Oh my goodness me. That's
>> quite giving the fans something to be
proud of.
Wonder hopefully at this time that can
do this.
Wolves fans, welcome back to the latest
episode of the ENS Wolves podcast
brought to you by the Express and Star
and in association with University of
Wolverampton at the halls. My name is
Johnny Drew. I'm here with Liam Keane
for the final time this season. It's the
last potty of the campaign after the
Premier League season has been wrapped
up. Wolves end it with a 1-1 draw
against Burnley in a positive way.
unbeaten in the last two games, but
Wolves have uh of course finished
bottom. No way wins. Um and yes, we've
known for a while heading to the
Championship and their place has now uh
now been confirmed. They played their
last Premier League game. We're going to
reflect on it all. Some historic moments
with a debut for Jerome Abby and a lot
of transfer talk and contract news to
discuss over the next hour or so. Liam
Kane,
you must be delighted this season's
over, I'm sure.
Oh mate, it's been it's been miserable,
hasn't it? It really has. I mean, if you
don't laugh, you cry. I think I've said
that phrase about 10 times the last 10
podcasts because um it's Look, I don't
want any
>> Have you done any laughing or crying?
>> I better cry.
>> Um I don't want any any fan to, you
know, feel sorry for me for a moment.
You know, I get I get, you know,
obviously grew up a Wolves fan, but you
get paid to go home and away to the
games and and it's a privilege to to do
this job. So, I don't want anyone to
feel sorry for me and I feel sorry for
any fan that's had to to pay to watch a
lot of these games this year, but spare
a small thought for me having to go home
and away watching watching this tribe
this year. For for the most part, it's
been absolutely dreadful. Um, but I tell
you what, mate, you know, the weather's
up. It's boiling hot. Everyone's
sweating and can't breathe and can't
sleep. Um, so it's been a great end to
the season. Um, in fact, actually,
before I even mention that, we before we
came on air, we um on air that sounds
really that sounds really professional.
>> Yeah. Yeah. bit gone a bit big time
there, haven't you? I've
>> gone big time on air.
>> Um we uh we were chatting about weddings
before. So I'm I'm getting married three
weeks uh tomorrow, 18th of June. We're
recording this on Wednesday, obviously.
Um you're getting married. Is it
September times? You say
>> September indeed. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So we're both we're both
getting hitched pretty soon. Um I didn't
I didn't say this to you off off Mike
because I wanted to mention it to you on
it, but obviously with the weather being
amazing, it's been you really nice. I
mean had to go home and away to Burnley
on to home and away there and back sorry
to Burnley um on Sunday which was a
13-hour day because the M6 traffic there
and on the way back decided to be a
nightmare um picking up Golden Boy Luke
Powell on the way obviously looking
after him
>> the gold Monday being bank holiday I was
working
stuck inside when the weather was
unbelievable
but but my Saturday I was off work
My Saturday was interesting. So, we've
been stressing a bit about getting these
orders. We're doing a church wedding.
We've been stressing about getting these
order of services done. So, we borrowed
a printer from my my parents
and we printed all the order services on
Saturday. Got them all printed off, got
them stapled, got them folded, um you
know, looking really nice. All A um A5
size looking really good.
>> It took us eight hours. Oh,
>> we were sat indoors.
>> No one knew, mate. I can imagine you
having a head loss by the end of it.
>> There's a couple moments where I was,
I'm going to throw this printer through
the window.
>> Couple moments when I thought the
wedding might not go ahead.
>> And and I mean, I'm not I'm not slagging
Rosie off by any means, but there was
one moment where I went to I went to
make dinner and and left her to it for
40 minutes
and I come back in and she's managed to
make a mess of it. like the printer
stopped printing it in the right in the
right order. She made a mess of the
paper like and I was like I leave the
room for 40 minutes and then all of a
sudden the the the military uh
organization that we had for these you
know getting them out the printer turn
them around printing the other side back
in the back in the stapler going again.
It was all messed up and I was I was
about to lose my head honestly. Eight
hours sat indoors when it was like god
knows late 20s to early 30 degrees
outside. It was I mean I'm so glad it's
over but it was a painful Saturday and
then having to go to Burnley and then
having to work on the Monday. So yeah
don't don't you know shed any tears for
me. Don't cry for me but my god it was
painful.
>> I'm sure there'll be a bit of sympathy
out there. I can imagine you being a bit
of a wedding planner army sergeant. You
know everything's got to work in uh in
stages and if it goes
>> a little bit I mean to be fair Rosy's
very organized as well and I think we've
been a we've been a pretty good team for
for the most part.
>> Sounds like a good duo. We we I mean
we're coming to the back end of it now.
I mean we literally just got the last
couple bits to sort of get ourselves
organized. It's more like the logistics
of like you know cars to the church and
then to the venue and all that kind of
rubbish now. So we're getting there.
We're almost there. Um I just got no
money left and I'm I'm ready to go on
holiday. So uh yeah to to answer your
question, long story short, I'm so glad
the season's over. Put it that way.
>> There we go. We got there in the end.
long long and roundabout way involving
broken printers and a and an angry
keynote. But yeah,
>> obviously the printer and stapler are
right here. I could I could happily
never see them again in my life. I was
it was so painful.
>> He's glad the season's over. Wolves
fans, I'm sure you're glad the season's
over. Rob Edwards is probably glad the
season's over and as are the Wolves
players. They ended their campaign on
Sunday with a draw at Burnley. Uh went
one nil up through a Adam Armstrong
penalty. Ironically, given Wolves's
tackles with V in recent years, it was a
V penalty that saw them in front. Should
have probably been further ahead. Well,
should have been definitely further
ahead at the break and then probably as
many would predicted a poor second half
conceded and had to settle for a point.
Noway wins all season. Finished bottom
of the table. Uh, Kino, was it kind of
a game which summed up various parts of
Wolves season at times kind of
looked like they might do something and
then ultimately showed why they are
where they are.
>> Yeah, pretty much. I mean, you've got
sort of almost a glimpse a little bit to
the future with, you know, a back four
again. And I mean again similar to last
week against Fulham was a little bit of
a hybrid where Rodrigo Gomez is is
tucking in when necessary but
essentially a back four um you know an
extra attacking player on the pitch. Man
more central sort of going for it and
and trying to you know go and win the
game. You see a little bit of a glimpse
um not just in terms of setup but also
how they play. You know Wolves Wolves
had about 29.6%
possession for the for the full 90
minutes. Um, and that that was roughly
the same for the first half as well. And
but what they did and really didn't
didn't off a lot in the first half at
all. I I didn't think you know a couple
of set pieces, a couple of shots from
distance, that was about it. Um,
otherwise what Wolves did, they they
didn't play for possession, which is
quite often what Rob Edwards does with
his teams. Didn't play for possession,
but they played for quick transitions.
And it was working really well. You
know, they got a few good opportunities
on the counter. Uh Mane had a brilliant
solo effort that was I didn't actually
realize it was saved at first when I
first saw it, but I saw a replay and it
was tipped onto the post. Um so an
excellent save from Vice in in the
Burnley Burnley goal. So yeah, there was
there were moments to to go and win
that. So as I say, a bit of a glimpse to
what Wolves might be next year, a
glimpse to some of the positives there
have been under Rob Edwards. And there
has been some. You can't I don't think
anyone can suggest there's been none.
But how many times have we seen Wolves
be really different after the break?
Whether it's a good first half and a bad
second half or vice versa and it was a
bad second half and particularly a bad
start to that second half. They come out
really slow, really sluggish. Burnley
have, you know, a little bit of the
ascendancy with a couple of early set
pieces and then they can they score.
Look, it's a good finish from Zean
Fleming, but it's it's an avoidable goal
from Wolves's perspective. you know,
getting to the second balls, closing
players down quicker, all of the sort of
basics that they don't do. And and if it
wasn't for Jose Sar making a handful of
really good saves, I mean, Bernie would
have won that game in that second half
as well. So on the balance of it, a
point was fair. Wolves had the better of
the first half, Burnley better the
second. And yeah, to to sort of sum it
up in the way you've described it, it it
encapsulated Wolves' season in many
ways, good moments, but lacking a bit of
substance and some really poor moments
as well. And really poor moments that
are going to, you know, stick in the
crawl a little bit because that was a
winnable game. I mean, Burnley in that
first half were really, really poor, I
thought. So yeah, I think a tinge of
disappointment really, but as I said in
the last potty, it was a big game I felt
for Rob Edwards for a lot of reasons and
the fact that he didn't lose it. Um,
we'll come on to a bit more about fans
and other players and stuff in a bit
later in the potty. Um, but the fact he
didn't lose the game and got, you know,
the reception was okay, I thought that
he's he's come out of it, you know, in a
decent enough position considering that
if it wasn't for S Wolves would have
lost that game in that second half.
Yeah, we'll we'll touch on that
reception for some of the players and a
different type of reception from the
Walls fans that we've seen, you know, in
in recent week. It sounds like they got
fed up a boon and just fancy doing a bit
of clapping to be honest. Um
there's a lot of things we could go
into. You know, I think the main thrust
of that Kino is that it kind of
encapsulated what Wolves have done this
season. I want to focus on the big
positive of uh of Sunday which was the
debut for Jerome Abby who was named on
the bench earlier in the season against
Bournemouth. I think the story was he
was he was uh pulled out of a an English
lesson to go and train with the first
team and then he was named on the bench
on the Saturday. Uh this week he was
doing his GCSE English literature exam
on Thursday and on Sunday he was making
Premier League history for Wolves. The
youngest player to play for Wolves in
the top flight. The second youngest
player ever to play for Wolves. Um his
story is is a really interesting one. He
comes from a a trio of brothers who've
who've turned out for for Wolves at
various stages. two of them. I think
it's Jez and Jed who played in the
academy and now play non-league
football. Um Jerome Abby seems to be the
next one off the production lineer to be
handed your your kind of your
professional debut but also a Premier
League debut as well is uh is quite a
feat really Kino um despite Wolves's
kind of situation.
Is he someone who we may just see around
it next season? you know, he's not going
to be the main man, but to be handed
your debut at that age means you have
something about you. You know, could
we've seen Rob Edwards and a chance to
obviously Matteas Mané came in and made
a big impact. It's been Tom Dozi. Is
Jerome Abby someone who could be in and
around the first team squad in the
Championship next season?
>> Yeah, a lovely lovely moment for the
young man. Um, 16 years, eight months,
and eight days old. Um, yeah, a really
big sort of show of faith from Rob
Edwards in in him. And just to very
quickly, I suppose touch on on how he
actually got on. I mean, I've said this
a lot about young players coming through
and a lot of the other young players. I
mean, whether it's Nathan Fraser or Joe
Hodgej or
Condell or Towanda Cherea or whoever it
might be, Cham Campbell. Um, and I know
Trey was still at the football club, but
I think it's probably a likelihood that
he he might go elsewhere potentially. he
hasn't, you know, foos loans haven't
worked out. Um, a lot of these players
have sort of come through and there's
been excitement about them and they
haven't really sort of gone on to to do
it in Wol's first team. The only one
that's really done that recently has
been Matteas Mane. Um, you'd have to go
back to to Kilman or or Gibbs White for
for players that are closer to to to you
know players that have come through the
academy and done it. Um, and obviously
man's been been fantastic. So I always
say that, you know, unless they're a
generational talent, unless it's someone
like a Wayne Rooney coming in at 16
years old for Everton, you're not
expecting any player to come in and grab
the game by the scruff of the neck and
dominate it and, you know, against
seasoned pros and physical players that
Burnley do have. So you you never expect
that from him. Um, and that isn't what
what he did. And and that's not a
criticism at all. What I thought he did
do is I thought he actually did pretty
well. I thought he I thought he did the
basics really well. I thought when he
did have the ball, he was confident and
calm on it. Off the ball, I thought his
movement and positioning was really
intelligent. Very much sort of, I
suppose the maybe the way in which the
game was developing at that point is
that Wolves were defending a lot. Um,
but he was very much sitting next to
Andre. Um, being that sort of shield in
front of the defense. Um, and I thought
he he did everything really well. Um,
definitely didn't look out of place.
Definitely didn't look like he was he
was nervous or struggling. looked really
composed, really calm, and did the
basics well without doing anything that
was going to sort of, you know, grab
headlines. But, um, that's all he needed
to do because it's a, you know, it's a
massive moment for someone of of such a
young age to to get that opportunity.
So, yeah, fair play to him. Um, you
know, he'll have done himself and his
family proud. Um, and as you say,
obviously a few connections locally with
um I think he goes to Thomas Townford
School as well, doesn't he? So, yeah,
lot a lot of local connections and um,
yeah, really pleased for him. So
obviously spoke to Rob about him
afterwards um and he was he said you
know he thought he did well was pleased
with him and said that you know young
players will get a chance with him if
they're good enough and they prove
themselves to be good enough. Now that's
you know the big question will he be
able to do it next year. So physically
obviously he's very young and you know
you you he's not going to be up to the
standard of someone who is I don't know
let's say 25 years old in terms of
physically but I don't think he looked
you know small or slight physically. I
thought he had a little bit about him as
well. So that's a really good sign I
think because you're going to have to
have that physicality in English
football to to make you know to to get
through really. Some players can can do
without it but a lot of them can't. So I
think he needs he needs that and I think
that's a good sign. I think it's tough
really to to to predict whether he'll
be, you know, getting regular minutes or
or even, you know, a few appearances
next season because, you know, we've
seen someone like a Wes Kadua come
through and and not really, you know,
step onto that next chance and maybe
need to, you know, alone. So, maybe
that's the direction they'll go in. Um,
but it's been done before. Man's come in
and and been fantastic, hasn't he? So, I
think he's got examples there to see,
you know, what he can do and and and
the, you know, the areas that he can
improve and and how what he needs to do
to get into the team. Um, but I don't
think there's any pressure on him to to
go, you know, be playing regularly or or
playing even semi-regularly in the
Championship next season. He's not even
17 until September. So, you know, the
season will have long been underway by
then. Um, so yeah, he's very young. I
think give him a bit of time, but, you
know, Rob's willing to give players an
opportunity if they're good enough,
regardless of age. And I think as long
as they get the balance right amongst
the squad, I I see that as only a good
thing to be honest, because look what
man's gone and done. Is that one of the
positives of Ed Edwards? I know there's
not many that Wolves fans will cling on
to at the moment. You know, he he has
come in heavy criticism and pressure,
you know, he is going to be round for
next season. Um
but where other managers even in the
situation that Wolves have been in, you
know, the fact that Sunday was a dead
rubber,
um
he's still been willing to put these
guys in, you know, Adozi and Abby and
some of the managers just wouldn't touch
that, you know. Is that is that one of
the big positives with Edwards because
of kind of the journey he's been on? A
lot of it will be, you know, he
obviously was coaching in the Wolves
Academy, you know, he's in the England
setup as well. You know, there's not a
lot of managers that are willing to give
youngsters a chance, you know, and the
situation might lend it to itself.
Wolves going to be down in the
Championship. They're going to have one
of the better squads, you know, better
players in and around these youngsters.
But a lot of managers shy away from
doing it now because obviously the
longevity of a manager is you know it's
not long at all but because of Edwards's
background is that one of the big
positives going into the championship
that you know if he feels that these
players will be good enough he will give
them a chance because in the past I'm
sure a Wolves other clubs as well there
have been players that probably have
been good enough but managers haven't
been willing to give them a chance. It
seems that Edwards you know is not going
to hesitate if he feels that they are
good enough. I think he deserves credit
for it. And the and the obvious example
is Mane, isn't it? Because
let's, you know, let's look at exactly
what happened. Let's let's remember it
factually. Um, Matteas Mane was given
his debut at home against Brighton, I
believe it was, at Molu under Vital
Prair this time last year. Well, roughly
this time last year.
Uh, he then said after the game, Betole,
that Mane would be would do something
special in the Premier League and would
be part of Wolves squad next season.
signed a contract, stuck around at the
club, and VTO didn't play him. Didn't
didn't barely had him around any squads,
didn't have him involved at all. Um now
I understand you know it was a bad start
to the season and you know you got to
you know make make decisions and live
and buy live and die by those decisions
but
it was James Collins who took over as I
think it was the Chelsea away games the
one game he had brought money back in
and then Rob Edwards to his credit gave
Mané the opportunity to to to be around
the team regularly and then to get that
first start which I think was Liverpool
away wasn't it and then keep him in the
team for 14 games just before he was
very briefly dropped and then brought
back in again. And yeah, he's had, you
know, he's had a dip in form, man, which
is going to happen because he's not he's
never, you know, at his age, he's never
going to be, you know, the best player
on the pitch every single week, but he's
I think he's coming to some good form of
the last couple games again back end of
the season. A really good time actually
for him just to, you know, leave that
lasting memory in fans minds as well.
And Rob deserves credit for for giving
him that chance because the the facts
are that, you know, VTO didn't do that
um last early earlier this season, first
half of the season. So yeah, I think
it's a good sign. I think it's a good
thing that you're going to give young
players a chance, but it has to be the
right opportunities. Has to be the right
players. They have to be ready and it
has to be the right balance for the
team. You can't just bring, you know,
six or seven academy players through for
next season and have a team that's not
good enough to compete in the
championship. Um, and Wolves will know
that, Rob Edwards will know that. So,
you have to find the right balance and
there has to be the right players and
the right opportunities and and you
know, they have to be ready and they
have to be good enough. Um, but if they
are, there's no harm at all in giving
them a chance and and I I like it. I
like seeing players coming through.
Jerome Abby, I like the fact that he's,
you know, a relatively local lad. He's
got got himself an opportunity. I like
the fact that Tomozi comes off the bench
and scores against Arsenal, gets a late
equalizer and we'll see what happens
with him obviously going forward. Um I'm
trying to remember, but I think it was
the 4-nil away at West Ham when Adoszi
came on as well in that game very late
on and actually had a couple of nice
moments, couple of nice touches. I
remember he took one player on down the
by line, got a cross in. So, and
obviously Man's, you know, we've all
seen how good he is and what he's done.
So, it can only be a a positive thing
for me if it's done right. And so far, I
think it has been done right. And all
the criticism towards Rob Edwards, and I
understand a lot of it, I I really do.
This is one thing I think he deserves
credit for.
Moves us on, segueing nicely into
talking about Matteas Mane. Um,
decent spell, decent kind of game on
Sunday in spells. Um, Kino sends me a
list over every week and he's put Mane
selfishness pros and cons which I had to
ask him about before the before the
potty. But for all his talent, Kino is
there still a lot to learn for for the
youngster. You know, there was some
times on Sunday where, you know, other
players were in better positions and
he's gone it alone.
you know, for all the kind of quality we
know he has, is there still more
development to come from Mali? And in a
way that is that the most exciting thing
about him that, you know, there is still
some way to go till we see the very very
best of Matteas Mané.
>> I'm really glad that you framed that at
the end of your question in a positive
way because this is this is what I this
is the sort of the the place I'm coming
from by talking about this. This is this
is not coming from a place of, you know,
trying to bring the lad down or or or
sort of unfairly criticize him. Um
because I think he's brilliant. I really
do. I think he's a really good lad. He's
very very confident. Um and I'm not
saying that again in a negative in a
negative way. Um I think that confidence
is good, but I think he's a really good
lad. I think he's a really good player.
Um and the fact that from what we're
being told from the player and from the
manager, you know, Mane is committed to
being in the Championship next season
with Wolves, I think that's a really
good sign. So yeah, I I I I talk about
this and I come from a place of
knowing how good he is and knowing he
can be better. And to your point, it's
exciting that I think he can be better.
So I thought he had a good game. I
thought he was his best outfield player
um against Burnley. I thought Jazz Sar
was up there, you know, in terms of
performance for Wolves, but in terms of
outfield players, he was probably his
best. Um I mentioned already that solo
run and that save um that you almost
scored in the first half. It comes from
a really really good um tackle quite
deep by Hangi Chan actually. Um pops the
ball pops up to Angel Gomez who plays a
forward pass sort of a semi sidewards
forward pass into the right channel
where Mane sort of drifted into and he
initially lovely little control and turn
and takes two players two players out
the game straight away. Charges forward
with it has options and goes it alone
and is about to score unless it's until
it's a really good save. But there were
other moments where he's just got to
make the right decision. There was
another one in the first half where he
breaks forward. The Wolves are three on
three or three on two I think and he's
got Rodrigo Gomez to his right, Adam
Armstrong to his left. Both of them in
shooting positions, both of them in the
box. And he goes alone from about 20 25
yards and blazes it really wide, really
high and wide and nowhere near. And
there's a second one in the second half
as well. Um there's a slip from a
Burnley player. Adam Armstrong picks the
ball up. He's charging towards goal.
There's another slip from another
Burnley player as well when the ball
reaches Mané and he's got a pass back
into Armstrong for what should be a
really good opportunity to score. Um,
and this is already at 1-1 as well
obviously with with Burnley scoring
early in the second half. And he he goes
it alone again and doesn't get anywhere
near it with his shot. And on both
occasions, Armstrong on both them and
Rodrigo in the in the first one as well,
the players around him were sort of
noticeably frustrated. Um Armstrong in
particular was really venting some
frustration towards him. Sort of asking
why he's not looking for the pass,
asking why he's not finding him when he
makes these intelligent runs. And
Armstrong does make quite a lot of
intelligent runs that aren't found by
teammates as well, which is a side note.
That's what the Wolves need to to fix
next season. So, so I do think he needs
to find the balance and and I asked and
I was speaking to another another
journalist over text about this when I
was going back and forth and it sort of
gave me the idea to speak to Rob about
it and obviously speak about it here and
the words that we used were selfishness
but selfishness can be a good thing you
know when you you know you go and create
opportunities or score goals and a bad
thing when you do what man done in those
couple of examples um so I sort of
pitched it to Rob in the question and he
said he wouldn't use that word the
phrase he would use would be
decision-making and he'll learn and
he'll get better and he'll be better
next season. So, he essentially he
agreed with me just didn't agree with
the wording of it and I do think it's
something that he needs to improve on.
But to to finish this point and to and
to to take a leaf out of your book with
the the phrasing, it is exciting that he
has got, you know, other step ups to
make and he's got other areas to improve
because I think he's he's been pretty
good this season as it is done really
well last couple games and I think he'll
be really good in the Championship.
we've always get the squad around him
properly, get a really strong starting
11 around him, I think he'll have a big
season next year.
>> Yeah. And that's just as you were saying
that talking then something popped in my
head. You look at his ability and the
fact that he's not only just hold held
his own in the Premier League. Yeah.
He's had a bit of a dip in form in
recent months and we've seen him kind of
recovering from that. But he is very
young and that's going to happen, but
he's, you know, he was huge in in a
couple of those victories for Wolves in
that little purple patch under Rob
Edwards kind of in the new year.
He's never looked out of place. He's
looked very good. There's obviously that
interest from elsewhere. Bigger clubs
are obviously going to have a look at
him because of his age. He's committed
to Wolves.
Looking at the championship for next
season, if Mane is full, fit and firing
and Wolves have a very good summer of
recruitment, I genuinely think someone
like Matteas Manley could be the best
player in the Championship next season
from what I've seen of the Championship
in recent times, you know, and that is a
big it's a big statement to make, but I
think he's got all the hallmarks, all
the ability to
I'm not saying build the team around
him, but have a massive say in Wolves
going back up, you know, and he could
well be one of the best players in the
division. I genuinely feel that because
he is he is that good, but like we said,
he still has so much more to give. Yeah,
it'll be a tough Championship next year
with the teams that are in there. Don't
get me wrong, and it's not an easy
league anyway.
But look at the spaces he he took up
against Burnley and the areas in which
he got the ball. And yeah, he didn't
make the right decision on a couple of
them, but he was still in those areas
and still causing problems. He'll get
against most championship teams next
season. He'll get that space a lot more
a lot a lot more often. Burnley like
Wolves are pretty rubbish this year. I I
expect them to be better next year.
There'll be a lot of championship teams
down there that he'll get those
opportunities, he'll get that space,
particularly on the transition. If can
get that right and be really sort of
front foot and exciting on the
transition, which I think is how Rob's
going to play, he's going to get loads
of areas to cause to cause damage to
other teams. And if he gets his
decision- making right and has a little
bit of quality on the end of his either
final pass or shot or whatever it might
be, I I I think he could be a really big
player next year for Wolves. I really
do. Um but I I do stress that you've got
to have the right team and right squad
around him. But if they get that right
and keep him involved and hopefully
injury injury free and and uh and
getting the chances, I think he'll have
a big season.
>> Talking players who probably won't be
around next season. um developments with
Jiao Gomez. It looks like he is, you
know, obviously leaving the club. Um
there's comments from Rob Edwards about
Jose Sar and Hang and the likes after
the game at Burnley. Um it looks like
Sar has played his last game. We've said
for quite a while it looks like Hang is
is going to depart following
uh relegation. I think there was a few
emotions at the end of the game, Kino,
with with the Wolves players in front of
the in front of the supporters. Um is it
the start? Do you expect these kind of
these exits to happen quite soon? You
know, there's obviously some where
decisions are going to be made. Phil
Lopez, for example, who we will talk
about later in the podcast, but do you
expect people like S and possibly Huang,
do you expect Wolves to kind of push
them deals through to get them done as
early as they can?
>> I think they'll want to do a lot of
business early. Um, and that isn't just
incomings, that will be outgoings as
well. Obviously, Rob Edwards has said
this publicly as well, but we know this
following Wolves and we know because of
the the World Cup and we know how it is
in terms of the transfer market. There
is no chance Wolves will have all their
business done for preseason. It's just
not going to happen. Um what they need
to do is make a few early moves because
it will get fans on board and excited
and I think that will do them the world
of good. And to your point, I think if
you can get a few of these early
outgoings as well, it means that like
with Aras and Agadu and Lassen in
January, it means that, you know,
they're those ones already out the way,
aren't ones they have to worry about
later in the window. So, they can get
some early ones done. They don't have to
worry about off offloading them in
August when they're struggling uh to to,
you know, to get deals done or get other
deals over the line. So, I think that is
important, but I do think the natural
change of this squad just needs to
happen as quickly as they possibly can.
Um yeah, Jomes wasn't involved at
Burnley, not in the squad whatsoever.
The official line from Rob Woods is he
was feeling his knee. Um
yeah, it's an interesting uh
I'll leave it at that. It's it's an
interesting um description. Um Jose S
obviously I thought he had a fantastic
game actually. I didn't know there were
similarities between Atletico Madrid and
knee
>> to to make the point he is going to be
going and Atletico Madrid obviously
locked in talks with Wolves and we
expect that to be done.
>> It's a funny one isn't it because when
managers come out with stuff like that
oh he's he's feeling his hamstr
he's he's probably on the verge of
leaving or a deal's going through. It's
not just wolves you know
>> you saying that not me I wouldn't I
would never I would I wouldn't dare say
that. Um no he obviously has got to be
going and that deal's not far away from
being done with Leaf. So yeah, I suspect
that'll happen. Um he's a he's an
Atletico Madrid player all day long by
the way, isn't he? In terms of his style
and what he So I think Wolves fans and
me included. I think we you know you
wish him well going and and um and I
think Wolves will get decent fee for him
as well. So yeah, that that one we're
expecting to happen. Sar thought had an
excellent game against Burnley. Um I've
been critical of Assar at times, fairly
so. I think he's very erratic and a bit
all over the place and he's never a
captain in the in in any stretch any
definition of the word captain. that is
not Jose S whatsoever. Um but credit
where it's due he had a really good game
against Burnley and he is a very good
shots stopper but um as I you know asked
Rob about both Xiao and uh and Jose
after after the game and he said that
you know both of them may have played
their last game for the club. I think we
know that that's that may is is very
likely isn't it? Um just on Hang um Hang
was actually very quickly actually with
Saw he did spend time with the fans as
well sort of you know throwing some
gloves into the crowd spent quite a lot
of time sort of waving and essentially
saying goodbye which I think was quite
telling and then yeah on Huang he was
kind of emotional at full time. I saw
Rob sort of chatting to him quite
intently and then having a bit of a
cuddle with him and um he obviously was
clapping the the fans alongside the rest
of the squad. Rob didn't quite go as far
said you know we'll see what happens
with someone like him. Um, but I'm led
to believe that it's very likely he'll
he'll move on. Hence why I wrote the
story in the way I did after the the
game against Burnley. So, we're
expecting he'll be a one. Those three
will be three of, you know, several
players that will that will leave the
the football club. Um, and then there
was a lot of chance for all of them to,
you know, sort of say goodbye um with
with with the fans at full time. And it
was really interesting actually with the
fans because
obviously I mean first of all they were
tremendous all all afternoon. They
really were. I mean, they were really
loud. Um, singing all the way through
back in the team as well as sort of
having a bit of fun themselves,
obviously in the sun, having a few
beers. I think everyone was happy the
season was over, but they really
traveled in their numbers and were
really, really impressive. Um, and then
at full time, obviously, when some
players or Rob have gone over, there's
been and more Rob than anything really,
there has been a negative reaction. It
was interesting that I mean all the
players went very close to the away end.
Obviously at Molyneu they've been sort
of standing a bit further back and Rob's
gone forward on his own a bit a bit
closer. So all of the players went
pretty close this time which is not a
surprise. Rob did as well but he didn't
sort of go to the very front. He sort of
stood amongst them rather than going to
the very front. From what I could see
and and people that were there or seen
stuff on social media, you can correct
me if I'm wrong, but from what I saw at
the time and what I've seen afterwards,
I didn't see anything negative. it all
seemed fairly fairly positive chanting
throughout the game and at full time was
all about we're going to win the league
and come back up. Um and it was that
sort of air of positivity about the fans
which um you can't criticize them for
not having because it's been a dreadful
season and they've had to they've had to
suffer through it but I didn't expect
that. I expected maybe a little bit more
negativity particularly maybe towards
Rob.
>> Do you think that's it's got to a point
now where it was the last game of the
season? You know, they've had a couple
they've had a couple of draws to end the
season of the fans just gone.
>> It's almost we know Edwards is going to
be here in the summer. You know, we know
he's probably going to well, he's going
to be in charge for next season now.
Kind of what's the point
>> in showing that animosity towards him.
And that's not me saying that fans
shouldn't because I think there are
rightly Rob Edwards is coming for
criticism. But yeah, you know, as it got
to that point where it's, ah, Premier
League stay has come to an end, you
know, hopefully there's more positive
times ahead. What's the point in kind of
continuing to bash the manager? You
know, don't get me wrong, if he goes and
loses three of the first five games of
the Championship, we'll see those scenes
again. But
from looking at the out from the outside
in, if I was a Wolves fan in that crowd,
that would probably have been my kind of
attitude. You know, he's going to be
here. you know, let's appreciate some of
those players that are going, yes, they
haven't stepped up this season, you
know, they have delivered in the past.
Some of them, you know, and they've just
wanted to end the season on a
I'm not going to say a positive note,
but a little bit of positivity by
looking ahead to what could happen next
season.
>> Yeah, I think that was the attitude. I
think it was also more
they were just enjoying themselves. I
think I think the fact Wolves didn't
lose the game helped as well.
>> Yeah. Um although the second half
obviously wasn't great for a lot of
reasons but yeah I I think that was
quite telling and actually I think
Wolves and and Rob spoke about it in the
press conference actually as well and he
made a point about speaking about the
fact that you know the fans want to go
with us. They want to they want to back
us all that kind of stuff. I think
Wolves and Rob Edwards should look at
that as a massive positive. Now there'll
obviously be criticism towards Robin and
and I agree with you a lot of it
warranted a lot of it rightly so. Um
and a lot of fans still won't be won't
be happy with him sticking around
but they have to take the fact that you
know those supporters in the stadium
were very much looking towards the
future were very much looking towards a
positive future in terms of what they
were chanting and their attitude and I
think if Wolves should should take a you
know some heart from that and suggest
that right well if we can carry them
with us if we can make the right
decisions if we can make a good start to
next season there's something here to to
build with there's something here to go
with. I mean, obviously we're going to
talk about Andre in a minute, but the
Andre news would have helped us with
that sort of attitude as well. So, yeah,
I think um I think Wolves should be
really pleased actually with with that
reaction and how that ended, how you
know, the final scenes of the season
were one of almost a little bit of
unity, which I didn't really expect to
see. And I think they have to take
everything they can. They have to
squeeze every last drop of positivity
they can out of that because there's not
been a lot to hold on to. and and if
Wolves are smart, um they'll act quickly
to try and maintain that good feeling.
>> Uh let's move on to a little bit of
chatter about the summer. We obvious
know it's going to be a huge one. We've
said it about a million times this
season, so probably in the last three
weeks. Um there's going to be a lot of
players going, you know, players coming
in. We talked about Ralph Gimenez and
the links last week after his comments
to the Express and Star. Since then, we
we've seen a few more, haven't we, Kino?
Um, as you reported exclusively for the
Express and Star, Wolves have held talks
with uh, England for former England
fullback uh, and Newcastle man Kieran
Trippy who's out of contract at St.
James's Park would be a huge coup for
Wolves. Before we talk about what
Wolves need, really need this summer,
the main important points, you know,
what what did you think of that
initially? Because I know when a lot of
fans saw it, they were maybe taken a
back a bit. Yes, Wolves are going to
have a good pull in in the championship.
They're going to be one of the well,
they are going to be one of two of the
biggest fishes in the Championship pond
next season. So, you know, so they're
going to have the pull of players, but
someone like Trippia, did it take you by
surprise? I know it certainly took some
of the supporters by surprise.
>> Yeah, I I don't think the news or my
information of having talks with him
necessarily took me by surprise. um
because I know that that's the area, not
the only area, but one of the areas that
they're looking at in terms of, you
know, leadership and experience uh with
with bringing players in. Um
it would maybe be a tiny bit of a
surprise if they if they're able to pull
it off. Um I don't think it's impossible
by any means. I made this very clear in
the story that Wolves have got a lot of
competition for him. Um but there have
been conversations. Rob Edwards has been
involved in these kind of conversations
um to try and I I wouldn't use the word
convince necessarily but to try and sort
of you know get something over the line
with the player to try and to try and
sell the the project to the player. Uh
at 35 years old he still played I think
he I think he started 18 games for
Newcastle actually I don't know whether
he started um the game of the weekend so
it might have been 19 but he started a
good amount of games in the Premier
League for for for Newcastle this season
even at 35 when they've got some good
players in there. I know they've had
injury issues, but Livermento and Hall
and and players like that. And
obviously, Trippia can play either side.
He's prim primarily on the right, but
has played on the left before. You know,
he's got a lot of experience
internationally. Um I think he's still a
a good athlete. He's going to have lost
a yard of pace at 35 and there's going
to be certain things you got to take
into account. You know, I don't think
he'll play if Wolves were to sign him,
he's not going to go and play 46 games
uh on the on the on the spin of the
Championship next season. you're going
to have to have the right again the
right squad and the right balance of the
squad and that goes for Gimenez as well
and other players that you're going to
bring in that might be slightly older
but I think he'd be a really good
addition um to to towards his squad in
terms of quality but also leadership and
and experience so so yeah there have
been there've been talks there was very
keen to do it they've obviously spoken
to someone like a James Tiveria as well
as an area they're looking at that right
back area and um we'll we'll wait and
see if they're able to pull it off I I
hope they do because I think it'd be
fantastic but Um yeah, it's one one to
keep an eye on, but there's a lot of
interest from other clubs as well.
>> In terms of that, you you said it's an
area WS want to target. We've talked
about it a lot, you know, in terms of
captaincy and leadership and needing
people in, you know, and and Trippia
kind of fits that mold. Is it a case
they need maybe two or three of those
players to then you know hang the talent
that they've got that will stay around
that you know your Andre you know
potentially Phil Lopez which we'll come
on to Mane you know hopefully people
like Rodrigo Gomez you know do you see
them going and bringing in for my point
is we're looking at players here that
are 35 34 you know coming a towards the
end of their careers but still have got
a lot to give you I'm sure Wolves fans
don't want to see Wolves go and sign
eight players in their mid to late 30s,
you know, even though it brings a lot of
experience. You know, will they go and
look get two or three of those and then
focus their efforts elsewhere in the
transfer market for kind of younger
quality talent that can do it in the
Championship?
>> Yeah,
>> I think the point is they need to
they're probably going to be looking to
do have a balance of that. you know,
obviously bring that experience in, but
not too many kind of older players, if
that makes sense.
>> No, I think they have to. I think the
the the sort of blend of it and the
balance of it is really important. Um,
but they do need some of those players
because they've got, you know, you can
have certain players that lead by
example and Gimenez is probably one of
those if if you were to sign him, but
someone like a Trippia, if you were to
sign him, he's not just someone that
leads by example, he's someone that will
hold players to account in that in that
dressing room. I don't know if you saw
the other day um Osula for Newcastle
scored and then he did that Michael
Jackson celebration at a time when
Newcastle you know not really been
winning games been struggling the fans
are fuming
>> and Trippy is looking at him and he
holds him to account and he tells him
and it's like what the hell are you
doing and this is the kind of thing you
need because a lot of younger players in
the modern game can get carried away at
the wrong time and you need to you need
to have someone that is going to is
going to turn around and give someone
you know a bit of a bollockin at times.
Um, Wolves don't really
>> I'm going to have to edit that out now.
Kina,
>> no, that's fine. That that can go.
>> It's the end of the season. No one
cares.
>> That's one of the season. That That one
can go. That one's fine. Um, as I said
it, I was like, uh, will you edit? You
don't need to edit that. It's fine.
>> Just for disclaimer, this is a family
podcast. We apologize for any bad
language.
>> Um, so wolves don't really have that and
they need that. Um, and this sort of
links to what wolves need, one of the
things they need for for the summer. And
we said it all along about the
captaincy. Totty Gomez really good
professional and a good good person but
not you know an out and out captain.
>> Jose Sar a bit erratic a bit nuts at
time at times not a captain material.
Matt Dockerty it looks like he's leaving
the club by by all account. I mean we've
said this for ages that it's likely he's
going to go anyway. Um but again we're
always someone that sort of was a bit
quieter in the dressing room and has
maybe found his voice recently because
of the fact that there's no one else in
that wolf squad that can do it.
>> And then Jiao Gomez um who you know
again a kind of player that sort of
leads by the way he plays rather than
how he sort of talks or who he is off
the field. So Wolves don't look you
don't have to have someone that's always
constantly screaming and shouting but I
think you have to have the right blend
of characters in the in the in the squad
as well and Wolves haven't haven't had
that. So, Trippia fits that mold if they
were able to get him and and I think
they will look at other players to to
fit that mold as well. Um because they
obviously may or may not get Trippier
and they'll probably want more than one
of those in the squad anyway. So, it's
something that really does need to be
addressed.
>> Yeah, it's a huge summer. You know,
there are main areas that is one main
area. what whether it's positionally
Kino or otherwise you know what else do
Wolves need to get right aside from that
kind of captaincy issue that experience
issue that has been lacking so much just
give me one or two other areas that they
have to get right before the start of
the champ well not before the start of
the championship season but for the
championship and to have a push at the
title or automatic promotion for next
year
>> I'll give you two more off the top of my
head one very quick one is midfield um
obviously we're going to talk about
Andre in a second, but fantastic player.
Um Tommy Doyle may or may not stick
around. I think they're going to see how
he how he gets on and Rob's going to
make a decision on him. Um they're
looking at someone like Dan Neil as
well. He's obviously a bit younger at 24
I think he is, but he has been a captain
before, but he's kind of a similar
player to Tommy and in in quite a few
ways. Um
Bellagard, don't know what's going to
happen with him. You someone like a
fellow, which again we're going to talk
about, but I don't see him as someone
sort of playing deeper sitting next to
an Andre. I know a few fans have been
talking about that. I I don't see that
personally. So, the the point I'm
getting to is that they need to sign a
midfielder, at least one midfielder to
go in there. You need a runner, you need
an athlete, you need a physical player
to go in there next to Andre. Um, and
you need someone who's going to be a bit
of a bully in there. To be honest, Andre
does it to an extent, and I think his
his style will will suit the
championship in a lot of ways actually.
Um, and I think he'll be fantastic, but
I think he needs a little bit of help in
there as well. So, midfield would be a
big one, maybe the biggest one of all of
them, or at least bigger than midfield.
Um, it's got to be flare. It's got to be
creativity.
Wolves have got been devoid of goals and
devoid of creativity and chances for so
long. Mané will fit that that bill.
Rodrigo Gomez will fit that bill to an
extent. Um, but they need more. They
need more around Fergus obviously we're
going to talk about will fit that bill
to an extent but we need more around
that. They need more pace in the squad.
They need more out and out wide players.
Um they need players that yeah they got
a bit of ingenuity, a bit of creativity
because Wolves lost all of that when
players like Kaian Serbia left the
football club last summer. Uh so that
that would be a big a big area for me
because if you don't have that it's very
difficult to create goals and as I've
already said about Armstrong he makes a
lot of intelligent runs and doesn't get
found and he's isolated for 70 80 90
minutes and barely gets a sniff. So
you're going to have to have that and
obviously you know you're going to want
a striker and you're going to want
adding players around that as well. But
that creativity for me is a is a really
big flaw in this squad.
>> Right. Let's move on. You mentioned
there about Andre and his contract news.
I think well I was taken by surprise. I
know you were keeno as well and a lot of
the Wolves fans were were left in a
little bit of shock last week when it
was announced that Andre has committed
his future to Wolves by penning a new
contract. Uh he was one of the the kind
of the players at the top of the list
that we predicted wouldn't be around for
next season. Obviously Jiao Gomez is one
who looks to be leaving. Andre is
another one who's probably one of
Wolves's more valuable assets, but he's
penned a new deal. He has been in
discussions for quite a while with the
club. uh wants to stay wants to try and
get Wolves back up into the Premier
League. Um if it was a week of good PR
KO for Rob Edwards and Wolves, it was
last week Ral Gimenez giving a few
comments to the Express and Star then
your story about a move for Kieran
Triier and then the contract news on
Andre which came a little bit out of the
blue for most fans. Um Rob Edwards
called it a statement of intent and I
think that is exactly what it is heading
into the championship after the kind of
bad summers of recruitment and bad
decisions. You know this is one hell of
a way to to get a lot of the fans on
side heading into heading into the
championship. It certainly is. Um one
thing I haven't told you is that it
didn't actually come as a surprise to
me.
So this obviously this news came out on
the Friday. I heard about it on the
Thursday
and the club didn't know that I knew.
Um, but I was, as I do with anything and
as a good journalist should do, I was
trying to uh cooporate the information.
I wanted to make sure it was accurate
because I wasn't 100% sure did, you
know, wanted to make sure that it was
actually going to be true. The last
thing I ever want to do and ever will do
is, you know, report something that's,
you know, not not steeped in fact or not
not very well sourced. So, I had to hold
fire on the story. I was like, "Right, I
need to figure out if this is true or
not." And before I got a chance to uh
report it myself, the club put it out.
Uh these things I'm not I'm not wel
complaining. These things happen. You
can't get everything. There's lots of
good journalists that cover this
football club. Um you can't you know,
you can't get every story to yourself.
And um there's no there's no issue at
all about it. But you you'll have
noticed on the last few podcasts leading
up to this that I didn't talk too much
about Andre. I didn't really talk as
confidently about his future because I
did get wind of a few things. I was
like, "Oh god, you know, got to be
careful here."
>> Just rephrasing that then, were you
surprised when you first learned about
>> I was when I first learned about it.
>> Yeah. The possibility when he you first
learned about him signing a contract,
you know, I'm sure that did take you by
surprise.
>> It did. It did because I think we all
thought, and I've said this million
times, we all thought he was going to be
player that would move on, to play that
for the championship, the Wolves would
want to to get money for. And so when I
did first hear about it, it was a
surprise for for certain. So yeah, that
that's that's definitely fair to
mention. And um and what it is is a real
big statement of intent from from Wolves
to to keep a player of his quality. Um
one thing I will say and this is
obvious. I mean this is this isn't me
suggesting that that they're going to
sell him. This is just common sense. The
common sense and the logical uh answer
to whether he stays or not is that if
Wolves get a massive offer for him in
the summer, there's still a chance that
he leaves the football club. Of course
there is because every player's got a
price. Everyone's for sale. I saw
something on talk sport the other day
about I think Simon Jordan was talking
about Spurs and he said I think the
Spurs one of the guys higher up there
said it's not for sale and he said it's
nonsense. You know if someone comes and
offers you three times what your house
is worth then your house is for sale
even though it's not technically on the
market. So I think you have to use that
logic and apply it here as well that
that if Wolves get a big offer through
them they of course are going to have to
consider it and it might be better for
them to reinvest in the squad. However,
clearly the plan is that Andre has
signed this deal means that he's going
to be on very good money in the
Championship. Um because obviously he
would have been getting a wage reduction
before signing this new contract as
well. So he gets very good money in the
championship. He's going to be happy
with that. Um he has committed to
staying. The club and Rob all publicly
have said in all their phrasings and all
their statements and all their quotes
have all said Andre staying, building
for next season, etc., etc. So they put
themselves out there a little bit, you
know, if it's if if they do sell him
now, they, you know, they're going to
make themselves look a bit silly. So all
of that leads me to believe that he's
absolutely going to stay and the odds
are he's going to stay. But I think it's
important that you mention that look, if
if like with any player, if a big bid
comes in, of course they're going to
have to consider it and and there's a
chance he goes, but the the odds are now
that he sticks around. Uh and and what
that is, as I said, is a massive
statement of intent from the football
club because he's a player that is not
had a good season overall. He's had good
moments, but as with every Wolves player
has not had a good season, you can't say
he has because of where the club is, but
he's a player that's too good for the
championship. He's a player that I think
based on his style and how he plays in
terms of sort of harassing and and and
pressing and sort of quickly moving the
ball on and trying to get attacking
players into the game and doing that
sort of number six role. I think he'll
suit the championship in terms of style
as well again with the right players
around him in my opinion and that
midfield does need a bit of work. But
yeah, I think he I think it's it's huge
if Wolves can keep him. I really do. And
another point which we spoke to Rob
about and he sort of agreed is that it
will help them with signing players as
well. Players will look at Andre
sticking around and think right well
Wolves are building some sort of project
here. Wolves are building something
here. I've already seen lots of stuff on
social media from other supporters of
other clubs
thinking and suggesting the Wolves are
going to be really strong next year and
their squad's gonna and other players
will see that. Other players will will
have that same opinion because of Andre
sticking around. So for for across the
board, um there's not a single negative
I I can see with this. I think it's a
it's a huge positive and um and Wolves
have got a player sticking around that I
think is too good for the league and and
if you got that with the right squad,
then you can you can do things next year
and that that's a really good start to
what's going to be a massive massive
summer.
>> Another one who could be sticking around
is a summer signing from uh well last
summer this time last year that didn't
go too well. Fur Lopez came in for 19
odd million pound from Seltoviggo was
back at the Spanish club uh in January
went back on loan had a good second half
of the campaign. Uh there's been a lot
of noise coming out of Spain that
Seltoviga want to keep him. Um a few
rumblings that the player wanted to to
kind of stay there where all be it on a
loan deal or a permanent. I imagine it
would have been a loan. However, as uh
as our man reported on Tuesday evening,
uh Liam Keane revealed that Wolves will
bring Lopez back for preseason. We'll
have a look at him with the potential of
him playing a part in the Championship
next season. Uh, Kino is I'm sure it's
not cut and dry, but is that again
another kind of not statement because
he's a Wolves player, but you know,
we've seen what Furlo we we know he's
got ability, you know, we he was
probably a little bit lightweight for
the Premier League,
but the Championship is completely
different, you know, and he's had a very
good second half of the season.
obviously scored that headline grabbing
goal in the Europa League when he
returned to Celtico.
You know, is he someone that if you know
Wolves are happy with him in preseason,
you know, he could be a a potential
added bonus for Rob Edwards going into
next season,
>> I think. So, yeah. Um,
again, you know, the story here is that
Wolves are planning for him to be part
of the squad. Their plan is to have him
back in preseason, form part of
obviously a wider squad. I think
technically he's got the ability to do
it. I I agree with you on that
physicality point, but you are right.
The championship is different and it'd
be interesting to see how he adapts to
that. Um, and again, you know, in this
sort of 43-1 they're playing at the
moment. Um, and I'm sure they might
change system anyway, but that could be
a, you know, he could work really well
in that potentially and and he's that
kind of creativity or creative player
that that Wolves don't have and I've
been sort of calling for. So, I think
there's a place for him. Definitely. I
think there's a there's there's more to
get out of him. And I think he's I think
he's a promising player if you get him
sort of if you get the system right and
get again the right sort of personnel
around him
and and and that's the plan that you
know the plan is to and that's what the
story is. The plan is to have him in the
squad, have him in preseason and have
him next season. Again, like with
anything, there's a lot of time between
now and the end of August or early
September when the when the window
closes. There's a lot of lot of things
can change. Depends on the incomings,
depends on the outgoings, depends on
what the player thinks. So, there's lots
of things that can change, but he's
under contract. He's a Wolves player.
He's a Mendes client as well, which I
think is worth mentioning. I think
that's, you know, I don't think you can
ignore that. Um and Wolves are not going
to be able to sell him because they
spent 19 half million pounds on him.
Signed him to a long contract and
there's no club that will pay that money
to or pay close to that money to take
him this summer. Start of ego certainly
can't afford it. So the only way I can
see he leaves unless Wolves make a
massive loss on him which I don't think
they can afford to do. The only way I
see similar to the tokadare situation
the only way I can see him leaving is is
on loan.
>> Yeah.
>> And as it stands wolves are keen to keep
him around. As I say, lot things can
change, you know, if the player doesn't
want to be here or or or Rob has a
change of heart or he looks at him in
preseason and thinks he's not going to
fit in, etc., etc. Things can change,
but it's I think it's a it's a it's a
really big development that we've gone
from everyone in Spain reporting that
Santa want to bring him back. The
sporting director being quoted as saying
he wants to bring him back. Um it's a
big development to go from that to my
information that I'm absolutely
confident is is rock solid that um the
Wolves are planning to have him around
next season. So it's a big it's a big
change and the fans needed to know that.
So yeah, I think people have been quite
happy with with that news and and I
think he's got a place in the squad. I
really do. Um but like I've said this a
million times in this podcast, like with
every other player, the squad's got to
be right as well. It can't it's not it's
not all down to one individual.
>> Right. Time for a shout out for our
sponsor. As always, the E and S Wolves
podcast is brought to you in association
with University of Wolverampton at the
halls. Here is a rundown of some of the
events that they have just announced.
Ross Noble is bringing his Cranium of
Curiosity show to the area on the 20th
of May, 2027. Those tickets uh have gone
on sale this morning, Wednesday at 10
a.m. So, they're available now. Uh
elsewhere, the Claws are coming to town
on the 28th of November. Those tickets
will be available on Friday at 1000 a.m.
Uh, and other tickets that are on sale
now. The Beach Boys, a salute to 60
years of Pet Sounds is taking place on
the 6, sorry, on the 19th of June. Uh,
those tickets are available now. And
elsewhere, George Thurugod with the
baddest show on Earth is taking place
next month on the 29th of June. tickets
still available. If you're interested in
any of those shows or want to look at
any of the other listings, head over to
the University of Hampton at Hall's
website to find out more. Right, final
final keynote questions of the campaign
and we've got some really good ones in
Kino's handpicked four of them. Uh and
the first one is from Stuart Pak who
says
what Wolves well he said what they need
but what Wolves need is a long-term
plan. What is our club philosophy? What
style of play do we want instead of
hopping from one manager to another with
different styles and then not having the
players to fit the new manager style?
It's a it's a very good question Kino
and one that you know we hear that word
a lot don't we? philosophy and you know
buzzwords like that but
it Wolves need that they need that
long-term plan and that continuity but
at the same time probably more than ever
next season they need results.
So it's that balance isn't it? you know,
you know, if it doesn't work under Rob
Edwards, you know, where do you turn
then? Hopefully for Walls fans, it kind
of does. But that's is that's the real
difficulty we see certainly with clubs
that come down and maybe don't go
straight back up. You know, you want
that continuity. You want that long-term
plan,
but if it's not working, you know, you
also need to get straight or need to get
straight back up, but you you want to
get straight back up and need to get
back up at some point. So, you know, do
you see more of a long-term plan coming
into place now? There's been changes in
the background, you know, the likes of
Nathan She obviously Matt Matt Jackson
earlier in the campaign. Do you know, do
you see it moving in that direction a
little bit more rather than the not
scatter gun managerial appointments, but
you know, Wolves have been through a few
in the last few years, haven't they?
>> Yeah, I think ideally that's got to be a
a vision. Um,
I mean, look, let's I mean, talking
hypothetically here, but if Wolves are
14th after 10 games,
you know, there could very easily be a
change of manager next year anyway. Um,
he might not even take that that many
games. I don't I don't think he'll be on
a particularly long leash. Uh, Robert
Woods, to be honest, I think I think
he's going to need a good start to the
season. But yeah, there's um there's
I I I always look at clubs and I think
obviously chopping and changing the
manager at times is necessary, but I do
think there has to be some some more
continuity there. And I look at clubs
like an Arsenal, this is obviously very
different to where Wolves are at, but an
Arsenal or or a Villa who have almost
given the keys to the castle to the
managers. you know, they're they're not
head coaches, they're managers and
everything's built around having success
from them. I'm not suggesting Wolves do
that with Rob Edwards next season
because I think he's still got to prove
himself to be honest at Wolves. So, I
don't I don't think they should be doing
that in the Championship. But I think
long long-term vision, that's got to be
an air an area to consider, a direction
to consider because
I think it's a it's it's if everything's
built, you know, if the structure is
built around giving this one individual
and what the tools they need for the
success and having the players there, I
think it's proven it can work. So that I
think and you know, arguably Wolves had
that, that didn't they with with Nuno as
well previously. So yeah, I would like
to think that is a long term, but it was
it was more of a almost a statement than
a a question really. And I agree with
all of it. Wolves need a an identity.
They need a philosophy. They need,
>> you know, what is Wolverampton Wonders
again? Um and I really hope they get
that for next season or at least after
that and long-term future.
>> Yeah. Uh Andrew has said, "On paper,
Wolves will have one of the biggest
transfer budgets going to next season.
Will they use it?"
I mean, I think they'll they'll
certainly be in a good position. I mean,
clearly Andre is on, you know, good
money now in in the Championship. Um,
Gimenez and and Trippia, which they're
they're looking at whether they do them
or not obviously is another thing, but
if they were to do them, they won't be
on small money, but the proof will be in
the signings as well. Now, Wolves aren't
going to, you know, splash 200 million
on, you know, net on signings, are they?
But I think it's the not just the number
uh or the quantity but the quality of
those players that come in. I think that
is going to be really telling in terms
of the the the sort of ambition. But we
at the moment because we haven't got the
examples in front of us. We can only
judge them on what we know and what
we're being told. What we know is
they're looking at, you know, players
like Kimz and Trippia and players like
that and obviously that Andre sign a new
deal and what we're being told is
there'll be a lot of new faces and
Wolves are adamant that they're going to
fight to go up next season. So, we can
judge them a bit better when this
podcast returns um in preseason, but
for now, I think you've got to judge
them by what we've been told. And what
we're being told is the right things,
but it's all about putting it into
practice. So that's that's the
challenge.
>> Yeah. What can you see Wolves, you know,
just Wolves spending and that's not I'm
not saying this is a definite, you know,
hypothetically, you know, they are going
to be one of the bigger clubs in the
division. You know, you look at someone
like J Gomez, you know, there's been a
lot of talk around potentially around 39
million pound or euros. You know,
obviously a big a big fee. Wolves are
going to make a sizable kind of gain on
on Gomez. But let's look at someone
else. Someone like a Hugo Hugo Bua for
example. You know, I'm sure he's going
to get Premier League interest. You
know, you look at the cost of players
today, you know, 12, 15, 18 million,
whatever. You know, Wolves are going to
get a decent amount in for transfer
fees. What could you see them outlaying?
You know, they're not going to spend
every single penny that comes in from
from sales following relegation, but you
know, do you see Rob Edwards be given
the chance to go and spend, you know,
20, 25, 30 million this summer?
>> I mean, how long's a piece of string? I
mean, it's so difficult to predict it at
the moment. You've put me on the spot
and I'm throwing it straight back at you
and refusing to answer the question
because genuinely it's so
>> but you see them maybe not the figure
but do you see them we're looking at the
players they've been linked with now
people like Dan Neil Trippia him you
know free agents
>> who will command a signing on fee
probably and you know decent wages you
know can you see them going out there
and spending you know six seven eight
million on a player if they're I don't
know a Premier League player or a proven
championship player that not
significantly going to improve the
Wolves squad. Do you think there will be
that bit of spending power?
>> Yeah. No, I certainly think Wolves will
spend a decent bit of money. I I'll be
really fascinated to see what their net
spends going to be and how they navigate
the sort of financial implications of
dropping down to the Championship. I
mean, again, it's really hard to predict
this, but I would maybe
suggest that their net spend will
probably be uh in the minus because
they're going to because they are going
to bring in some decent money for
players. Obviously, Gomez is going to
generate Crerier that's getting
interest. Huga Bueno is getting
interest. Um there'll be others as well.
So, so potentially that might be the
case, but it depends on how many they
bring in as well. Um I think it's a good
sign by the way that they're looking at
free a well the only players that we're
aware of at the moment publicly are free
agents and I think that's a good sign
because
>> you if you're going to do free agents,
you do them first. You do them when
they're available and and you you get
them on board and you get some signings
in. Um, and then you start to look at,
well, I mean, they'll be looking at it
as well, but you, you know, you look at
getting other deals over the line that
are going to cost you some money. So, I
do think that's a good sign. But, yeah,
I think, um,
that they're certainly going to going to
spend a little bit of money here. How
how much is is really difficult to
answer because it really depends on the
ambition to go up and we'll know a lot
more about Fosen and their willingness
to give Wolves the push to go back up
based on how much they invest as well.
So, these are all questions that I think
we'll get answers to fairly quickly over
the next month or so. But, yeah, right
now it's it's it's so tough because we
only take by their word and their word
is that, you know, they want to go up.
>> After the few days you've had, mate, you
didn't need to be put on the spot like
that. Really, did you
>> I'm I'm at the moment. I'm I'm fragile.
>> Bobby Smith has said, "Given his
problems at West Ham, could we tempt um
them with a cheeky loan offer for Max
Kilman? He still has five years left on
his contract after all.
>> I think someone replied to that saying
please no or something like that.
>> God know.
>> Yeah, there you go. Um yeah, I mean
look, I was always a fan of Kinet
Wolves. He was never a captain in my
opinion. Um someone who again sort of
leads by example a bit, but I didn't
think he was I didn't think he was he
was a bit too nice maybe to be a
captain. And and look, he's a very nice
young man. I've got a lot of time for
Max Kilman. um really good bloke and and
actually a good player and I think
actually is a good Premier League player
but he's not had a good time at West
Ham. He's he's struggled quite a bit
performances wise. His form has not been
good. The fans don't like him. It's been
a it's been a real difficult move for
him. Um I mean look I don't think it's
impossible but I mean they spent4
million pounds on him. Are they really
going to want to loan him out to a
championship promotion rival
potentially? Um would wolves want to go
back? I'm not sure I see it, but um it's
an interesting suggestion nonetheless.
I'd be interested to see how Wolves fans
responded to it, reacted to it, and I
think if I'm honest, I think a lot of
the reaction would be similar to that
that reply tweet that we just just read
out, unfortunately.
Uh final question, final question of the
season goes to Christopher Whippy, who
says, "Doc appears to be leaving under a
cloud. Other players apparently had
issues. Do Wolves have an issue with how
they deal with players at the end of
their contract slash when they're
selling them or is it a modernday
uh player power culture? Just for anyone
who hasn't kind of seen this, obviously
Dockett he wasn't involved um
>> last two games last two games hasn't
been involved out of contract. Um
there's been a few kind of bit of
speculation online over you know whether
there's been a falling out or whether
something's kind of kind of happened.
Obviously, he didn't get the chance to
say his goodbyes to Wolves players at at
Turf Moore. Um, what's the situation,
Kino, as you kind of understand it for
Wolves fans who who kind of don't know a
lot about this and, you know, what have
you kind of made of all the the kind of
speculation around Docky?
>> Um, yeah, I mean, there was a a few
people posting about him as well about
his Instagram about sort of deleting
Wolves pics and things like that. I
mean, I did have a look at it. It seems
to be accurate. That seems to be that's
the case, which is obviously a strange
thing to do. Um
yeah, I think we we've said all along on
here that he was likely to leave the
football club, so that's not a surprise.
Um I'd be surprised if he sticks around
now.
The I believe there was a year option in
his in his contract for Wolves to keep
him on for an extra year. Um so you
would imagine that hasn't been taken up.
Um I don't have any information on there
being some sort of fallout or under a
cloud or anything like that. Although
obviously doesn't look great when you've
got a player sort of deleting pictures
on Instagram and stuff like that. It
sort of gives a little bit of a sign. To
answer the sort of second part of the
question properly, Wolves have had an
issue with how they've dealt with
outgoings in the past. I remember going
back to even John Ruddy or Roman SC
Connor Cody um back in the sort of what
that would have been like 2022 time
roughly around then. um was have had
issues with that and actually sort of
senior people at the club at that time
admitted to me that they've had issues
with how they've dealt with with
outgoings. Part of it will be to do with
the manager at the time. Part of it will
be to do with sort of the hierarchy. Um
and I think Wolves know that they've had
issues with that in the past. Now I I
hope that isn't that hasn't sort of
really it ugly head again with Dot
because I think he's been a good servant
to the football club. He's a good he's a
good good person, good individual. So I
do hope that hasn't happened again. I'm
sure we'll find out a bit more. Um
but yeah, the club have been aware of
that as an issue I think for a little
while and I think they've been probably
better at it in recent years. So yeah,
let's hope that hasn't happened in that
same way again. And also by the way,
people are going to have different
opinions on it. If something has
happened, doc will have what his version
of it. Someone at the club will have
their own version of it. Finding the
truth in the middle in the middle
somewhere is obviously going to be
challenging as well. So yeah, let's um
let's see what happens.
Walls fans, thank you very much for your
questions. Almost out of time here. We
don't need a we don't need a prediction
from Keno because there's obviously no
games coming up. He's going to have a
welldeserved break. He's going off to
get married and got loads of stuff on
this summer. Uh Kino, before we finish,
I'm going to get a kind of two good too
bad moment from you. There's been a lot
of low moments and not very many highs
this season. So, what's your lowest
moment of the campaign and your most
memorable moment of the campaign? Oh,
>> and if you haven't got an answer for the
second one, I'll let you off cuz there,
like we said, there aren't too many, are
there?
>> I mean, most memorable, you probably got
to go with um
you've probably got to go with the Villa
Liverpool league wins obviously back to
back um at sort of that week and that I
think obviously they had the cup game
after it, didn't they, as well with
Liverpool, but that sort of week and the
feeling around I think you got to go
with that. It's the I mean the West Ham
one was good as well, but I think those
two sort of stick out. I mean, there's
quite a lot of lows I could I could I
could mention, but the one that
immediately springs out to me is Wolves
losing
at home to Burnley
and the incident at the South Bank when
those pictures of VTO and he goes over
there and he's sort of
>> shouting at the fans and it's this whole
interaction and I'm sat there. I think I
think Nathan was with me at that time.
>> No, I was there with you that day.
>> Oh, he was you with me. Okay. Sorry.
Sorry. I couldn't I couldn't remember
when in the season it was. I remember
coming back in from outside and I kind
of hear this you can hear this for all
by the south's going on
>> and and I remember turning to you and
saying well that's him done
>> like obviously the result sort of
implied it anyway and we sort of knew
that was probably going to happen
>> but that was the moment when I think
everyone turns around and says that's
Vtor done that whether and obviously he
took another couple of games from well
it was it one game or two I can't
remember but it was Fulham was his last
game but I forget if it's the that's
directly the next game after or not. But
anyway, it took him another game at
least before actually being sacked. He
didn't get sacked immediately. But
whenever you get to that point where
you're like a manager's done, it's very
hard for that to to to come back on
itself. I remember with Gary O'Neal, he
had a couple he had a spell of games. I
think it was Bournemouth at home,
Everton away, then West Ham away, and
it's like he's done here. And then he
got the Ipsswitch game, lost it with a
last minute goal and then got sacked. It
was the same kind of thing. It's like,
you know, It's so hard to turn it around
when you know they're done. Yeah.
>> And that was the moment where I knew I
knew he was done. I remember saying it
to I was like, he's done here.
>> And obviously we had to wait until you
know at least a week later, whatever it
was when when he when he did finally get
sacked. So that would be the lowest I
think because Molly was really bad,
really toxic. I understandably I know
from a fan point of view, but Wolves
were really bad place right then. They
were they were all over the place.
Really, really bad.
>> Yeah. Season of uh season of not many
highs and a lot of lows. Yeah, that was
a a pretty surreal moment. Uh, Wolves
fans, podcast over, series over. Uh,
massive thank you for me and Kino. Um,
and a little bit of a goodbye as well.
I've only been in the seat with Kino,
you know, trying to fill the the massive
shoes of Nathan Judah, which I don't
think I've done. I've tried me best. Um,
but I'm going to be leaving the Express
Star in the next couple of weeks. So,
the Wolf Potty will of course live on
with a new presenter. Um, but yes, I'll
be departing. And so just a a big thanks
to to a lot of Wolves fans obviously of
course to all the listeners because
without the the the the thousands of
people that listen to this podcast it
wouldn't be what it is. Um and yeah I
have thoroughly enjoyed being here week
in week out with Kino. I know a lot of
Wolves fans know my other affiliations
and the other clubs that I've covered
namely the one down the road that I
won't mention for for you guys. Um, so
yeah, has been a little bit difficult
coming into the Wolves hot seat. You
know, uh, one of the highlights was was
a Wolves fan who repeatedly liked to
refer to me as Johnny Dreary, which made
me absolutely howl with laughter. Um, so
if he is listening, thanks for that one.
It did actually make me laugh. But yeah,
I've thoroughly enjoyed being in the hot
seat and and with Kino. You know, it's
obviously been a difficult time for
Wolves fans, but I hope I've done a good
job for you. You know, I've got to know
a few of you outside Grounds, you know,
and you've come over and and chatted.
So, you know, best wishes to you guys in
the future. I have no doubt Wolves are
going to have a a very good season next
year. I will hopefully be at the Black
Country Derby in some form or another.
So, I'm sure I'll see some of the Wolves
fans as well. Um, but yeah, and thank
you to you, Kino. You know, this podcast
is, you know, I know, you know, Nate
built this podcast into what it is, but
without yourself and the incredible work
you do for the Wolves fans, it obviously
wouldn't be the same. So, yeah, a big
thank you to Wolves fans. uh sad to go,
but yeah, thank you very much for for
everything and thanks to you Kino. It's
been a thoroughly enjoyable learning
about your uh speaking about your
hangovers, your your wedding mishaps and
this that and the other and your
>> No, no, it's been a pleasure, mate. Um
look, obviously me and Nathan are still
really good mates. Um he's coming back
for the the wedding in a couple weeks as
well, so I'll see him in person. But
it's um it's obviously really difficult
when you take over from someone like
him. You know, he's a big personality.
He's a big character. Um, you're both
very very good at what you do, but
you're sort of different in what you do,
so it's always going to be difficult to
to to take over. I think you did a
fantastic job of doing it. I really
appreciated you being on this with me.
Um, and and we obviously wish you the
best of luck in in whatever's next for
for you as well. Uh, we're going to miss
you, but it's been a it's been a real
pleasure. And then also just to the fans
as well. Thank you for, you know,
continuing to listen. Um, hopefully
being able to still bring that that same
sort of insight um and and entertainment
um on this podcast as well. And um I'm
not got any plans to to go anywhere. So
you'll be stuck stuck with me uh as it
stands. Um which I'm sure some hopefully
some of you will be happy about. I'm
sure you will. Um but yeah, I think I'm
I'm happy to say this publicly. I've not
got any issue at all about it. I don't
know how, you know, what the podcast is
going to look like next season. Um I'm
expecting to to still be doing it. Um
I've got every plan to to to continue
doing it. I just don't know exactly what
it's going to look like. Um, and we're
going to be figuring that out over the
summer. And I'm happy to say publicly as
well that I'm sort of putting a little
bit of of pressure on behind the scenes
to make sure that, you know, I'm
maintaining the the same kind of, you
know, level of of coverage and and
podcast as well because this is is
really important to me. So, um, yeah,
I'll continue doing that, figure out
exactly what we're going to do, and
we'll be back uh sometime in July. I
mean, I need to figure out uh around
preseason exactly when it when it's
going to be, but it'll be sometime in
July. So, for the next sort of six weeks
or so, um, keep up to date with, uh,
with with my social media and and
express.com with what I imagine will be
a busy period of transfers. Um, I'm sure
Johnny, you'll be, uh, you'll be
watching on from your new role as
hopefully Wolves go and go and win the
championship next season.
>> I'm sure I will, mate. I'm sure I will.
Uh, there we go, Wolves fans. Thank you
very much. Uh, until next time from me
and Kino on the ENS Wolves podcast.
Goodbye.
We'll have to wonder if hopefully at
this time they can do with this message.
