Mark Rankines Lovechild
Just doesn't shut up
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A few people asked me to give a summary of tonight’s speaking event at the Cleveland Arms.
It was an enjoyable evening and, as no one will be surprised to hear, Kenny Jackett is an absolute gentleman. Murray is a good compare and Ricketts came across well but it seems he has less enthusiasm for the game, post playing, than Kenny. Sam is currently enjoying a venture into the builders merchants/garden centre business and where that takes him. There were a few things I took away from the evening;
. Both have a genuine affection for Wolves and loved their time here.
. Jackett went through three interviews to get the Wolves job: Thelwell then Thelwell and Moxey the Moxey and Morgan. By the time of the third interview he
knew he was in the final 2 and, as he drove to Morgans hotel, for the final interview, Paul Tisdale came driving out so he knew who he was up against.
. Kenny Jackett had been Milwall manager for six years, had watched the double Wolves relegation and the fan disconnect. He understood what he would do if he
got the job and The ”Bomb Squad” approach was his alone. Rightly or wrongly he said he couldnt have a team full of older pro’s, essentially who had failed (twice),
but still expected to play. He saw that Batth, Price, Doc, Griffiths etc were all young and good enough to play and provide competition and that he took the
decision to move players on that had become stale, Henry, Johnson, Doyle etc…it was nothing to do with Morgan or Moxey
. Griffiths head was turned by Celtic but he felt he upgraded in buying Dicko who had scored three against us For Rotherham. He did say that, injuries hampered
Dicko performing even better for us. He did also say, that of all the strikers, Adobe for a period of time during his first stint at Wolves was on anther level and the
best of the lot.
. I feel bad for this one but; after missing the playoffs by goal difference after promotion; During the third season when the football became turgid and hard to watch I remember my stomach being in knots at how boring and negative we were and giving him grief. Jacket said that he was told at the start of the season he had to streamline, and simply concentrate on keeping Wolves in the league. Morgan was going to sell and there were several buyers interested. I could be wrong but Morgan said he decided to sell after getting abuse from Wolves fans on a train journey- which I think Spiers lapped up, this suggests an exit was already in the plans By M & M.
. MacDonald, Stearman and others were sold as part of the ‘Streamlining” with little effort from Wolves shown to keep them when there were better potential
contracts in the offing From other clubs. Jacket said both MacDonald and Stearman loved it at Wolves and would have signed new contracts if we had made any effort. We really werent serious about a challenge in that final season it seems. Sako was a top lad, loved the club and tried hard all the time he was at Wolves but also fell to the same issue as above. I may be wrong but when Stearman was sold on the day of a game we were all up in arms. I am sure I remember Jackett saying “he was sold for football reasons” when questioned. This wasn't untrue but will make me think again when I hear it in future, the temptation is to believe it means they are no longer suited to the team / role…in this instance the owners wanted them gone.
. When it came to O’Hara he said that his brief comeback was fuelled by injuries to the first team at the time and that he had worked hard, been exemplary in his
approach and never put a word out of place. He got a chance but then othe players came back fit and stepped in. Jackett didnt say this but, the response he
received from the fans, I suspect, ended any comeback hopes. Ricketts said the squad had absolutely no issues with O’Hara or his return to the first team he was exemplary in attitude and application In training during his time there.
. Hennesseys refusal to play, he didn't deny happened, but skirted around a little. Jackett said that Pat Mountain (GK Coach) had said at the start the season to him that Hennessey, once fit, would not be at Wolves - he was Prem bound. Therefore it was pointless to play him and from the outset they decided to concentrate on Ikeme for the first team. Ricketts said that, at the start of the League 1 promotion season we won games we had no right to due to Ikeme and that he was the best keeper he ever played with including Hennessey, Jaaskelainen and Myhill.
. Fosun, Jackett said, were from the day they arrived totally upfront and honest with him as to their plans. He held no malice towards them as he said they did only what they said they would do but obviously would like to have had an opportunity with the resources subsequently put to other people. He accepted though that this was the nature of the business. I probably missed stuff but these were the key issues for me.
Edit:
Ricketts also said that it was him that rang Jackett to see if he could come to Wolves. Bolton had just been relegated but he could see they had problems coming behind the scenes. He knew Jackett from Swansea and that he'd do a good job.
On the subject of having a lot of resources in League 1 Ricketts said that when he arrived Jackett said: every game played was going to be a cup final for the opposition. He actually said one team (forget who he said it was) were so pumped up that, as the arrived at the Molineux they all ran straight off the bus, past the changing rooms and ran a lap of the pitch.
More importantly; I won a bottle of Tequiila in the raffle and my lad won a bottle of wine.
It was an enjoyable evening and, as no one will be surprised to hear, Kenny Jackett is an absolute gentleman. Murray is a good compare and Ricketts came across well but it seems he has less enthusiasm for the game, post playing, than Kenny. Sam is currently enjoying a venture into the builders merchants/garden centre business and where that takes him. There were a few things I took away from the evening;
. Both have a genuine affection for Wolves and loved their time here.
. Jackett went through three interviews to get the Wolves job: Thelwell then Thelwell and Moxey the Moxey and Morgan. By the time of the third interview he
knew he was in the final 2 and, as he drove to Morgans hotel, for the final interview, Paul Tisdale came driving out so he knew who he was up against.
. Kenny Jackett had been Milwall manager for six years, had watched the double Wolves relegation and the fan disconnect. He understood what he would do if he
got the job and The ”Bomb Squad” approach was his alone. Rightly or wrongly he said he couldnt have a team full of older pro’s, essentially who had failed (twice),
but still expected to play. He saw that Batth, Price, Doc, Griffiths etc were all young and good enough to play and provide competition and that he took the
decision to move players on that had become stale, Henry, Johnson, Doyle etc…it was nothing to do with Morgan or Moxey
. Griffiths head was turned by Celtic but he felt he upgraded in buying Dicko who had scored three against us For Rotherham. He did say that, injuries hampered
Dicko performing even better for us. He did also say, that of all the strikers, Adobe for a period of time during his first stint at Wolves was on anther level and the
best of the lot.
. I feel bad for this one but; after missing the playoffs by goal difference after promotion; During the third season when the football became turgid and hard to watch I remember my stomach being in knots at how boring and negative we were and giving him grief. Jacket said that he was told at the start of the season he had to streamline, and simply concentrate on keeping Wolves in the league. Morgan was going to sell and there were several buyers interested. I could be wrong but Morgan said he decided to sell after getting abuse from Wolves fans on a train journey- which I think Spiers lapped up, this suggests an exit was already in the plans By M & M.
. MacDonald, Stearman and others were sold as part of the ‘Streamlining” with little effort from Wolves shown to keep them when there were better potential
contracts in the offing From other clubs. Jacket said both MacDonald and Stearman loved it at Wolves and would have signed new contracts if we had made any effort. We really werent serious about a challenge in that final season it seems. Sako was a top lad, loved the club and tried hard all the time he was at Wolves but also fell to the same issue as above. I may be wrong but when Stearman was sold on the day of a game we were all up in arms. I am sure I remember Jackett saying “he was sold for football reasons” when questioned. This wasn't untrue but will make me think again when I hear it in future, the temptation is to believe it means they are no longer suited to the team / role…in this instance the owners wanted them gone.
. When it came to O’Hara he said that his brief comeback was fuelled by injuries to the first team at the time and that he had worked hard, been exemplary in his
approach and never put a word out of place. He got a chance but then othe players came back fit and stepped in. Jackett didnt say this but, the response he
received from the fans, I suspect, ended any comeback hopes. Ricketts said the squad had absolutely no issues with O’Hara or his return to the first team he was exemplary in attitude and application In training during his time there.
. Hennesseys refusal to play, he didn't deny happened, but skirted around a little. Jackett said that Pat Mountain (GK Coach) had said at the start the season to him that Hennessey, once fit, would not be at Wolves - he was Prem bound. Therefore it was pointless to play him and from the outset they decided to concentrate on Ikeme for the first team. Ricketts said that, at the start of the League 1 promotion season we won games we had no right to due to Ikeme and that he was the best keeper he ever played with including Hennessey, Jaaskelainen and Myhill.
. Fosun, Jackett said, were from the day they arrived totally upfront and honest with him as to their plans. He held no malice towards them as he said they did only what they said they would do but obviously would like to have had an opportunity with the resources subsequently put to other people. He accepted though that this was the nature of the business. I probably missed stuff but these were the key issues for me.
Edit:
Ricketts also said that it was him that rang Jackett to see if he could come to Wolves. Bolton had just been relegated but he could see they had problems coming behind the scenes. He knew Jackett from Swansea and that he'd do a good job.
On the subject of having a lot of resources in League 1 Ricketts said that when he arrived Jackett said: every game played was going to be a cup final for the opposition. He actually said one team (forget who he said it was) were so pumped up that, as the arrived at the Molineux they all ran straight off the bus, past the changing rooms and ran a lap of the pitch.
More importantly; I won a bottle of Tequiila in the raffle and my lad won a bottle of wine.
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