Lambert's latest in the revolving door

Wolves have been shuffling the pack on the managerial front in a bid to climb up the Championship table and with the slightly longer-term aim of a return to the Premier League.
Helder Costa was a new arrival at Molineux in the summerHelder Costa was a new arrival at Molineux in the summer
Helder Costa was a new arrival at Molineux in the summer

It has been a revolving door to the head coach’s office at Molineux in recent months.

After the stability of three years in charge for Kenny Jackett, it has been more of a bumpy ride lately.

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Jackett was told he was no longer required on July 29, just eight days before the start of the season.

That exit came after a change of ownership in the summer.

Walter Zenga, Italy’s World Cup goalkeeper in 1990, was Jackett’s replacement.

His term in office lasted just three months, six wins in 17 games in charge leading to him being shown the door.

Paul Lambert is the latest incumbent, appointed during the international break.

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This weekend’s clash with Preston will be his first game in charge, conjuring up a feeling of deja-vu for him.

A year ago, Lambert took the Blackburn job and his first game in charge was against North End at Deepdale.

Former PNE goalkeeper Andrew Lonergan only joined Wolves in the summer and has hardly had the opportunity to get on nodding terms with the head coaches.

“Paul Lambert is the fourth manager I’ve had here, if you count Dave Edwards who was caretaker,” said Lonergan.

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“Kenny Jackett signed me, then it was Walter Zenga and now things have changed again.

“Joining Wolves was a good move for me, it is a great club and a bit nearer home.

“I loved being at Fulham last season but when the chance came to sign for Wolves, I couldn’t turn it down.”

Lonergan featured in Wolves’ two games before the international break, coming on as a half-time substitute for Carl Ikeme in a 1-1 draw with Blackburn.

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With Ikeme still injured, he started the November 5 clash with Derby, one which ended in a 3-2 defeat.

The 33-year-old Prestonian hopes to feature at Deepdale against the club for whom he made 232 appearances – even scoring a goal in his time here.

From the Preston squad, Lonergan knows Ben Pringle very well, the pair having been team-mates at Fulham.

“Ben and myself signed on the same day for Fulham,” said Lonergan.

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“We were in the same hotel after signing and then we got houses near each other.

“Preston’s result is the first I look for, my dad still goes to the games quite often.”

New manager Lambert is looking for a quick upturn in results from Wolves, and has spent the last couple of weeks working with the squad he has inherited on the training ground.

“I’ve said already we need to be a bit more robust in games and we’ve got to start games better,” said Lambert.

“We’ve given too many goals in early part of the games.

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“We’ll try, if we can, to get on the front foot and go and try and win.

“When you have a lot of new lads it takes a bit of time to adapt.

“The league, as everybody knows, is unforgiving, with physical games, balls coming into the box, with games on Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday.”

Top scorer for Wolves this season is Helder Costa with five goals, the Portuguese striker arriving on loan from Monaco in the summer.