Wolverhampton Wanderers #1 The Wolves

[Plato]

Clubgeschiedenis

The team were founded as St. Luke's in 1877 by John Baynton and John Brodie, after a group of pupils at St Luke's school in Blakenhall had been presented with a football by their headmaster Harry Barcroft. Two years later, they merged with local cricket and football club The Wanderers, to form Wolverhampton Wanderers. The club were initially given the use of two fields — John Harper's Field and Windmill Field — both off Lower Villiers Street in Blakenhall. From there, they moved to a site on the Dudley Road opposite the Fighting Cocks Inn in 1881. The club then became one of the twelve founders of the English Football League in 1888 and finished the inaugural season in a creditable third place, as well as reaching their first ever FA Cup Final, losing 3–0 to the first "Double" winners, Preston North End. Early cup triumphs & inter-bellum adventures In the first year of the Football League, Wolves benefitted from the first own goal in the league's history, scored by Gershom Cox of Aston Villa. Wolves remained as members of what became the First Division from 1888 until relegation in 1906, winning the FA Cup for the first time in 1893 when they beat Everton 1–0 at Fallowfield Stadium in Manchester. Two years after relegation the team enjoyed another FA Cup win, as a Second Division club, surprisingly beating Newcastle United 3–1 in the 1908 final. After struggling for many years to regain their place in the top division, Wolves suffered relegation again in 1923, dropping into the Third Division (North). Wolves' first promotion was won just a year later, narrowly claiming the Third Division North title at the first attempt ahead of Rochdale. Following eight more years back in the Second Division, Wolves finally achieved a return to top division football in 1932, claiming the Second Division title and another promotion. In the years leading up to the Second World War, the team became established as one of the leading club sides in England. In 1938, Wolves needed only to win the last game of the season to be champions for the first time, but were beaten 1–0 at Sunderland and Arsenal claimed the title. They again finished as runners-up in 1939, this time behind Everton, and endured more frustration with defeat in the last pre-War FA Cup Final, losing 4–1 to underdogs Portsmouth. The Stan Cullis era & the birth of European football When league football resumed in 1946, Wolves suffered yet another heartbreaking failure in the First Division. Just as in 1938, victory in their last match of the season against Liverpool would have won the title but a 2–1 win gave the 1947 championship to the Merseyside club instead. That game had been the last in a Wolves shirt for Stan Cullis, and a year later he became manager of the club. In Cullis' first season in charge he led Wolves to a first major honour in 41 years as they beat Leicester City 3–1 in the FA Cup Final, and a year later, only the goal average prevented the First Division title being won. The 1950s were by far the most successful period in the history of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Captained by Billy Wright, Wolves finally claimed the league championship for the first time in 1954, overhauling fierce rivals West Bromwich Albion late in the season. Two further titles were later won in successive years, as Wolves cemented their position as the premier team in English football and became globally renowned for their on-field success as well as high-profile floodlit friendlies against top European club sides and the pioneering development of the Cullis “kick and rush” style of football. Building upon Buckley's principles of hard work in training, exceptional physical fitness coupled with early pioneering use of sports science, strict discipline and a doctrine of all-out attack on the field, Cullis's kick and rush method incorporated long passes and speed of execution, hitting the opposition penalty box faster and more frequently to apply the percentage principle to goalscoring. The method was characterised by a defensive resilience, built as it was around the England internationals Bert Williams in goal and Billy Wright at half-back, but also incorporated quick movement of the ball and swift attacking support for the player in possession, particularly around the wing play of Johnny Hancocks and Jimmy Mullen. Their innovation on the pitch was matched elsewhere, as Molineux was one of the first grounds to provide their team with floodlights in the summer of 1953, as the club also blossomed financially thanks to high-profile friendlies with top sides such as Real Madrid who all came and suffered defeat at the hands of Cullis’ men. The following series of famous "floodlit friendlies", beginning with a game against a South African XI, had a huge effect in raising the profile of the club, enthusing many such as the young Wolves fan George Best and others who were lucky enough to be able to watch the games on the BBC in some of football's first televised games. These high-profile games continued against top national sides such as Racing Club of Argentina and Spartak Moscow of the USSR, before meeting Honvéd of Hungary in a landmark game for English football, televised live on the BBC. Faith in the English national team was at an all time low, and Wolves faced a Honvéd team that including many of the "Magical Magyars" team who had recently so humbled England twice, and had been 1954 World Cup finalists. In front of the watching nation, Wolves came from two goals down at half time to beat the Hungarian side 3–2, which coupled with their previous European exploits, lead the national media to proclaim Wolves "Champions of the World". This was the final spur for Gabriel Hanot, the editor of L'Équipe, who had long campaigned for a Europe wide club tournament to be played under floodlights. “ Before we declare that Wolverhampton Wanderers are invincible, let them go to Moscow and Budapest. And there are other internationally renowned clubs: A.C. Milan and Real Madrid to name but two. A club world championship, or at least a European one — larger, more meaningful and more prestigious than the Mitropa Cup and more original than a competition for national teams — should be launched.   — Gabriel Hanot, editor of L'Équipe ” The UEFA congress of March 1955 saw the proposal raised, with approval given in April of that year, and the kick-off of the first European Cup the following season. The 1959 title win saw Wolves play in the European Cup for the first time, being only the second English club after Manchester United to enter. Later, Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Moscow and Real Madrid all came to Molineux and were beaten, as Wolves saw mixed successes in the European Cup against teams such as Red Star Belgrade, Schalke 04 and Barcelona, during Real Madrid's period of domination. Wolves were also League Champions in 1958 (Though Malcolm Finlayson's assertion that Wolves did not drop sufficient point after February 8, to have lost the league to their rivals is not the case. At the time of the Munich air disaster Wolves had a 6 point lead over Manchester United. Wolves subsequently dropped 6 points and beat Manchester United at Old Trafford. on the 21st April (a reverse result would have made a difference of 8 points.) Manchester United could, in fact, have won the league but it would have been a monumental effort, almost impossible. Equally Wolves had, at the time of Munich, a much better goal average and, further, lost their final game to the bottom team in the league, Sheffield Wednesday, when the league championship had already been won and 1959, and in 1960 became the first team to pass the 100-goal mark for three seasons in succession. Coming agonisingly close to a hat-trick of titles and the first double of the twentieth century, Wolves finished just one point behind Burnley and had to make do with a fourth FA Cup win, beating Blackburn Rovers 3–0 in the final. Cullis sacked, Wolves American champions The early 1960s saw Wolves begin to decline, and Cullis was sacked in September 1964 at the start of a dreadful season during which the club was never out of the relegation zone. The club's first spell outside the top division in more than thirty years would last just two seasons, as an eight game winning run in the spring of 1967 led the way to promotion. During the summer of 1967, Wolves played a season in North America as part of a fledgling league called the United Soccer Association. This league imported twelve entire clubs from Europe and South America to play in American and Canadian cities, with each club bearing a local name. Wolverhampton Wanderers, playing as the "Los Angeles Wolves", won the Western Division and then went on to earn the League Title by defeating the Eastern Division champions Washington Whips (Aberdeen of Scotland) in the championship match. (This FIFA-sanctioned league merged the following season with the non-sanctioned National Professional Soccer League, which had also begun in 1967, to form the North American Soccer League). The Seventies resurgence The club's return to the English top flight heralded another period of relative success, with a squad that included stars Derek Dougan, Kenny Hibbitt and Frank Munro finishing the 1970–71 season in fourth place, qualifying them for the newly created UEFA Cup. En route to the 1972 UEFA Cup Final, they beat Académica 7–1 on aggregate, ADO Den Haag 7–1 on aggregate, FC Carl Zeiss Jena 4–0 on aggregate, Juventus 3–2 on aggregate in the quarter-final and Ferencvaros 4–3 in the semi-final. Wolves lost the home leg of the two-legged final against Tottenham Hotspur 2–1 (goal from Jim McCalliog) and drew at White Hart Lane 1–1 with a goal from David Wagstaffe. Two years later in 1974 they went on to beat Manchester City in the 1974 League Cup Final, taking the trophy for the first time. Despite relegation again in 1976, Wolves were to bounce back at the first attempt as Second Division champions, and three years later in 1980, Andy Gray scored to defeat the reigning European Champions and League Cup holders Nottingham Forest to again bring League Cup glory to Molineux. Sharp decline & revival Wolves went through a bad spell in the 1980s, triggered by serious financial difficulties that almost resulted in the club's extinction. The club's infamous owners, the Bhatti brothers, had sucked Wolves dry, and three consecutive relegations in 1984, 1985 and 1986 saw a bankrupt Wolves slide into the Fourth Division for the first time in the club's history, the club hanging by a thread and with two sides of the decaying stadium condemned. The nadir finally came with a 3–0 FA Cup 1st Round exit at the hands of non-league Chorley in 1986. By 1987, having been saved by the local council, Wolves began the climb away from rock bottom, with ownership of the club changed, and Graham Turner appointed manager in October 1986, shortly after the drop into Division Four. By 1989, Wolves were back in the Second Division following two successive promotions. This period included one further visit to Wembley, for the Sherpa Van Trophy final in May 1988. Wolves' 2–0 victory over Burnley drew a record attendance of 80,841, with more than 50,000 supporting Wolves. The key player behind the club's resurgence was undoubtedly Steve Bull, who had been signed along with Andy Thompson for a combined fee of £64,000 from neighbours West Bromwich Albion. His feat of scoring 50+ goals in all competitions during back-to-back promotion-winning seasons subsequently saw him capped by England and take part in the 1990 World Cup Finals. His record of 306 goals for Wolves (250 of them in league matches) before retiring at the end of the 1998–99 season still stands as the club's record goalscorer. He is the only player to have played for England while contracted to Wolves in the last quarter of a century. The Hayward years In May 1990 Wolves were bought by lifelong supporter Jack Hayward, who immediately set about funding a comprehensive rebuild of the club's aging and decrepit ground to meet the new government regulations of the early 1990s, with the Stan Cullis Stand erected on the site of the North Bank in 1992, and the Billy Wright Stand replacing the Waterloo Road Stand in August 1993. In December of that year the renovated stadium was officially opened on 7 December 1993, marked by a prestigious friendly with Honvéd, the Hungarian team who had been beaten in one of Molineux's most famous original floodlit friendlies. With the stadium completed, Hayward gave the club its first substantial investment into its playing side since the late 1970s. While stadium work was prioritised in the early 1990s, the club under manager Graham Turner had consolidated in midtable but failed to make any inroads toward promotion to the top flight (now the newly-formed Premier League). The summer of 1993 saw the first recruits in a heavily-funded bid for promotion that would characterise much of Hayward's reign, although by March 1994 their play-off chances were fading and Turner quit, making way for the tenureship of former England manager Graham Taylor. Wolves under Taylor completed their best finish in the Football League structure in over a decade, but they were denied promotion after losing 2–3 to Bolton Wanderers on aggregate in the play-off semi finals, and Taylor was soon ousted under fan pressure in November 1995 after only one full season as Wolves - now bearing the burden of being promotion favourites - made a slow start to the 1995–96 season. His successor Mark McGhee inspired a brief turnaround in fortunes and as late as March they were just outside the play-off zone, but poor form returned and by the end of the season they had finished 20th — just two places above the drop zone and their lowest league finish since they slipped into Fourth Division a decade earlier. The 1996–97 season was far stronger, but they were pipped to the second automatic promotion place by Barnsley and lost to Crystal Palace in the play-off semi-finals. Although reaching the FA Cup semi-finals a year later, McGhee was dismissed in November 1998 as Wolves were slipping out of contention for the play-off places. His assistant Colin Lee took over but the club just missed out on the play-offs. With a far more limited budget than his two predecessors enjoyed, Lee could only guide the club to a second successive 7th place finish in 1999–2000. He was dismissed in December 2000 after a poor run of form left Wolves just a few places above the drop zone. Former Southampton manager Dave Jones was named as Lee's successor in January 2001, and Wolves improved during the second half of the 2000–01 season, but their dismal early season form counted against them and they were unable to achieve anything more than a midtable finish. The close season saw heavy investment into the team, which helped them spend much of the 2001–02 season in the top two places. However, an end of season slump saw them pipped to automatic promotion by deadly rivals West Bromwich Albion. Defeat at the hands of Norwich City in the play-off semi-finals finally put paid to their promotion hopes. Wolves experienced sporadic form during the early part of 2002–03, and thus were never in contention for the automatic promotion places. The team turned the corner with a thrilling 3–2 FA Cup win over Newcastle United, going on to lose just two of their 20 league games after this, securing them 5th place and a play-off semi-final clash against newly-promoted Reading. Victory in both legs earned Wolves a place in the Play-off Final against Sheffield United, their first play-off final at their fourth attempt. In the Millennium Stadium-staged final, three first half goals from Mark Kennedy, Nathan Blake and Kenny Miller, respectively, were enough to earn Wolves a long awaited place in the Premiership, after 19 years in the lower echelons of English football. Their debut season in the Premiership was tough, with key players Matt Murray and Joleon Lescott out for the entire season, and several others injured from the start. Their spending power to strengthen the team was relatively low as Hayward instead put the club up for sale. Despite these setbacks, Wolves overcame their seven game winless start, to eventually achieve some commendable results, in particular a 1–0 win over Manchester United. However, failing to win a single away game meant that their relegation battle was ultimately lost, and they finished bottom of the table on goal difference, bracketed together on 33 points with the two other relegated teams. Despite hopes for an immediate return to the top flight, their 2004–05 Championship campaign began dismally, and at one point the side sunk as low as 19th place. Following a 0–1 defeat at Gillingham, a side Wolves had beaten 6–0 just eighteen months previous, Jones was sacked at the beginning of November. Another former England coach was hired the following month, as Glenn Hoddle was appointed on a rolling one-year contract. Under Hoddle, Wolves lost only one of their final 25 league games, but drew 15 to finish ninth in the final table — not enough to qualify for the play-offs. Wolves then finished a disappointing seventh in 2005–06 as fan discontent grew, disenchanted with the lack of passion and pride from the team, including from Hoddle himself who had not moved to the area. Though the board expressed no displeasure with Hoddle publicly, with Jez Moxey affirming his faith in the under fire manager, the season had been frowned on by both local media and the fan base. However, few had anticipated Hoddle's sudden resignation mere moments before England's World Cup quarter-final clash with Portugal. A new regime, a new start Following the exit of Hoddle in pre-season in 2006, Wolves staged a complete clearout, stripping the squad and wage bill down and appointing former Republic of Ireland and Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy. Wolves therefore commenced the 2006–07 season with only the bare bones of a first team squad and with the lowest expectations around the club in years. McCarthy acknowledged the challenge, stating to local media "The initials MM on my top stand for Mick McCarthy, not Merlin the Magician", and quickly scraped together a squad, largely from the club's youth ranks, out of contract players and loanees. After an inconsistent first half to the season, an impressive run of form followed and the club eventually made the play-offs, despite earlier expectations. They were paired with local rivals West Bromwich Albion in the semi-finals, where they lost out over two legs. There was further change when businessman Steve Morgan took control of the club for a nominal £10 fee in return for a £30million investment into the club, resulting in the departure of Sir Jack Hayward (who remains as Life President) after 17 years as chairman. The protracted takeover was finally completed on 9 August 2007, upon which the club set out their future ethos: “ It is intended that the new capital, over a period of time, will be used to help re-establish Wolves as a Premiership club. Although this is a significant amount of money there will not be an ’open cheque book’ approach to signing players; instead the club will build on the current strategy of steadily and progressively developing a team of young, hungry and talented players. — Club Statement” Despite Morgan's arrival, the 2007–08 season ultimately brought more disappointment as the club failed to match the previous campaign's playoff finish. Poor form around Christmas saw them slump to midtable and only a late rally, aided by the goal power of new signing Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, put them back in the promotion hunt. They finished just outside the final play-off spot on goal difference, one goal short of Watford. The 2008–09 season saw the club's strongest start since 1949–50, as an opening day draw preceded a run of seven consecutive wins. Fired by the goals of Ebanks-Blake and new signing Chris Iwelumo, the club hit the top of the table for the first time in years by the end of August and never left the automatic promotion spots after. A second run of seven consecutive wins tightened their grip on the lead by Christmas. Despite a dismal start to 2009, the equally faltering form of their rivals allowed Wolves to retain the top spot. March saw a return to form with 13 points from a possible 15, strengthening their position at the top of the table that they had led since October. Promotion to the Premier League was finally confirmed on 18 April 2009 with a 1–0 win over Queens Park Rangers. The following week, Wolves clinched their first divisional title since the 1988–89 season. Their return to the Premier League saw the club reach its highest league position in 30 years, with a 15th place finish granting survival. This marked the first time Wolves had survived a season at the highest level since 1981. This achievement was built on a solid defensive element to the team, counting its lack of goalpower, despite the addition of striker Kevin Doyle for a club record fee. Soon after the 2009/10 season had ended, Wolves started to target their new signings for the new season. They wasted no time in signing 4 players (Jelle van Damme, Steven Fletcher, Steven Mouyokolo and Steven Hunt) within in the space 3 weeks, as well as making Adlene Guedioura's loan deal permanent.

Molineux Stadium Capaciteit: 29.200


Selectie 2010-2011
Marcus Hahnemann
Wayne Hennessey
Carl Ikeme
Matt Murray
Danny Batth
Christophe Berra
Jody Craddock
John Dunleavy
George Elokobi
Kevin Foley
Matt Hill
Scott Malone
Steven Mouyokolo
Jamie Reckord
Richard Stearman
Jelle Van Damme
Stephen Ward
Ronald Zubar
David Davis
David Edwards
Adlène Guedioura
Johnny Gorman
Greg Halford
Karl Henry
Stephen Hunt
Matthew Jarvis
David Jones
Michael Kightly
Nenad Milijaš
Geoffrey Mujangi Bia
Nathan Rooney
Kevin Doyle
Sylvan Ebanks-Blake
Steven Fletcher
Andy Keogh
James Spray
Sam Winnall
Ashley Hemmings

Trainer: Mick McCarthy

[Bliksem]

WOLVES Doyle will hope to pick up where he left off last season this campaign After ensuring their Premier League survival by a distance in the end last season, the question for Wolves this coming campaign is which way will they go now: a sudden relapse to previous Premier League form or a step up to relative mid-table comfort? How apt, then, on the opening day of the season Mick McCarthy's side face Stoke - a side who have come to signify mid-table security more than most. How telling might the result of that match prove? Surprisingly for a gruff Yorkshireman of unquestionable honesty, 16 of McCarthy's 24 Premier League signings have been foreigners - and as a result his squad boasts a rather cosmopolitan appearance in their second season in the top flight. It is one that has been added to rather abundantly, too, with six signings made for nearly £17m, underlying Wolves' ambition to become a regular force in the upper echelons of the English game. Much is expected of the likes of Steven Fletcher, Stephen Hunt, Steven Mouyokolo, Jelle van Damme and Adlene Guedioura this season, and as such new pressures face McCarthy. No doubt he will face them down in his blunt, terrifically entertaining manner whatever happens. NON-HOME-GROWN: Christophe Berra, Jelle Van Damme, Kevin Doyle, Steven Fletcher, Adlene Guedioura, Marcus Hahnemann, Nenad Milijas, Steven Mouyokolo, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia, Stephen Ward, Ronald Zubar. SENIOR HOME-GROWN: Jody Craddock, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, David Edwards, George Elokobi, Kevin Foley, Greg Halford, Wayne Hennessey, Karl Henry, Matthew Hill, Stephen Hunt, Carl Ikeme, Matt Jarvis, David Jones, Michael Kightly, Andy Keogh, Matt Murray, Richard Stearman. SELECTED UNDER-21s: Ashley Hemmings, Scott Malone, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. POTENTIAL TARGETS: Andre Bikey, Jeremain Lens, Michael Mancienne. VERDICT: Packing a punch.

[denthemen]

Wolverhampton Wanderers moet het vier tot zes maanden zonder Adlene Guedioura stellen. De Algerijnse international heeft zondag in de verloren thuiswedstrijd tegen Aston Villa (1-2) zijn been gebroken. De 24-jarige Guedioura liep de zware kwetsuur in de slotfase op tijdens een duel met Steve Sidwell. De middenvelder is sinds januari actief voor Wolves. Hij werd weggeplukt bij het Belgische Charleroi.

[Plato]

Ik ben benieuwd wat de Wolves dit seizoen gaan doen, hopelijk blijven ze er evenals vorig seizoen in en kunnen ze langzaam uitgroeien tot een stabiele Premier League club, het is immers toch een traditionsverein en die zie ik liever in de PL dan een club als Wigan.

[denthemen]

Het Engelse avontuur van Jelle van Damme is voorlopig een mislukking. De international koos deze zomer voor een contract bij Wolverhampton Wanderers, maar wil al in de winter terugkeren naar België. In Wolverhampton kan hij niet aarden. "Ik had Anderlecht nooit moeten verlaten. Ik voel me bij Wolverhampton niet zo goed, op en naast het veld", is de duidelijke taal van de oud-Ajacied in Belgische media. "In het dagelijkse leven én op voetballend vlak vlot het niet. Het voetbal dat we brengen past toch niet zo goed bij mij. En in Wolverhampton valt niks, maar dan ook niks te beleven. Het is niet dat ik eenzaam ben, want mijn vrouw was tot vorige week bij mij. Van in de voorbereiding klikte het gewoon al niet", aldus de verdediger. Van Damme maakt er geen geheim van dat hij zo snel mogelijk terug wil keren naar de Belgische competitie. "Mijn voorkeur gaat uit naar Anderlecht, maar een andere club kan ook. Maar tot januari focus ik mij op Wolverhampton. Ik blijf mijn job doen. Dat verdienen die mensen ook. Met Wolverhampton-coach Mick McCarthy heb ik al verschillende keren gesproken. Hij vroeg me op de man af waar ik zou spelen als ik nu de keuze had. "Anderlecht", heb ik gezegd. En hij respecteert mijn keuze."

Dat is snel

[Plato]

The Black Country is natuurlijk niet het meest aangename deel van Engeland om te leven, maar dan nog, dat had hij op voorhand kunnen weten zou je zeggen.

[Clough]

Van Damme is ook een beetje zo'n tokkie die al heimwee krijgt als hij tien minuten in de auto van huis zit.

[denthemen]

Na de 1-1 tegen WHU nog steeds in de onderste regionen

[Clough]

Ik kan er niet wakker van liggen. Laat deze club maar weer asap terugkeren naar het Championship.

[Plato]

Waarom? Ik vind het wel een mooie club, althans aansprekender en meer PL-waardig dan clubs als Wigan, Bolton en Blackpool.

[Clough]

Ik heb gewoon weinig feeling bij deze club. Waarom is lastig te verklaren. Al is de derby tegen WBA wel een leuke, maar die kunnen ze prima een niveautje lager uitvechten.

Blackpool zakt vanzelf wel weer trouwens. Die mogen voor nu wel even genieten, .

[mcyodogg]

Slechts 1 puntje uit de laatste 5 wedstrijden en de volgende 4 tegenstanders zijn Chelsea, United (Carling cup), City, weer United en dan Arsenal.

Kan Liverpool in ieder geval met een gerust hart ervan uitgaan dat ze niet onderaan staan met Kerst.

[Clough]

Zouden ze het negatieve record van Derby nog verbreken? .

McCarthy blijft in ieder geval roepen dat het geluk nog wel aan hun zijde zal komen. Het helpt ze in ieder geval niet dat Kightly de operatietafel op zal moeten.

[mcyodogg]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Clough Zouden ze het negatieve record van Derby nog verbreken? .

Kom nou, niemand is zó slecht.

Wolves spelen best aardig, de reputatie dat het een stel schoppers zijn nemen ze wel weg. Vooral Jarvis valt positief op, die kan zo naar 10 andere clubs in de PL als ze degraderen.

[Clough]

Ik vrees dat je nog gelijk hebt ook. Dat record blijft de komende jaren nog wel staan. .

Jarvis is inderdaad wel een aardige speler. Sowieso denk ik wel dat ze nog aardig wat punten zullen pakken, maar zoals gezegd hoeven het er van mij niet te veel te zijn.

[DemonCleaner]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Clough Ik vrees dat je nog gelijk hebt ook. Dat record blijft de komende jaren nog wel staan. . Jarvis is inderdaad wel een aardige speler. Sowieso denk ik wel dat ze nog aardig wat punten zullen pakken, maar zoals gezegd hoeven het er van mij niet te veel te zijn.

Ze hebben altijd wat minder punten dan ik denk dat ze hebben. Spelen helemaal zo slecht nog niet heb ik ook het idee. Best een aardige, brede selectie. En dat schoppen valt idd wel mee, die Karl Henry is wel behoorlijk fel en zit er hier en daar wel naast, maar het is echt geen schoppersploeg ofzo.

[Cyberia]

Men is eindelijk verlost van huilebalk Van Damme. Hij zal in de komende transferperiode de overstap maken naar Standard Luik. Opgeruimd staat netjes of niet Mick?

[Clough]

Van Damme is een tokkie. Klasse trouwens om Engeland te grauw te vinden en dan naar Luik te verhuizen, .

[Plato]

Wolves-trainer McCarthy verwacht geen ontslag

Trainer Mick McCarthy vreest niet dat de tegenvallende resultaten van Wolverhampton Wanderers hem op ontslag komen te staan. Na achttien wedstrijden bezetten The Wolves de laatste plaats in de Premier League.


"Ik maak me niet druk. Dat komt omdat ik een goede relatie heb met iedereen binnen de club", laat de 51-jarige McCarthy weten aan de BBC. Volgens de oefenmeester heeft onder meer clubeigenaar Steve Morgan het vetrouwen in hem uitgesproken.

"Ik zet gewoon door en dan komen de goede resultaten vanzelf", aldus McCarthy, die al sinds de zomer van 2006 als coach aan Wolverhampton is verbonden. "Niemand is tevreden over onze huidige positie. Maar ik maak me geen zorgen over zaken waarop ik geen invloed heb."

Of het ontslaan van McCarthy zou helpen weet ik niet, maar de Wolves zijn hard op weg naar het Championship als ze zo doorgaan.

[Plato]

Winnen op Anfield... McCarthy is voorlopig weer even veilig.

[Plato]

'Wolves betalen recordsom voor Johnson'

Wolverhampton Wanderers staat op het punt om Roger Johnson in te lijven. Voor een transfersom van bijna acht miljoen euro zal de 28-jarige verdediger worden opgehaald bij Birmingham City, weet de BBC.

Naar verluidt zijn Wolverhampton Wanderers en het vorig seizoen gedegradeerde Birmingham City reeds tot een akkoord gekomen. Dat zou voor de kopende club een evenaring van het clubrecord betekenen. De komst van Steven Fletcher (Burnley) in 2010 ging eveneens gepaard met een transfersom van bijna acht miljoen euro.

De Wolves hadden het vizier aanvankelijk gericht op Matt Mills, maar Reading zou een te hoge vraagprijs hebben gepresenteerd. Alternatief Johnson lijkt wel te worden binnengehaald. De verdediger heeft 88 wedstrijden voor Birmingham op zijn naam staan.

[Smeich]

Goede aankoop. Ik snap echt niet waarom er, with all due respect to Wolves, geen grotere club concrete interesse in hem heeft getoond. Toch één van de betere, en ondergewaardeerde, verdedigers van Engeland.

[Clough]

Er is geen hype zoals bij Phil Jones, .

[denthemen]

De Engelse staartploeg Wolverhampton Wanderers heeft coach Mick McCarthy op straat gezet. De Wolves verloren met 1-5 van West Bromwich Albion en staan nu op de 18de plek -een degradatieplaats. Vooral de tv-kijkers zullen McCarthy missen, want hij was niet op zijn mondje gevallen, zoals u in bijhorende montage kunt zien. McCarthy werd in juli 2006 coach bij Wolverhampton. Hij promoveerde in 2009 naar de Premier League en hield de club twee keer nipt bij de grote jongens, maar won slechts één van de laatste dertien wedstrijden. In 25 wedstrijden verzamelde de ploeg 21 punten. Enkel Bolton (20) en Wigan (19) doen slechter. 'We waren afschuwelijk' De fans lieten gisteren na de 1-5 tegen streekrivaal West Brom ook van zich horen: het bestuur werd uitgefloten. 'We waren afschuwelijk', gaf McCarthy zelf ook toe. Het bestuur besloot in te grijpen. 'Een moeilijke beslissing', meldt het bestuur op de site van de club. Voorlopig neemt Terry Connor over als coach.

[Smeich]

Ook hier maar even plaatsen. Zo jammer, maar enigszins begrijpelijk. Toch heeft Wolves aardig goede wedstrijden op de mat gelegd dit seizoen. Helaas... ik had niets met Wolves maar vond Mick een toffe peer. Nu mag Wolves van mij wel degraderen ten koste van Wigan

[Plato]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Smeich Nu mag Wolves van mij wel degraderen ten koste van Wigan

Welnee joh. Wolves is in ieder geval een oude Traditionsverein, één van de founders van de Football League in 1888, heeft een groots verleden en een behoorlijk grote, hondstrouwe achterban. Wigan is daarentegen helemaal niets. Zeggen dat je hoopt dat Wolves degradeert en Wigan niet is net zo iets als zeggen dat je liever Almere City ziet promoveren dan Sparta.

[mcyodogg]

Ik hoop niet dat wolves degradeert alleen al omdat ik het zielig vind voor robert plant die daar nog veel komt.

[Flumi]

Is dat logo van de Wolves eigenlijk altijd zo geweest, het is namelijk een niet echt 'Engels' logo vind ik.

Laat de Wolves er maar lekker inblijven. Wigan mag van mij degraderen.

[Blawh]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Smeich Helaas... ik had niets met Wolves maar vond Mick een toffe peer.

Hier juist andersom. Wolves is een heldenclub, Mick had wat mij betreft nooit naar Wolverhampton hoeven te komen.

[DemonCleaner]

Ik heb voor beide wel sympathie. Uiteindelijk moet je met deze selectie een stuk beter kunnen presteren, dus op zich is het niet zo gek dat hij er nu uit is gevlogen.

[Radegast]

Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door Flumi Is dat logo van de Wolves eigenlijk altijd zo geweest, het is namelijk een niet echt 'Engels' logo vind ik.

Het is wel een afgrijselijk lelijk gedrocht van een logo in ieder geval.

[sjimmie]

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content...es_chart_b.gif

Hier zie je ook de oude logos.

[SuikerBrood]

Die oude logos houden ook niet over

[Flumi]

Wou net zeggen, ze hebben dus altijd al een lelijk logo gehad

[Jasper]

Met nog 7 wedstrijden op het programma staan ze 6 punten achter op QPR, Blackburn en Wigan.
De tijd begint wel echt te dringen.

[Smeich]

They're fucked