MX23RW : Monday, June 3 17:00:44| >> :120:7019:7019:

Wolverhampton Wanderers MD: 'We're close to challenging'

Wolverhampton Wanderers managing director Laurie Dalrymple says that the club are not too far from challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' managing director Laurie Dalrymple has said that he believes the club are close to challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

The Midlands side were taken over last summer by wealthy Chinese conglomerate Fosun International, who immediately replaced manager Kenny Jackett with Walter Zenga and signed up 13 new players.

With the club struggling in the league, however, Zenga was replaced by experienced Championship manager Paul Lambert after just three months.

Wolves have now won six of their last 10 matches - including away FA Cup wins at Stoke City and Liverpool - but still sit 14 points off the playoffs, making promotion this season an unlikely feat.

"Regardless of where we finish this season, whether we sneak into the playoffs, or 10th, or wherever, the key thing is how we finish the season and the momentum we can take," Dalrymple told the Express & Star. "Then picking that up and going for next season, with hopefully as limited an amount of squad development as possible.

"Where we are now is that we've started to turn a big corner in the past two months. To a degree I leave that decision making to Kevin [Thelwall, sporting director] in terms of the squad, the ability and the talent in the group, where the gaps are, etc. But from a financial point of view I'm not 100 per cent convinced we're that far away from having a squad that can challenge.

"I'm not sure it needs that level of investment [again]. It's something we'll start to evaluate in March and April so when we get to the summer we know where the gaps are and what we're going to have to put towards it from a financial point of view. The Financial Fair Play model has to influence what we do, so how we take the squad forward and develop it would be a discussion around outs as well as ins."

Wolves are about to embark upon a run of five consecutive home games, beginning with the visit of table-topping Newcastle United this Saturday.

ID:291344: cacheID:291344:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3131:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Paul Lambert, manager of Aston Villa gives instructions during the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Aston Villa at Anfield on January 18, 2014
Read Next:
Lambert surprised by Wolves turnaround
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CManchester CityMan City38287396346291
2Arsenal38285591296289
3Liverpool382410486414582
4Aston Villa382081076611568
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs382061274611366
6Chelsea381891177631463
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381861485622360
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd38186145758-160
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham381410146074-1452
10Crystal Palace381310155758-149
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton381212145562-748
12Bournemouth38139165467-1348
13Fulham38138175561-647
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves38137185065-1546
15Everton38139164051-1140
16Brentford38109195665-939
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3899204967-1832
RLuton TownLuton3868245285-3326
RBurnley3859244178-3724
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd38372835104-6916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!