Mel Eves: Wolves way ahead of schedule
Wolves great Mel Eves has backed the current crop to continue their sublime form and ‘comfortably’ secure a top-half finish in the Premier League.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s troops have turned lots of heads as of late – Nuno being named the top flight’s manager of the month for September.
And Eves, who was part of the Wolves side which finished sixth in the First Division as well as winning the League Cup in the 1979/80 season, said: “It’s just a magical time now.
“I think it’s coming back. The owners came with a 10-year plan. The first part of it was to get back into the Premier League in three – and they did it in two. They’re ahead of schedule as far as that’s concerned and then they said well, why can’t we be competing in a few years, in Europe?
“Everything is going well at the moment and I can’t see any reason why it can’t continue and, probably, comfortably finish in the top 10.
“People are getting carried away about going better than that – but you never know, they could do.
“At least, I think we’ll achieve what we set out to do, which is compete, hold our own, and not be involved at the bottom half of the table.
“I really can’t see that. We’d have to go on a horrendous run.
“The momentum is there. I think the belief is there now – from the owners through to everyone at the club.”
Eves – with the club as a player from 1975 until 1984, making more than 200 appearances – was in the team that won the Second Division in 1976/77. They finished 15th on their return to the top tier and then were hugely successful the following campaign.
He has been mightily impressed with how Wolves, who also had wing-back Matt Doherty win the PFA Fans’ Premier League Player of the Month, have adjusted to life back at the elite level.
“That was the big question, could they carry it on?
“But it has been, more or less, seamless, which is fantastic,” added Eves.
“OK, they have had to get better players. We got a few more players to strengthen the squad, but they’ve come in and they all buy into what Nuno wants to do.
“He’s got his way of playing, which is wonderful, and the results have come.
“Everybody is buying into it and it’s a joy to be a Wolves fan.”
