Football News
Vokes, Gorman, Malone: ready or not?
It was a case of ‘mission accomplished’ for Mick McCarthy last season as he kept Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League and, with another gruelling schedule lying in wait, this campaign could herald the emergence of some talented next generation Wolves.
Every football fan loves to see young talent coming good, so join Sport.co.uk in looking at three Wolverhampton Wanderers youngsters who could be set to make a big impact at Molineux.
Do you agree with our picks? Which other youngsters do you think Wolverhampton Wanderers fans should keep their eyes on? What do you expect from Wolves this season? Have your say in the comments section below…
Sam Vokes – Despite not being a regular starter, the 20 year-old striker scored some important goals during Wolves’ promotion campaign but was farmed out on loan to Leeds United last season as McCarthy tended to favour playing with just one striker. At Leeds, he was mostly used as a substitute – on the occasions that he actually made the bench – and he made just eight appearances before returning to Molineux in the new year. His introduction in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United – in which he very almost scored a last gasp equaliser – hints at him being back in McCarthy’s plans, although the presence in the squad of Kevin Doyle, Steven Fletcher, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Andy Keogh presents him with considerable obstacles to overcome on the way to Wolves’ first team.
Johnny Gorman – This summer, Gorman earned his first two full international caps for Northern Ireland despite not having yet made an appearance in Wolves’ first team. The 17 year-old winger is an unknown quantity to most and faces stiff competition from Michael Kightly, Matt Jarvis, David Jones and new boy Stephen Hunt, but the odd cameo as a substitute could be on the cards if he continues to progress.
Scott Malone – The 19 year-old left-back has George Elokobi, Jelle Van Damme and Stephen Ward ahead of him in the pecking order, but his recent call-up to the England U19s squad is indication of his potential and, with all due respect to the aforementioned trio, none of their names would be indelibly etched into any Wolves fan’s first XI in the way that someone like Doyle would be. Malone has pace, a strong left foot, a good understanding of the game and can also operate on the left hand side of midfield when required.