[retired_mnw_cna]

There only seem to be a handful of Wolves fans on this here board, but I thought we should have our own thread for as and when things crop up about them. So here we go.

Following on the back of a surprisingly successful 06-07 season, hopes are high at the Molineux. McCarthy has done a good job in his time at the club so far. Some of the less fit, higher earners have gone (Cort and Jackie Mac), and he has brought in younger, hungrier players in their stead. He has even got us playing something apporaching good football at times.

Imo we need to invest, most crucially, in a pacey centre back and a goal-poaching striker. Breen was exposed as being too slow towards the end of last season. He's strong, and good in the air, but he can be readily outpaced these days, which makes him nervous in holding the line and liable to drop back, playing people onside.

Striker-wise, we have Andy Keogh, who seems a talented youngster, but more the creative type than the 25 goals a season kind of guy. We also have Jay Bothroyd, who does seem to be being encouraged to work a little more than he has in his career to date, under the wily gaze of MM. Bothroyd is very talented, there is no doubt, if he can be made to focus upon what he is doing.

Plus we have Stephen Ward. He is a trier, but for my money the jury is still out on him. Hopefully he will gain in strength and experience and prove more and more dangerous. However, I reckon we need Derek Riordan, or Billy Sharp, or someone who doesn't do much but stick the ball in the net.

We still have Frankowski, Clapham, Rosa and Johnson on the transfer list. Please someone come in and buy them. Although Rosa seemed decent to me: if I were Mick I'd keep him.

Fwiw, I think if Clapham goes we need someone who can play at left back as well. We'd only really have Mulgrew, who seems a fairly good prospect but struggled last year with injuries.

This summer, of course, it seems as though Sir Jack will finally give up his ownership of Wolves, and is selling out to Steve Morgan for the princely sum of £10. Which is an extraordinary gesture on the part of the old man, and I for one am very grateful he should take such a benevolent view.

We do not know what Morgan will bring. I thought he seemed ok when he was involved with Liverpool, but I have seen negative views on him from Liverpool fans. Time shall tell. What we do know is that Morgan is having to commit £30m to invest in Wolves as part of the takeover deal. We don't yet know over what period, but even if it were to be - say - 5 years, it would still be an extra £6m a season, which is a fair sum for a Championship side. If we are lucky, MM will use the money wisely, and we can bring in some better quality players than we might have otherwise have hoped for. If we are unlucky, clubs will simply quote us higher prices when we come knocking, and everyone we buy will get injured, or "do a Froggatt/Daley/de Wolf" as long term Wolves fans would have it.

Another possible cloud on the horizon is the Prem clubs' interest in Michael Kightly, but my gut instinct is that he will stay another year and possibly naff off if we don't get promoted this season, assuming he does well again. I hope I'm not wrong.

I reckon we should be competing to go up this season. My long term cynicism viz a vis all things Wolves tells me we are unlikely to go up automatically, and so could face the play offs again.

3 good clubs went up, and I'm not sure that Watford, Sheff U (Bryan Robson! Hee-hee!) and a shell-shocked Charlton will be as competitive as. And WBA may well lose some of their better players i.e. Koumas, Kamara, Davies. So it could be seen as a good year to be contesting the Championship. Time will tell.

Here's hoping though.

[retired_amymae2001]

:cool:

(I'll post something more enthralling when I'm not at work)

[retired_nabrooks]

I actually think the Championship will be MUCH tougher next season than last. Morgans investment while certainly welcome, will not be as much of an advantage as it may have done in previous seasons.

The 3 relegated clubs will all have money to spend, Southampton look to be on the verge of a big money buy-out, Hull have just been bought, Mandarich is pumping money into Leicester and while WBA may be forced to sell some of their bigger names, it looks likely they'll be getting somewhere in the region of £20m for them.

[retired_ustasena]

Wolves will definitely be up there next season as long as you maintain the policy of buying 'young and hungry' players and not buying over-rated, expensive and past-it players. Don't write us off yet though as even if we do lose a few players we'll have a lot of money to spend. Albion and Wolves both top 6 again next year.

[retired_jean2]

Wolves are :cool:

[retired_AD47]

The best thing for you lot to do is give Arsene a call and borrow a few junior Gunners.

Got a soft spot for Wolves (thanks mainly to JT funnily enough) - Good luck :thup:

[retired_mnw_cna]

Cheers Nick. Can we have Traore for left back?

And do you have a dynamic attacking midfielder spare as well?

Btw, if no-one else does, I'll get round to doing the squad list and so on at some point. I was leaving it in the hope of a flood of top drawer incoming talent, though I suspect that may be the dictionary definition of optimism.

[retired_AD47]

And do you have a dynamic attacking midfielder spare as well?

If we get Abidal then you can have Traore, sure.

As for the midfielder, Song will probably get loaned but to the PL not Championship. Merida is too young, Mark Randall though could do a job for you.

[retired_DJ-Mike]

I'm not sure where I stand on the coming season. Sure we've got out of the mess Hoddle left us in, but we still have a relatively young squad and I still think we over achieved last season.

Also we definately need to invest in some areas (already outlined up top). I also think we need cover at rightback and i think we're in need of a quality reserve keeper as I don't trust Matt keeping his fitness and I haven't seen enough of Hennessey to rate him.

The midfield is generally sound and when on form i'm sure we could boss most teams in the centre. Saw hints of it last season I thought. As for up front I suppose I agree with James. We've been linked with Freddy Eastwood which is a good start. But then we could always look at loaning some premiership players - for example is Dong at United any good.

Looking forward to seeing more of Mark Little this season. Thought he looked quite useful on the few occasions I saw him. Also hope that Kightly doesn't get poached by some mediocre Premiership team.

Oh and a wp to Lee Naylor having such a better season in Celtic that Kenny Miller!

First game at Watford looks tough. And our run in March isn't great either. All potentially tough teams. With a bit of investment in key areas I'm hoping we can capitalise on our run last season.

mon Merlin, mon Wolves and mon the Billy Wright!!!

[retired_DJ-Mike]

Oh and change the title.