Agree with this in the main. One of the big reasons some of our fans keep talking about Jiménez and Traoré being sold to a big club is because the MSM keep pushing that story, which fits the lazy conventional narrative that all 'upstarts' have their best players picked off by the Big 6 to nobble the upstart club and because the players crave top salaries.
The narrative goes wrong with Wolves though for several reasons:
I disagree with you though that the Big 6 and their fans have understood yet why Wolves is a different animal to other upstarts and why we won't be destroyed by our new rivals picking off our best players. That penny still hasn't dropped with them by and large, just as it still hasn't dropped with some of our own fans!
- TV revenues are so huge now in the EPL that upstart clubs are not under the same financial pressure to sell their assets in the way they were fifteen, ten or even five years ago;
- Wolves's 'Project' is not a fluke; we are where we are due to meticulous planning and focused implementation of the plan. The plan is to become as big if not bigger than the Big 6 and it does not involve selling off our crown jewels to those who we see as rivals;
- The Project has purposely set out to create and nurture a fantastic 'one for all and all for one' team ethic which our recruits buy into and value. It is hard for other clubs to rival this ethic and it is hard for players to leave it behind;
- We do not sign money-motivated players, but players who want to enjoy their football in a positive, healthy playing and training environment where pressure is at a minimum whilst nonetheless excelling and reaching their potential as players;
- We have a superb motivational coach whom our players revere.
Nice sentiments but Nuno talked openly last Sunday about some players joining bigger or big six clubs, and that we should take it as a compliment. He patently wasn't just talking about Doherty but, like most of our fans, understanding that if someone bids £90m for Jimenez that we have to be sensible. Not going to happen now the season has started but it's a reality that will most likely happen. Liverpool did it with Coutinho, Chelsea with Hazard, it's part of the game. If we don't finish it top four are we really going to stand in the way of Neves, for example, if Man City or even Madrid offer £100m?