Stretty News spoke to Wolves fan and FPL podcaster Bradley Parker ahead of Monday night’s Premier League opener at Old Trafford.
Wolves travel up north in difficult circumstances because their newly appointed manager, Gary O’Neil, hasn’t even had a week to prepare for the game or season with his new squad.
United are looking to get off to a winning start against Wolves and judging by Parker’s answers below, they don’t sound very confident about the campaign ahead.
Parker gives us a perspective on all things Wolves ahead of the game. You can follow Planet FPL (podcast) on Twitter here: @PlanetFPLPod
Wolves appointed new manager Gary O’Neil six days before the season opener. Are fans concerned about preparations for the 2023/24 campaign?
Parker: “Fans are extremely concerned about the ownership at the club by Fosun. It is clear that they lied to Julen Lopetegui about what he would be able to spend this Summer. We are told we need to comply with FFP and have made over 80m in sales so far yet still we are told we do not have funds. The trust is at an all time low. Wolves actually had a decent pre-season results wise and in the last game played some fantastic football, which is what are clinging on too right now for positivity.”
What’s the general feeling among Wolves fans about Julen Lopetegui’s departure?
Parker: “The general feeling is of disappointment that it got the point he felt he had to go. Fosun have spent a long time trying to get him to the club and when he finally did arrive they messed him about. Some fans feel angry at him but if you are not given the tools to move the team to the next level and have been lied to, then I feel Lopetegui has every right to feel how he did. It is a shame as he is a great manager and I doubt we will be able to get someone of his ilk for a while.”
Tell us about Wolves this summer: incomings/outgoings?
Parker: “Ha! What incomings? We have only signed two players both on frees. One is Tom King who is basically a third choice keeper who was playing in league two. The other is Matt Doherty who is no stranger to life at Wolves but is basically going to be competition for Nelson Semedo. Which is fine but it is extremely underwhelming. Outgoings we have seen a lot more with obviously the biggest being Ruben Neves, he will be missed greatly and although he should be playing somewhere better than Saudi Arabia we could not reject such a high fee considering he was out of contract next season. We have also seen Raul Jimenez leave to Fulham which is ok given he is no longer at the level required, Joao Moutinho whose age finally caught up with and also Adama Traore who we did want to keep but ultimately has also left on a free. We also sold Nathan Collins to Brentford for a slight profit which was stupid as now we have a lack of cover at centre back.”
Which United player, if any, would you like to see at Wolves?
Parker: “There is a whole list of players! I think the three which would make the most impact in our side for what we currently need is Marcus Rashford, Raphael Varane and Bruno Fernandes.”
How do you see the game going on Monday night?
Parker: “I can only see a win for Manchester United at the moment. I imagine we will try and be compact and play on the counter but we are currently non the wiser as to what style of play O’Neil will go for.”
Which players should we watch out for?
Parker: “I think Matheus Cunha and Matheus Nunes will be the ones to watch out for. Both have been very good in pre-season and their ability to carry the ball can certainly catch the eye. I hope Fabio Silva can start too and provide a much needed focal point upfront after his two very good loan spells last season.”
What do you think of Manchester United a) the club; b) the team; c) the fans and d) the manager?
Parker: “I think of Manchester United as one of the titans historically for English football and traditionally it was a big deal if you could beat them. I think from my own personal experience the away fans are really good when they come to Molineux. I think the team itself currently is strong but still seems not quite as strong as Arsenal, there is no point comparing to Manchester City as they are on a different level to the whole league (sorry!) I imagine they will finish inside the top four again though. I like the manager has he had the guts to cut Ronaldo down to size which stamped his authority on the squad at a time where it was really needed.”
Expectations for the season ahead?
Parker: “I think if we can just stay in the Premier League this season I will be happy, given the utter chaos and upheaval we have gone through. I think we have a decent 11 but it only takes a few injuries and we are really struggling.”
All-time Wolves cult hero and why?
Parker: “My favourite cult hero like player is probably Diogo Jota. From the first time I saw him play in the flesh I knew he would be a top player. He just had the quality and most importantly the character. What really stood out was that no matter how many times he was targeted in the Championship he always kept coming back for more and always gave as good as he got, as he is naturally an aggressive forward which I loved. I was gutted when he left and Liverpool got him quite cheaply. I want to give a shout out to Romain Saiss who was an absolute warrior for us.”
Favourite Wolves XI from players you have seen?
Parker: “My favourite Wolves XI is- Rui Patricio, Sam Ricketts, Willy Boly, Romain Saiss, Jonny, Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho, Kevin Mcdonald, Bakary Sako, Raul Jimenez, Diogo Jota. Formation 4-3-3”
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