Given the absolutely superb job Vitor Pereira has done in the second half of this season for Wolverhampton Wanderers, wouldn’t it be lovely if we could have a period of stability so that he has a chance to actually rebuild the status of the team.
Over the last 5 years we have had 5 managers, (presumably dismissing 4 of them has cost a small fortune as well), with Nuno leaving at the end of the 2020/21 and Lage, Julien, GON and now Vitor taking over before the end of the 2024/25 season.
Player turnover has been similarly rapid, especially over the last 3 years. The first 11 at the end of 2023/24 was: Sa, Semedo, Kilman, Dawson, Toti, RAN, Lemina, Gomes, Neto, Cunha and Hwang.
The first 11 at the start of 2025/26 – i.e. 12 months and a summer apart – could be Sa, Semedo, Yerson, Emmanuel, Toti, RAN, Andre, Gomes, Bellegarde, Larsen and Cunha.
Whilst I am not going to tell you that this is a team that could win the Premier league, qualify for the Champions league or even challenge for Europe, I do believe it is a side that could easily finish mid table, possibly upper mid table!
The defence, as shown since Vitor and Emmanuel arrived, is more than ok, (Yerson should be an uplift on Doc as well), the midfield is as strong as any in the Premier League, (yes Andre and Gomes are that good!), and although heavily reliant on RAN and Cunha for creativity the side is ok going forwards.
However, the starting 11 in August 2025, in a worse case scenario, could also be: New (lots of people apparently don’t like Sa), Lima/new (Semedo seemingly will walk), Yerson, Emmanuel, Toti, Gomes R/new (RAN may well have to be sold to keep the lights on), Doyle/new, Traore/new (Gomes J and Andre could go the same way as RAN), Bellegarde, Larsen and Munetsi/new (Cunha is as good as gone).
The observant amongst you will notice that since the end of 2023/24 season, 4 have already gone, (Dawson, Kilman, Lemina and Neto), Hwang has lost his way and with Semedo being allowed to walk, Sa not wanted anymore, Cunha losing faith in us and RAN, Andre and Gomes potentially being sacrificed only Toti would remain from the side that represented us only 15 months prior.
Whilst I don’t think that the club would, (or even needs), to sell all 4 of our best players, (whilst allowing our 5th best to walk), this summer, (you can lose £105m over a 3-year period but given the massive sales in the last two years we will have substantial headroom this year), it is sadly inevitable that all of them (and indeed any other good players we have), will have to be sold over the next few years to cover up for Jeff’s inadequacies.
Obviously, this would be catastrophic, although it is not that dissimilar to what has happened over the past 3 years, which of course explains why we have plummeted down the league. But it doesn’t have to be like this! If Jeff continues to fail in his job – controlling the finances to allow the manager stability and an ability to plan for more than 6 months at a time – Vitor will leave and eventually one of the promoted sides will be adequate with fatal consequences for the club.
Or Jeff could get a grip, or he could be dismissed for gross incompetence, and Vitor could then be allowed to continue his excellent work. I know which scenario I want!
Written by Thefutureisoldgold1 April 15 2025 14:17:16
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