7 consecutive seasons in PL

[JohnB]

With our place now guaranteed in the PL following Everton’s two points deduction (ignoring any appeals), can I congratulate the club on 7 consecutive seasons in the PL.

Well done to Gary, Matt and Jeff - a feat which in serious doubt at the start of the season.

This is our most successful run since the run from 1967/68 to 1975/76 when we achieved 9 consecutive seasons. Interestingly the 7th season in that run was the season we won the LC for the first time.

What is success for next season. Three suggestions - what are your top 3?

1) Avoid relegation - always the starting point;
2) Progress - build on this season - top half finish? Cup semi/final?
3) Squad - lose only 1 of star players (Neto, Cunha, RAN, Gomes) and reinvest, moved on most of loan players other than 1-2 (Chiquinho and Mosquera?) who come back and add to squad,
strengthen front line.

I could add stadium, Europe etc but for me sustainable progress and excitement.

PS - in case you think I’m wrong re mathematically being safe then remember Luton, Forest, Everton and Brentford have to play each other - we are now in a position where all 4 sides cannot overtake us as one winning means the other drops points.

Post in thread 'Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24'
Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24

 

[Rhoswolf]

Think height of our ambition is staying up

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Our most comfortable season since nunos first two.

A ridiculous job he has done - just ashame a minor bit more backing wasn’t made as would easily have been 7th

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

The target always has to be staying up.

It's all it can be. Teams have more money/resources than us, or in some cases, the same. The margins are so small.

Opportunities like this season may never come around (maybe even again), which is why it's so frustrating.

But, like half of the division, our first aim always has to be staying up and that's not a criticism or a negative. It's the most competitive league in the world for a reason.

 

[Starsky]

With the gap between PL and Champ widening quickly and PSR hanging over newly promoted clubs whether they stay up or go down, even a 6/10 Summer Window should generally be enough to stop up as it stands.

The situation with Forest and Leicester will make it even more difficult for promoted sides to establish themselves as they probably daren't gamble.

 

[lobodelsur]

From a purely selfish point of view, and in the context that I'm getting on a bit now, I would love to see us qualify for Europe again. Even the Conference would make me happy as it raises our profile and adds to our credibility as a serious club.

 

[Snorbans Wolf]

The target always has to be staying up.

It's all it can be. Teams have more money/resources than us, or in some cases, the same. The margins are so small.

Opportunities like this season may never come around (maybe even again), which is why it's so frustrating.

But, like half of the division, our first aim always has to be staying up and that's not a criticism or a negative. It's the most competitive league in the world for a reason.

Yeah, this.

And then it’s about continuing to build the foundations that increase the chances that we will stay up for the next few years - improving squad depth, in particular, and making sure none of the better players run their contracts down… and trying to get the players off the books who are a drain on our finances (Guedes etc).

Having seasons like this where we were effectively safe with a quarter of the season to go, in the mix for / with an outside chance of Europe, and give ourselves a platform for a run at a cup… we can’t expect more.

And with much less deep pockets than most teams in the Prem (or at least with owners unwilling to reach into their pockets as much as others), staying out of the relegation picture is really the limit of any realistic “ambition” for us as fans.

Finally, I’d love us to find another couple of players that excite like Joao Gomes, for about the same price tag.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Avoiding relegation,despite what others say,is always our first aim and success on any level
If we can build on this season and get a few more quality players in then great, and possibly push for a top 10 finish, but thats always after achieving 40 points first

 

[Shergar]

Considering the pre-season asset sale due to previous financial/transfer mismanagement and the 2023-24 wafer thin squad I can't see how anyone can congratulate Jeff Shi on this season, he has been an extremely lucky boy. Don't be surprised if he fails to read the room yet again and GON does a Stroptegui in the summer. Change my mind.

 

[SmokeyGB]

We planned to finish 17th and will at worse possible finish 13th.
I think that works out an extra £10m+ in prize money the club did not expect, and in the run to FA Cup..

So with this in mind and the £2.5m buffer we had that a nice £12m to get the striker from Brazil.

I think if we lose just 1 player (2 max) and spend careful we could see an 8th season in the PL.

So the risk that Jeff panned out for 17th has worked, but just don't keep chancing the dice Jeff.. or we may end up in the bottom 3 .. the fun will begin then.

 

[Topcat]

Depends on who we sell in the summer and who we recruit? Seriously can see the former taking president rather than the latter unfortunately?

 

[WISAW]

With our place now guaranteed in the PL following Everton’s two points deduction (ignoring any appeals), can I congratulate the club on 7 consecutive seasons in the PL.

Well done to Gary, Matt and Jeff - a feat which in serious doubt at the start of the season.

This is our most successful run since the run from 1967/68 to 1975/76 when we achieved 9 consecutive seasons. Interestingly the 7th season in that run was the season we won the LC for the first time.

What is success for next season. Three suggestions - what are your top 3?

1) Avoid relegation - always the starting point;
2) Progress - build on this season - top half finish? Cup semi/final?
3) Squad - lose only 1 of star players (Neto, Cunha, RAN, Gomes) and reinvest, moved on most of loan players other than 1-2 (Chiquinho and Mosquera?) who come back and add to squad,
strengthen front line.

I could add stadium, Europe etc but for me sustainable progress and excitement.

PS - in case you think I’m wrong re mathematically being safe then remember Luton, Forest, Everton and Brentford have to play each other - we are now in a position where all 4 sides cannot overtake us as one winning means the other drops points.

Post in thread 'Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24'
Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24

Has it been 7 years?! Wow.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Considering the pre-season asset sale due to previous financial/transfer mismanagement and the 2023-24 wafer thin squad I can't see how anyone can congratulate Jeff Shi on this season, he has been an extremely lucky boy. Don't be surprised if he fails to read the room yet again and GON does a Stroptegui in the summer. Change my mind.

Everyone at the club has contributed to a season that has far exceeded everyone’s expectations and that includes Jeff Shi

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I don't see avoiding relegation as a success by itself. I see it as the bare minimum for us with the financial backing Fosun have provided. We should always be aiming for the last european spot, but it would take a great deal of luck and a lot of skill for us to do so.
We want to see progress every year; but I don't think it's possible in a league where 15 other clubs want to see the same.
Do the best we can sounds a bit lame but it's better than perennially chasing promotion in the division from hell.

 

[Ercall Wolves]

Depends on who we sell in the summer and who we recruit? Seriously can see the former taking president rather than the latter unfortunately?

Im praying we keep Alt Nouri, Cunha, Jao Gomes and Neto
Those are the players who the so called bigger clubs could try and lure away from us

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Nice OP. The way the Prem is going the top 3-4 will continue to be the same teams possibly for ever and the promoted teams will be so far behind, certainly 2, possibly all 3 will go straight back down. If that's how it pans out the same 12-13 sides will perennially be fighting for possibly 2 or 3 European slots and decent Cup runs. I personally could never see B'mouth, Bees or Fulham having the financial strength to finish top 7 or 8 so Wolves are in an annual battle with 9 other sides for those few European slots. That has to be our ambition for next season. Trying not be pessimistic but if Fosun don't deliver new, young, exciting talent in the summer (and also allow 1 or 2 big guns to go) they will put GON in pretty much the same position as JL. GON could well be a target for other clubs this summer if his personal and professional demands are not met.

 

[WW1963]

Finish 5th.
Keep O'Neil, RAN, Cunha and Jao Gomes.
Win FA Cup.

It's not even inevitable that Neto will go. His injury record is such that nobody will offer much more than £30m. Hwang could well go with him if we need to sell in order to buy.

A season without major injuries could see success not seen since 1960.

 

[WolvesAndCows]

We're a solid mid table club, so the aim next season has to be to finish in the top half. I'm sure that will be the players' aim, as well. Taking both Cups seriously, should be done as well.

 

[Alex Rae The Substitute]

Congratulations to all involved!

Feels like it’s more important than ever not to rest on our laurels this summer.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

Just hoping we're in the early stages of another exciting period. It needs to be an evolution though, the worst mistake of the last decade was thinking we'd cracked it and we needed to change everything to challenge for the top 4. What we need is a handful of players to strengthen the squad and no more than 2 big sales (preferably just Pedro) and then go again, keep O'Neil. Hopefully a season where we can sustain a challenge for Europe.

 

[JR WAS KING]

Has it been 7 years?! Wow.

Next season will be the 7th

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

10 years would be very good

 

[Surrey Wolf]

Wonder how many years it will take to hit upper mid table financially..... 15?

 

[Norman Bell]

Incredible to people like me who have 50 plus years in as Wolves follower that this is actually the longest sustained period I have enjoyed in the top tier of English football !!!!

Prior to this current era it was 1977/78 until 1981/82

 

[wwbug]

Playing front-foot football that is enjoyable to watch.

 

[Fenrir_]

With our place now guaranteed in the PL following Everton’s two points deduction (ignoring any appeals), can I congratulate the club on 7 consecutive seasons in the PL.

Well done to Gary, Matt and Jeff - a feat which in serious doubt at the start of the season.

This is our most successful run since the run from 1967/68 to 1975/76 when we achieved 9 consecutive seasons. Interestingly the 7th season in that run was the season we won the LC for the first time.

What is success for next season. Three suggestions - what are your top 3?

1) Avoid relegation - always the starting point;
2) Progress - build on this season - top half finish? Cup semi/final?
3) Squad - lose only 1 of star players (Neto, Cunha, RAN, Gomes) and reinvest, moved on most of loan players other than 1-2 (Chiquinho and Mosquera?) who come back and add to squad,
strengthen front line.

I could add stadium, Europe etc but for me sustainable progress and excitement.

PS - in case you think I’m wrong re mathematically being safe then remember Luton, Forest, Everton and Brentford have to play each other - we are now in a position where all 4 sides cannot overtake us as one winning means the other drops points.

Post in thread 'Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24'
Teams Who Can’t Catch Us 23/24

Should be asterisked... the PL are dreaming up a charge against us for Shi's statement over the weekend as we speak!

We are established now though, we've also had a reset which should put us on a good footing for the future (not that we should be worried about any points deductions for that, clearly) and the gap between the top two divisions is getting wider. Next couple of seasons of hopefully building could be exciting times

 

[MickHolmesFanClub]

The realistic aim for about 12 of the clubs each year is to stay up and that will be ours again next year. There is an established 'big 6' now that is unlikely to be breached in the medium term and most of the others are all in there to survive, primarily, and maybe to pick up a few crumbs of European football occasionally. In recent yers, we've seen us, Leicester, Brighton, West Ham, Newcastle and now Villa threaten to break in but, the way the financial rules are now framed, it's unlikely anybody will permanently breach that fortress that has been built and sustain a position in the top 6.

The fact that we are now heading into 7 successive seasons in the PL is to the credit of everybody who has been involved. I've been watching Wolves since 1970 and didn't realise how spoilt I was growing up watching us play in the top tier year-in, year-out (with a small one season break in 1976/77). Since we went back down in 1984, we have spent far more of those 40 years outside the top flight than we have in it and the recent seasons have been the best since those enjoyable days of the 1970s - it might not feel it at times but they have been.

Aside from the realistic primary aim of staying up, I would love to see us continue our progress under GON next year and would love to see us reach an FA Cup Final. In the 54 years of following us, I've seen us play 6 FA Cup semi-final matches and we've not won any of them. To just see us reach the final and get to sing 'Abide With Me' as my Dad did twice would be the dream for me. I thought we had a great chance of that this year but, hopefully, we can go a couple of stages further next year.

 

[SA Wolf]

We need to see progress, which we haven't really seen since Nuno's two 7th place finishes. I don't care if this is a cup semi as the OP suggests or a higher league position or even more consistency and more exciting play with more goals scored and fewer conceded. But, we shouldn't regress.
This season has been built around a tight-knit squad, all pulling in the same direction. GON will lose some players and needs to replace them with like-minded, equally or better skilled. He also needs to deepen the squad depth, so that we are not including untried, kids on the bench. It will be a tight, balancing act, but with GON having a full season at Wolves, he should be able to do this.
Of course, the expectation, which was merely survival at the start of this season, will be much greater. Can he also manage fans' expectations while replacing, building and improving? We shall see!

 

[YouGottaRaulWithIt]

We need to see progress, which we haven't really seen since Nuno's two 7th place finishes. I don't care if this is a cup semi as the OP suggests or a higher league position or even more consistency and more exciting play with more goals scored and fewer conceded. But, we shouldn't regress.
This season has been built around a tight-knit squad, all pulling in the same direction. GON will lose some players and needs to replace them with like-minded, equally or better skilled. He also needs to deepen the squad depth, so that we are not including untried, kids on the bench. It will be a tight, balancing act, but with GON having a full season at Wolves, he should be able to do this.
Of course, the expectation, which was merely survival at the start of this season, will be much greater. Can he also manage fans' expectations while replacing, building and improving? We shall see!

We are at best a mid table side. We cannot realistically expect to challenge for a European spot because:

(a) We don't have the resources to build a squad good enough and big enough;

(b) Fosun are not a sovereign state or egotistical billionaire willing to bankroll us to success;

(c) The combination of Sky/PGMOL/Big 6 have created a closed shop to exclude less attractive teams like Wolves.

The best we can hope for is to play some attractive football and upset the bigger teams every now and again.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Everyone at the club has contributed to a season that has far exceeded everyone’s expectations and that includes Jeff Shi

Yes, it's amazing how for some posters on here everything that goes slightly wrong is entirely down to Jeff but anything that goes right is despite him.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

The realistic aim for about 12 of the clubs each year is to stay up and that will be ours again next year. There is an established 'big 6' now that is unlikely to be breached in the medium term and most of the others are all in there to survive, primarily, and maybe to pick up a few crumbs of European football occasionally. In recent yers, we've seen us, Leicester, Brighton, West Ham, Newcastle and now Villa threaten to break in but, the way the financial rules are now framed, it's unlikely anybody will permanently breach that fortress that has been built and sustain a position in the top 6.

The fact that we are now heading into 7 successive seasons in the PL is to the credit of everybody who has been involved. I've been watching Wolves since 1970 and didn't realise how spoilt I was growing up watching us play in the top tier year-in, year-out (with a small one season break in 1976/77). Since we went back down in 1984, we have spent far more of those 40 years outside the top flight than we have in it and the recent seasons have been the best since those enjoyable days of the 1970s - it might not feel it at times but they have been.

Aside from the realistic primary aim of staying up, I would love to see us continue our progress under GON next year and would love to see us reach an FA Cup Final. In the 54 years of following us, I've seen us play 6 FA Cup semi-final matches and we've not won any of them. To just see us reach the final and get to sing 'Abide With Me' as my Dad did twice would be the dream for me. I thought we had a great chance of that this year but, hopefully, we can go a couple of stages further next year.

That big 6 will be a big 5 next season. Chelsea are in big trouble with PSR. No way they will avoid a points deduction. According to the expert they have on TalkSPORT they need to make a £200m profit before 1st July to comply with PSR. Not £200m in sales. Zero chance they will do that as everyone now knows they are in the **** so no-one is paying the kind of fees they need.

Then there is the Man City case. That may be settled next season so god only knows what sanctions they might get.

So there could be as much as 2 top 6 places up for grabs. Villa and Newcastle have both got to sell in the summer so will be weaker, despite Villa looking a good bet for CL football (didn't do Newcastle any good), so that leaves us, West Ham and Brighton out of the current crop that could potentially fill the breach.

 

[SA Wolf]

We are at best a mid table side. We cannot realistically expect to challenge for a European spot because:

(a) We don't have the resources to build a squad good enough and big enough;

(b) Fosun are not a sovereign state or egotistical billionaire willing to bankroll us to success;

(c) The combination of Sky/PGMOL/Big 6 have created a closed shop to exclude less attractive teams like Wolves.

The best we can hope for is to play some attractive football and upset the bigger teams every now and again.

Not sure if this is criticism of my post or a general comment on it, but I didn't suggest Europe and I accept your other points, but if mid-table mediocrity is the extent of our ambitions, then so be it, but I'm not excited by that. If we are not progressing, we are regressing as you can bet that our competitors are not standing still.
As I said in my post, progression can take many forms and I'll be happy if I see things moving forwards. I don't expect Champions' League football (just yet ) , but I also don't want the kind of football and results that we seen since Coventry. There is somewhere in between.

 

[WolvesAndCows]

We are at best a mid table side. We cannot realistically expect to challenge for a European spot because:

(a) We don't have the resources to build a squad good enough and big enough;

(b) Fosun are not a sovereign state or egotistical billionaire willing to bankroll us to success;

(c) The combination of Sky/PGMOL/Big 6 have created a closed shop to exclude less attractive teams like Wolves.

The best we can hope for is to play some attractive football and upset the bigger teams every now and again.

To be the next Crystal Palace?

 

[TheRetroChief]

Depends on who we sell in the summer and who we recruit? Seriously can see the former taking president rather than the latter unfortunately?

Who have you heard is leaving? Are they planning on being a Republican or Democratic representative?

 

[Oliwolf44]

Has to be 8th/conference league place for the aim.
Think this was the year to go for it as other top teams won't be as bad next year. But we can only wait and see now.
As good as finishing mid table is for 7 seasons it will get stale very quickly if not already. You have to feel upwardly mobile otherwise what's the point.
Good achievement for where we have been but if it's midtable in perpetuity and paying for the privilege fans will get bored fast.
Europa league and cup runs is our ceiling.

 

[nomadwolf]

Next season?

Have VAR give us back the 10 stolen points of this season (we would be 6th on 52 pts were it not for PGMOL) and with an improved squad, we go for top 4.

Dreaming is for free, right, but until the summer transfer window closes, why not.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

I think people forget that it took Man City 9 seasons to achieve success after their promotion

That was with many 100s of millions of pounds spent on players and building a new stadium all without the hindrance of FFP

It is so much more difficult for us, not to mention Covid and an inflation spurt
We have done wonderfully well to sustain a decent league position over the last few years

I know everyone wants more including myself but we have to understand where we are as a club with finances and FFP

Do we run the gauntlet of a points deduction and spend anyway?
Do Fosun have the will to push further?
Do we have the infrastructure to match getting higher in the league?

All questions that have different answers depending on your outlook
Personally i think we need a new stadium to push on,obviously some major investment in that and the team

Will Fosun be the ones to do that? I have my doubts,but equally i cant see anyone else coming in and spending possibly billions on doing those things either

So for now im happy to keep staying in the Prem and having a decent cup run now and then,and keep waiting for the messiah that every other club is waiting for lol

 

[Rubberball]

The club accounts have gone early with the gaslighting.

Predicting a season ticket rise of 10% and then they'll be saying we should all be grateful it isn't higher.

I'm amazed people fall for this but...

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

The club accounts have gone early with the gaslighting.

Predicting a season ticket rise of 10% and then they'll be saying we should all be grateful it isn't higher.

I'm amazed people fall for this but...

Fair few ain’t renewing I’d say the highest figure this year since our PL return.

It’s what they wanted… Rid of the legacy fans

Another price rise? 10% they must be crazy

 

[Perton Wolf]

Well done to Gary, Matt and Jeff - a feat which in serious doubt at the start of the season.

I think it deserves pointing out that Hobbs and GON deserve credit, not Shi. He lost a manager on the eve of the season and then failed to back the new coach in January, which has failed to protect us from the injury crisis that has derailed our season.

Not to mention his dangerous financial management over the last few years which has seen us waste huge sums on players that never wanted to come and result in us being closer than ever before to breaking FFP/PSR.

Our Chairman is undoubtedly incompetent, but thankfully, Hobbs' shrewd player recruitment and GON's ability to get the most out of the limited squad at his disposal has meant we will likely manage to finish around the same position as last season. However, we all know it could've been more in respect to both the FA Cup and the league.