Wolves sack Solbakken

So, yesterday afternoon, Wolves terminated the contract of the club's first ever foreign manager just six months after his appointment following a frankly embarrassing defeat to non-league Luton Town in the FA Cup third round. It has been reported that Chairman Steve Morgan and Chief Executive Jez Moxey had made the decision to relieve Solbakken of his duties before yesterday's match, although the team's inept performance will have done nothing to cast doubt upon their minds.

The Norwegian's record has been indisputably poor since taking charge, Wolves sit 18th in the championship with just 31 points from 26 games, and it would be hard to argue that his departure is a shock. Just 9 wins so far in the league, and none in the last three, is not an acceptable return for a club aiming to return to the top flight at the first attempt (in comparison, league leaders Cardiff City have notched twice as many victories so far this term). Despite the clear suggestion from the stats that the paucity of positive results under Solbakken is simply not good enough for a manager looking to keep his job, the departure of the 44 year old will be greeted by mixed feelings from the Molineux masses. Wolves have invested heavily in Solbakken. In his six months at the club they have reorganised the structure of the club to bring in Kevin Thelwell in the new post of Head of Football Development and Stuart Webber as Head of Recruitment, a post which essentially entails co-ordination of the wolves scouts. All in all the footballing structure of Wolves is now very much in a European mould, even though they no longer have the European manager to go with it.

There is a feeling around Wolves that this restructuring is an acceptance from the board that recent transfer strategy, and therefore the calibre of player bought in by the club, has not been good enough to fulfill the goals of the chairman/owner, i.e. to establish Wolves as a Premier League side. Right now they are closer to League One. If this is the case, Solbakken has taken the bullet for the failures of previous regimes without being given chance to establish his own. The squad members brought in by Mick McCarthy et al looked as likely to win games at Championship level as they did in the Premier League. Of the signings the Norwegian has made, only Bakary Sako and Tongo Doumbia have had the opportunity to establish themselves in the side however both have become key figures in the team. Of his other recruits, Boukari and Peszko have both suffered long term injuries after initially impressing, whilst Sigurdarsson has shown enough to suggest he has the ability to excell at this level and above. In other words, it is not what Solbakken has brought to the club that has scuppered him, it is failure to form a successful squad with what was already here.

So to succession and, after the debacle of 11 months ago when Morgan and Co placed courtesy towards the outgoing McCarthy above the Premier Leauge status of their club, Wanderers fans will be hoping for a much smoother transition this time around. Since the sacking of "Super Mick", Morgan's decision making has been thoroughly critiqued and, frankly, been found wanting. If Wolves' approach to Doncaster Rovers for their boss, and close friend of Wolves owner Steve Morgan, Dean Saunders is anything to go by, nothing has changed in that respect. What Wolverhampton born, Wolves fan, season ticket holder and proven Championship manager Sean O'Driscoll has to do to get an interview in Old Gold and Black Towers is anyone's guess. O'Driscoll had lead his Nottingham Forest side to 8th before being controversially removed to make way for Alex McLeish, whilst in comparison Saunders' only managerial experience in the Championship is leading Doncaster to relegation last term.

If Saunders gets the gig Morgan will once again be condemned for taking the cheap option, and Wolves fans will be more than forgiven for staring despondently into the bottom of their pint glasses.

The sacking has come at a good and fair time IMO. When i went to Wolves back in November a few fans i spoke to were far from impressed with him then, but were prepared to give him time. I think time has been given, they have been deeply embarrassed and still not doing well at all in the league. Given the squad and budget they have they should be pushing for play offs at very least.

Dean Saunders has been linked. He has a good squad to work with, so has a big chance to impress in this division.

The problem with Sean O'Driscoll is that the Wolves job would be his 3rd managerial appointment in 6 months! Having started the pre-season at Crawley, abandoning them because Forest offered more money, then being sacked, maybe Wolves want someone with a bit of integrity and loyalty, of which SOD has proven he has none.

Whether Dean Saunders has, is another matter.

Whoever comes in will be Wolves' 4th manager in 12 months so, on that basis, it could be argued that Steve Morgan has some work to do to prove his "integrity and loyalty".
With all due respect to Crawley Town, I can see why O'Driscoll chose to take the Forest job, mind you if I was a Crawley fan he wouldn't be my favourite bloke either. I think it would be harsh to assess his whole character on that single event.

Saunders has agreed to take over, according to the BBC. Think he had slow starts at Wrexham and Doncaster before then getting them to the top, or top two, of their respective divisions. On this basis, hope Wolves give him some time if he starts slowly again.

As an Albion fan, I'm gutted he's been sacked. Seeing you lot in League One woukd be hikarious! But as a football fan, I have to pity the Wolves fans - you deserve much better from the club than you've had over the last 18 months.

Yeah as an Albion fan thought Stale was doing a cracking job. Also find it highly amusing that he was recommended to your board by Roy Hodgson!

Not sure on the Saunders appointment. Done a relatively good job at Doncaster this year, but failed to keep them up last year in this league. What sort of style of play is he known for? The players Wolves have are still far more suited to Mick McCarthy's type of blood and thunder football than Stale's passing game, so Saunders should stick with that style really.

It was the same issue we had with Mowbray first season, albeit he got us to the play-off final rather than leave us just outside the relegation zone! We had a lot of players who weren't suited to his style, he needed a season and a half to get players in who could play that way.

Hope Saunders does well.

Was a big fan when he was at the Villa.