Sir Jack: Wolves' players were just picking up their wages
Wolves president Sir Jack Hayward today hit out at the players responsible for the club's fall from grace, while hailing Kenny Jackett for turning their fortunes around.
Jackett has overseen an immediate return to the Championship after successive relegations had left Wolves languishing in League One.
And Sir Jack, who is in the Midlands this week after travelling from his home in the Bahamas, has revealed his heartache at watching the club's fall from grace.
The 91-year-old, the club's owner between 1990 and 2007, believes players had lost pride in the shirt and were only interested in their earnings.
"It was terrible," he said. "When you see a team which isn't really trying, just picking up their wages and no longer giving their all, no longer having pride in wearing the old gold and black, it's very bad."
Sir Jack pointed to young centre-back Danny Batth as epitomising the new-found spirit of the Jackett regime.
Under Jackett, who was appointed head coach last summer, Batth and other young players have been given the chance, while big earners like Roger Johnson and Jamie O'Hara have been either pushed to the side or moved on.
When asked if the club can now make it back-to-back promotions and return to the Premier League under Jackett, Sir Jack replied: "I don't see why not, he's done a superb job in League One."
He added: "The dream is automatic promotion back into the Premier League but if that can't be then at least the play-offs."
While owner, Sir Jack financed the redevelopment of Molineux and the club's triumphant return to the top flight in 2003 after almost two decades away.
He also paid for the club's Compton training ground, which bears his name. And though he now spends most of his time abroad, his legacy is not lost on coach Jackett or player Batth.
"He laid the foundations for things with a fantastic training centre down at Compton Park," said Jackett. "Generations of Wolves supporters and players will be grateful to him for that."
Batth added: "The training ground is obviously named after him, it's a fantastic place and is being extended in the summer so it will be an ongoing place for people to aspire to get in the shirt."
