Right man for the job?

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Saunders has his work cut out at Wolves

Angry Wolves fans continue to lay the blame for all the club’s woes firmly at the feet of owner Steve Morgan and CEO Jez Moxey.

It’s accepted that Mick McCarthy did a great job in getting Wolves promoted to the Premiership, but supporters feel that when we stayed up at the end of the season before last, Mick had shot his bolt and should have been sacked. When he wasn’t, and Morgan waited until last February to dismiss him, without a replacement lined up, the rot had set in.

The absence of a succession plan, two disastrous management appointments and now a disgraceful run of only 3 wins in 18 games under Stale Solbakken means that the only possible way has to be up, even if Dean Saunders is in charge instead of the more popular Wolverhampton-born Sean O’Driscoll.

Despite the fans’ anger, and the negatives associated with Saunders, such as the fact that he has not managed in the Premiership, has a mediocre record in the Championship, is ex-Liverpool and alleged to be a friend of known Reds supporter Morgan, Wolves supporters will get behind him. For three excellent reasons; Wolves fans are loyal to their club, they’re desperate and they simply have no other choice.

Saunders has at least made a good impression so far. He took training the morning after being appointed, came across well in the subsequent interviews and declared that the players just have to knuckle down and get the club out of trouble.

demotivated

Despite the number of well-known Premiership players in the squad, he says that only those players who impress him in training, including unknowns, will play on Friday at Blackburn in his first match. He insists the avoidance of relegation and indeed the unlikely prospect of promotion are all down to the presently demotivated squad, and if players don’t perform and show fight, they will have to pack their bags.

Saunders is reputedly a charismatic, positive person whom players admire and will follow, although his style of play may not be pretty. However, under the dour Solbakken, the squad did not seem motivated or to be enjoying their football or even to understand what the manager wanted from them.

The best players, Fletcher, Jarvis and Kightly, had been sold and not adequately replaced, and there was little thrust on the wings or creativity in midfield. It was sterile, aimless football being served up by players who just didn’t seem to care.

Despite their lowly position in the table and the absence of skill or, much worse, fighting spirit, the team attracted over 28,000 supporters to Molineux just a fortnight ago. Such a fan-base deserves a hell of a lot more than they’re getting at the moment.

Dean Saunders, unlike his Scandinavian predecessor, has the background and contacts, we hope, to bring in the right players in this January window to one of the most famous clubs in the world. We have been badly let down by the people running the club, let’s hope that the players can start to turn our season round on Friday. Up The Wolves!