With the sacking of Stale Solbakken and the subsequent hiring of Dean Saunders Wolves have now had four managers in less than a year.The club has gone from crisis to crisis in much the manner of Corp Jones in Dad's Army running round shouting "DON'T PANIC!"
At least this time the owner and CEO have acted quickly in hiring a new boss in Dean Saunders rather than the protracted pissing about they did after sacking Mick McCarthy eleven months ago---Trust me it seems a generation ago now---There's no doubt that this plan was in the offing for quite a while.Solbakken's sacking was not due to one defeat to non league Luton on saturday but due to overall poor displays during the season.
There's also no doubt Saunders was being lined up long before saturday's debacle.Is he the right man? Well it's safe to say he was'nt on many Wolves fans wish list as new boss but if recent managerial activity at Wolves is any indication all fans will get their personal first choice of manager within the next three years...
If Saunders succeeds then great but if he does'nt then serious questions will have to be asked about Morgan & Moxey's ability to run the club.Remember McCarthy---Like him or not our most successful manager for thirty years---was hired by previous owner Jack Hayward.The last two managers hired by the new owners have been abject failures,a third failure would surely make their own position untenable.
The first thing Saunders has to do is get the players on his side and pump some confidence into them.The second is to get them playing to their strength's---Whatever the hell they are! They seem to have lost the ability to perform even basic footballing skills---Then of course he has to garner enough points to evade a relegation dog fight.
I don't believe any great changes will be made in the January transfer window.Maybe a few new players coming in to liven up the place.However Saunders has to make wholesale changes during the summer---If he lasts that long of course!---There's so much deadwood at the club now that the changing room must resemble a beach at low tide...
I do feel a bit sorry for Solbakken.he was thrown in to change the ethos at the club without having the core of players available who were capable of doing so.However he should have seen this and maybe tailored his football philosophy to fit in with the players at the club then changed it slowly as he replaced those not good enough.I wish him well.He's obviously a good honest and passionate man and maybe his future lies with a smaller European club...
Although Saunders was'nt my first choice---I really did'nt know who was to be honest---I wish him well and hope he makes a good go of the job.After the traumatic year Wolves fans have had we deserve some stability at the club at least.
Let's hope the revolving door at wolves has been wedged shut for a while...
Monday, 7 January 2013
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Wolves going stale...Will Stale be going?
When Stale Solbakken took over as manager of Wolves in the summer there was the usual tub thumping press releases from the club which always follow this sort of thing.We were promised that the club would have it's playing style revolutionised from top to bottom.To a point that's true if revolution means having a playing style that is static to the point of Catatonia,a formation as narrow as the narrowest of narrow boats and so little fight that even Audley Harrison would blush from embarrassment.
I have been watching Wolves for many a year now and apart from our darkest days of the mid 80's i can say without fear of contradiction that this is one of the poorest teams i have ever seen down at Molineux.But we all know it should'nt be....
In the mid 80's---when we plummeted from top division to bottom division in successive seasons---the club at least had an excuse.They were flat broke,playing in a decrepit stadium to crowds of 5,000 and the players were recruited from local non league teams.They were basically playing way above their skill level in an effort just to keep the club alive.
This time it's different.
This time we have a core of players who should at least be among the best in the division---though most are plainly not premiership quality---Playing in a beautiful stadium infront of decent crowds.However something is rotten in the club.
When the season began we won a few games without playing well.Us fans were relatively happy and consoled ourselves with the thought that once the players got on board with what was being asked of them performances would improve and results get even better.Performances have not improved---They have got worse---The results have gotten worse and frankly if things don't change quickly we will be in a relegation dogfight...
I don't believe the current crop of players have the stomach for another relegation scrap...
Although it's a truism that we are "In the results business"---A mindset that i despise by the way----What's worrying me more than the lack of wins is the way we're being asked to play by the boss.The style is moribund to say the least.Nothing wrong in playing ball to feet but it helps if those feet are attached to a body that's either finding,or looking for,space.Our players seem rooted to the spot.Movement is the basic requirement in football,if you stand still even a pub team on Hackney Marshes will pick you off easily...
We have just played--and lost---two of the worst teams in the division without making one worthwhile chance,indeed this season we have made less chances than i can ever remember.Even when we were getting humped weekly in the Premiership we still created goalscoring opportunities...
Another problem is the players.Or should i say their seeming lack of fight for the cause.As soon as we went a goal down to both P'Boro & Ipswich that was it.We never looked like getting back into either game.This against the worst defences in the division remember...Over the last few years our one redeeming quality was our fight in the face of adversity.That appears to have disappeared.If i did'nt know better i'd think the players are trying to get rid of the manager...
Personally i am beginning to think a change is needed at the top.Either Solbakken needs to be replaced or he himself has to alter his basic footballing beliefs and allow the players to stretch the game by using all the pitch and get the buggers to start moving into space again...Otherwise the South Bank's jokey song "Whatever will be will be we're going to Shrewsbury" may well come true...
I have been watching Wolves for many a year now and apart from our darkest days of the mid 80's i can say without fear of contradiction that this is one of the poorest teams i have ever seen down at Molineux.But we all know it should'nt be....
In the mid 80's---when we plummeted from top division to bottom division in successive seasons---the club at least had an excuse.They were flat broke,playing in a decrepit stadium to crowds of 5,000 and the players were recruited from local non league teams.They were basically playing way above their skill level in an effort just to keep the club alive.
This time it's different.
This time we have a core of players who should at least be among the best in the division---though most are plainly not premiership quality---Playing in a beautiful stadium infront of decent crowds.However something is rotten in the club.
When the season began we won a few games without playing well.Us fans were relatively happy and consoled ourselves with the thought that once the players got on board with what was being asked of them performances would improve and results get even better.Performances have not improved---They have got worse---The results have gotten worse and frankly if things don't change quickly we will be in a relegation dogfight...
I don't believe the current crop of players have the stomach for another relegation scrap...
Although it's a truism that we are "In the results business"---A mindset that i despise by the way----What's worrying me more than the lack of wins is the way we're being asked to play by the boss.The style is moribund to say the least.Nothing wrong in playing ball to feet but it helps if those feet are attached to a body that's either finding,or looking for,space.Our players seem rooted to the spot.Movement is the basic requirement in football,if you stand still even a pub team on Hackney Marshes will pick you off easily...
We have just played--and lost---two of the worst teams in the division without making one worthwhile chance,indeed this season we have made less chances than i can ever remember.Even when we were getting humped weekly in the Premiership we still created goalscoring opportunities...
Another problem is the players.Or should i say their seeming lack of fight for the cause.As soon as we went a goal down to both P'Boro & Ipswich that was it.We never looked like getting back into either game.This against the worst defences in the division remember...Over the last few years our one redeeming quality was our fight in the face of adversity.That appears to have disappeared.If i did'nt know better i'd think the players are trying to get rid of the manager...
Personally i am beginning to think a change is needed at the top.Either Solbakken needs to be replaced or he himself has to alter his basic footballing beliefs and allow the players to stretch the game by using all the pitch and get the buggers to start moving into space again...Otherwise the South Bank's jokey song "Whatever will be will be we're going to Shrewsbury" may well come true...
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
The 2012 sporting awards...
It's that time of year again.A time for navel gazing and making drunken advances on Janice from 4th floor accounts at the firm's Xmas party...
My 2012 sporting awards:
The Martin Luther King I have a dream commemorative Rosa Parks bus seat to John Terry & Serbian football fans.
The Jurassic Park tethered goat blindfold to Rafa Benitez.
The what the Dickens Great Expectations it was'nt as good as i'd hoped Toby Jug goes to Man City's Champions League campaign.
The Abu Hamza Prodigal son integration back into society Union Jack flag to Kevin Pietersen .
The Montgomery Burns Boss of the year 22 carat gold statue to Roman Abramovitch.
The Dick Van Dyke Cor Lummee guv'nor Rosetta Stone CD set to Joey Barton.
The Lord Lucan disappeared without trace Sat Nav to Joe Cole.
The Nye Bevan NHS gurney to Danny Boyle for his stupendous Olympic opening ceremony.
The Max Clifford no such thing as bad publicity Gold plated cheque book to West Brom's Liam Ridgewell for the photo of him wiping his arse with £20 notes.
The inaugural Read my lips top Tweet to QPR's Tony Fernandes for Tweeting " for the Millionth time i'm not sacking Hughes" He fired him a few days later...
The Donald Trump embossed Green card to the incomparable Mo Farah
The Made in Chelsea for the love of God get these stupid feckers off my TV mounted remote control to ITV's football coverage.
The Jody Craddock he used to be shite but now he's alright Golden wand to Gary Neville.
The Kenneth Williams Infamy infamy they've all got it infamy Groucho Marx moustache & glasses to Steve Kean.
...And finally.
The Empire strikes back stiff upper lip trophy to the British fans at the Olympics & ParaOlympics...
Merry Xmas to all readers...Now where's Janice...
My 2012 sporting awards:
The Martin Luther King I have a dream commemorative Rosa Parks bus seat to John Terry & Serbian football fans.
The Jurassic Park tethered goat blindfold to Rafa Benitez.
The what the Dickens Great Expectations it was'nt as good as i'd hoped Toby Jug goes to Man City's Champions League campaign.
The Abu Hamza Prodigal son integration back into society Union Jack flag to Kevin Pietersen .
The Montgomery Burns Boss of the year 22 carat gold statue to Roman Abramovitch.
The Dick Van Dyke Cor Lummee guv'nor Rosetta Stone CD set to Joey Barton.
The Lord Lucan disappeared without trace Sat Nav to Joe Cole.
The Nye Bevan NHS gurney to Danny Boyle for his stupendous Olympic opening ceremony.
The Max Clifford no such thing as bad publicity Gold plated cheque book to West Brom's Liam Ridgewell for the photo of him wiping his arse with £20 notes.
The inaugural Read my lips top Tweet to QPR's Tony Fernandes for Tweeting " for the Millionth time i'm not sacking Hughes" He fired him a few days later...
The Donald Trump embossed Green card to the incomparable Mo Farah
The Made in Chelsea for the love of God get these stupid feckers off my TV mounted remote control to ITV's football coverage.
The Jody Craddock he used to be shite but now he's alright Golden wand to Gary Neville.
The Kenneth Williams Infamy infamy they've all got it infamy Groucho Marx moustache & glasses to Steve Kean.
...And finally.
The Empire strikes back stiff upper lip trophy to the British fans at the Olympics & ParaOlympics...
Merry Xmas to all readers...Now where's Janice...
Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Don't Panic! What else is there to do?
When a club suffers relegation many fans fall under the belief that they were unlucky and that the core of the squad that failed will miraculously hit the ground running the next season in a lower division and secure promotion fairly easily.This rarely happens but since when did football fans have realistic expectations of their clubs ability?
This season Wolves began well results wise with many fans---me included---recognising that even though we were'nt playing well when we did eventually gain some coherent form results would get even better.Sadly the opposite has happened.Whilst our form has got even worse the results have gone South,and how...
We're now near the bottom of Division One having not won for nine games.The players are not responding to the new coaching regime,overall fitness seems to be very poor----We normally start games well,indeed we have taken the lead in many of the last nine games but fade alarmingly within sixty minutes,sometimes sooner----Confidence is at a very low level and the natives are getting restless.If this downward spiral is'nt addressed toot suite then another relegation is a very real possibility...
The truth is the rump of the squad is'nt good enough and has'nt been for a couple of seasons now.That momentous day when we saved ourselves from relegation with a last gasp goal at home to Blackburn eighteen months ago papered over a lot of cracks within the playing squad.We did'nt rebuild when we were in a position of relative strength.Since then the spiral has been down down down...
In the summer Boss Morgan and his CEO Moxey drafted in Stale Solbakken with the remit to totally change the ethos of the club's playing style from top to bottom.This is an admiral aim but takes time and also means that many of the current squad will need replacing asap.They're either not good enough or not willing to partake in the revolution.
However will Morgan & Moxey back their hunch by backing Solbakken? If so they have to make funds available for him to buy the players he needs.
Or will they crumble in front of ever increasing pressure to sack Solbakken and start all over again.If they decide to go down this route they had better act quickly and not repeat the laughable debacle of last season when sacking McCarthy a day after the transfer window closed.Then they compounded this total balls up with their badly thought out search for a replacement.We became a joke club in the eyes of many.A feeling it was hard not to argue with.
Can they be trusted to make the correct decision this time round? Only time will tell but the prognosis is'nt good...Let's hope it's only the fans who panic cos' when leaders do there's only one outcome...
Monday, 12 November 2012
10 man Wolves make positive moves...
Last saturday's home 3-3 draw against Brighton may well prove to be something of a catalyst for the club this season.On paper two points dropped and a further drop down the table may seem an odd starting point for a revival in fortunes but the circumstances of the draw showed the spirit within the club is on an upward curve...
There has been a feeling of unrest lately.Poor results coupled with equally poor results have started a bit of a groundswell of unease amongst the fans.This game was generally seen as a "Must win" If only to quell the fans ire for a little while and also give the squad a much needed confidence boost approaching the end of the year.
Summer signing Bakary Sako grabbed the opening goal firing into the bottom corner after a stunning four man move.Sako is quickly becoming a fans favourite.He has a wonderful left foot and usually hits the target be it the goal or another teamate from a dead ball situation.This makes him one of the most dangerous midfielders in this division in my opinion.My only worry is that occasionally he loses concentration and gives the ball away cheaply in his own half as was the case for Brighton's equaliser.
Up until that moment the game was drifting along to half time in a serene manner however straight after that goal Karl Henry decided to lunge at a Brighton player which resulted in a red card.From my vantage point of queueing at the North Bank bar glancing at the TV it did'nt look a bad challenge but on reflection i maybe did'nt have the best view...Manager Stale Solbakken later said it was deserved and the hole he punched out of the dug out roof probably tells his feelings of Henry's challenge at the time...
Brighton are a good team who move the ball around well.Not many Wolves fans were feeling confident that the second half would see anything other than a backs-to-the-wall display resulting with inevitable defeat.The ineffective Ebanks-Blake was sacrificed upfront to shore up the midfield .
However Brighton appeared not to really know how to best play against a depleated Wolves team and we grew in confidence making sporadic forays into their half.In the 61st minute there was a bad challenge on a Wolves player near the centre circle--It was easily as bad as Karl Henry's---Luckily the ball fell to sub Doumbia and the ref played advantage as he strode on to bury a cracker into the bottom corner.
This was the first goal Wolves have scored at the North Bank end this season but for a while we all thought the ref had pulled it back to give the original foul---I fear had he done that there may have been a riot and Solbakken would have demolished the dug out!---However the ref should have gone back and red carded the player who chopped down our player.
Brighton came alive now and put us under pressure and unfortunately we conceded shortly after.Everybody in our section could see Buckley making his run to receive the through pass.The defenders did'nt see the run though and he slotted passed an exposed Ikeme...
To be fair to our defence we coped well after that apart from one header off the bar and a great Ikeme save.Then in the last minute the ref made a monumental cock up...
The ball was just outside our area and a Brighton player back heeled it into the area.Ward was barely two feet away with his arms at his side and the ball hit his left arm.When a penalty is awarded,especially a potential winner in the 89th minute,the ref has to be sure it was deliberate.There's no way on this earth that was a deliberate action.A disgraceful decision...
So 2-3 to Brighton in injury time with Wolves down to ten men and visibly knackered .They thought they'd won and their braying fans were mocking us to that effect...How sweet then to equalise deep into added time...
We had already gone close to equalising twice in those last four minutes before Roger Johnson's downward header nestled into the bottom corner of the net...Cue mayhem and a very boisterous drunken train trip home...
Only time will tell if this game is the catalyst that kick starts our season.We all hope so...
There has been a feeling of unrest lately.Poor results coupled with equally poor results have started a bit of a groundswell of unease amongst the fans.This game was generally seen as a "Must win" If only to quell the fans ire for a little while and also give the squad a much needed confidence boost approaching the end of the year.
Summer signing Bakary Sako grabbed the opening goal firing into the bottom corner after a stunning four man move.Sako is quickly becoming a fans favourite.He has a wonderful left foot and usually hits the target be it the goal or another teamate from a dead ball situation.This makes him one of the most dangerous midfielders in this division in my opinion.My only worry is that occasionally he loses concentration and gives the ball away cheaply in his own half as was the case for Brighton's equaliser.
Up until that moment the game was drifting along to half time in a serene manner however straight after that goal Karl Henry decided to lunge at a Brighton player which resulted in a red card.From my vantage point of queueing at the North Bank bar glancing at the TV it did'nt look a bad challenge but on reflection i maybe did'nt have the best view...Manager Stale Solbakken later said it was deserved and the hole he punched out of the dug out roof probably tells his feelings of Henry's challenge at the time...
Brighton are a good team who move the ball around well.Not many Wolves fans were feeling confident that the second half would see anything other than a backs-to-the-wall display resulting with inevitable defeat.The ineffective Ebanks-Blake was sacrificed upfront to shore up the midfield .
However Brighton appeared not to really know how to best play against a depleated Wolves team and we grew in confidence making sporadic forays into their half.In the 61st minute there was a bad challenge on a Wolves player near the centre circle--It was easily as bad as Karl Henry's---Luckily the ball fell to sub Doumbia and the ref played advantage as he strode on to bury a cracker into the bottom corner.
This was the first goal Wolves have scored at the North Bank end this season but for a while we all thought the ref had pulled it back to give the original foul---I fear had he done that there may have been a riot and Solbakken would have demolished the dug out!---However the ref should have gone back and red carded the player who chopped down our player.
Brighton came alive now and put us under pressure and unfortunately we conceded shortly after.Everybody in our section could see Buckley making his run to receive the through pass.The defenders did'nt see the run though and he slotted passed an exposed Ikeme...
To be fair to our defence we coped well after that apart from one header off the bar and a great Ikeme save.Then in the last minute the ref made a monumental cock up...
The ball was just outside our area and a Brighton player back heeled it into the area.Ward was barely two feet away with his arms at his side and the ball hit his left arm.When a penalty is awarded,especially a potential winner in the 89th minute,the ref has to be sure it was deliberate.There's no way on this earth that was a deliberate action.A disgraceful decision...
So 2-3 to Brighton in injury time with Wolves down to ten men and visibly knackered .They thought they'd won and their braying fans were mocking us to that effect...How sweet then to equalise deep into added time...
We had already gone close to equalising twice in those last four minutes before Roger Johnson's downward header nestled into the bottom corner of the net...Cue mayhem and a very boisterous drunken train trip home...
Only time will tell if this game is the catalyst that kick starts our season.We all hope so...
Saturday, 13 October 2012
We've had our fun...Now it's payback time...
It seems like an age ago does'nt it?
What does?
The feelgood factor surrounding the Olympics/ParaOlympics...It's with a heavy heart i look back to those distant far off days of August when our world was full of laughter and optimism.Folk seemingly strolling around without a care in the world,happy to discuss Mo's latest conquest with strangers on public transport.Cartoon smiles were the order of the day...There was much talk of a nation finally becoming more outward looking,embracing what we see as other nationalities Joie de vivre.Failing to comprehend that people from other lands are as insular and suspicious as us Brits but probably hide it better...Still here we all were at the dawn of a new era of openness and confidence.A very British Glasnost if you like...
It could never last of course.Real life has a habit of tweaking the nose of those that dare to defy the machinations of day to day drudgery.Despite a notable sporting double on American soil of Andy Murray winning the US singles final and the European Ryder cup team grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat real life was waiting to grab us by the nuts...and how.
Those were essentially a last Hurrah on a sporting summer that delighted all Brits---Well apart from a few xenophobe Tory MP's and reactionary pen pushers---Sporty or not.
Since then the news has been unremittingly bad.Much as murderous Hell's Angels firmly closed the book on the freewheeling 60's at the Stones Altamont gig in 1969 so the breaking Jimmy Savile story ended the fun in the UK.It was time to get serious...
For those not au fait with British pop culture Savile was---he died last year aged 85--a 60's DJ,at a time when radio DJ's were huge stars.He also became a massive TV star with a very successful light entertainment progamme called "Jim'll Fix it" in which he granted achievable wishes to children who wrote in.As a by product he also raised about £40 Million pounds for charities.He was basically untouchable,which is how he was able to get away with being a predatory paedophile for all these years without question...
There were plenty of rumours---i myself heard somesuch about 15 years ago---but he had powerful friends for protection if anyone got too close to revealing the truth.So nobody did.Some are saying his crimes are somehow deflected by his charity work,totally missing the point that it was his very charity work that gained him access to the children he abused.I'm an Atheist but in this instance i hope there's a Hell and Sir Jimmy Savile spends eternity with a red hot poker up his jacksey...
Talking of religion; Those lovable scamps The Taliban decided that the might of their bullying ideology was under threat from a 14 year old Pakistani schoolgirl who had the gall to want an education.A basic right you may think.But not to these self righteous bully boys who don't want any women educated lest they point out that their beliefs are pure hokum.
So what did the brave foot soliders of The Taliban do? They shot her in the head then bragged about it.She's 14 and she stood up to these tyrants.Luckily she survived but is still in a critical condition.I am in awe at her bravery.Her name is MalalaYousufzai.Remember that name because hopefully you'll be hearing a lot from her in the future...
Of course we're still in the throes of the longest recession i can recall.From what i can gather all due to international Bankers trying to prove who has the biggest dick---Or was it who IS the biggest dick? I forget now---But what the hell eh? the only people who have to pay for their abject lack of morals and terminal stupidity is us working classes of the world...In the UK we constantly have our government of Tory toffs,along with their Lib Dem sychophants,telling us we have to bear the brunt of this with rising prices,service cuts combined with a barely concealed contempt for the people they're supposed to be serving...All the while they're still taking credit for a successful Olympic Games.Conveniently forgetting it was US,the People, that made it the greatest event Britain has ever held.Not them...
So i finish were i began.The Olympics...However i am not really confident we have taken the spirit of joyfulness to heart.You only have to see some of the abuse dished out to folk on Twitter from random strangers to realise this summer was nothing more than a wonderful aberration...
Sorry to be on a downer.I don't like to end on a sour note so here's what i'm listening to as i write this to cheer everyone up...i hope.
What does?
The feelgood factor surrounding the Olympics/ParaOlympics...It's with a heavy heart i look back to those distant far off days of August when our world was full of laughter and optimism.Folk seemingly strolling around without a care in the world,happy to discuss Mo's latest conquest with strangers on public transport.Cartoon smiles were the order of the day...There was much talk of a nation finally becoming more outward looking,embracing what we see as other nationalities Joie de vivre.Failing to comprehend that people from other lands are as insular and suspicious as us Brits but probably hide it better...Still here we all were at the dawn of a new era of openness and confidence.A very British Glasnost if you like...
It could never last of course.Real life has a habit of tweaking the nose of those that dare to defy the machinations of day to day drudgery.Despite a notable sporting double on American soil of Andy Murray winning the US singles final and the European Ryder cup team grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat real life was waiting to grab us by the nuts...and how.
Those were essentially a last Hurrah on a sporting summer that delighted all Brits---Well apart from a few xenophobe Tory MP's and reactionary pen pushers---Sporty or not.
Since then the news has been unremittingly bad.Much as murderous Hell's Angels firmly closed the book on the freewheeling 60's at the Stones Altamont gig in 1969 so the breaking Jimmy Savile story ended the fun in the UK.It was time to get serious...
For those not au fait with British pop culture Savile was---he died last year aged 85--a 60's DJ,at a time when radio DJ's were huge stars.He also became a massive TV star with a very successful light entertainment progamme called "Jim'll Fix it" in which he granted achievable wishes to children who wrote in.As a by product he also raised about £40 Million pounds for charities.He was basically untouchable,which is how he was able to get away with being a predatory paedophile for all these years without question...
There were plenty of rumours---i myself heard somesuch about 15 years ago---but he had powerful friends for protection if anyone got too close to revealing the truth.So nobody did.Some are saying his crimes are somehow deflected by his charity work,totally missing the point that it was his very charity work that gained him access to the children he abused.I'm an Atheist but in this instance i hope there's a Hell and Sir Jimmy Savile spends eternity with a red hot poker up his jacksey...
Talking of religion; Those lovable scamps The Taliban decided that the might of their bullying ideology was under threat from a 14 year old Pakistani schoolgirl who had the gall to want an education.A basic right you may think.But not to these self righteous bully boys who don't want any women educated lest they point out that their beliefs are pure hokum.
So what did the brave foot soliders of The Taliban do? They shot her in the head then bragged about it.She's 14 and she stood up to these tyrants.Luckily she survived but is still in a critical condition.I am in awe at her bravery.Her name is MalalaYousufzai.Remember that name because hopefully you'll be hearing a lot from her in the future...
Of course we're still in the throes of the longest recession i can recall.From what i can gather all due to international Bankers trying to prove who has the biggest dick---Or was it who IS the biggest dick? I forget now---But what the hell eh? the only people who have to pay for their abject lack of morals and terminal stupidity is us working classes of the world...In the UK we constantly have our government of Tory toffs,along with their Lib Dem sychophants,telling us we have to bear the brunt of this with rising prices,service cuts combined with a barely concealed contempt for the people they're supposed to be serving...All the while they're still taking credit for a successful Olympic Games.Conveniently forgetting it was US,the People, that made it the greatest event Britain has ever held.Not them...
So i finish were i began.The Olympics...However i am not really confident we have taken the spirit of joyfulness to heart.You only have to see some of the abuse dished out to folk on Twitter from random strangers to realise this summer was nothing more than a wonderful aberration...
Sorry to be on a downer.I don't like to end on a sour note so here's what i'm listening to as i write this to cheer everyone up...i hope.
Saturday, 6 October 2012
McWolves...Jings crivens...
Wolves sold star striker Stephen Fletcher a few weeks ago to Sunderland for the not inconsiderable sum of 15 Million of your English pounds Sterling.Many Sunderland fans baulked at the price but all Wolves fans knew what a great goalscorer they'd secured.Five goals from five chances in four games proves a point i feel...
This got me thinking about how many Scottish players i had seen play for my team---Even though Fletcher is regarded as a Scot he was infact born in Shrewsbury about 25 miles west of Wolverhampton---I have a particular interest in our Scottish players as i have many friends who're Scots and it's good to have some ammunition when they start...
So here's my McWolves team comprised of Scots i have seen play for us;
1)Evan Willams; Did'nt play many games for Wolves and even when he did everyone just assumed he was Welsh! Ended up playing in the 1970 European Cup Final for Celtic so was probably a decent keeper...
2)Jackie McNamara ;Classy full back who only played 29 games for Wolves after a 10 year career at Celtic.Unfortunately he suffered a bad injury and left after only one season.If the rumours are to be believed he was one for the ladies and who knows there may be some budding young full backs in the Wolverhampton area in a few years time...
5)Frank Munro; One of the best and coolest defenders i have ever seen at Wolves.Initially bought as an Inside Right after impressing against us for Aberdeen in a pre season tour of the USA in the mid 60's.Played nearly 400 league & cup games for Wolves before leaving for Celtic in 1977.
6)Ally Robertson; His influence at Wolves in our darkest days is largely overlooked however he was club captain for four years helping Wolves to win back to back promotions and also a prized Wembley win when it seemed all of Wolverhampton turned up on that day.Played over 100 games for us after a wonderful career at hated rivals West Brom.
3)Charlie Mulgrew; We never got the best out of Charlie after we signed him from Celtic.However since moving back up North with first Aberdeen and latterly Celtic has gone from strength to strength.His skill at dead ball's is as good as anyone in the UK.Also gets into the team for not hitting a group of us who gently took the piss out of him in a pre season game at Grays a few years back!
7)Jim McCalliog; The North Bank used to sing the Supremes "Jimmy Mack" to this fella back in the day.Great passer with great vision.Played in nearly 200 games for Wolves he also had an eye for goal.Was part of the UEFA Cup finalist team along with Frank Munro.Probably most famous for the pass that led to Southampton beating Manchester United in the 1977 FA Cup final.
8)Colin Cameron:One of my favourite Wolves players of recent times.A real box to box workhorse who also got his fair share of goals.My mates reckon i only liked him cos' he was a short arse like me!Left the club far too early and was treated in a very shabby manner by the then manager Glenn Hoddle.
4)Alex Rae; "He's got no hair but we don't care Alex Alex Rae" Had problems during his playing days with drink etc.but never let it affect his perfomances on the pitch.Another short arse Scot who was as hard as nails aswell as very skillful.Scored one of the best volley's i have ever seen...
11) Danny Cranie;Another ex Celtic player. A total waster.Loved Booze,birds & bookies.Football came a distant fourth.So why include him? Simple.In 1983 we had gone the first 19 games of the season without a win.Rock bottom when we went up the road to West Brom and hammered them 3-1.Crannie getting a brace.
9)Andy Gray; When we bought Gray he was the current footballer of the year and cost a record fee.It would be like us buying Van Persie today,Unthinkable.I can still recall the excitement and expectation and for a time it was being fulfilled.We finished 6th and won the league cup...The future was bright.Within five years we were in the bottom division...Still none of this was Gray's fault.
10)Stephen Fletcher. No need to say anything.Just watch the video...
So here's the line up;
Williams
McNamara Munro Robertson Mulgrew
McCalliog Cameron Rae Crannie
Gray Fletcher
Subs) Hughie Curran
Chris Iwelumo
Tom Bennett
Kenny Miller
Jim Melrose
Christophe Berra
Wille Carr
This got me thinking about how many Scottish players i had seen play for my team---Even though Fletcher is regarded as a Scot he was infact born in Shrewsbury about 25 miles west of Wolverhampton---I have a particular interest in our Scottish players as i have many friends who're Scots and it's good to have some ammunition when they start...
So here's my McWolves team comprised of Scots i have seen play for us;
1)Evan Willams; Did'nt play many games for Wolves and even when he did everyone just assumed he was Welsh! Ended up playing in the 1970 European Cup Final for Celtic so was probably a decent keeper...
2)Jackie McNamara ;Classy full back who only played 29 games for Wolves after a 10 year career at Celtic.Unfortunately he suffered a bad injury and left after only one season.If the rumours are to be believed he was one for the ladies and who knows there may be some budding young full backs in the Wolverhampton area in a few years time...
5)Frank Munro; One of the best and coolest defenders i have ever seen at Wolves.Initially bought as an Inside Right after impressing against us for Aberdeen in a pre season tour of the USA in the mid 60's.Played nearly 400 league & cup games for Wolves before leaving for Celtic in 1977.
6)Ally Robertson; His influence at Wolves in our darkest days is largely overlooked however he was club captain for four years helping Wolves to win back to back promotions and also a prized Wembley win when it seemed all of Wolverhampton turned up on that day.Played over 100 games for us after a wonderful career at hated rivals West Brom.
3)Charlie Mulgrew; We never got the best out of Charlie after we signed him from Celtic.However since moving back up North with first Aberdeen and latterly Celtic has gone from strength to strength.His skill at dead ball's is as good as anyone in the UK.Also gets into the team for not hitting a group of us who gently took the piss out of him in a pre season game at Grays a few years back!
7)Jim McCalliog; The North Bank used to sing the Supremes "Jimmy Mack" to this fella back in the day.Great passer with great vision.Played in nearly 200 games for Wolves he also had an eye for goal.Was part of the UEFA Cup finalist team along with Frank Munro.Probably most famous for the pass that led to Southampton beating Manchester United in the 1977 FA Cup final.
8)Colin Cameron:One of my favourite Wolves players of recent times.A real box to box workhorse who also got his fair share of goals.My mates reckon i only liked him cos' he was a short arse like me!Left the club far too early and was treated in a very shabby manner by the then manager Glenn Hoddle.
4)Alex Rae; "He's got no hair but we don't care Alex Alex Rae" Had problems during his playing days with drink etc.but never let it affect his perfomances on the pitch.Another short arse Scot who was as hard as nails aswell as very skillful.Scored one of the best volley's i have ever seen...
11) Danny Cranie;Another ex Celtic player. A total waster.Loved Booze,birds & bookies.Football came a distant fourth.So why include him? Simple.In 1983 we had gone the first 19 games of the season without a win.Rock bottom when we went up the road to West Brom and hammered them 3-1.Crannie getting a brace.
9)Andy Gray; When we bought Gray he was the current footballer of the year and cost a record fee.It would be like us buying Van Persie today,Unthinkable.I can still recall the excitement and expectation and for a time it was being fulfilled.We finished 6th and won the league cup...The future was bright.Within five years we were in the bottom division...Still none of this was Gray's fault.
So here's the line up;
Williams
McNamara Munro Robertson Mulgrew
McCalliog Cameron Rae Crannie
Gray Fletcher
Subs) Hughie Curran
Chris Iwelumo
Tom Bennett
Kenny Miller
Jim Melrose
Christophe Berra
Wille Carr
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