Level 42 sang about the Chinese Way. That may be a tad ‘Alan Partridge’ to kick off proceedings, but hear me out.
The Chinese Way has not be working out for clubs like Villa, Albion and AC Milan, but so far, the Fosun group are injecting a level of cash and excitement into my club, the likes of which I’ve never seen.
The transfer window has closed, leaving the Wolves squad, albeit with a Barry Douglas shaped hole on the left, in as good a shape as I’ve seen in 30 years.
70 million smackers spent, with a net spend of around 65 million quid.
Remember back in 2003 when we finally joined the big boys at the top table? Our first signing was Oleg Luzhny. Underwhelming doesn’t even begin to describe that and subsequent transfers.
Throwing a few pennies (£6.5m) down the well for our first foray into the Premier League back in 2003 was painful.
Having stood in awe, wonder and triumph at the Millennium stadium; every awful acquisition of Luzhny, Ganea, Cort, Silas, Camara and Okoronkwo were like tiny kicks to my testicles. Only Paul Jones and the artist still known as Jody Craddock proved to be worth their salty saltness.
Anyway, sorry, I’m back from memory lane, where I often meander down on here.
This time around we have spent a staggering 11 times as much as we did back in 2003. And along with all the superstars we have brought in, Nuno and the board have been brave enough to do something we have been crying out for years.
Previous regimes held onto players that should have been shipped into the reduce to clear bin ages ago. Nuno and the board have said sod sentiment, if we need better, we’ll sell what we have and we buy in better.
And that brings me neatly onto the M word. Today’s M word children is Marquee, a word banded around a lot on social media during the final day of the transfer window.
“Where’s our cowin Marquee signing then?” came the frustrating cry on Twitter from some bewildered Wolves fans.
What does that even mean? Did those asking really understand the question?
We signed two established Portuguese internationals with over 200 international caps between them, so I’m not sure what Marquee is supposed to encapsulate but surely that has to be close?
Is Marquee a £35 million Silva type? A player who has barely scored a goal in recent times. Would that have appeased those that never quite seemed satisfied with the incredible business we have done in the transfer window?
Surely, the modern game has moved on from putting all your eggs into an expensive marquee striker.
Options. And lots of them. That’s what Nuno has all across the pitch. It doesn’t just have to be Jimenez or Bonatini spearheading the attack. Jota plays there for the Portuguese U21 team. Cav or Costa can certainly drop in and who knows what plans Nuno has for Traore?
Anyway, the team go into tomorrow’s game against Everton in great shape. It probably is the perfect time to play Everton, who are going through a bit of squad transition. The Toffees bought in their own marquee signings late in the window, so they won’t have bedded in yet.
They looked bang average last season, so I’m going for 2-0 tomorrow.
My predicted starting 11 – Patricio, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Doherty, Moutinho, Neves, Jonny, Jota, Costa and Jimenez.
I haven’t even mentioned the potential return of the pre-match Liquidator, can you imagine if that happens?
Thanks for reading, enjoy the game, whether you are there or watching on the box and I’ll catch up with you all soon.
UTW!
@Wolvesblogger 