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After taking a significant step forward in midweek, the last thing Dougie Freedman wants to do is take two steps back at Wolves this afternoon.
Euxton was a significantly happier place on Friday than it has been of late.
Banter could be heard being thrown backwards and forward from the dining room at the training ground, the club’s press staff buzzed round preparing to do the time-honoured shirt picture with new arrival Max Clayton, and even Freedman – who has had precious few chances to smile recently – had time for a joke when pressed on his thoughts about the Scottish referendum.
“They didn’t send me a voting slip,” he smirked. “They must have thought I had enough on my plate round here.”
Tuesday’s victory over Rotherham United lifted a huge weight off Wanderers – but the manager is acutely aware it is still hovering overhead.
Defeat at Molineux would be followed by the sound of more knives sharpening and more calls from fans demanding change.
Freedman’s mood has undoubtedly been helped by the return to full fitness of experienced head Kevin McNaughton, whose absence on the right side of defence has been felt despite the best efforts of Tim Ream.
But that priceless three points at the Macron Stadium has done more than anything to lift the gloom, and Freedman is anxious not to lose any momentum.
“You can try and keep a good spirit about the place, keep people’s heads up, but nothing does it like a win,” he told The Bolton News.
“We’ve kept the training ground a good working environment through a difficult period but nothing beats a win because it’s a natural smile on people’s faces, you’re not trying to force anything.
“They are a very strong bunch of players and they’ve come in for a lot of bumps and knocks, criticism, but they have handled it.
“I think they have deserved to come through this a bit.
“More points should be on the board, I’d argue we deserve more because of our performances but then that’s football.
“You’ll get bangs and knocks through the season but we got a few big ones in the first few weeks – but we’ve battled through it.
“That was a step forward, so let’s take that momentum on.”
Wanderers come across their old foes Wolves in good form, following promotion from League One.
Boasting the best defensive record in the division and a back four that has been unchanged all season, Kenny Jackett’s men have only sampled defeat once so far this term.
Retaining some of the top talent they had in the Championship last time around such as Bakary Sako, Richard Stearman and Carl Ikeme and mixing it with new faces like Leon Clarke and James Henry, the Old Gold are hoping to make it back to back promotions.
“They’ve taken the confidence from last season and made a really good start,” Freedman said.
“They can pick two from four or five very exciting wingers who try to get crosses into the box as often as they can. We need to look at that.
“I’ve played at Molineux and I know it can be a really hard place for an away team to come to. When the crowd get behind then it can be difficult.
“And I’ve got a lot of respect for Kenny Jackett, especially what he did down at Millwall.
“But I’m looking forward to the game because I think we got two good results against Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham and I think we can kick on again.”
Whereas Wanderers struggled in the first half of their first season in the Championship and have been marooned in limbo ever since, Wolves’ decline was more brutal, dropping immediately into League One.
Freedman’s rebuilding project has not been without its pitfalls, or its critics, but the manager argues that Wolves’ relegation may have actually made Kenny Jackett’s job more straightforward when he inherited the post at the start of last season.
“I know at the time that Wolves didn’t like the relegation but I think it really sorted out the four or five players that Kenny had to deal with,” he said.
“They all left the building and that gave him an opportunity to bed in some younger players at a lower level of competition and buy players at League One prices and try to elevate from there.
“In a strange way, relegation has worked out in their favour.”
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Euxton was a significantly happier place on Friday than it has been of late.
Banter could be heard being thrown backwards and forward from the dining room at the training ground, the club’s press staff buzzed round preparing to do the time-honoured shirt picture with new arrival Max Clayton, and even Freedman – who has had precious few chances to smile recently – had time for a joke when pressed on his thoughts about the Scottish referendum.
“They didn’t send me a voting slip,” he smirked. “They must have thought I had enough on my plate round here.”
Tuesday’s victory over Rotherham United lifted a huge weight off Wanderers – but the manager is acutely aware it is still hovering overhead.
Defeat at Molineux would be followed by the sound of more knives sharpening and more calls from fans demanding change.
Freedman’s mood has undoubtedly been helped by the return to full fitness of experienced head Kevin McNaughton, whose absence on the right side of defence has been felt despite the best efforts of Tim Ream.
But that priceless three points at the Macron Stadium has done more than anything to lift the gloom, and Freedman is anxious not to lose any momentum.
“You can try and keep a good spirit about the place, keep people’s heads up, but nothing does it like a win,” he told The Bolton News.
“We’ve kept the training ground a good working environment through a difficult period but nothing beats a win because it’s a natural smile on people’s faces, you’re not trying to force anything.
“They are a very strong bunch of players and they’ve come in for a lot of bumps and knocks, criticism, but they have handled it.
“I think they have deserved to come through this a bit.
“More points should be on the board, I’d argue we deserve more because of our performances but then that’s football.
“You’ll get bangs and knocks through the season but we got a few big ones in the first few weeks – but we’ve battled through it.
“That was a step forward, so let’s take that momentum on.”
Wanderers come across their old foes Wolves in good form, following promotion from League One.
Boasting the best defensive record in the division and a back four that has been unchanged all season, Kenny Jackett’s men have only sampled defeat once so far this term.
Retaining some of the top talent they had in the Championship last time around such as Bakary Sako, Richard Stearman and Carl Ikeme and mixing it with new faces like Leon Clarke and James Henry, the Old Gold are hoping to make it back to back promotions.
“They’ve taken the confidence from last season and made a really good start,” Freedman said.
“They can pick two from four or five very exciting wingers who try to get crosses into the box as often as they can. We need to look at that.
“I’ve played at Molineux and I know it can be a really hard place for an away team to come to. When the crowd get behind then it can be difficult.
“And I’ve got a lot of respect for Kenny Jackett, especially what he did down at Millwall.
“But I’m looking forward to the game because I think we got two good results against Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham and I think we can kick on again.”
Whereas Wanderers struggled in the first half of their first season in the Championship and have been marooned in limbo ever since, Wolves’ decline was more brutal, dropping immediately into League One.
Freedman’s rebuilding project has not been without its pitfalls, or its critics, but the manager argues that Wolves’ relegation may have actually made Kenny Jackett’s job more straightforward when he inherited the post at the start of last season.
“I know at the time that Wolves didn’t like the relegation but I think it really sorted out the four or five players that Kenny had to deal with,” he said.
“They all left the building and that gave him an opportunity to bed in some younger players at a lower level of competition and buy players at League One prices and try to elevate from there.
“In a strange way, relegation has worked out in their favour.”
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