Rumours from the pub

[floydstreet]

I think Doyle on loan for midfield cover and maybe a loan or loan obligation to buy as attacker

I can’t see us doing any more than that

And althoigh I think the squad has good players, I think that’s risky and fosun shouldn’t take risks if they want to sell.

FFP totally holding us back, but there will be a little room for manoeuvre, they just have to intention of using it presently

 

[Munich_Wolf]

Returning from my sulk to share a few wee bits. As I have said repeatedly I am not, and will never claim to be, a Wolves ITK. But I do know people elsewhere in football and the sports media, and it's all a very small world.

I'm as angry as hell at Jeff Shi, and I think that's justified, and a lot of people elsewhere in football have an increasingly poor opinion of him.

Right up until JL walked I was hearing two completely different stories. One saying that there would be no signings at all. One saying that this summer would play out like last summer with a late splurge. I stupidly chose to believe the latter, but that's the last time I put any trust in a club run by Jeff Shi.

Also right up until JL walked I was confident that Fabio would stay because I heard he and JL liked each other. And Fabio believed JL would give him a fair shot. But now I'm not confident of that at all. Who knows what will happen between GON and Fabio.

Everyone I ask tells me Hobbs has the right ideas and is worth supporting. He -more than Sellars- had come up with a blueprint for refocusing the club very much along the lines of the first few McCarthy "young and hungry" years, when the club built an exciting young team with the likes of Kites, etc, from lower leagues and free transfers. But then when JL decided to come that all got thrown out the window for a few months, until it was decided again to go back to that model even though they now had a big-name European manager. But Hobbs has the reigns for the time being. This is much like when Steve Morgan finally stepped back after the Mick-TC-Solbakken-Saunders mess and Thelwell was allowed to steer the recruitment process that led to Jackett. So now we just need to hope Hobbs can steer the club in the right direction and make the right calls even if the man above him isn't to be trusted.

Gary O'Neill is also highly thought of. But not to the level that people think this is a good idea. I do wonder (and completely my own opinion) if Rob Edwards will be in charge next summer.

The club is, has been for two years, and remains, open to be sold. It's just not being actively pushed. Which is part of the stagnation, and part of the identity crisis between the "young, hungry, cheap" model and the "project with big name manager" model. Very much "yeah we'll sell for the right price but we won't go look for a buyer." Guo personally likes the idea of owning a Premier League club, but finances at Fosun dictate they really shouldn't own a premier league club, so Wolves are left a wee bit in limbo with ownership that likes the idea of being owners more than they can actually do the job of owning. As it stands it needs not only someone who can come in and meet Fosun's asking price, but also that person needs to be motivated to initiate contact and do all the running.

Last summer's splurge came at the orders of Guo/Fosun. Shi didn't want it. And in some ways the current "WE CAN'T RISK SPENDING A PENNY" approach is Shi trying to say "I told you so." But that's not to defend Shi at all, because it was his job to manage the club correctly and he's gotten basically every big decision wrong in the last few years. He has not listened to sound advice since near the end of Nuno's reign. Ego's have derailed the club.

Personally? I'm deflated and all out of optimism right now. Which goes against my happy clapper nature. But that's where I am.

I look forward to this post being deleted for being the wrong kind of rumours from the wrong pub or something.

So here we are, 5 straight years in the PL, two 7th place finishes, a Europe League quarter final. Then Matt Hobbs goes "Remember when Hoddle buggered off and MM had no squad so we scrambled around for literally anyone on the market, let's do that again, it was fun"

Jesus we are screwed.

 

[wolfgar]

I’m all for us focusing on recruiting young, highly motivated players, but the term ‘young and hungry’ does make me cringe. Even more so when you are hearing the term bandied about whilst apparently being mostly skint. Deja vu.

 

[StaffordWolf]

I’m all for us focusing on recruiting young, highly motivated players, but the term ‘young and hungry’ does make me cringe. Even more so when you are hearing the term bandied about whilst apparently being mostly skint. Deja vu.

Reminds me of being a student.

 

[Bawtry Wolf]

So here we are, 5 straight years in the PL, two 7th place finishes, a Europe League quarter final. Then Matt Hobbs goes "Remember when Hoddle buggered off and MM had no squad so we scrambled around for literally anyone on the market, let's do that again, it was fun"

Jesus we are screwed.

Whilst there are similarities we’re doing it the other way round. When MM took over we had hired an experienced manager who had been a massive success in the Division, similar to Jackett, didn’t have a squad and went on a primary trolley dash.

In this situation we have done the precise opposite, our squad is actually good with a couple of additions needed. So to make it as difficult as possible we’ve fallen out with the experienced manager and appointed a novice and are trying to sell the squad to replace them with inexperienced players.

 

[wolfgar]

Reminds me of being a student.

All this talk of Gary O’Neill, Shaun Derry, Aaron Cresswell and Michael Antonio has been giving me some real 2010/11 vibes

 

[DDPPwolf313]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

 

[StaffordWolf]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

We can hope.

 

[MattH]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

This was doing the rounds last season. Not sure there's any new info on it?

 

[lets all have a disco]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

There was definitely Americans shown round 12 months or so ago ....

 

[WickedWolfie]

I think Doyle on loan for midfield cover and maybe a loan or loan obligation to buy as attacker

I can’t see us doing any more than that

And althoigh I think the squad has good players, I think that’s risky and fosun shouldn’t take risks if they want to sell.

FFP totally holding us back, but there will be a little room for manoeuvre, they just have to intention of using it presently

Being rather cynical would Citeh/Pep be more likely to loan players to JL-era Wolves or this week's model...... I'm unconvinced that Pep would see Shaun Derry as a great role-model....

 

[Wolf316]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

How reliable is the source?

 

[surreywolf]

Wonder if JL was promised a takeover was coming but it took too long and he got fed up

Then GON is seen as expendable Lambert-style

Still struggle with Shi outright saying we’re not for sale, but saying one thing then doing another doesn’t seem to faze him

We can but hope something is moving

 

[DDPPwolf313]

How reliable is the source?

Not very. But we live in hope

 

[MattH]

Wonder if JL was promised a takeover was coming but it took too long and he got fed up

Then GON is seen as expendable Lambert-style

Still struggle with Shi outright saying we’re not for sale, but saying one thing then doing another doesn’t seem to faze him

We can but hope something is moving

I think you're right about JL and a takeover. Perhaps Jeff fed him the line that investment was imminent to fund summer transfers then what do you know, it fails to materialise.

 

[John Richards 1974]

Rumoured that we only sold one player who was consistently playing in the first team last season

 

[old wittonian]

I wouldn’t personally.. I think we would just spend it on 3 slightly worse players. I don’t see us getting better than those 2 for that spend..

But, we all know if we sold them both, we would only reinvest about 20 at tops anyway.

I agree. I don't think Fosun and Shi could find their arses with both hands.

 

[JayStringer]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

I spent the morning trying to come up with mad schemes to get Goodyear to buy us, before accepting it was just time to take my medication and focus on work. Still, a buyout would be nice.

 

[Eastyorksyeltz]

How reliable is the source?

More likely someone who's been on the sauce.

 

[JohnB]

Rumour I heard was that the Saudi’s are taking over the running of the PL and fixtures will stop after tomorrow.

On the positive we’d finish 12-14th and Villa would be down.

If Carlsberg made football seasons….

 

[JayStringer]

Wonder if JL was promised a takeover was coming but it took too long and he got fed up

Then GON is seen as expendable Lambert-style

Still struggle with Shi outright saying we’re not for sale, but saying one thing then doing another doesn’t seem to faze him

We can but hope something is moving

Takeovers usually come wth their own choice of head coach. Keeping on an existing coach never lasts too long. That said, I would think any potential buyer would be pretty happy with the idea of Lopetegui.

We'll see. I don't believe anything is imminent, but I would Kevin Keegan love it if I was proven wrong.

 

[KBWWFC]

Rumoured that we only sold one player who was consistently playing in the first team last season

Rumoured that we've sold the depth, so if there's an injury we're reliant on the U23s to come in.
Oh, and the good U23s are all out on loan, so these are the ones that couldn't even get shipped out to League 2 clubs

 

[VancouverWolf]

I spent the morning trying to come up with mad schemes to get Goodyear to buy us, before accepting it was just time to take my medication and focus on work. Still, a buyout would be nice.

……………..only if it’s an improvement.

 

[floydstreet]

Wonder if JL was promised a takeover was coming but it took too long and he got fed up

Then GON is seen as expendable Lambert-style

Still struggle with Shi outright saying we’re not for sale, but saying one thing then doing another doesn’t seem to faze him

We can but hope something is moving

I think the change in goalposts was the investment not coming through. US I heard also, assume this would have allowed for some expenditure. When they didn’t secure it …..

 

[VancouverWolf]

Rumour I heard was that the Saudi’s are taking over the running of the PL and fixtures will stop after tomorrow.

On the positive we’d finish 12-14th and Villa would be down.

If Carlsberg made football seasons….

Sorry JohnB but you are daft.
The Saudi plan to take over the PL is a 12-15 year plan……certainly not tomorrow.

Women will not be allowed to games unless accompanied by a male adult and provided their heads are covered.
Fans will be removed from the grounds for any kind of blasphemy, eg,….”oh my god, what a great goal”…….that would be a no-no.
Of course no alcohol would be allowed, so a breath test would be done by security at the gate.
Players will have to take to their knees and bow to Mecca.

 

[surreywolf]

used to try and generate funds to keep them afloat.

Hi, money from wolves is not going to help keep Fosun ‘afloat’. I agree it does look like money is going back to them (so beyond FFP) but we’re a drop in the ocean compared to the sums they’re looking at

 

[TheConcourse]

Does anyone know for sure whether Hobbs did travel to China?

 

[Darvo]

Does anyone know for sure whether Hobbs did travel to China?

Think it was confirmed by Johnny Phillips that he was planned to go out there but that he didn’t actually go.

 

[Oh When the Wolves]

Think it was confirmed by Johnny Phillips that he was planned to go out there but that he didn’t actually go.

Why was he planning to go there?

 

[surreywolf]

It’s

Why was he planning to go there?

More importantly, why was his trip cancelled? Wonder if he was going to present on plans or support Shi in discussions - then wasn’t required to, for whatever reason

 

[WickedWolfie]

Wonder if JL was promised a takeover was coming but it took too long and he got fed up

Then GON is seen as expendable Lambert-style

Still struggle with Shi outright saying we’re not for sale, but saying one thing then doing another doesn’t seem to faze him

We can but hope something is moving

If we are into hypotheticals perhaps that's why JL and his staff are hanging around....

 

[Sussex Wolf]

Why was he planning to go there?

Probably something depressing like, he planned to present a list of modest targets to acquire, but was told there is no money, so don’t bother. I had an experience like that in my career, albeit not football related.

 

[Houston Lobo]

More importantly, why was his trip cancelled?

He booked with whoever ‘organizes’ the summer tours.

 

[top fox wolf]

He booked with whoever ‘organizes’ the summer tours.

Jeff back I China to oversee our upcoming takeover .........red bull anyone

 

[JayStringer]

Rumours of an American buyout from a season ticket holder I know. Take it with a pinch of salt, Chinese whispers and all that

The company that invested in Sevilla a couple years ago were also sniffing around Everton before the FFP charges. I don't think that came to anything. Could they take a look at a 'safer' premier league team? Maybe.

EDIT: 777 Partners is the company I was meaning. Own Genoa and have moved on from Everton but still want a PL club. Lookimg at West Ham and Sheff Utd, no indications they’re looking at us.

 

[Fenrir_]

Why was he planning to go there?

Rumour is he wanted to visit the Great Wall and buy a new wok (not at the same time... obvs)

 

[old wittonian]

It’s

More importantly, why was his trip cancelled? Wonder if he was going to present on plans or support Shi in discussions - then wasn’t required to, for whatever reason

Perhaps we couldn't afford the air fares.

 

[Dan G WWFC]

There was definitely Americans shown round 12 months or so ago ....

I have also heard from sombody reliable that we've had people look around the club last year. No idea about recent

 

[Oxford Wolf]

It’s

More importantly, why was his trip cancelled? Wonder if he was going to present on plans or support Shi in discussions - then wasn’t required to, for whatever reason

It said in the Johny Phillips article that his trip
got cancelled because he had to stay here and find/interview candidates to replace JL

 

[Kcb92]

The company that invested in Sevilla a couple years ago were also sniffing around Everton before the FFP charges. I don't think that came to anything. Could they take a look at a 'safer' premier league team? Maybe.

EDIT: 777 Partners is the company I was meaning. Own Genoa and have moved on from Everton but still want a PL club. Lookimg at West Ham and Sheff Utd, no indications they’re looking at us.

The 777 football mystery - josimarfootball.com

Multiple club-owner 777 – a US private investors group – has a patchy record in honouring its financial commitments and is the subject of several court actions in the USA. So who are they, and where does the money come from?

josimarfootball.com

Please God, no!