Lambert out, Nuno in – the Wolves fans' verdict

What are your thoughts on Paul Lambert leaving the club?

Chris Hughes: If anything demonstrates Fosun's ruthlessness and desire to succeed, it's the manner in which they've removed Lambert from his job.

Having arrived proclaiming that the playoffs were not beyond the realms of possibility, Lambert fell victim to over-promising and under-delivering. It seems Fosun were particularly unimpressed with performances once we'd achieved safety and with Lambert's constant chopping and changing of starting line-ups (much the same as Zenga before him).

Personally I felt that he had a squad of players suited to counter-attacking football which he used to great effect in away games but seemed reluctant to remove the handbrake on in home games where we were favourites and should have attacked teams.

Should he have been given time to shape a team during pre-season to attempt to recreate his success at Norwich? Perhaps.

Though his interviews proclaiming we need more players in the Edwards, Batth and Coady mould left me questioning whether he was right for the job. Add in his unwillingness to work under a regime that leaned on Mendes for players and it was clear his time was up.

My only gripe with his departure is the manner in which it was done. It was common knowledge for over a week that his time was up yet he was kept around while we interviewed his replacement.

While this is commonplace in business circles it's generally frowned upon in the football community. I'd rather Fosun had removed him as soon as they decided he wasn't the man to lead us.

Heather Large: At the end of the season I was quite happy for Lambert to stay.

Yes, there were some pretty dire games, especially at home, and inconsistency was an issue.

But when Lambert got it right, it worked and there were some impressive performances (Brentford and Leeds away to name a couple). There were certainly signs of what he was trying to achieve throughout his tenure.

For me, he had come in part way through the season, inheriting a squad not of his choosing, and he could only work with what he was given.

So, I thought it was looking promising that, with a pre-season and the backing (or so we thought) of Fosun to strengthen the squad, we would start the next season it a much better position to challenge for promotion.

But it wasn't to be. I can understand that Fosun want results, they haven't hidden that, and that they would have no doubt marked the season as a failure.

So, I suppose it's not really surprising that they had a change of heart.

I have to say that I don't think the situation was handled very well and that Sky Sports interview seems even more bizarre with Lambert clearly told what to say despite already knowing that he wasn't going to be anywhere near Molineux when the new season rolled around.

But we've got to look forward and be optimistic that this time Fosun have got it right.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves): It always appeared that Lambert did not have the full run of the role. He gave us some memorable moments, as we know, but these were largely outweighed by some of the most lethargic performances seen for many a year.

At the end of the season, we were no better than when he joined although six months is probably not long enough to give him a proper crack of the whip.

Rob Cartwright: I wasn't impressed with Paul Lambert, so I was pleased that Fosun weren't either.

Why should they be? The FA Cup run was simply a welcome distraction. It could not hide the fact that the league form was just not good enough. The season was tiresome and going to matches became a chore. He should have done so much better with the players he had at his disposal.

He swapped and changed the team and continually used players out of their natural position resulting in no cohesion. I don't know how we managed to string those five wins together in March/April. I felt we had been lucky in those games which turned out to be true, as we went on to lose four of the next six. It really is a fine line between success and failure in football.

I saw the majority of games, but few stand out now. Leeds and Liverpool away. Villa at home. Therein tells another story. Lambert was too cautious. His tactics were negative at home and boring to watch. More suited to away games when catching teams on the counter-attack.

Finally, I repeat what I said in my verdicts during the season - questions must be asked of any manager who continually picks George Saville to start. I cannot see any merit in doing so. To pick him at full back was deserving of the sack in its own right.

In Lambert's defence, he inherited a problem with a strike force firing blanks all season. This should have been sorted during the season and I'm not sure who to blame for the fact that it wasn't.

Overall, thanks for your efforts Paul. You talked a good game but I saw very little to give me confidence in you delivering any success. Boring man, boring tactics, oring to watch. Goodbye!

Russ Cockburn: This is a difficult one. I give him a six out of 10 for his eight months at the helm.

For the unforgettable victories at Stoke, Anfield and Craven Cottage, we had the Molineux borefests of Wigan, Blackburn and Huddersfield…the latter was so mundane some guy at the back of South Bank decided to make himself sick purely to keep the rest of us entertained.

There were also the horror shows of Bristol City and Derby, where the players looked like they’d never met each other let alone played together for most of the season.

He was dealing with the leftovers of two other managers so you have to take that into consideration somewhat. However, he did himself no favours by not really getting the best out of what he had and choosing to place his faith in the same old players that have been the ‘issue’ for years.

Lambert also seemed to be hit with the same Molineux curse that afflicted previous managers in trying to play as many players out of position as possible. Perhaps the most startling is George Saville’s inclusion at left back…well at least Tom Ince enjoyed that decision.

Then we had his absolute reliance on Dave Edwards. As a Champions League-winning midfielder you’d like to think he’d recognise a midfielder when he sees one…instead he bestowed almost godlike status on Shrewsbury’s prodigal son and made him the first name on the teamsheet.

On the upside, he did bring through some of our young talent but tempered that with including them one minute and then dropping them without any real reason the next.

In a fair world, you could probably argue he did enough to merit a pre-season to try to shape his own team. Weimann and Marshall certainly improved things, but would either of them get into any of the top six teams that contested promotion last season?

Ultimately, the home performances, lack of entertainment and availability of Fosun’s man hammered the nails into his reign and we’ll never know what he could have done.

The fact that we’ve been pretty brutal in getting rid of him will be forgiven if we are challenging next season. After all, Southampton and Leicester have all benefitted from making tough decisions quickly.

Sarah Connolly: I see Lambert leave with mixed feelings.

After being given the chance to meet Lambert, I was full of confidence. He spoke extremely well, gave us three hours of his time, listened to our opinion and gave us his in return. I walked away very happy, with a feeling we were headed in the right direction, as did I think most of us who were there.

The problem for me was that it never translated into action on the pitch. Yes, I don't think he was given time, yes I think he struggled with the few resources he had and yes I think there were some good games. However, some of the football I watched at Molineux did nothing to convince me that it was the Lambert we spoke to. It's disappointing that it never transpired into what was promised, but I guess that's football.

Do I think he should have been given more time to build a time and progress? Maybe. Would it have been the right thing? Impossible to say now, and we need to move on quickly into what is a huge summer for the club.

Peter Abbott (London Wolves): Player bingo and single man attacks annoyed me with Lambert.

I always felt we had more in us last season and with a different approach, we could have been much better. Still, similar to Jackett (best wishes in the Portsmouth job), I have much personal sympathy with Lambert’s position, however, this is clearly a revolving door process. Plus I read today that he (Lambert ) might yet get the Borussia Dortmund job.

Funny how no such sentiments can be afforded to Zenga (nor Stale before him ).

First impressions of Nuno?

Chris Hughes: Seeing 'Wolves Twitter' erupt at the prospect of another foreign manager gave me a chuckle, especially considering Nuno has a better grasp of English than most of our supporters.

Being someone who loosely follows the fortunes of Valencia in La Liga, I'm aware of some of his previous work. Anyone expecting attacking swagger and flair from Nuno should think again.

He's more in the mould of a Mourinho and sends out organised, disciplined sides that are hard to break down rather than looking to attack at will.

If our fans have patience with him there is every chance that we can be successful, as his record at Valencia and Porto makes good reading. If anything, it's brought an element of intrigue and excitement back to Molineux.

Heather Large: There has been a lot of excitement among fans since his arrival but we're not really going to know if he is the right fit until after August.

It's certainly an interesting and far from obvious appointment.

During his career he's had plenty of success but, like with Zenga, the lack of Championship knowledge is a worry. Someone who knows what it takes to get out of this league could have been a safer option.

And Mendes having an influence is definitely a double-edged sword. He's never going to be loyal to the club, just the players on his books.

But I'm going to reserve judgement until after the summer when we have a better idea of how Nuno's Wolves side looks and plays.

Russ Evers (Hatherton Wolves): A clearout of the backroom staff was welcome and at least he comes in having two full months of pre-season to work out who is and isn't good enough.

We probably all have our own ideas but the game is all about opinions so let's hope Nuno makes the right or lucky choices.

Good luck to him and his staff. Hopefully we will all get behind him and the team and enjoy the ride

Rob Cartwright: Nuno Espírito Santo...the name just conjures excitement for me.

I can't say I knew anything about him before, but looking at his career, he's done well wherever he's managed. Lack of Championship experience does not concern me at all. Just look at Newcastle, Huddersfield, Reading and Sheffield Wed this season. He will have plenty of experience gained at Rio Ave, Valencia and Porto and to progress with the latter two in Champions League is good enough for me.

A big positive for me is that he looks a hard, tough, mean guy. It's reported that he is very composed on the touchline, which is fine. It's on the training ground where you need to get your message across.

People are saying his appointment is similar to Walter Zenga, but this is very different.

Nuno is their man and when it was clear he was available and willing to come to UK, they moved quickly. It would have been very wrong to have sacked Lambert in March, but at the end of the season, following a full review was fair.

I liked Zenga, but he really was a fall guy. Available immediately when Julen Lopetegui had a last minute change of heart, as the Spanish national team came calling.

That was terrible bad luck for Fosun, and us fans, as he was a remarkable target. I'm hoping that Nuno will now come and execute their plan for greatness. He has a good track record and he is a winner.

Another big positive is that he has been allowed to bring in his own backroom team. I can't remember the last time we did this at Wolves, it has been long overdue. This means Nuno will hit the ground running come August.

We wave goodbye to some good people, loyal servants but I feel it was time to do this.

Russ Cockburn: On the surface of it, Nuno arrives to WV1 with a good managerial CV and if he delivers what he did at Rio Ave (two cup finals and European football), I’d be more than happy.

I’m not sure how any Wolves fan can complain about snaring a manager that has enjoyed relative success at Valencia and Porto, where they were unfortunate to come up against a world class Juve side in the Champions League.

Quite why he’s swapped the beautiful beaches of Portugal and a talented squad for the Tettenhall lido and Danny’s hoof up front is probably a mystery for the rest of the Championship.

For us supporters, Nuno’s arrival is down to one man… Mendes…seen by some as the saviour, others as the devil and, for those not on medication, something between the two.

The former goalkeeper (hopefully that’s where the comparison with Zenga ends) has a massive job on his hands to transform the current squad into something that can compete for the play-offs.

What Nuno will no doubt get is time and should be afforded that from the stands as well as at boardroom level. His mate Mendes will open up his contact book and hopefully land on the page that featured Costa and not Texiera more times than not.

In terms of playing style, I’ve heard the word ‘organised’ mentioned many times and I’m not expecting Wolves to play breathtaking football that sets the pulses racing. I’d be quite happy to settle for a bit more entrainment and a lot more wins.

Another plus is that he’s brought in his own backroom staff. Whilst I’m sure Edwards, Daley, Mountain and Taylor are nice guys, we needed a clean sweep and a new approach. Just a shame the hatchet didn’t swing high enough to get Thelwell…yet.

In a glass half full approach, let’s say Fosun had a year to get used to things and, if the noises from within are to be believed, it looks like they’ve finally got their first choice manager in Nuno.

The appointment has been made whilst most of the football world is still on holiday so there can be no excuses for lack of time or a mad dash to get as many Benfica B players on an Easy Jet flight to Molineux.

They are taking a different approach to what we and many other English clubs are used to and it is certainly receiving a fair share of criticism in the media, many of whom romantically remember the Anfield shock yet fail to explore why we’ve been sleeping giants for more than four decades. Some may argue we are in a ‘mediocre’-induced coma.

The Mendes involvement is something we will have to be watchful of. It’s an intricate web that the Super Agent weaves and let’s face it, he’s not doing it for the good of football or a new found love of the men in gold and black.

Wolves offer him an additional opportunity to move players around and a new platform to showcase younger players, who dream of playing in the Premier League and the trousers full of cash that go with it.

If we get more Costas then this could well be a good thing and there is no way we would have been able to attract Nuno without the Mendes influence. However, I wouldn’t want our entire recruitment built around his contact book…it needs to be much wider and diverse than that and needs someone who knows what they’re doing at the heart of it. That man appears to be Thelwell…surely Telfon Kev is drinking in the last chance saloon this time around?

Sarah Connolly: Regardless of your opinion on Lambert, Nuno was an incredible signing for us, I don't think you can argue against that. Would we have attracted someone with his calibre of CV without Mendes/Fosun? Probably not.

His first press conference was good. Although I don't think it's much different to what many managers would promise. The difference with Nuno though, is that his previous achievements back up these promises.

A few have said that having no Championship experience is a bad thing, but I can't agree. If he can get a strong team together and can get us playing good football, I see no reason why that's not a recipe for success, regardless of experience. Fosun took their time with announcing Nuno, so I have more faith in this appointment than I did when we announced Zenga.

As with any manager, the proof will be in the pudding, so I'm very, very excited whilst remaining optimistically cautious. Fingers crossed it works for us.

Peter Abbott (London Wolves): Can we expect near perfection, with his background? Coming from the heights of a pretty high powered soccer league, and one in which many of last season purchases have developed...all Wolves fans hope he's the business.

I’m quite relaxed about all this changing managers. With this type of ownership, we must no longer get too familiar with the manager, only worry about how he selects and uses the management team's buys, loans etc, and then how they perform in whatever "current thinking" formations we are watching.

Where does the squad need strengthening this summer?

Chris Hughes: Clearly there are several positions that need quality additions that are first team ready. It's also clear that we need to trim a lot of deadwood off the books by August too.

For me, we need a commanding centre back to partner Hause plus another as a back up, a starting left back, a central midfield player who is an absolute rotter in the Ince/Rae mould who can play alongside Ronan (who we should be building this new side around as a central midfielder).

Plus an attacking midfielder to play ahead of them who is able to create chances through both passing ability and dribbling skill...and a centre forward who has power, pace and an eye for goal to lead the line.

It's a lot to ask but Fosun have the resources to make it happen.

Heather Large: All over! We need more experience at the back to support Hause and Iorfa.

I would love to see a new striker who could form a proper partnership with Dicko. The constant switching between Dicko and Bodvarsson as lone strikers didn't do it for me.

And in midfield of course. We say it every season. Too many times we've left the opposition dominate the midfield. We also need better delivery to Graham and Costa (assuming he's still a Wolves player in August) on the wings.

Rob Cartwright: As a minimum, Nuno will need to bring in a complete spine to the team. That's a goalkeeper, centre back, central midfielder and centre forward. I'm not convinced we have sufficient quality in any of those areas to sustain a promotion season. Apart from that, the team is fine though!!

I'm not sure what the budget or likely numbers will be but I don't think Fosun will let us down. I would rather see a total clearout than sticking with the current lot. Too many of these do not have a winning mentality. Most are unlikely ever to get one either!

I hope he brings in a proper captain for the team. A true leader.

I have no concerns about the use of Jorge Mendes, if we can believe last week's interview with Laurie Dalrymple. He always speaks very well and thoughtfully, so I have no reason not to believe how he described the working relationship. Welcome to the modern world of football.

Turn the question over, who would I keep? Matt Doherty, Nouha Dicko , Jordan Graham, Helder Costa, Ivan Cavaleiro, Bright Enobakhare, Romain Saiss, Ben Marshall, Michal Zyro, plus of course our up and coming young Wolves including Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Kortney Hause.

Onwards and upwards. Thank you Fosun. I'm looking forward to the new season far more than I thought I would be. UTW

Russ Cockburn: Nuno will need to make some tough decisions quickly and I’m pleased to hear that his recruitment plans will be focused on getting the right player, regardless of where they were born.

Yes, I’m all for the technical skills of foreign players, but this needs to be reinforced by players that have proven Championship experience and can add real steel to the team (the Ryan Bennett signing is a step in the right direction).

We were too nice last year. I want someone who is going to nail the opposition’s main player in the first couple of minutes and, rather than help him up, do it again five minutes later.

Just look at the team that won promotion at Cardiff. We had five real leaders in that team…I’d struggle to name one in the current lot that you’d look to in the heat of battle.

In summary, will all this work? No idea. What I do know is that we’ve hardly been a raging football success in my lifetime, often grasping abject failure from the jaws of glorious victory and progression.

I’m willing to see how it pans out. This is Plan A for Fosun so the time to judge them will be in 12 months to see if the revolution has finally started to deliver.

It has been a difficult first year in English football for Fosun. They’re promised a great deal, but haven’t really delivered yet…but should we be surprised?

Wolverhampton Wanderers isn’t like any other business they’ve managed before and they’re probably not used to 28,000+ shareholders having a passionate opinion on every single decision they make. Let’s just be thankful Twitter is banned in China.

Sarah Connolly: Where the squad will need strengthening will depend very much on where Nuno sees current players fitting in. There are a number of players that many fans wouldn't mind seeing released, along with some that we'd love to see a team built around.

If we can hold on to Costa, keep Graham fit and add a couple of goalscorers, I think we will have a very good attacking line. We need a good, strong centre half that can command the team. We've missed that for so long, with the exception of a few outstanding Williamson performances. Someone with that kind of pedigree would do very nicely.

We also need a strong left back. Although Doherty has played well given that it's not his position, we really need a proven left back if we are to push forward.

I think most fans would agree that we really need to work on our midfield. When we had McDonald, we looked composed and in control in midfield. We struggled to find that last season, so sorting a midfield that can gel together would be one of my top priorities.

Although I like Ikeme, I think we need a new keeper. Ikeme would make a very good back up, but I'm not sure a duo of Ikeme and Lonergan are enough to push for promotion.

This summer is massive now. It will show us the direction we are going forward in, show us the extent of Fosun's ambition and gives Nuno a chance to stamp his authority/playing style on the squad.

Nobody said a rollercoaster was an easy ride, but I'm optimistic it will be worth it.

Peter Abbott (London Wolves): I actually quite like Thelwell and his role in all of this, at the end of the day, clearly the final decision of any purchase doesn't lie just with him. Although I do raise eyebrows at the Mendes role, player agent on the one hand, allegedly advising Thelwell on the other.

Finally, and once again, exciting and, I'm sure, frustrating times ahead for the Wolves and the fans. Another bend on that rather lively rollercoaster. As with every summer new signing or departure, we'll be happy or angry all the same and already looking forward to fixture day and August. #coyw

* This article is dedicated to Jack Cartwright, the father of verdict regular Rob Cartwright, who passed away this week following a short illness.

Rob said: "He was a lifelong Wolves man who took me to my first game in 1969 and started my addiction.

"He was a lovely, lovely man who had his dignity taken by that cruel disease dementia in his last 18 months. Wolves became one of few topics we could engage in. RIP."