacked a ‘proven Championship performer’.
It just seems we’ve cast our net so narrow, when other candidates are out there who might be blessed with way more tactical acumen / man management skills, but have never been blessed with the chance to work at a club like Leicester City with mega-rich owners backing them (Pearson).
I’m hearing all sorts of positives about Keith Curle up at Brunton Park. Would he not be even more impressive at a club which actually supports him with millions, rather than make-and-mend budget up in Cumbria? He’d sort that back four out.
I digress…i just feel that we’re looking at stigmas and pigeon holes rather than the best possible candidate for the job.
Good point Ben.
I admit I am guilty of wanting an experienced manager simply because over the last twenty years our track record of appointing managers has been less hit and more miss or maybe and what success we’ve had has been with the likes of Jones, McCarthy and Jackett although I accept there is always an exception to the rule – Hoddle!!
Many clubs succeed by appointing wisely from abroad or lower down the pyramid and I always look at them and think why can’t we do that? I would love nothing more though than for us to succeed with an outside the box choice. For that reason I desperately wanted Solbakken to be a success but he only lasted half a season. Was he rubbish or was he not given enough time? All history now.
You mention Curle but what if Rob Edwards is the next Howe or Dyche? Right now is probably a bit too soon for him and I hope the club retain him but already some fans have been writing him off after only one game which he didn’t even lose!
Thanks for your unflinching support as always.
I wouldn’t have been adverse to a bright young thing, but it would be a gamble and I fear with the very real threat of a relegation battle a ‘safe pair of hands’ appointment would be wiser at this point.
My mates from up near Carlisle were lauding Curle a few weeks back before the Villa game. It has taken him a couple of years to get it right though and I don’t think he’d be afforded that luxury here. I can see our next manager getting the bullet in the summer regardless of how they perform. That’s the climate I think we’re operating in as a conglomerate owned business.
I’m not so sure kj was treated that bad when you weigh it up , he certainly got way too much time for me , a lot longer than solbacken or zenga anyway , during last season I , for the first time in 40 years couldn’t be bothered with waiting up for the final score on numerous occasions , I changed subject with people who associate me with ‘ wolves’ while thousands of fans stayed away and said “last season for me ” after yet another mind numbingly boring draw unfolded , whilst our most creative midfielder was nowhere to be seen ! No for me if you look up integrity in the dictionary it won’t say , don’t challenge the guy who is paying you , do as your told , mediocrity is ok , wait for the payday !
Anyway , the King is dead , long live the King
Hopefully the next guy is good enough to stick around
Utw
The strength is in the pack
Marney well put the Jackett camp fail to point out how Jackett isolated and knocked the confidence and soul out of McDonald and others.
Roy Keane he worked with him at villa
I can only say that those who now eulogize Mr Jacket have very short memories.
Just think back to those dreadful days of the majority of last season. No consistent tactics. Kick , rush and hope football. Players being played anywhere but in their right position. etc etc. Us loyal fans were condemned week on week to seeing the most inept, boring performances, not by a team, but by a demotivated rabble who seemingly had met in the pub just before kick-off. Wolves were not coached. We were a disgrace.
To say Mr Jacket was deprived of resources is nonsense. More to the point our coach was clueless as to how best to use resources available to him. Having purchased Mason– who Mr Jacket had been courting many months earlier — he was left on the bench because our coach “didn`t know how best to use him ” This at a time when we had no striker of any proven scoring ability. Then McDonald was left out of a midfield bereft of any constructive talent, because he was a naught boy who seemingly dared to challenge the wisdom of the almighty coach. Petty and ridiculous.
The truth is that had we not by some miracle achieved some remarkable and undeserved results over the new year period, we would more than likely have been playing in Division 1 this season — and deservedly so.
So, whilst I fully agree I agree with Thomas that the manner of Mr Jacket`s dismissal was deplorable, in my book the decision itself was absolutely correct. The real mistake lay in the misguided appointment of Mr Zenga.
There has been some comment on here about KJ/MM and others making no comment about their time at Wolves and the ‘behind the scenes’ stories that would shed light on their subsequent sacking. This is not out of misguided loyalty or any danger of rendering themselves unemployable.
The simple fact is that they all sign ‘confidentiality agreements’ as part of their pay-off and any adverse comment about the club would result in them not receiving the stage payments that have been agreed when they leave. it’s simple – MONEY TALKS BUT EX MANAGERS DON’T!!!!
Anyway, on to other matters – Lambert – best of a bad lot now that Sam has ruled himself out.
Cannock.
Feckin brilliant, “Money talks but ex-managers don’t”
I shall steal and use that at some point in the future, hopefully not for a very long time at Molineux.
Stu,
There will be a one guinea fee for use of copyrighted material !!!!!
Do you accept Scottish 1 Guinea notes.?
Cannock …. Don’t trust that Scottish git with money…. the next thing he’ll be clamoring for is a referendum…. lol
Gotta be worth more than the British currency lately.
Yes there full of integrity…….when it comes to there pay off’s……..integrity ….my arse!
Just been looking at Wolves recent history of managers i am sure KJ will be remembered perhaps alongside the likes of Graham Turner who also turned the team around after a difficult time.
I was fortunate as a young boy to follow Wolves through the McGarry era when we finished 4th in the old First division, won the League cup, got to the final of the UEFA cup and got go the semi final of the FA cup in the space of a couple of seasons. We produced some good young players and had some eye catching results. I can remember us beating Chelsea 7-1 just after signing Willie Car. Yes those certainly were the days.
God, I love this blog, it makes my day. Well done all, feckin A, as Clive would say.
We have to admit, all managers make mistakes and KJ’s are not hard to list. I’ll start with 5:
1. Freezing out of MacDonald.
2. Not using him upfield.
3. £3m on Mason.
4. Dreadful loan signings.
5. Treatment of Ikeme.
If these were one-offs you could excuse them but I think there was a dangerous tendency in KJ to view the world in very black and white terms. This started with the so-called ‘Bomb Squad’ an issue that could surely have been dealt with more productively both for the Club and the individuals concerned (note how Doyle was treated). But it went on….Griffiths was first seen as a saviour then discarded. Price, Graham, Evans, Jacobs, Dicko even, all experienced the Jackett freezer.
He could be excessively tough on players and then come across in interviews as your most boring uncle…..not much in between. I know some managers have success through tough love, Cullis, Ferguson but this is only when there really is love. Not sure there was with Kj and because of this he didn’t always get the best out of his players.
So, not saying KJ was a total failure. Obviously not. But perhaps he perished by exactly the same means he himself employed with players.
Now as for WZ……………………….Let’s welcome PL and hope he comes with an interpreter (talk about being a nightmare for the players trying to learn English!)
Haven’t we had common sense and pragmatism for many years.
And it has got us stagnation, dropping gates and a national profile that has not been much lower in our entire history.
We desperately need a lift. And I thought Fosun was going to give it with Lopetegui . How three months can change things.
Ex Express & Slur man Tim Nash is being a naughty boy, letting the cat out of the bag.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/558743/Paul-Lambert-New-Wolves-Manager
The Bookies have now suspended bets on Lambert.
No Smoke without fire or all smoke and mirrors?
Lambert is in Germany, coming back tomorrow (Thursday). Pat Murphy from BBC sport has spoken to him.
It’s all on twitter
https://twitter.com/patmurphybbc/status/793819868160221188
From Pat Murhy’s twitter account
“It’s news to Paul Lambert that he’s the new @OfficialWolves manager. Nobody’s told him. He’s still in Germany,heard nowt since 1st interview”
**Pat Murphy’s twitter account**
Paul Lambert is probably just following the rules. It’s confidential, right? Don’t say a word till the club releases the news Paul. Embargoed. Sounds plausible. If so, Tim Nash has let the cat out of the bag and wrong-footed the media, particularly Express & Star.
Dear old E&S rubbished a certain story in July that Fosun were taking over. They will get Armageddon wrong too.
I’m hoping he’s there scouting for 4 full backs and two proven strikers to supplement Bodvarsson.
KJ was the right man at the right time. He cleared out the dross and produced a team that blitzed the 1st Division. Was then close to the play-offs in our first season back in the Championship. Not bad eh?
Whilst I was frustrated with KJ at times, the way he was treated by Fosun was very poor.
KJ will always have my utmost respect as manager of Wolves – he turned the club around and dragged it out of the mire it was slowly sinking into.
Football has changed considerably over the years. Loyalty is no longer a word used for players or managers, they come and go ripping up contracts that are worthless.
Mercenary would be my description of a lot of people playing and managing these days.
Let’s be clear on this … people with billions don’t Um and ah about loyalty ….. they decide the plan and execute ruthlessly, without any compassion and more to the point quickly ..believe me ..I’ve been there.
Yeah I understand all that and I have been there as well.
Absolutely great report Thomas…..typifying the Blog ….brilliant mate…… if you’re in the APV on Sat I’ve got some business to sort with you ….
Changing the subject does anybody know what is happening about Sir Jacks statue, along with many others Mrs Lowves and I paid our ten quid when we renewed our season tickets and have not heard a peep since then, any news?
Blimey. We were on a bus, then a rollercoaster and now we are on a roundabout. I’m getting all dizzy. An earlier blogger asks if Lambert is bringing Keane as part of his coaching set up. Surely we don’t want Keane? They are quite dreary constantly singing ‘everythings changing’ etc etc. Nah Lambert will bring some one Scottish like Simple Minds. Jim Kerr would certainly liven up training with the lads defending corners and throw ins whilst Jim sings ‘the Belfast child’ on the sidelines. So the PL bus looks set to leave the station on a mission to the erm … PL ! We shall see.
Lambert is watching Celtic tonight, so with a bit of luck we’ll be on the bagpipes next.
Flower of the Scotlands to be played at the start of each game and half time will be I would walk 500 miles and Edwards will run 500 more. Our Signature tune will MacQuickquidator….
As we can afford it why aren’t we approaching coaches who are in employment?Is it because like good players we cannot attract them.Our only option therefore is to get someone who can take average players,playing to their best ability.Dyche type comes to mind,Ward type player.What l have seen so far this season in the championship is that the quality of football is poor,all that is needed is good organisation consistency, luck some ugly 1-0 wins.lets not forget our win @newcastle,there is something to work with.My wish is that whoever is appointed has the strength to cull the squad of any deadwood despite how popular they maybe.We have to bear in mind,that there are 2 challenges facing the squad,the first can they get out of the division second can they make it in the PL.This has to be a consideration on future signings.As for Jackett,M&m McCarthy its all been said,time to move on the future is bright,Fosun will pay to make it so.
Just a thought, for those lamenting not having the services of Steve Bruce. Mr Bruce has twice been relegated from the premiership unlike our potential suitor. May I also add that Bruce with Birmingham, Wigan,Sunderland and Hull had a higher transfer budget than Lamberts at Norwich and vile. Lambert may not be everyone’s first choice he may not be Kenny or the Zenga bus, but I have a good feeling about Lambert same feeling I had with Jones and the mad king Mick. UTW and shit on the shite!
BREAKING NEWS:
Peter Knowles for manager!
He will get players knocking on doors …
Well said Thomas,your to kind.
Hackett did well in his first season after the successive religations we had to injure,he certainly made a difference Div 1,where I think was his limit,having said that when we got promoted into the championshite
he did continue to progress and he was unlucky not to have made the playoffs even though we amassed enough points to secure a place in the playoffs in any other season,let’s face it last term was abysmal so for me I’m glad he’s gone.
When Fosun took over I hoped jacket would be removed along with moxey,and i was disappointed when they kept them on.
In fairness to jackett I think Fosun was wrong to lead him on he would be continuing as manager,but deep down I think he knew his days were numbers and staying on for the big pay off which proved to be right,so let’s get real he went away with a sizable wad of cash ,so let’s not feel to sorry for him.
As for Lambert perhaps he’s the better shout out of the three who were in the frame for the job,after main contender Big Sam.if its Lambert I wish him well because this jobs become a poison chalice.
Thomas in my view it would’ve been better to have let sleeping dogs lie on this one because what ever we think it doesn’t matter to those who hold the purse strings.
If they do get it right All will forgotten.
UTW.
Endure…not injure.predicted text a pain .
Now this fascinating discussion about KJ draws to a conclusion, I shall put forward how I see it.
We were in freefall when he came in with some predicting a third consecutive relegation. He sorted it and few of us at the time would have argued against the isolation and sale of Johnson, O’Hara et al. We stormed League One.
Despite little investment, we performed admirably back in the Championship. Lucky perhaps with some of the results gained, but desperately unlucky to not at least make the playoffs.
Third season he had the rug pulled from beneath him by selling the cream of the team and what was left had season ending injuries. With the sale of the club on the cards, KJ was instructed to keep us up at all costs. Hence the dour, drab games week after week. Morgan paid his wages, KJ did his job, hoping no doubt for better times ahead under new owners with a little foresight and ambition.
The owners are here but KJ is not. I fear he will prove easier to sack than replace.
I can’t have that stroker.. he had afobe and Sako on the books together once with Dicko and he blew it by not seeing how to deal with the opposition.
He will go down in my Memery not because of the first division but his struggling to do the business in the championship..
I do in all fairness agree that it was close but he lost 12 points in different games by really bad and clueless decisions ..the senior players that were carrying him to get the result were let down by his blindness
particularly regarding us conceding at the wrong time.
That’s why the goal scorers were so peeved about him and when you get Afobe saying that when he goes to Bournemouth ‘he might learn something’ …(apart from currently learning how to warm a bench lol)
Re: the new manager I’m pleading for a tactition and some one who can see our current failings..
…it has been said on here before the peak team in KJs time was better than now..
True IMO ..
Spot on Steve – he did a great job in Div 1 and our first season back in the Chump, but completely lost it last season imo
UTW!
Yep, absolutely Wokingham. Last season he completely lost all his best players.
Common sense prevails, Scotland England players will wear the Poppy on the 11th, glad our FA saw sense.
This issue transends football.
Lest we forget
Yo Steve
To follow your logic, the team of ’70 to ’75 was streets ahead of anything out there now.
The team of the fifties was probably better than any other team in our history, or possibly Major Buckley’s team before WW2 was better.
None of us watching these days, except Doogle and Twixxo, can say, as we were not around then.
Point being, its history, in the past, cannot be changed, so friggin’ get over it and move on!!!
So then, obviously, you don’t think Wolves is a big club.
How you deduce that from my above post, dog knows.
The betting is suspended but the word this morning is the process goes on (its never over at Wolves until Thelwell has interviewed the Fat Lady).
Surely we’re not getting Babbette Moxey back are we ?
I’m just reading about kj. While eating a pot noodle interesting stuff
I for one thought he did a decent job at the time
Third season he,was given nowt when only needing a couple more signings but wasn’t given any doe because morgan knew he was selling at the Start of the,season simple!!! Let’s move on get behind the highlander and,see what happens.
Up the wolves.
Kenny treated many a decent player shabbily too. Why cry for him?
Kenny was probably let go because he was not able to convince Jeff that he would play a style of play that Jeff wanted the team to play or said he would have problems integrating so many new players and would prefer English players. Or something similar.
Walter did fine, considering what he was tasked with. His goals plus/minus showed that they were an average team, not bottom of the league. Sometimes they just come at the wrong time to get the maximum points from them.
Let’s see if the new coach/manager will be able to not only be successful but also integrate the new players and play a style that the fans will appreciate.
I don’t think anyone’s crying for Kenny Jackett I just that I thought he did a good job with us, and last season was let down by a mix of circumstances mostly to do with the owner pulling out of the club.
If Fosun had of given him a chance maybe now we would’nt be in the shit we clearly are. The team I’ve watched this season are so unpredictable and inconsistent Lord knows what they do in training.
Yes it’s time to move on with yet another new Manager but I really would have expected better from the new Owners. As it is we’re starting again, after yet another false start. Totally frustrating but that’s Wolves of the last years and years it seems.
On Saturday I long for a bloody win and good performance at home, so I hope Rob Edwards has realised that to do that with the current squad we have to play Teixeira, Costa & Cavaleiro, behind Jon Dadi. As a big Batth fan he has recently cost us dear, so maybe Edwards as skipper and Stearman & Hause at the back. He has to leave Doherty & Borthwick Johnson as full backs for stability. Coady in midfield instead of Saiss.
But whoever plays we badly need cheering up, as it is I’m finding it hard to keep any optimism we can ever challenge for the top slots or play off places any time soon, this century!
Reports from the E&S, who also stated that Tim Nash had announced Lambert had definitely got the job are now saying that a Mystery man has now entered the melting pot.
Headlines next week,”Top Gear’s Stig get’s managerial role at Molineux”
If he keeps his helmet on then he can’t be blamed for feck all, these Chinese, clever people indeed.
Mystery candidate? Could be any, or none of:
Roy Keane.
Ian Holloway.
Roy Hodgson.
Sam Allardyce (could have changed his mind?)
Tony Pulis!
I was going to say has B*G S*M had a change of heart but i could be just winding Steve and the Bedford firm up.
Alladyce will never get another chance so its now or never.
Fosun original plan and probably long term was international star coach. This is OK intended to be a global brand.
You got to admire Southampton. It don’t seem to matter who the coach is. They got the structure right.
Betting re-opened !
Didn’t really want anyone to find out who the mystery man was
It’s,me I’m the new,boss
Just sorting out a hotel to live part time
Then sod off to Cyprus to visit my family when we have international breaks
Just imagine saying that to.your own boss and see what his answer would,be.
How was Madonna?
I hear she still has all her own teeth, bet that pissed the missus off when you came in late at half past Ten.
Perks of the job eh.
Have you recorded your pre and post-match talk yet.
Is it true that your right hand man is Clive, he pisses off half way through things to his wife as well.
God, I sound like Tim Spiers……..
We’ve had some good managers on the past and not had the money to back them
Now we’ve got the money, we can’t get a good manager !
How ‘ wolves ‘ is that !?……
..
Cmon Woy , you know it makes sense
Ok Colin..so I’ve lost Sako Afobe McDonald and DB hasn’t gone to Sunderland as was rumored and now Big Sam is about 500-1..
No wonder I’m a moaning b***tard ..
I just comment on here things I think is obvious (to me)
(Here we go) Sako is a fans genuine tradgedy -incoming from Clive..he changed matches and just lived the wolves..Afobe was just brilliant facing the goal even took the piss taking penalties (remember jim mccaliog)..
Mc Donald on his day was as good as anyone for passing and DB..well
he needs coaching..or new contact lenses..
Big Sam was the insurance policy.. he just knows what to do to get us up and we’ve now got real money.!!.
Why CANT we do the obvious..? that’s put £5M on the table and say Sam f**k you pork scratching man..just get your arse down here..
As of 5.25 on 3rd November, odds are:
1/2 Lambert
7/2 Pearson
14 Sherwood
18 Vieira(where did that come from?)
22 de Boer
25 Also rans
What I glean from this is that perhaps the discussion of terms with Lambert has produced a few sticking points (one possibly being that he has to learn English!).
Patrick Vieira is cutting an impressive figure in his managerial role in the USA is he the mystery man ?
Mystery man has been revealed.
It’s *%# ]#%^*^+#
Bluudy Spellcheque
Is it Trevor Cleaver off Grange Hill?
I would welcome Patrick and his English wife Cheryl to Wolves with open arms. An outstanding talent with if I recall correctly a confident and articulate personality. Lets reassert our continental brand with a top player with a top English playing pedigree. The players would surely be enriched by such esteemed football company. This would mean I lose the £45 I stand to gain on Lambert appointment but ce la vie. (not that I’m anti-lambert in anyway either)
Patrick viera !!
I’m suddenly excited again
PV would still do a better job in midfield than most of our lot, even at his advanced age.
De Boar was sack this week. Is Mendez his agent.
Harry ???? Mentioned on radio.
Viera. Is the MLS still going on.
Everybody mentioned is unemployed. But we could poach somebody we are rich enough.
It is Fosun international. They want to capture the imagination world wide not just Dudley. Who calls the shots Jeff or Mr Fosun.
PV looks like he is going to be a class act off the pitch as well as on – would be my first choice. Got to admit i would be kinda tempted to stop in NY.
Surely Viera would put us in the Zenga inexperienced in this league syndrome and back to square one ..are we crazy here or do we know what we are thinking?
It can ONLY BE an experienced manager or we sink yet again..
I’ll be relieved on Monday we have a crazy hope of still doing this particularly if we spend shit loads in January..
Steve you can sink with an experienced manager + another pair of ‘safe hands’ might just do enough to keep the job for a year or two but ultimately leave us back where we are while someone else gets the next big thing.
Why not just keep going for it till we strike GOLD ! Crazy but thats maybe what we got to do.
Looks like it is going to be Lambert.
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2016/11/04/next-wolves-manager-appointment-close-with-paul-lambert-in-pole-position/
And the BBC, (they leaked the takeover hours before the announcement)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37872051
If I’m honest Colin I expect the current manager to get us to the PL and then we get another to drive forward again.
Mercenary I know.
If Fosun stick to what they said and for saving face I really think they will, then there should be £150M + for the PL to handle ..not for the faint hearted or inexperienced..
True I believe.
Jackett was a good manager dealt a bum hand in his last season.
It’s clear from his first two seasons that he wanted to play aggressive attacking football whilst keeping the ball.
He built to my mind the best front three in the division Sako, dicko and adobe all pace power and skill along with a cm with a wizards eye for a throughball.
Last season he lost all of his front three, he tried to replace them on the cheap but his luck didn’t even hold with that, with zyro and graham, who both looked capable, both getting long term injuries. It’s no surprise we struggled and looked a team bereft of ideas.
Then you look at the one player we have signed this season that has done well bodvarrsson, he’s the type of player jackett had his eye for the past two seasons (Chris wood).
I firmly believed that jackett given the money that zenga had would have built a championship challenging side that would have played the style of football (like Bournemouth) that would have made us dangerous in the premier league as well.
Now I’m genuinely worried that his Rotherham side will finish above us.