General Wolves News

[Lycan]

The extent to which Hwang gets hammered over his nationality is uncomfortable.

It wouldn't happen if he wasn't specifically signed because of his nationality.

He's not the first Korean to play for Wolves. Seol Ki-Hyeon was shit as well but he was looked upon much more favourably as we signed him because we (mistakenly) thought he had ability, not because we thought he might get us a few fans in Chuncheon.

 

[Alan]

It wouldn't happen if he wasn't specifically signed because of his nationality.

Does he keep getting picked for that reason as well?

As I said, it's uncomfortable. No issue with slating him as a player, but him being Korean shouldn't be part of that.

 

[sycophantia]

No, it's the constant allusions to his Korean-ness, how he's perceived there, being bought as a marketing gimmick, etc.

Well yes the marketing thing is poor but I don't think his nationality makes him any more a target for criticism.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's stupid thinking from the club, even if we do have legions of Korean fans now because he plays for us (we don't) then they've never explained how exactly we benefit from it. Same bollocks as when they were on about pitching tickets to Lars from Aarhus and Luis from Guadalajara who come once a year or two rather than Wayne from Wednesfield who goes every week and has done for 40 years, what fucking planet are you on.

If we hadn't explicitly mentioned all this then it wouldn't get raised nearly as much.

 

[Alan]

Well yes the marketing thing is poor but I don't think his nationality makes him any more a target for criticism.

No, I don't think so, either. He's a target because a lot of folks think he's pretty crap, as is their right. I just think it goes a little far at times.

Bleeding heart lib, ay.

 

[sycophantia]

Does he keep getting picked for that reason as well?

As I said, it's uncomfortable. No issue with slating him as a player, but him being Korean shouldn't be part of that.

Again, he's slated because he's perceived as a poor player, don't think his Koreanness has any bearing on it, no more than Doc being knocked for his Irishness.
As for his being picked, no doubt some of that was marketing but imo Lopetegui has been playing him because he prefers him to the alternatives.

 

[Alan]

When was Doherty ever knocked for his Irishness??

Not one person said "Well, there go the preseason tours to Ireland" when we sold him.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

There was definitely the stuff with our mouthbreathers that Mick only picked Stephen Ward because he was Irish.

I did say that Doherty's defending often wouldn't look out of place in the League of Ireland, he had to be seen to be believed at his worst.

 

[Alan]

There was definitely the stuff with our mouthbreathers that Mick only picked Stephen Ward because he was Irish.

I did say that Doherty's defending often wouldn't look out of place in the League of Ireland, he had to be seen to be believed at his worst.

Re: Ward + Mick; that's fucked up.

I'd take Hwang over Doherty every day of the week and twice on Sundays so maybe I'm just biased, but the LoI comparison just doesn't rankle me. I mean, we've all seen the Doherty Masterclass gif.

 

[Kenny]

It's stupid thinking from the club, even if we do have legions of Korean fans now because he plays for us (we don't) then they've never explained how exactly we benefit from it. Same bollocks as when they were on about pitching tickets to Lars from Aarhus and Luis from Guadalajara who come once a year or two rather than Wayne from Wednesfield who goes every week and has done for 40 years, what fucking planet are you on.

If we hadn't explicitly mentioned all this then it wouldn't get raised nearly as much.

Its what all clubs do.

Newcastle are making a big think about the lad they are signing from Milan and how it will open up new markets for them.

At least its a bit more advanced that 20-30 years ago when it was "lets link up with a club in China and we will get a ton of new fans" fast forward 12 months "We have cancelled our agreement with TinPot F.C"

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Its what all clubs do.

Newcastle are making a big think about the lad they are signing from Milan and how it will open up new markets for them.

At least its a bit more advanced that 20-30 years ago when it was "lets link up with a club in China and we will get a ton of new fans" fast forward 12 months "We have cancelled our agreement with TinPot F.C"

They can say it, it still doesn't make sense.

Let's say you buy into the stereotype and Korean fans follow European clubs based on them having Korean players. Well they're all going to support Spurs because of Son or Napoli (soon to be Bayern) because of Kim, aren't they. Not fucking Hwang.

 

[Alan]

Business people in bullshit marketing scheme shocker.

 

[Kenny]

Hwang is pretty popular in Korea.
Never a case of supporting us as such is it, its about them buying our shit then it moves into the area they really want, the branding. People in South Korea, Mexico or wherever are buying the tat, watching games and the exposure grows and then you start getting companies interested in you, whether for sponsorship deals or down to the long term goal, investing in the club.

Naturally the club won't say the above so have to do the nicer version of attracting new supporters rather than buy our shit so we can try and persuade the richer people to give us their cash.

We are right at the bottom of the pile right now and the only way it improves is if we become successful or are purchased by the mega mega MEGA rich. Have to start somewhere though and it does feel as if clubs will sign players if they believe their is an ounce of branding opportunities with them joining.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't see it working even at the top level though?

Like where are Arsenal's mega partnerships in Ghana because Partey plays for them or how are Brighton getting anything from the Japanese market while Mitoma plays for them?

If you can make some money along the way then great but I'm fundamentally interested in having good players play for Wolves, the amount of players that have moved for ~£15m since we signed Hwang and who would be inarguably miles better (and would have signed for us) is off the scale. Dressing up a crap signing as "he brings us X in his homeland" when he obviously doesn't is crass.

 

[Kenny]

I don't see it working even at the top level though?

It must do something or clubs are all chasing a lost cause aren't they?

Why are Newcastle, the richest club....outside of Saudi Arabia, saying signing certain players will open up new markets to them.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't know, it's certainly fanciful.

I know we can't make it work on the current level because I doubt we've made anything tangible out of Mexico despite owning what was objectively their nation's best player for years.

 

[Kenny]

We sold a lot green kits...just no mega rich Mexican fancied anything from us

I'm sure there is some benefits that we just don't see. We and every other top flight club have whole departments working on stuff like this so its either a lot of money being pissed away across the country or there is something working somewhere.

Either way, if we are signing a player where marketing reasons are put at the front end of the decision to sign them, then you are doing it wrong. It should be an added on bonus.

 

[sycophantia]

When was Doherty ever knocked for his Irishness??

Not one person said "Well, there go the preseason tours to Ireland" when we sold him.

Never, thats what I mean.

 

[Tredman]

I saw a load of Brighton shirts in Zambia, mostly fakes but still..

 

[PuntsWolf]

I’m a bit confused as I haven’t seen anything regarding Hwangs “Koreaness” to trigger all this.