Wolves legend Steve Bull hopes the minutes Raul Jimenez got at the World Cup will have given him a bit of a spark.
The striker is now out of the competition after Mexico failed to get out of their group.
Mexico came third in their group, missing out by virtue of an inferior goal difference to Poland.
The Poles lost their last group stage game 2-0 to Argentina, and Mexico only beat Saudi Arabia 2-1. Despite having the same number of points, it was the Mexicans that crashed out.
Jimenez made three substitute appearances out in Qatar, with his fitness ultimately just not quite there for him to start any games. Sections of the Mexican media questioned Tata Martino’s decision to call him up.
Wolves fans will now hope that Jimenez can come back to Compton Park, ready to help his side pull away from danger.
He hasn’t played for Wanderers since that dreadful 0-0 draw with Bournemouth at the end of August.
Bull has been speaking about Jimenez in his latest column for the Express & Star over the weekend.
And he is hoping that Jimenez’s experience in Qatar will have just rejuvenated him a little.
He said: “I’m pleased that Raul can now come back to us and concentrate on Wolves.
“We’ve got to get him right now for Boxing Day, he’s got just under a month or so now to say ‘come on, I’m ready to get back to it’.
“He has been a miss, Costa came in and tried to fill a gap, Kalajdzic came in and got injured.
“It’s a hard role to do, Raul has been off the boil for quite a bit and I’m just hopeful these minutes in the World Cup have given him a bit of a spark to be ready to go for Wolves on Boxing Day.”
Wolves need Raul Jimenez back to his best as Steve Bull says, as star returns from World Cup
Jimenez has certainly been off the boil for Wolves this season, but his injury problems have of course been a factor.
He now has a few weeks to get himself up to speed before Wolves start playing again.
Julen Lopetegui has already talked about Jimenez as being an important player for the team.
The Spaniard likely wants to get him back into the starting XI, so he needs to be ready.
We can assume he isn’t far off full fitness, because he’s just made three cameo appearances at the World Cup, and also played a full 45 minutes in the friendly against Sweden.