Lopetegui Book of Condolences...

[Timberwolf]

Let's be honest, Shi ****ed up moneywise. A stronger CEO would have said no to PJ

He ****ed up on a few, but if we’re damning him for the bad, we have to praise him for the good, right?
And you say, ‘if he was a stronger CEO…’ Well, he said ‘no’ to Lopetegui, took the flak from all quarters for losing Lopetegui and then employing GO’N, which he did purely to save our PL status. That doesn’t sound like a weak CEO to me.
Has he made mistakes? Of course. Has he only made mistakes? Absolutely not.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

Having done a fabulous rescue job to keep us up, where he prioritised points over style, I thought we looked genuinely brilliant in some of our pre-season games.

Largely agree with your post, but I think there's been a lot made of our "brilliant" preseason. The "brilliant' part was one performance against Rennes at Molineux. Whilst you could see he was working on something new and looking to move on from the previous season, I think these amazing preseason performances we were having is a bit of a myth. I mean we looked decent in that one game. That one friendly in preseason against a mid table French team is doing a lot of heavy lifting for how great we were going to be when the season started. In all the other friendlies we looked distinctly below average.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Also, I don’t think we should underestimate the job JL did keeping us up. Including Lage’s last 7 games, we had taken 10 points from the previous 22 matches over a 9-month period. Sheffield United have one more point than that this year (from one fewer game).

We were at a stage where Michael Beale saw QPR as a more attractive proposition to us based on the club’s respective trajectories at that time. And from memory, I can’t recall us being linked with anyone else that people on here were remotely enthused by.

So yes, we were underperforming but the rot and losing mentality had well and truly set in at that point.

What followed in the Summer left a bitter taste for pretty much everyone on all sides but without JL coming, there is a very good chance that we would be a Championship club right now.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Largely agree with your post, but I think there's been a lot made of our "brilliant" preseason. The "brilliant' part was one performance against Rennes at Molineux. Whilst you could see he was working on something new and looking to move on from the previous season, I think these amazing preseason performances we were having is a bit of a myth. I mean we looked decent in that one game. That one friendly in preseason against a mid table French team is doing a lot of heavy lifting for how great we were going to be when the season started. In all the other friendlies we looked distinctly below average.

I thought we looked great against Luton. Didn’t score but absolutely battered them for 75 minutes.

 

[Wonder Boyo]

I thought we looked great against Luton. Didn’t score but absolutely battered them for 75 minutes.

We looked okay but couldn't score against the mighty Luton and they arguably had the best two chances of the game. We were also very fortunate to get a draw against Celtic. It was hardly a brilliant preseason.

 

[Zico]

I largely agree with this. However, based on what I have been told (which is fairly close from the horse’s mouth so obviously there is a degree of self-interest here), he was willing to accept the goalposts had moved the first time.

But when they subsequently changed again from ‘you will be able to sign a number of moderately priced, predominantly young players (in the mould of an Alex Scott)’ to ‘you can’t sign anyone at all…even free transfers’, he felt that was a bridge too far and that there wasn’t the level of trust or understanding between him and the club that there needed to be.

He still felt he could keep us up but that without continued investment, each season would be a scrap against relegation and his ambitions stretched beyond that.

I think at that stage, it probably was the right decision for him personally and us to part ways.

Part of me is intrigued as to whether with sustained investment, he may have been able to do something similar to the job Emery is doing now at Villa (personally, I don’t think so as Emery is a level above) but I’m thrilled with where we have ultimately ended up as O’Neil represents the club fantastically and is doing a phenomenal job.

"Each season would be a scrap against relegation" - well he underestimated the squad then didn't he, because it isn't. He ran away from the challenge.

 

[Zico]

What followed in the Summer left a bitter taste for pretty much everyone on all sides but without JL coming, there is a very good chance that we would be a Championship club right now.

Possibly. It's also possible that other managers might have kept us up with £100 million to spend.

 

[North West Wanderer]

He ****ed up on a few, but if we’re damning him for the bad, we have to praise him for the good, right?
And you say, ‘if he was a stronger CEO…’ Well, he said ‘no’ to Lopetegui, took the flak from all quarters for losing Lopetegui and then employing GO’N, which he did purely to save our PL status. That doesn’t sound like a weak CEO to me.
Has he made mistakes? Of course. Has he only made mistakes? Absolutely not.

when he makes mistakes he makes big ones.
All in all though it’s hard to be too critical taking the bigger picture into account.

 

[Bradstonian]

Where do you go to, Lopetegui
When you're alone in your bed?
Tell me the thoughts that surround you
I want to look inside your head, yes, I do

 

[QB Wolf]

Possibly. It's also possible that other managers might have kept us up with £100 million to spend.

True, but Dawson, Sarabia, Lemina, Gomes, Cunha, what a set of signings, I know not all down to him but he would have been an influence and a draw. Would we want to be without those players now? So JL deserves a lot of credit in my opinion, rather than the comparisons, GON and the set-up now feels like a progression, which is crazy really!

 

[Wolf316]

I think Dawson and Podence had more impact on us staying up but it’s just my opinion.

Podence was in the team when we were bottom of the league.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Possibly. It's also possible that other managers might have kept us up with £100 million to spend.

Very fair.

As I’ve said, I was hugely against the O’Neil appointment at the time. The biggest compliment I can pay him is that if I was given the choice of having him or JL in charge now (even without the baggage from the Summer), I’d choose Gary. And I would have never seen myself saying that.

As others have said, it just feels the right fit for us at the moment.

 

[Zico]

True, but Dawson, Sarabia, Lemina, Gomes, Cunha, what a set of signings, I know not all down to him but he would have been an influence and a draw. Would we want to be without those players now? So JL deserves a lot of credit in my opinion, rather than the comparisons, GON and the set-up now feels like a progression, which is crazy really!

Fair point, and I admit that Lopetegui's behaviour has soured my overall view of him.

 

[Black Country Wanderer]

I dont think JL ever really wanted to be here since the first years of Fosun
I think he sees himself as a top tier manager and us as second tier club
As soon as he realised there was no gravy train for players to come in he was off
I was one of his biggest supporters when he came and thought he genuinely would have taken us to the next level,he still may have done,but his ego was too big and the purse strings too tight for it to work
GON has done great so far, but i think he too will have his limitations as far as next level is concerned
At the end of the day money talks, and we wont be in a position to spend much for a couple of years, so no matter whos here they will find it hard to improve us as a team
At least GON understands that, and is willing to work with what he has and hope for some cut price gems to push us on

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I'm trying to leave it as it's pointless, but just to say the thing that largely gets ignored is the relationship with Shi.

I had a happy time when I believed that Shi had given him an honest sales pitch in November and that Fosun changed their willingness to subsidise us in March.

However that appears not to have been the case, Shi knew the figures all along, let Lopetegui buy Cunha and co, knowing that we'd need to make huge profits in the rest of 22/23 and 23/24. So how could there be any trust in him?

Anyway, he's gone, O'Neil has done an amazing job, all's well that ends well.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Oh no. This thread has returned.

I’m off to hide behind the sofa.

When a thread is resurrected like this one, usually the main purpose is to heap derision on some of the more outlandish old posts and their authors.
This time many of the new posts make for a good read, (and I include the one the one quirky post).

 

[Bostin]

Don't worry, this thread will be resurrected in a couple of months after a couple of losses on the bounce and people want the messiah back

 

[Highlandwolf2]

Irrespective of who might be a better manager (which seems irrefutable anyway) what is certain is after 3 years of pretty dismal football we are now good to watch. Certainty didn't expect it.

 

[Wednesfield:wolfie]

I have no condolences for JL he walked off with millions, Gary is doing a sterling job at a fraction of the price. I do hope we reward him with either a new higher paid contract at seasons end or give him a nice fat bonus for the success he will have made as head coach.

 

[WickedWolfie]

He ****ed up on a few, but if we’re damning him for the bad, we have to praise him for the good, right?
And you say, ‘if he was a stronger CEO…’ Well, he said ‘no’ to Lopetegui, took the flak from all quarters for losing Lopetegui and then employing GO’N, which he did purely to save our PL status. That doesn’t sound like a weak CEO to me.
Has he made mistakes? Of course. Has he only made mistakes? Absolutely not.

Fair and balanced.

 

[WickedWolfie]

"Each season would be a scrap against relegation" - well he underestimated the squad then didn't he, because it isn't. He ran away from the challenge.

You forget though that the squad he had is not the squad we now have. The Nunes money was well spent but certainly wasn't guaranteed.

 

[loppers86]

I'm trying to leave it as it's pointless, but just to say the thing that largely gets ignored is the relationship with Shi.

I had a happy time when I believed that Shi had given him an honest sales pitch in November and that Fosun changed their willingness to subsidise us in March.

However that appears not to have been the case, Shi knew the figures all along, let Lopetegui buy Cunha and co, knowing that we'd need to make huge profits in the rest of 22/23 and 23/24. So how could there be any trust in him?

Anyway, he's gone, O'Neil has done an amazing job, all's well that ends well.

it hasn’t ended well yet. shi is a loose cannon. it only takes hobbs to walk past him without saying hello and hobbs and GON will be gone. jeff shi is a past master at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

 

[tonto]

The facts are JL is the past GON is the present and May well be the future
Keep improving at this rate and Europe is on the cards in the near future

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

I'm wondering why this thread is of any relevance now?

 

[Zico]

You forget though that the squad he had is not the squad we now have. The Nunes money was well spent but certainly wasn't guaranteed.

Sort of, but... first, imagine his reaction when we sold Nunes? Second, we made good investments but how many of them have played a significant part of our season so far? O'Neil has largely selected from the same group, apart from the departures.

 

[VancouverWolf]

I'm wondering why this thread is of any relevance now?

Good question and the short answer is it’s not.
I think it’s because from time to time, a player or coach just somehow is hard to shake off and some interest remains.
I expect this thread to pop up every now and then.

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

Good question and the short answer is it’s not.
I think it’s because from time to time, a player or coach just somehow is hard to shake off and some interest remains.
I expect this thread to pop up every now and then.

I wonder what Mick McCarthy's up to these days?!

 

[Streathamwolf]

Thanks JL for buggering off and allowing every member of the Wolves first team squad to improve under GON. Without your selfish behaviour we wouldn't have Gary and, more importantly, our players wouldn't have had this opportunity to improve and to know what it feels like to be part of a cohesive, hard working and happy pack with a young selfless coach.

Happy Days

 

[I'm the Wanderer]

Will never forgive Loopy for his treatment of our Raul at the last home match.

 

[Bradstonian]

I wonder what Mick McCarthy's up to these days?!

And were we right to sack him when we did?

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

And were we right to sack him when we did?

No, should have been earlier

 

[lets all have a disco]

And were we right to sack him when we did?

8 months too late ..should have gone in the summer after the last day Blackburn result.

 

[Bradstonian]

8 months too late ..should have gone in the summer after the last day Blackburn result.

I wasn't sure if this had been discussed before...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but personally I thought he was sacked too early. (Early in February.) There was plenty of time to turn things round - (indeed Leicester did that themselves from an even worse position a year or so later, if I recall correctly).

 

[lets all have a disco]

I wasn't sure if this had been discussed before...

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but personally I thought he was sacked too early. (Early in February.) There was plenty of time to turn things round - (indeed Leicester did that themselves from an even worse position a year or so later, if I recall correctly).

None of us will ever nw , what could off happened...it's all hindsight, even your opinion...

All we can be sure of is we went down...and we're gone by January ....can someone else off done better we can't be sure..will never be....Mick took us down and then the final nail was O'Connor.... anything else is hindsight.....

 

[Wonder Boyo]

I wonder what Mick McCarthy's up to these days?!

Well it didn't take much to get that started did it?!

 

[northnorfolkwolf]

And were we right to sack him when we did?

Funny to see all the Albion fans now reminiscing about the 5-1. Can't blame them really.

 

[tonto]

No, should have been earlier

Or even later but not then with no replacement

 

[loppers86]

he’s a ****ing mercenary.

he’s a ****ing hero.

 

[Scallywolf]

Loppy can bugger off back to Spain at the end of the season.

Xavi announced tonight that he is leaving Barcelona at the end of the season. They lost 5-3 at home today to Villarreal, who scored 2 goals in added time.

Guedes came on as sub and scored one goal and made another. Mosquera also came on as sub with 12 minutes to go, when it was 3-3. Mosquera never got any real game time with us, but played in a real top game today. Great for his experience. As for Guedes, I just hope it works out for him at Villarreal, so we can get a decent fee for him.

Are you watching, Loppy?

 

[Scallywolf]

he’s a ****ing hero.

No, he ****ing ain’t!