If You Were (A) Neutral, How Would You View Wolves This Season?

[The Professional]

We are so involved ourselves with goings-on at the club day to day, that it is very difficult for us to understand how neutral football fans view Wolves, our squad, manager, and our new signings this season.

Do you think we are seen as the new moneybags team- the next 'big thing', or a bit of a laughing stock- with an untried manager, which is doomed to fail like a lot of other teams before?

Somewhere in the middle, probably, but I wonder how a lot of people are thinking about us at the moment. We seem to have gone about things a bit more extreme than, for example Sheffield Wednesday that were taken over by rich owners- but didn't make a mass of new signings like we did. Be interesting to gauge how other people view our new players- whether they see them as exciting and ambitious, or unknowns. I think if we had signed well-known Championship players for a few quid (the Ross McCormacks and David Nugents of this world) we would be getting a lot more positive press than we are currently doing. I'm not saying that would be the best thing to do, just that it would have got people talking us up a lot more.

Speaking to people at work that know I am a Wolves supporter, they still seem blissfully unaware of the big changes that have happened at Molineux. Wonder if that is the same with everyone.

 

[Floyd Man]

There is so much focus on the Prem these days I think most non-Wolves fans across the country will be unaware of what's gone on. It was barely mentioned in the national press. But that's probably a good thing. Don't want Wolves to be the latest team to hate.

 

[ShropshireLad]

I live in London and folk I talk football to only know about the changes through me and only a couple of pals have any significant interest. There's been nothing about us in the national press bar a few very short paragraphs about the transfers.

 

[Deleted member 4008]

My view is we are work in progress and better than last season.

If I were a neutral fan in the Championship I would not see Wolves as a threat . As firstly we have no proven striker at this level that is fit. We have signed a player that was not wanted by a team that is a rival ie Stearman. So obviously not good enough for them so obviously they must have better players or signed better player than Stearman. Also the foreign players not many teams that sign majority of foreign players do much apart from Watford. And finally not many signings that have played at this level.

 

[Hathwolves]

You know we aren't thought about by Radio 5 at least- On the preview of the weekends games on saturday lunch, ours was the only game not mentioned. Then on sports report on the way home, coverage was given to every championship game bar ours.

 

[NottsWolves]

Most people I've spoken to don't know about the changes, only one of my mates dads commented on us "throwing" money around which I told them what we'd spent and he changed his tune. He had only seen social media and thought we had spent ridiculous sums.

I think as long as we go under the radar and peak at the right time (many teams who are top now don't finish there and fall away) we will be fine. Personally I'm not expecting anything this season due to the changes that have happened. But come January depending on where we are I think the club will push on again. Previously we haven't really strengthened in January to help the team for that final push. That may be the time people sit up and take notice.

 

[ShropshireLad]

Not even us have heard anything to any extent about any of our signings so other fans won't be interested. Huddersfield have signed 13 players but I only knew that from one newspaper item copied onto the 'net and I'm not interested...except they're top of the league.

 

[Deleted at request of member 4337]

Good question most non wolves would see us as nothing special really - we've signed players that most haven't heard of we have a manager that's unknown in this league. Pretty average results so far
If I were a fan of another championship team I wouldn't be worried about us just yet

 

[kwolf]

work in progress

 

[Air Wolf 90]

As a neutral taking a passing interest I'd probably look at the appointment of Zenga and the new owners and think we were another Leeds or Blackburn making random-looking managerial and player choices.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that is the case in reality - Fosun have done well so far and early signs are promising.

 

[Goodbye Horse]

Unfortunately, outside Wolverhampton no one knows anything about us, that my friends is how far we have fallen. I feel it will be a slow ride up to respectability.

 

[merseawolf]

When i talk football to friends who follow other Clubs mainly West Ham Spurs and Ipswich they look at Wolves for exactly what we are at the moment. An average Championship team with average attendances at this level. No-one outside our own support gives a toss about how good we were 60 years ago or that we can get 30k in Div3 or take 10k2Mk.
Only we can see the potential no-one else cares.

 

[wallace]

Still remembered as a team that did well in the past and have a fairly unusual coloured shirt. Signed a few unknowns with no great prospects of achieving much. Lower league fodder.

 

[kennyB]

As several on here have said, not many really know, care or are interested, particularly those who support teams in the Prem.
Until we're top of the league or at least in the end of season play-offs that I think is how it will stay. I exclude WBA supporters who do know about us and are becoming paranoid about us overtaking them in a year or two!

 

[Deleted at request of member 4337]

He he @kennyB I was just going to post that about dingle watch and their paranoid interest in us

 

[Edgmond Wolf]

The Baggies know all about our mega rich owners

No one else cares

 

[Peszkywolf]

Most villa and blues fans I know have said jackett shouldn't have been sacked, and we've got too many loans and Portuguese.
Random managerial appointment.
That Talisca didn't want to come, Cavaleiro went completely under the radar.
Most predicting us to finish about 8th.
People forgetting we've got quality coming back like Graham and Dicko. Good signings like saiss, bod dadi, Costa, B-J not really noticed.

 

[CodsallWolf]

For those that are even aware of anything having changed (which will be a small minority) I suspect they view our current situation as another football circus where in this case a manager who is completely unproven at this level, or any other level really, has bizarrely been parachuted into the club on the eve of the football season along with a load of new foreign players no-one has really ever heard of and who are also unproven at this level. They'd be right to be perfectly honest.

 

[RosehillWolf]

No one really cares, we are no longer a big club, we are the only ones that still think we are

 

[de wolf]

Thing is if its not prem news they are not bothered,come end of season when Wolves are going for top 2 they will be saying.WHERE HAVE WOLVES COME FROM. We will say we are from Wolverhampton,come on you Wolves.

 

[loopy lupine]

I would say others are comparing us to Watford a couple of years ago.

New owners, lots of loan signings and a complete team of unknowns with a manager nobody over the age of 40 has ever heard of.

Let's hope we have a similar season to them (although without the same number of manager changes!!)

 

[FLEET WOLF]

As several on here have said, not many really know, care or are interested, particularly those who support teams in the Prem.
Until we're top of the league or at least in the end of season play-offs that I think is how it will stay. I exclude WBA supporters who do know about us and are becoming paranoid about us overtaking them in a year or two!

Based on my experience, the majority of football fans that I know, who follow PL teams, know very little about the Championship, or indeed leagues below that. However, I think most fans of Championship sides know a lot about the PL, but, there again, as it dominates the media so much, we would be hard pushed not to know very much about the PL.

 

[Ginger Chimp]

I live and work outside of the West Midlands. In my office there is a Man Utd fan (attender), a Liverpool fan (attender), and Arsenal fan (mostly armchair), a Sunderland fan (armchair) and a Watford fan (season ticket holder). None of them know that we've bought any players, our club record signing has passed them all by, they are (or were) completely unaware that Zenga has arrived and only one of them has commented (without me raising the topic) on the fact that we've been taken over.

My experience is that we are not even in the peripheral vision of any fan outside the West Midlands ... and I couldn't care less about it to be honest. Under the radar every time for me.

 

[wolvesjoe]

Great thread.

We are way below the radar at the moment. People think economically, that is to say lazily, and it takes a lot to
break them out of habitual thought patterns.

On this trip to Wolverhampton, I have realised that the same point actually applies to a lot local people
as well. Obviously people are aware of the takeover, and mostly of Zenga's appointment, but that is about it.
There appears to be no sense of the potential involved in Fosun taking over. EVen those who know how big
Fosun are, are still playing it cautiously, in my experience.

All good for me. Let it build gradually. Think through all the angles, and keep the pressure off the manager and squad.

 

[Deleted member 4594]

There is so much focus on the Prem these days I think most non-Wolves fans across the country will be unaware of what's gone on. It was barely mentioned in the national press. But that's probably a good thing. Don't want Wolves to be the latest team to hate.

Bang on.
To be totally honest, during our 3 years in the premier league under MM I paid no attention to the championship at all.

 

[Peszkywolf]

Personally I don't even talk to people at work who support utd, Liverpool or arsenal. They don't count as football fans, who never go to the games anyway. I'm far more interested in who the albion/ villa/ stoke have bought (except when it comes to fantasy football dream teams).

 

[Mr Wolf]

Our takeover barely made SSN let alone our deadline day business so it's understandable that others don't know.

A couple of my more level headed friends think we've signed a load of peripheral type players that haven't cut it abroad & they'll look nice & fancy but won't have what it takes. Nobody knows what Zenger is like which none of us still do in fairness & they know it's a Chinese owner but nothing more i.e he's worth more than 89 other owners.

 

[Mr Wolf]

I read Twitter from time to time & other fans in this league think we're buying it & keep mentioning FFP.

 

[WW1963]

We would likely only be looked at with any interest by other Championship sides and perhaps West Bromwich, so I would imagine that Wolves would be perceived as a club somewhere between QPR and Watford - taking a gamble on a bunch of mercenaries but not completely breaking the bank.

 

[Ivegotawolvesscarf]

I think there have been a lot of promises, from a lot of takeovers, over the last 20 years and at the moment there has been nothing exceptional to set FOSUN apart from the bulk of them. Chucking a wedge of cash at players has been done, mass changes to the team in one summer has been done, even bringing in exciting outside influence like Mendes has been done - along with plenty of other crazy schemes, all without significantly improving club's standings. Unless and until we start making waves on the pitch, don't expect us to generate a lot of headlines.

 

[Skrilla]

We've signed relatively unknown quantities to most fans, we are most definitely a work in progress. I don't think we have the experience/proven performers to get close to automatic promotion, but with a lot of depth and hopefully the majority of our foreign signings coming good over time, we can target the play-offs. I still think we missed the chance to sign a proven goalscorer in that window and it will make a big difference unless Dicko returns to the same form as before his injury.

 

[Ironfistedmonk]

I think we have gone pretty much under the radar, the media are so focused on the big 4 or 5 and only pay lip service to the rest of the Prem let alone the Championship, and we aren't the only side who have been taken over recently, there have been quite a few so we aren't even unique in that aspect. I don't think anyone looks on us as a circus or as major contenders either, we are quite low key at the moment and thats not a bad thing

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Why should neutral fans give any thought to Wolves?????????? I've never given any thought to Derby, Rotherham, Forest et al!!!!!

 

[WW1963]

Not i

Why should neutral fans give any thought to Wolves?????????? I've never given any thought to Derby, Rotherham, Forest et al!!!!!

Not interested in football then - just Wolves?

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Not i

Not interested in football then - just Wolves?

Bang on. I am only interested in Wolves and England. I could name very few Championship players, certainly no Lg 1 or 2 players and as for Europe or womens' football I have little interest at all. I have been passionate about Wolves all my life but less interested in football in general.

 

[Frank Lincoln]

We will be seen as the big money boys, whose expectations are premier league football whatever the cost. We are probably not be the most popular team in the league given our financial clout, and every time we stumble, it will be greeted with joy by many fans in our division.

 

[Wichenford Wolf]

It may of course be the people I meet but nobody I have talked to knew that we had been taken over. At least two people assumed Steve Bull must have been involved as he is "Mr Wolves".

Hopefully we will perform so well this season that the focus will be back on us next May.

 

[WS10Wolf]

I think for a lot of teams we'll be something of an unknown quantity. A lot of clubs when they get taken over tend to splash the cash, whereas from the outsider looking in, we haven't really done that. The £7.5m on Cavaleiro is a lot for the Championship, but on the other hand we've brought in plenty of loanees, Bodvarsson for £1m, Oniangue for £2.5m, Gladon for £1m, Saiss for £4.3m etc.

 

[inaglasshouse]

Keen Championship watchers will have seen Bod on the highlights and think he looks a bargain and a good bet to score a few in this league. As for the other signings I doubt many will have heard of them or noticed them so far. Our record signing barely got a mention with coverage of the transfer window. Lets hope we can show just how much we have improved the quality of the first team and squad as a whole as the season goes on. Saiss, Silvio and John are big signings for us and have yet to feature so I would expect them to make an impact when they do.

 

[Sedgley Gold N Black]

It depends who your asking and how much they know about football and how much of an interest they take outside their own club or the PL, I'd stab at the three different levels saying something like this...

If you asked someone who knows a fair bit about football they'll probably say we're dark horses this season and have signed a couple of players who could be very good at this level (Saiss, Cavaliero and Silvio)

If you asked someone who's watch the highlights every week they'll think we'll be pushing for the play offs and that Icelandic bloke and one of our Portuguese chaps look decent.

If you ask someone who doesn't really know much about us you could get anything from we're minted so must have spent a load and will do well right through to those who don't know we've been taken over or that Jacketts gone so they'd be tipping us for a bottom half to mid table finish at best.