Football Gods - Tim Spiers Podcast with Conor Coady

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

An hour worth listening too and its obvious how much Coady still loves Wolves.

 

[Wolf in the Lions' Den]

Really enjoyed this one. What a lovely guy (of course), who obviously loved (almost) every moment of his time at Wolves and football more generally. So many great Wolves memories — and a few not so great ones!

The one with Bully last week was great too, even if it seemed like Spiers could have done a better job at interpreting Black Country for Kate Mason!

 

[Bill McCai]

This was interesting as well. Johnny Phillips & Paul Berry wrote similar re Coady and his experience when leaving Wolves.

Conor Coady: 'You've got to grow – it's sink or swim'

Former Wolves captain Conor Coady speaks exclusively to More Than A Game.

mtag.substack.com

 

[Jawwfc]

He wasn't treated well it seems, unfortunately it seems to have been an all to common theme amongst departing players, Raul,Moutiniho, Coady all deserved much better treatment by the club.

 

[WickedWolfie]

He wasn't treated well it seems, unfortunately it seems to have been an all to common theme amongst departing players, Raul,Moutiniho, Coady all deserved much better treatment by the club.

Saiss and Ruddy too. Cynically l wonder what more may come out about the Jonny situation also.

 

[Rowzed]

This was interesting as well. Johnny Phillips & Paul Berry wrote similar re Coady and his experience when leaving Wolves.

Conor Coady: 'You've got to grow – it's sink or swim'

Former Wolves captain Conor Coady speaks exclusively to More Than A Game.

mtag.substack.com

It must have taken huge control for him to say nothing about the stitch up with the Turkish team whilst he was being badmouthed on social media and by many here. For a man who lived and breathed and captained Wolves to be told by another club that he was up for sale and not to get a straight answer from either the coach or DoF is beyond shocking.

This was the same time that Jimenez was injured in preseason and then not supported publicly either. Two of our greatest servants let down by the then heirarchy.

 

[Matt]

Great listen, great bloke. Hope he comes back to Molineux in some capacity in the future. A travesty he didn’t get a proper send off from us.

 

[Bill McCai]

It must have taken huge control for him to say nothing about the stitch up with the Turkish team whilst he was being badmouthed on social media and by many here. For a man who lived and breathed and captained Wolves to be told he was up for sale by another club and not to get a straight answer from either the coach or DoF is beyond shocking.

This was the same time that Jimenez was injured in preseason and then not supported publicly either. Two of our greatest servants let down by the heirarchy.

Yep he got pelters on here. Terrible from Lage and Sellars.

 

[WolvesinBrum]

I think it has improved under Hobbs - not making excuses for him for the last game last season (Mouts, Raul, Johnny) but I wonder if JL really dominated all of that.
Hobbs handled JL's departure well and was great with Fabio and Sasa recently.
While we had players not even coming to the game, not being put on for a last cameo, Liverpool had an amazing presentation to their departing players - something surely for us to aim for and surely not that difficult!

 

[sillytuna]

Some people on here behaved so badly when it came to coady. It's hard not to give too much away when you have inside info but I honestly thought enough of us had said things to make clear this wasn't coady acting up and going off in a huff.

He was treated really badly by Lage and others.

I have no idea what went on at the end of last season but from the outside it smells bad too.

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

The more you hear about the Lage regime the less you like what you hear

 

[North West Wanderer]

Some people on here behaved so badly when it came to coady. It's hard not to give too much away when you have inside info but I honestly thought enough of us had said things to make clear this wasn't coady acting up and going off in a huff.

He was treated really badly by Lage and others.

I have no idea what went on at the end of last season but from the outside it smells bad too.

Coady is a club legend. i don’t use those words lightly either.

 

[North West Wanderer]

I think it has improved under Hobbs - not making excuses for him for the last game last season (Mouts, Raul, Johnny) but I wonder if JL really dominated all of that.
Hobbs handled JL's departure well and was great with Fabio and Sasa recently.
While we had players not even coming to the game, not being put on for a last cameo, Liverpool had an amazing presentation to their departing players - something surely for us to aim for and surely not that difficult!

There’s a lot to hate about Liverpool FC, but there’s a lot to admire begrudgingly too.0

 

[North West Wanderer]

This was interesting as well. Johnny Phillips & Paul Berry wrote similar re Coady and his experience when leaving Wolves.

Conor Coady: 'You've got to grow – it's sink or swim'

Former Wolves captain Conor Coady speaks exclusively to More Than A Game.

mtag.substack.com

that’s ****ing shocking

 

[Werewolf of Wombourne]

Coady is a club legend. i don’t use those words lightly either.

100%

Nearly 300 appearances and the club captain through our most sustained successful period in the last 50 years. Not only that but an incredible ambassador for the club

 

[North West Wanderer]

100%

Nearly 300 appearances and the club captain through our most sustained successful period in the last 50 years. Not only that but an incredible ambassador for the club

and we threw him away like a discarded sweet wrapper.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

It is clear how much Coady still thinks about Wolves. The way Lage treated him was very poor, but I think it would be better if we heard how Lage viewed the situation. He might be able to explain how and why it all went so wrong for a great servant of this football club.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

There's a lot of questions.

The big headline was Wolves accepted an offer for Trabzonspor as Coady got a phone call from someone connected to their club.
When you listen to the podcast, Coady says that Wolves told him an offer was rejected.

He said he was 'fuming' to be on the bench at Leeds and made it clear, with no uncertainty, that he would've pushed to leave because it was a World Cup year. Is that the attitude for a captain?
Yet when Bruno Lage said we would respect whatever he wanted to do for his family, due all he's done for us etc. he said that wasn't 'fighting for him'. But, as mentioned, he already said that he would leave as it was the only year ever he wouldn't be prepared to fight for his place, as he needed to play to make the World Cup.

For the record, I have absolutely no problem with Coady putting himself first in this situation, but that's exactly what he did.

He was desperate to go to the World Cup, fair enough, and he couldn't take that Wolves put him third choice defender because it harmed his prospects.

I think it's poor to be honest. Anyone who has listened to the podcast (not the one with Spiers, the other one) will hear that this was a player who was desperate to leave when he knew he wasn't playing. He got the move, and now he's not happy with how he was treated?

Will listen to this one with Spiers though as Coady is a good talker so should be good.

 

[WickedWolfie]

There's a lot of questions.

The big headline was Wolves accepted an offer for Trabzonspor as Coady got a phone call from someone connected to their club.
When you listen to the podcast, Coady says that Wolves told him an offer was rejected.

He said he was 'fuming' to be on the bench at Leeds and made it clear, with no uncertainty, that he would've pushed to leave because it was a World Cup year. Is that the attitude for a captain?
Yet when Bruno Lage said we would respect whatever he wanted to do for his family, due all he's done for us etc. he said that wasn't 'fighting for him'. But, as mentioned, he already said that he would leave as it was the only year ever he wouldn't be prepared to fight for his place, as he needed to play to make the World Cup.

For the record, I have absolutely no problem with Coady putting himself first in this situation, but that's exactly what he did.

He was desperate to go to the World Cup, fair enough, and he couldn't take that Wolves put him third choice defender because it harmed his prospects.

I think it's poor to be honest. Anyone who has listened to the podcast (not the one with Spiers, the other one) will hear that this was a player who was desperate to leave when he knew he wasn't playing. He got the move, and now he's not happy with how he was treated?

Will listen to this one with Spiers though as Coady is a good talker so should be good.

That post all smacks of the club is always right. While you might be able to make such a case for Coady in isolation the fact that other key players also seem to have been treated poorly when the club wanted rid seems more than a coincidence.

In my view Lage was a pathetic man-manager with an ego the size of a planet who wanted rid of all the big characters in the dressing room in order to fill it with yes men.

Put it this way, l am utterly convinced that GON would have done things very differently.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

That post all smacks of the club is always right.

From me!? Ha.

The headlines were that Wolves had accepted an offer from Trabzonspor behind Coady's back but he actually says that Wolves told him this did NOT happen. Now, they could well be lying.

And you can listen for yourself. Coady was leaving that summer because he wanted to go to the World Cup.

 

[Bill McCai]

Read the Johnny Phillips/Paul Berry book - seems clear he was poorly treated. Can’t say I’m suprised - Lage was a terrible man manager.

 

[SmiffyWolf]

I think it has improved under Hobbs - not making excuses for him for the last game last season (Mouts, Raul, Johnny) but I wonder if JL really dominated all of that.
Hobbs handled JL's departure well and was great with Fabio and Sasa recently.
While we had players not even coming to the game, not being put on for a last cameo, Liverpool had an amazing presentation to their departing players - something surely for us to aim for and surely not that difficult!

I disagree slightly with that if I am honest

Look at GON with the striker situation and then saying about Mosquera and then he is shipped off on loan .

Been fair to Hobbs like GON he is a puppet for the people upstairs . Gary has done a great job but his hands are tied in most situations .

I don't buy all the BS with FFP . As we are the only team to have sold some of our better players and not spent that money . Yet other teams that have larger wages have not sold players and still are recruiting .

So if they were going to be hit with FFP surely they would either be selling first or not recruiting . people may say it will bite in the summer... That was said last summer and then oh in January they will have to sell players . With us it was we will have room to buy players in January with what we did in the summer . I don't see a couple of million on two potential players as room to buy players .

 

[North West Wanderer]

From me!? Ha.

The headlines were that Wolves had accepted an offer from Trabzonspor behind Coady's back but he actually says that Wolves told him this did NOT happen. Now, they could well be lying.

And you can listen for yourself. Coady was leaving that summer because he wanted to go to the World Cup.

i don’t blame him for that one bit.
he also says that he had nothing from Lage in terms of developing into playing in a back 4. He never had the chance to learn!

 

[Wolf316]

i don’t blame him for that one bit.
he also says that he had nothing from Lage in terms of developing into playing in a back 4. He never had the chance to learn!

Lage was a terrible appointment who should have been sacked that summer.

 

[WWFC4EVA]

100%

Nearly 300 appearances and the club captain through our most sustained successful period in the last 50 years. Not only that but an incredible ambassador for the club

Pretty sure this was the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth last season.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

Havent listened to either podcasts, and always liked Coady as a player and a person
That said you cant have it both ways
He wasnt suited to the system Lage wanted to play and had lost a bit of form
He wanted first team football as he wanted to go to the world cup
Now im not suggesting he engineered a move but he made it plain he wasnt happy
The club gave him a fair deal in moving at a low price
Ok it maybe could have been handled better, and ive no time for Lage and his obviously poor man management skills,but Coady is not blameless in the saga

 

[WWFC4EVA]

Pretty sure this was the 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth last season.

My mistake... he wasn't even with us then!
His 300th appearance came the previous season, against Norwich, in the FA Cup.
My memory is not what it once was! Lol

 

[Flea]

Havent listened to either podcasts, and always liked Coady as a player and a person
That said you cant have it both ways
He wasnt suited to the system Lage wanted to play and had lost a bit of form
He wanted first team football as he wanted to go to the world cup
Now im not suggesting he engineered a move but he made it plain he wasnt happy
The club gave him a fair deal in moving at a low price
Ok it maybe could have been handled better, and ive no time for Lage and his obviously poor man management skills,but Coady is not blameless in the saga

Tend to agree.
The time had come to part ways..but there is always a right way and a wrong going on doing things..and while Conor perhaps could have done it a little bit better the big part of play lies with Sellars and Lage.
This type of thing will be handled much better under GON and Hobbs I certainly hope.

Conor has his place in the pack anyday as far as I´m concerned.
Raul and Ruben as well.

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

The way I always felt was that Lage wanted to play a 4 from day one. He got his way for a bit (as he should) and we looked good, but couldn't buy a win. So the senior pros especially Coady and Saiss pushed for a return to a 5, where they felt more comfortable. He gave in and it went better, but he wasn't having it again, so when he got the chance he made sure that they strong characters were ditched.

That's all speculation, just how it seemed to me.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Havent listened to either podcasts, and always liked Coady as a player and a person
That said you cant have it both ways
He wasnt suited to the system Lage wanted to play and had lost a bit of form
He wanted first team football as he wanted to go to the world cup
Now im not suggesting he engineered a move but he made it plain he wasnt happy
The club gave him a fair deal in moving at a low price
Ok it maybe could have been handled better, and ive no time for Lage and his obviously poor man management skills,but Coady is not blameless in the saga

Coady makes a great point on the podcast that he was never offered the chance to learn the position. As one of the most adaptable players we’ve ever had, that’s surely something we should have looked into? you don’t treat your club captain and england international like that.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Coady makes a great point on the podcast that he was never offered the chance to learn the position. As one of the most adaptable players we’ve ever had, that’s surely something we should have looked into? you don’t treat your club captain and england international like that.

How does that work? They were obviously training on it every day and he was playing in a four when he came on and during the friendlies.

Lage judged that Kilman and Collins were better than Coady in a four, but he kept him as third choice.

For all the stick he rightly gets, I don't think he's done much wrong there.

In my opinion, Coady lacks the physical qualities to play in a back four, which you can't change. He also lacks pace which forces you to play a certain way.

 

[Bill McCai]

Summary from the J Phillips/P Berry book, it is clear Coady was not treated well.

- Coady was expecting a conversation from somebody
- Had a call from Turkey, sporting director from Trabzonspor, put him onto his agent
- Guy says Wolves have accepted an offer for him - no communication to Coady from Wolves
- Scott Sellars a few days later tells Coady Wolves have rejected the offer
- Asked Matt Wild for a conversation, Coady wanted to know what was going on - why couldnt Lage just tell him the plans?
- Approached Lage who said 'he would understand whatever decision I made'
- Coady took that as 'you are telling me I can go, but why not just say it?'
- Everton showed interest in the week of the Leeds game
- Refutes accusation he would not have fought for his place, left because nobody talked to him, or was seemingly bothered about him leaving
- Very proud of his time at Wolves, particularly the Nuno years

 

[Wandsworth Wolf]

The way he was treated was shameful, in my opinion.

He was a loyal servant, our captain, and a key player: an England player for heaven’s sake!

He epitomised everything that was great about the club.

Lage froze him out. With no explanation. At the very least Coady deserved honesty and respect from the club.

But in the Lage/Sellars era everything that made our club great - teamwork, camaraderie, communication - got thrown out. Under those two clowns the club lost its sense of decency and integrity. I’d back Conner Coady’s word over those useless, duplicitous toads every day of the week.

I don’t blame him for pushing for a move if he knew he was being pushed out.

All this nonsense that he should have fought for his place, is bull**** frankly.
He knew he wasn’t wanted.

It’s shameful the way it ended the way it did.

I hope one day we get to show him that we still love him the way he loves us.

We all owe him that.

 

[Oliwolf44]

For all the noise Coady makes, the club, Lage and those on here who were saying he wasnt good enough ultimately proved right though.
went to everton and did nothing and then moved to leicester for decent fee and has only made 7 apps in the league this season.

Was a great captain and lead the best wolves team in a long time, but it was time to go.

 

[Ian]

Read the Johnny Phillips/Paul Berry book - seems clear he was poorly treated. Can’t say I’m suprised - Lage was a terrible man manager.

Lots of contrasting opinions in that book ( as is human nature).
Some of the players thought Lage was an excellent coach and person in general , he was certainly more loved by the staff at Molineux than Nuno.
Others thought Lambert was great …. Even more said that Hoddle was the best manager they ever had ( Lescott).
I think Coady made it clear his main objective was to go to the World Cup, Wolves were secondary.

 

[Bill McCai]

This is what I took from the Lage bit of the book;

- Post Nuno club briefed that head coach search would be open process
- Was not open search, Wolves used Gestifute
- Gerrard let it be know he wanted a conversation
- We informally spoke to Lampard
- Chose Lage based on youth work and time with Benfica
- Neves says Bruno was a fantastic coach but a lot of things happened before he left
- Lage era turned on two games, Arsenal and West Ham away in February
- David Moyes thought we disrespected West Ham by changing so many players and it fired him/his team up
- Got point as Stamford Bridge (Bruno had Covid) and players felt he got it wrong by keeping same formation (that finished Chelsea game) for City at home where we got trounced 5-1
- Alarm bells ringing in squad as to level of Lage tactical acumen
- Boly, Saiss, Ruddy leave
- Wolves brought in Collins, Lage looking at a back four
- Pre season planning failure (trip to US cancelled)
- Neves says we did not prepare well for season, as a club, as a staff, as players
- In June 2022 Wolves indicated they wanted to become self sustaining
- Palhinha due to come in to replace Neves (at a big net profit)
- Neves move never happened, Palhinha went to Fulham
- When Fulham came to Wolves, Guo and Mendes met
- Cardoso frustrated, four days later we spent £38m on Nunes and then Sasa (and then Costa)
- Felt they had equipped Lage well for season ahead
- Eight games in felt they had to sack the coach (two goals all season, one win in 15 dating back to April)
- Lage made friends at Compton, is a way Nuno did not
- However could not stamp an identity on the team

And I guess if you look at how he did at Botafogo fairly recently it suggests he is unable to turn things around when he loses control.

Re Coady it seems clear they could have talked to him more given his service at Wolves, but some people will always side with the club over the player (even if the 'club' in the instance is Sellars and Lage).

 

[Oliwolf44]

This is what I took from the Lage bit of the book;

- Post Nuno club briefed that head coach search would be open process
- Was not open search, Wolves used Gestifute
- Gerrard let it be know he wanted a conversation
- We informally spoke to Lampard
- Chose Lage based on youth work and time with Benfica

Even in hindsight knowing how it panned out with Lage i still would of preferred him over Gerrard or Lampard and would go back and make the same decision again lol

 

[Adrian_Monk]

As fans we tend to jump to the conclusions that seem to make the most sense, despite not knowing the full picture. Players (and managers) often have 'straw that broke the camel's back' moments that look like overreactions to us fans in isolation, but Wolves (and every other club) will be ruthless when it suits them and do whatever it takes to dictate the narrative, so it doesn't surprise me there's more to this as there almost always is

 

[North West Wanderer]

How does that work? They were obviously training on it every day and he was playing in a four when he came on and during the friendlies.

Lage judged that Kilman and Collins were better than Coady in a four, but he kept him as third choice.

For all the stick he rightly gets, I don't think he's done much wrong there.

In my opinion, Coady lacks the physical qualities to play in a back four, which you can't change. He also lacks pace which forces you to play a certain way.

Kilman and Collins, who now both play in a five as not proved good enough for a four, v an experienced, adaptable England International.
He wasn’t given the opportunity and others on this thread point out other issues.

 

[North West Wanderer]

For all the noise Coady makes, the club, Lage and those on here who were saying he wasnt good enough ultimately proved right though.
went to everton and did nothing and then moved to leicester for decent fee and has only made 7 apps in the league this season.

Was a great captain and lead the best wolves team in a long time, but it was time to go.

he would have been fine that particular season in a three, but clearly for us to
move on he needed to too sadly. There’s ways and means of doing that.