I am currently supporting a club divided.
From the stands to the pitch and the dug-out, Wolverhampton Wanderers as a whole is fragmented.
Standing in the Southbank on Saturday was one of the most hostile occasions I’ve seen from sections of our fans towards any Wanderers team in the 25 years of being a Wolves supporter. I was embarrassed to be among it, as much as I was embarrassed to steal a point from the game.
I hate to say it but I now feel there are a proportion of fans that Mick McCarthy has lost and won’t get back on side again. I must confess two things; firstly I am part of the ‘Stick with Mick’ crew and secondly for the first time on Saturday I questioned that decision.
There are many of the club’s followers who have their reasons for not backing Merlin (remember those days when he had that affectionate nickname) and some stem from the understandable ‘he was a defender and the defence are rubbish’ to the ridiculous ‘he’s arrogant and wants to punish the fans.’ Either way no manager has caused so much polarized opinion in the club’s history – and possibly the Premiership’s – from his own supporters than McCarthy.
So close to relegation last season, the poor form of the newly elected captain Roger Johnson, fans evicted from seats for frequently standing-up or because it’s occupied by a building site; no wonder people aren’t feeling comfortable when upturn is so apparent.
For me McCarthy is the right manager for Wolverhampton Wanderers and I’m more than happy to explain why. Those fans that have been disgruntled and booed and been on the sharp end of players criticism – as much as the players themselves – are right to question the management and its players when five-games are lost in a row. Of course we are and as disheartening it is to the squad within reason no-one would knock Wolves fans for doing so.
But a chorus of boos, calling for your own manager to be ‘sacked in the morning’ and demands the chairman ‘f**k him off’ is not within reason. Also sarcastically cheering the substitution of the captain who lifted your last trophy – namely the inform Karl Henry – and even going to the lengths of supporting an opposing player who openly criticised and mocked said player in the national media – that being Joey Barton.
One Man United fan hit it on the head for me he said ‘Wolves fans go-on chanting they support their local team well it doesn’t look that way to me.’