Wolves FancastWolves FancastWolves FancastWolves Fancast
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
  • PODCASTS
  • BLOGS
  • Video Content
  • CONTACT US
  • SHOP

How Wolves earned their promotion to the Premier League

    Home Blogs How Wolves earned their promotion to the Premier League
    NextPrevious

    How Wolves earned their promotion to the Premier League

    By David Evans | Blogs, David Evans | 0 comment | 17 April, 2018 | 0

    After six years, which seems a lot longer than it actually is, Wolves have made it back to the promised land writes David Evans.

    We were all in raptures on a unusally sunny Saturday evening for recent weeks as an unlikely Brentford equaliser at Craven Cottage sealed Wolves ascendancy to above.

    Here’s some honesty.

    I was pessimistic about this side following defeats to Fulham and Villa.

    It just felt like I could see what was going to happen. It was all just a bit too good to be true.

    I should have had more faith in this team.

    I’ve gladly suffered the retorts about this at Fancast HQ since promotion was basically going to happen.

    However, on that Saturday evening, the sense of relief and euphoria was hard to explain.

    I think it is hard to describe what a promotion feels like to non-footballing fan.

    Feeling ecstatic about a group of men doing a job different to you is odd when you put it into that context.

    Yet I can’t get the smile off my face. Reminiscing about games gone by and the future to come.

    How did Wolves win promotion at the fifth time of asking? Let me explain.

    The path we started on

    Saturday was the day. The day a long journey came to an end.

    It was a journey that actually started with Stale Solbakken, and since then Wolves have had to go down a very dark rabbit hole before they could see wonderland.

    The road to the Premier League got into gear with Kenny Jackett.

    The club was down and out after their relegation to League One. Kenny re-booted the club, changed their how the club worked, connected fans and players closer than ever and put the tanker back on course.

    Kenny nearly made it back to back promotions the following season, but following a playoff place near miss the season after, just knew that Kenny was never going to fulfill that same feat again.

    It is a journey evolved by Nuno and co, but one where the foundations were laid by Kenny and the gang.

    A New Hope

    The end of this journey came from going back to the drawing board.

    Fosun who purchased Wolves late into the 2016/17 start of the season were rushed into putting things together after now Spain manager, Julen Lopetagui, apparently dropped out of the race to become Wolves head coach (Wolves over Spain, really?)

    The season became distorted, with a group of players ranging from a variety of talents playing to systems which didn’t compliment them.

    Fosun did have a ‘Plan A’, but they needed to find that again.

    Goodbye Paul Lambert. Hello Nuno Espirito Santo.

    With an continental experienced head coach and a new back room team at the helm, with a summer ahead of them, Wolves recruited early, utilised Jorge Mendes little black book and brought together side ready to begin the hunt.

    Looking at the the bigger picture, Fosun had taken a risk.

    They brought in a manager with no Championship or English football experience, as well as his back room staff.

    A whole new set of players with mostly no experience of English football, let alone the ‘physicality’ of the Championship.

    Then to mix these players with members of the current regime and hope they gel.

    Throw in the rigorous season and those ‘winter months’, history was going to repeat itself, right?

    Wrong.

    Nuno Espirito Santo is only the 7th non-British manager to be promoted to the Premier League.

    He did this on the first time of asking, playing attractive, entertaining and progressive football, improving each and everyone of his squad members. All with four games to go.

    Not bad, eh?

    The narrative

    It can’t be denied that Wolves financial situation and connected to Mendes has helped.

    However, it is the coaches role to use those resources effectively to complete the job in hand.

    The narrative from the media during the season has been mixed.

    There has been sprinklings of positivity about how Wolves have played on the pitch, but the focus has been more on the potential ethical approach off it.

    What we should see more of over the next few weeks is how Nuno has created a efficiently and effective unit.

    He has taken Conor Coady and turned him into a defensive maestro. Created a inter-woven attacking hive of Cavalerio, Costa and Jota.

    He’s elevated the performance of Ruben Neves against the pressure of his price tag, utilised the championship winning experience of Ryan Bennett and John Ruddy and turned Matt Doherty and Barry Douglas into secret weapons.

    He’s perfectly mixed old and new guards at Wolves whilst improving every single player.

    It”s been an evolution that Nuno has carried out, not a revolution.

    It ain’t just the gaffer

    Success for this promotion doesn’t just lie with the head coach.

    Wolves medical history has been well, sketchy, in the past. Players would repeatedly become injured and take an age to recover.

    A key to this season has been Wolves miraculous minor injury list.

    Wolves have gone through the majority of the season without players with long term injuries.

    Through this Wolves have been able to keep a consistent starting eleven whilst rotating players when needed, which has helped to prevent burnouts and given time for players to refresh.

    Recruitment has also been on point.

    Again, the Mendes connection has helped, but recruitment out of this circle has been just as impressive.

    Barry Douglas, a Scottish traveller in eastern Europe was unheard of but has been the best assistant as any Doctor Who companion seen (sorry, cheap comparison).

    Ryan Bennett was the first in the door before Nuno even came in. We doubted whether he would even fit into his continental philosophy.

    Instead he became a stalwart of the defence. His experience at this level has been underestimated and he may go down as was of the most shrewd purchases of the summer.

    John Ruddy has come in under difficult circumstances, and some of his performances have been questioned, but you can’t argue with a goalkeeper who has kept more clean sheets than anyone else in all four leagues, and sits in the EFL Team of the Season.

    Not bad for one of the most critised players in the side this season.

    Wolves have spent big up the field, but the heart of this side combined 6 man defence costs just over £4m.

    Overall, this side hasn’t been bought by wealth, it’s been carefully picked and moulded.

    Players have not been bought in by their name or their status, they have been chosen because they perfectly fit into a system, rather than being wedged into it.

    Moments in Time

    When it’s going your way in football, it really does.

    Wolves have earned some brilliant results this season, but luck has also gone their way.

    A missed and a saved penalty in the last two minutes of a games against 2nd place anyone?

    When you look back at the defining games of this season, these results shaped how Wolves earned their promotion for different reasons.

    A win against Aston Villa at Molineux In October announced Wolves on centre court.

    A defeat to QPR in October at Loftus Road was a timely wake up call.

    An last minute end of year win away to Bristol City showed their determination.

    A hell of a defeat to Aston Villa in March gave them a slap across the face.

    A first win in nearly 70 years away to Middlesborough on Good Friday with nine men showed how Wolves had steel amongst the flair.

    Wolves have been defined by their defeats as well as their wins.

    A season to remember

    We’ve got a very exciting summer to come.

    Wolves enter the Premier League as a different entity compared to previous promotions.

    This time Wolves have the financial, structural and tactical ability to compete at a higher level from the get go.

    Focus will be on Mendes, but that would be an insult to this side.

    This team on the pitch have proven that they deserve to be among the elite over the last 10 months and hopefully, as champions.

    They will enter the motherland brimming with confidence and a momentum which should carry them into the new season.

    Watch out Premier League. The pack is back, and they’re hungrier than ever.

    Fosun, Nuno Espirito Santo, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wolves, WWFC

    David Evans

    Host and showrunner at Wolves Fancast. Lover of Icelandic forwards. Ask me for a Simpsons quote.

    More posts by David Evans

    Related Post

    • Insanity – Musings from Molineux

      By Gully Kular | 0 comment

      image via Twitter: @WolvesNewsApp Gully Kular, of the Musings from Molineux blog and regular podcast contributor, will now be hosting his blog on Wolves Fancast. You can follow him on Twitter (@molineuxmusings), on Facebook (MusingsRead more

    • 5 ‘Nuno’ments’ that will always make you smile

      By Sam Lambeth | 0 comment

      Nuno and Wolves have secured their much-expected, but no less wonderful, promotion to the Premier League. The master behind such majesty has been Nuno Espirito Santo – with the wit and wisdom of a modern-dayRead more

    • Why Wolves Portuguese Imports will be a success at Molineux

      By Jan Hagen | 0 comment

      With a raft of signing from Portugal making their way over to Wolves this summer, Portuguese Football Writer Jan Hogen gives us the lowdown on what to expect from these latest imports. Thanks to theRead more

    • Adama Traore announcing himself to the Premier League in a 2-0 win away to Man City

      Adama Traore for the Wolves Fancast POTS Award 2019/20

      By Rye Hoops | 0 comment

      Image via football365Adama Traore and the narrative power shift.When tasked with describing Adama Traore as a nominee for the Wolves Fancast Player of the Season Award, and his footballing attributes, be it a fan ofRead more

    • Ruben Neves for the Wolves Fancast POTS Award 2019/20

      By Gully Kular | 0 comment

      Image via footballfancast.comRuben Neves.It’s always tempting when judging a player to take a snapshot of a moment in time and allow that to be the enduring image of them.If Wolves fans were to take DiogoRead more

    Leave a Comment

    Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    NextPrevious

    Recent Posts

    • The Impossible Job…Except For Those That Pursue It
    • In Defence of Bruno
    • Hwang Hee Chan: The new Bull
    • Oh Adama Traore
    • Bruno Ball: Initial Thoughts on how Wolves have played under Bruno Lage

    Recent Comments

      Archives

      • March 2023
      • December 2021
      • September 2021
      • August 2021
      • July 2021
      • June 2021
      • May 2021
      • January 2021
      • December 2020
      • November 2020
      • September 2020
      • August 2020
      • July 2020
      • May 2020
      • April 2020
      • February 2020
      • January 2020
      • December 2019
      • November 2019
      • October 2019
      • September 2019
      • July 2019
      • June 2019
      • May 2019
      • April 2019
      • March 2019
      • February 2019
      • November 2018
      • October 2018
      • September 2018
      • August 2018
      • July 2018
      • June 2018
      • May 2018
      • April 2018
      • March 2018
      • February 2018
      • January 2018
      • December 2017
      • November 2017
      • October 2017
      • September 2017
      • August 2017
      • July 2017
      • June 2017
      • April 2017
      • March 2017
      • January 2017
      • December 2016
      • November 2016
      • October 2016
      • August 2016
      • July 2016
      • June 2016
      • May 2016
      • April 2016
      • March 2016
      • February 2016
      • January 2016
      • December 2015
      • November 2015
      • October 2015
      • September 2015
      • August 2015
      • July 2015
      • June 2015
      • May 2015
      • April 2015
      • March 2015
      • February 2015
      • January 2015
      • December 2014
      • November 2014
      • October 2014

      Categories

      • Alex Richards
      • Andy Gillard
      • April 2015
      • August 2015
      • August 2017
      • Ben Husband
      • Billy Price
      • Blogs
      • Charlie Meyler
      • Compton Stars
      • Craig Talbot
      • Dan Butler
      • Dan Jones
      • Daniel Hall
      • Daniel Sherriff
      • David Evans
      • David Handley
      • December 2014
      • Edward Marshall
      • FA Cup
      • fancast advent
      • Fancast Debate
      • fancast flutter
      • February 2015
      • February 2016
      • February 2018
      • Graham Large
      • Guest bloggers
      • Gulraj Kular
      • Jake Howard
      • Jamie Allen
      • Jan Hogen
      • January 2015
      • January 2016
      • January 2018
      • Joe Hill
      • Joe Williams
      • Josh Lemans
      • Luke Regan
      • March 2015
      • Match Previews
      • Match reports
      • Matt Cooper
      • Matt Guy
      • May 2015
      • Michael Spencer
      • News
      • NIck Perkins
      • November 2014
      • November 2015
      • November 2017
      • October 2017
      • Oliver Floyd
      • Ollie Lewis
      • Paul Berry
      • Premier League
      • Richard Hobbs
      • Ross Watson
      • Ryan Plant
      • Rye Hoops
      • Sam Astley
      • Sam Lamberth
      • Sam Murphy
      • Sam Pickering
      • September 2015
      • September 2017
      • Stu Hall
      • Stu Hawk
      • Tom Bason
      • Tom Tracey
      • Uncategorised
      • Uncategorized
      • Wolves Analytics

      Meta

      • Log in
      • Entries feed
      • Comments feed
      • WordPress.org
      • PRIVACY POLICY
      • COOKIE POLICY
      • CONTACT US
      Copyright 2020 | Website designed & Sponsored by Pixel Yeti Media
      • HOME
        • ABOUT US
      • BLOGS
      • PODCASTS
      • Video Content
      • CONTACT US
      • SHOP
      • PRIVACY POLICY
        • Cookie Policy
      Wolves Fancast

      We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Learn more about the cookies we use and how to control them here.

      You can control certain cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

      wolves football fancast
      Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

      Strictly Necessary Cookies

      Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

      If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

      3rd Party Cookies

      This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

      Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

      Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

      Cookie Policy

      You can find out more information about our Cookie Policy.