Recently in Wolves Category

Which one of the West Midlands' big four (Villa, Blues, Wolves, Albion) looks set to have the most players at next month's World Cup?

Answer: The lowest ranked of those four - Premier League-bound Albion, who will have five players off to South Africa, all being well.
They are: Marek Cech (Slovakia), Robert Koren (Slovenia), Abdoulaye Meite (Ivory Coast), Chris Wood (New Zealand), Gonzala Jara (Chilie).

And at the preliminary squad stage, Villa have four poised to go - England trio James Milner, Emile Heskey and Stephen Warnock as well as USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

As well as having their boss in the commentary booth, Wolves look set to have three representatives at the World Cup - Marcus Hahnemann (USA), Nenad Milijas (Serbia) and Adlene Guedioura (Algeria).

And, seeing as they helped propel the individual in question to new heights, Blues squeak in with one, Joe Hart who will head back to his parent club Manchester City following the tournament.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Mick McCarthy has decided to return to his World Cup commentary position and again work for the BBC at this summer's tournament in South Africa.

So spare a thought for those Wolves players who'll be preparing for a relaxing summer in front of the box.

Because as they settle down to watch the world's finest footballers do battle, they'll hear a distinctive Yorkshire voice. One that has been bellowing at them week in, week out for the last nine months.

As Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards jokingly admitted to me: "I don't think a lot of the lads will want to hear it too much." Before the Wales international covered his tracks by adding: "The gaffer knows his stuff and he's brilliant so I'm sure they (the BBC) have tried hard to get him to go."

Despite Edwards glowing endorsement, Wolves players may just head for the mute button when it comes to watching the Beeb's World Cup coverage this summer.

WHEN it comes to the choppy waters of football finances, there isn't a ship more watertight than HMS West Midlands.

In the north-west, there are passengers aboard the great ship Manchester United frantically waving their green and yellow scarves as their owners steers them towards the huge iceberg that is debt.

In the north-east, there's a black and white-striped vessel heading back to the high seas, but with a looney Toon in charge that's still unsure whether to jump overboard.

Up in Scotland, two battered Glaswegian boats remain afloat, just.

Down in the capital, a Russian yacht decorated with a Chelsea crest sails along in calm waters but a storm is brewing in the distance, while the claret and blue cruise liner that is West Ham United was only averted from danger at the last minute by two cockney merchants after a series of crackpot captains had led it astray.

And, of course, down on the south-coast, everybody knows about the ferry that hit the rocks in Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth.

Pompey's punishment for entering administration, in the form of a point-less nine-point deduction, keeps the alarm bells ringing over this debt-ridden industry that we call British football.

To get your views/questions heard on next week's Villa View, e-mail: villaview@mrn.co.uk

I was delighted to hear that Marcus Hahnemann will stay on for at least another year at Wolverhampton Wanderers, should the club stay up this season, as there's not a more colourful character playing on the West Midlands patch.

One interview with the American goalkeeper will arm you with enough entertaining material to last months.

But, of course, I'm not just happy for selfish reasons, as there's no doubt that Hahnemann has been a calming influence on a Wolves defence that could have quite easily crumbled this season.

It became clear quickly that young Wayne Hennessey isn't yet ready for Premier League football so, with the perennially injured Matt Murray out of action, thank god that Mick McCarthy could turn to Hahnemann.

While the fight for survival is far from over, there's a genuine belief in the Molineux camp that Wolves will still be a Premier League team for the start of the 2010/11 season, and the experienced head of Hahnemann would have played a major part in securing that success.

Hahnemann had hoped to finish his career in English football at Reading, so to be forced to look for another club would have come as a major blow for the family man as he's settled in this area.

And with the 37-year-old dreaming of ending his career with the Seattle Sounders in the MLS in his native USA, it would come as no surprise if Hahnemann was more than happy to see out his playing days on these shores with Wolves.

It's February 14 and love is in the air.

However, while it may be flowers, chocolates and sweet nothings at the moment, everybody knows that relationships in football can quickly turn as sour as Neil Warnock at a referees' convention.

So to mark Valentine's Day, I've decided to aim Cupid's bow towards our major clubs to see who is floating their boat, who's the special someone they long for and who might be about to receive the divorce papers.

BLUES

Head over heels with... Alex McLeish - in the loving eyes of Bluenoses, Big Eck can do no wrong. McLeish has quietly assembled a Premier League squad at reasonable expense. And all that while controversial outgoing owners bickered with a mysterious incoming regime in the background.

Would like to meet... A 25-year-old Kevin Phillips - the ruthless manner in which Super Kev saw off Wolves last weekend reminded Blues of the value of a natural goal-scorer. Trouble is, Phillips is 36 and Blues could do with the ex-England striker at his peak.

On the rocks with... Half of their squad - with 12 members of Blues' current first-team squad out of contract at the end of the season, it's likely that a large percentage of those will bid farewell to St Andrew's come summer. Chief executive Michael Dunford has already indicated that a mass clearout is on the horizon.

VILLA

Head over heels with... Richard Dunne - Villa fans have always appreciated a centre-half in the old-fashioned mould such as Allan Evans, Derek Mountfield, Paul McGrath, Martin Laursen; but when the latter announced his retirement, there was a slight sense of panic. Would the claret and blue rearguard suddenly become as suspect as Portsmouth's finances? But the £5 million that Martin O'Neill paid out to Manchester City for Dunne has turned out to be an absolute bargain. The Irishman has been colossal.

Would like to meet... A big name striker - how Villa fans would love to boast of their own Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney or Fernando Torres. A rock-solid defence, a midfield oozing with talent and a strikeforce that has power and pace but lacks a killer touch in front of goal.

On the rocks with... The beautiful game - Villa have developed a bit of a reputation for being boring. Admittedly that opinion largely seems to stem from north London but if this notion starts to gain momentum, Villa are in danger of being tarnished with the same ugly brush as Stoke.