Now that the dust has settled, I’ve taken a bit of time to stand back and assess the state of our club. The only conclusion I can draw is that for most of us fans, we’ve never had it so good.
Only if you have been supporting Wolves since the 1950s can you have experienced a more exciting time in the club’s history.
If you were constantly stressed out by results last season or have been frustrated by moves in the transfer market, I urge you now to look at the whole picture. It doesn’t half make you feel better.
On the pitch we are going in to our third consecutive season in the top flight. We’re in the highest league position that we have experienced in 30 years. Plus, not only have we got some international players in our team, we have got one who plays for England.
We’re now a club that pays big money for good players too – Steven Fletcher £7 million, Jamie O’Hara £5 million, Kevin Doyle £6.5 million, Roger Johnson £7 million. These aren’t players at the end of their careers but people at the top of their game or with their best years ahead of them.
Not so long ago our best players like Robbie Keane and Joleon Lescott always had to be sold as we couldn’t offer them the career they wanted for themselves. These days the only players we sell are the ones that manager Mick McCarthy doesn’t want any more.
Our new owner is driving the club forward on the non-football side of things too. He’s investing £40 million to turn Molineux in to a 37,000 capacity venue in four years’ time. Just read that line again if you have any doubts about how good things are going at the moment.
On top of that, on Tuesday he announced that a new scheme to provide a world class training ground and football academy. I’ve been to the current training ground it’s a nice facility. The academy too is well respected but it’s the smallest in the Premier League.
Mr Morgan recognises that we are only going to be able to attract the better players out there, and develop our players to the maximum extent possible, if we have the best possible facilities. A bigger and better football academy will ensure that we can attract and train the most promising young players. This seems to have been neglected at Wolves in recent years with Wayne Hennessey the only one to make the jump in to the senior team under Mick.
Oh and by the way, Wolves were the only team in the Premier League last season to finish the campaign with no debt. On the pitch and off, we are in a golden era at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Enjoy it.
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Comments
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Posted by Craig on 07/12/2011
Just a couple of points - Fletcher cost 6.5 million and the academy facility is the smallest
in the Premier League not the training ground.
But, it is a great time to be a Wolves fan.
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Posted by Paul B on 07/12/2011
Great words & view about the club! Let's hope we all start & end the season inca positive frame of mind, as whatever the final standing position, we have a bright future ahead at Molineux!!!! Best of luck boys for the season, which can't come soon enough!
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Posted by Steve L Biles (OldGoldWolf) on 07/12/2011
Daniel. Thank you. Your words are so true. I have been supporting the Wolves since I was knee high and am now into my 54th year on this planet. I was at Aldershot when we were taken out at the Rec and also beaten back home in the old 2 leg play off final. Remaining in the 4th Division whilst Aldershot were promoted was extremely hard to take. We have had loads of managers since then and apart from DJ taking us to the top flight for the first time in 19 years, it was only a brief spell. MM has taken us there and kept us there - as you rightly state we are now in the best form on and off the pitch that I can remember for a very long time. Ladies, gentlemen, fans - enjoy what we have it is a good future ahead - We are Wolves
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Posted by Daniel Pountney on 07/13/2011
Good point Craig - duly corrected
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Posted by Only Get Berra on 07/13/2011
It's all very well and good havin no debt, but when it coems to ambition, the Chairman's true colours are shining through and are masked by false pretenses. The signs are there that we have a property development tycoon in charge, and not a footballing man. Rebuilding the stadium, refurbing the training ground, building hotels in the area and overseeing construction left right and centre... everywhere but in the team itself.
We are a club that constantly spouts about young 'n' hungry transfer policy and the most infuriating is how the manager reminds us there is no place in the team 'for big time charlies'... in other words there is no room for personality bigger than yours Mick
Somewhere along the line if we really want to progress as a football team, and become anything other than relegation fodder in this league, those concepts must change. Buying players from relegated clubs will only get you so far as well, afterall there is a reason they were relegated in the first place...
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Posted by Terry F on 07/14/2011
I don't agree at all. Acquiring players is part of the equation but the Morgan ownership team is concerned with all elements of the Club- facilities, team, academy, finances.
I've been a Wolves fan from the early 70's and watch the team dwindle into insignificance and followed them all the way back. The unfortuante part of English football is the one-sided nature of the league. We get to read all summer about all of the internationals being bandied about by the Manchesters, Chelsea and Arsenal. We're not going to see Wolves pay 50 million pounds for a player. However, you can build a squad around 5-10 million pound players and better yet, still turn a profit. That's the road that Wolves are on. The team has to be careful to not get to the point where the tickets aren't affordable in the town that they play. We're only going to be so big, but it would be great to be a solid mid-table team. Also, every relagated team has quality players. Take advantage to get the best of them!
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Posted by johnfitz on 07/14/2011
The point of this article is insane, Mediocrity should never be celebrated, what's wrong with you people!
Posted by TheSoccerManager on 08/16/2011
I'm a Chelsea fan but reading this article is rather inspiring. Good luck to you, Wolves. I just hope Abramovich will invest more on facilities to generate income in the future.
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