Wolves Show Their Teeth In The Transfer Market

The Molineux faithful can be pleased with the efforts of their team last season on returning to the Premiership under Mick McCarthy. With plans afoot to increase the stadium to a 50,000 capacity, things are looking brighter for Wolves across the board. Now, McCarthy has begun to strengthen the side to continue progressing upwards and onwards. Two major signings have come in and I have to say I’m impressed with both of them.

Equalling the club record signing of the industrious Kevin Doyle, is Steven Fletcher from Burnley. I thought Fletcher had an excellent season for the Clarets, in what was a tough learning curve for both himself and the club. Wolves, for all the industry and opportunities they created, struggled for goals. With just 32 goals in the Premiership they were the lowest scorers in the league, which considering they finished 15th, is remarkable.

It was crucial that they strengthened the options they had upfront and with Fletcher already having one season under his belt, it made sense to go for someone who knows the league. Added to that, surely Sylvan Ebanks-Blake can’t have as disappointing a season as last year. It was surprising that he struggled so much in front of goals. I appreciate he missed pre-season, which can have a massive effect, but he still has a nose for goal.

The signing of Jelle Van Damme is an inspired signing in my opinion, he’s really looked a top quality player these last two or three seasons at Anderlecht. Belgium seem to have a crop of really talented players coming through again, which I’m pleased to see. They’ve really struggled internationally the last decade or so and European football is the duller for that. With Anderlecht and Standard Leige bringing a good crop of youngsters through, Van Damme is one of the more experienced of the crop.

He’s already played in the Premiership, all be it for Southampton, spent a year in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen and has now been playing regular Champions League football with De Paars-Wit. He can only strengthen the Wolves defence across the board and Wolves fans should be pleased with this aquisition. McCarthy and Jez Moxey, the Chief Executive should be applauded for moving in to the transfer marker so quickly and quietly. No fuss, no messing about, they’ve chosen their targets and gone and signed them without playing fantasy football in the media.

With both players being signed nice and early they can get a full preseason under the belt with their new team-mates and ease the intergration in to a new side and set up. Since Steve Morgan took over at Wolves, they have continued to progress steadily and positively. No going mad and chasing a financial dream that weighs the club with debt here. The club simply go about business quietly and considerately.

It’s a long way since the days of Mark McGhee whining every week in the late 1990’s and a trail of big name managers that simply couldn’t cut the mustard. Liverpool fans must sometimes wonder what would have happened if Morgans attempt to invest in the club wasn’t blocked at every turn by David Moores. Moores clearly didn’t like Morgan, but for someone who claimed to only care about Liverpool’s future, Moores must take a large portion of the blame in regards to the chaos that surrounds Liverpool.

Wolves fans will not care one jot about Liverpool, the club is riding the crest of a positive wave and the things continue to move onwards and upwards for one of English footballs most famous names. Good luck to them and long may it continue.

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