When dissecting our decline we could point to an array of poor decisions
Henry red vs villa, keeping mick too long, sacking mick, RJ skipper, appointing TC, appointing stale, Saunders, giving up on change, building the new stand etc etc.
The list is endless. However for me there is a common theme, lack of leadership. Every successful organisation, business, club etc has strong leadership and IMO this is where our Achilles heel is.
This lack of leadership is evident at all levels. On the pitch their simply isn't any real leadership and the fact that we are looking to hunt or our kids to provide this shows the issue. Added to this is that the leadership of our management has been poor. Mick was too loyal to some and not adept at changing, stale tried to change too much too quickly and Saunders has proved to be conflicted and unsure of his strategy.
And finally and most importantly the leadership from the board, which once was very positive has waned beyond belief. We have a chairman who is inaccessible, doesn't admit he's wrong and doesn't explain his strategy. Added to this is the clear contradictions in changing our style and then going straight back to old routes. This shows a lack of clear direction, clear strategy, clear belief and ultimately poor leadership.
So where do we go from here ?. Now more than ever we need to solve this issue, we need at every level to find strong leadership. Morgan / Moxey need to show belief, more humility and a clear strategy (if they want to stay). THey need to open up, share the plan, stick to the plan and hold an olive branch to the fabulous support (24k yesterday and the majority were not on the pitch so keep that in perspective).
The next solution is to find a leader (manager) that will shake the players up, define the strategy and get everyone pulling in the right direction. And then on the pitch we need two or three players that are willing to be bold, be positive, be brave and lead by example. As well as a captain, we need leaders on the pitch to inspire their teammates and supporters.
Solving none of this is easy. But leadership has been the alarming absentee over the last two years. We are in a mess, but it is salvageable. But it can only be salvaged with a clear plan and with strong direction. To get our club back on track, now more than ever its time for leadership.
Time for leadership
posted on 28/4/13
Agree with some of your points Floyd. I have been vocal in criticising Morgan's leadership and I make no apology for this.
When others were pointing at Wolves as a 'well run club'; I saw areas where Morgan was not running the club as I and others would have liked.
It looks as though you don't see Saunders as the managerial answer.
Who would you therefore want in his place?
posted on 28/4/13
I don't see Saunders as the answer and never did. Although this mess is a collective responsibility and not his.
I feel if he stays, he'll have to get it right by week 1 next season, or we face huge negativity towards him. So for me I'd go for a fresh start.
Owen Coyle would be great, maybe unlikely, if not then a young and hungry manager, but ideally one who has a number two who's been part of our club (I.e Alex Rae, jody, David Kelly etc)
posted on 28/4/13
I think a 'young and hungry' manager is more likely for a Div 1 club. Don't think that Owen Coyle would step down, but if he would; I would prefer him also.
posted on 28/4/13
Dont personally rate Coyle I think he was tosh at Bolton, shame we couldnt of moved for Freedman and a bigger shame in my opinion that we didnt give Stale time to make up 9 points on the play off teams but hey ho. Tbh I feel now we might as well give Saunders a chance to clear out the old and in with the new but do I think Morgan will back him? Probably not.
The only way to go is the Crewe way IMO, we wont win much maybe but we will have the morale victory over all the teams I feel and Id like to see a team full of our own youngsters.
Team for next year.
Doherty Batth Ikhiekwe Reckord
Ismail Davis Evans Hunt
Sigurdarson Cassidy
Bench - Hennessey Mcalinden some more youth prospects and Blakey if we can keep him or Sako.
posted on 28/4/13
Ikeme in goal also sorry, mind you playing no keeper might work.
posted on 28/4/13
posted on 28/4/13
I agree leadership is definitely an issue but alongside that must come a focus on what is important to a football club, ie football. Not housing developments, restaurants, museums, megastores and new stands, first and foremost Wolverhampton Wanderers is a football club and this has got to be priority number one from now on.
After we won the championship and survived the first season relatively comfortably, the whole focus of the club shifted to non footballing ventures with disastrous consequences. Morgan and Moxey have got some things right but got the most important thing terribly wrong. Hindsight is wonderful mind you, no one wanted Souness, everyone thought Richards was an awful chief exec. Weve looked at Blackburn and Forest and QPR and laughed and thought thank god we're not their shoes. Six months ago I'd have repeated Roy Hodgsons words to anyone who wanted M&M out. This morning they make Venkys look competent.
posted on 28/4/13
floyd,
yr article and comments by a few regulars like rogereli match exactly where I am at with the club and our issues. I have been saying for some time that the real fault lies with our leaders and that although all of the last four managers have some collective blame for the day to day slide down the leagues, it is the bigger decisions of M&M (or of just morgan depending on moxey's level of input) that must take centre stage for criticism.
as I was walking away from the ground yesterday, I said that the one thing that would really impress me after another shabby game was if morgan had the bottle to go out and talk to the crowd, apologise for the rubbish and set out a little of what he plans to do to fix this mess. I knew it would never happen, but surely if an owner wants the glory of standing on the pitch and getting the applause when we get promotion (even if that was largely due to decisions made by Hayward and MM) he should also have the decency to stand up when times are hard. in reality, we get M&M scuttling off to hide just before the whistle blows, complete silence from the club other than the laughable tannoy messages asking people to leave the pitch, and probably moxey sent out to deliver meaningless soundbites about how 'everyone is hurting but we will be trying our hardest to get it right next season' at some point this week.
we need a leader at board level, a new leader in the dressing room (I do not think saunders is the right person to lead us back to the prem) and something we have been missing since craddock - a leader on the pitch. two years and we've felt the absence of a real captain to lift the side, set the tone and direction and lead by example.
posted on 28/4/13
I said all that last season and got shot down GB, i too believe that a genuine leader with a love for the club would not be hiding all the time and allowing rumours to spread like they have for quite some time now.
Its all very well having it all ''out in the open'' at a diluted fans parliament, but to hear it from him when emotions are running high would do him plenty of favours.
As for decisions, we have literally made the wrong decision at the wrong time at every turn.
Should have sacked mick in december but stalled
Should have kept mick in feb but pulled the trigger
Should have got experience but didn't
Should not have sacked stale but did
Should have got experience but didn't
unreal
posted on 29/4/13
The only director we had with a genuine love for the club decided to walk when Moxey persuaded Morgan to keep Mick the first time that his job was threatened.
Moxey is a huge influence at Wolves - much more than the simple accountant that some fans make him out to be. Until he goes, nothing will change for the good.
Look at how he nearly destroyed Stoke:
http://www.molineuxmix.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=79123
The good work that Mick did for four years disguised his utter incompetence. You will notice that we are now in his comfort zone of lower league status.
Open your eyes.