Wolves will enter a new era, with Domenico Teti being announced as the club’s new ‘director of professional football’.
It was reported a couple of weeks ago that a restructure was taking place at Wolves.
Following that claim, Matt Hobbs then left Wolves as his sporting director role was being dissolved.
It was then suggested that the agent Jorge Mendes would be playing a bigger role in transfers this summer at Wolves, along with his right-hand man Valdir Cardoso. Vitor Pereira will apparently be working closely with the pair, and Teti, to get Wolves’ squad where it needs to be.
Teti – who broke his silence earlier today after coming to Wolves – arrives having previously worked with Pereira at Al-Shabab.
The restructure, Wolves say, is designed to ‘improve the strategy and planning around professional and first-team football.
Matt Jackson’s role has slightly changed, and he is now the ‘director of player recruitment and development’. He will work closely with Teti.
And Phil Hayward, Max Fitzgerald and Matt Wild are all part of the leadership team.
But there was one part of Wolves’ statement today that didn’t go down so well with fans.
Wolves fans dislike Jeff Shi line from official restructure statement
The hope is that this restructure will set Wolves on a path to building a squad that is built to compete in the Premier League, and kick on from last season.
Obviously, Wolves have lost some players already this summer.
But work has begun to replace them, to ensure that Pereira has the chance to take Wolves back up the table, and potentially bring back the good times.
It’s been claimed ‘the penny has dropped’ for Wolves executives at Molineux, who are keen to avoid playing Russian roulette with the club’s top-flight safety.
But fans feel the fact chairman Jeff Shi will still sign off on every call is not ideal.
@JSS_1311 said: “Another one that will be binned off and made to take the blame for the usual shortcomings of Mr Shi…”
@NeilDady said: “All positions report into executive chairman Jeff Shi” and therein lays the problem, you change the wheels and engine as many times as you like but if the driver is continually crashing the car you are stuffed….”
@WolfWhoWanders: “Was really excited reading this until I reached the killer line at the end: ‘All positions report to executive chairman Jeff Shi, who will make all final decisions’.”
@NothingButNeto said: “The biggest problem, Jeff Shi, remains in charge and has the ability to veto the remainder of the directors’ decisions. This is just the emperor wearing new clothes.”
@letsdigit said: “Shi is still top of this ladder BTW. We all know how he operates #wwfc”
A chance for Jeff Shi to turn around his image
Jeff Shi has been an unpopular figure at Wolves for quite a while now.
The reaction from some to the fact he will still have the ultimate say over recruitment decisions is understandable.
But he does have the chance to improve his reputation this summer – if he just listens to what those below him are saying.
Wolves have a strong recruitment team now and the acquisition of Teti could be really positive, especially with him knowing Pereira.
With Mendes and Cardoso more on board this time around, Wolves could well be in the mix to sign some really good players – so hopefully, Shi can make some informed decisions working with his newly restructured team.