Can Michal Zyro swoop help Wolves winter revival continue?
Jamie Clark, Sports Editor | December 29, 2015
Whether there was any firm interest in his services from QPR or not, the speculation that surrounded Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Kenny Jackett looks – to the casual observer at least – to have affected the men from Molineux.
Having won their West Midlands derby at Birmingham City at the end of October, Wolves then endured a winless November in the Championship, starting with a shock defeat to relegation-battlers Bristol City and three successive draws.
Happily, however, it is wingers that have led Wanderers’ winter revival, with James Henry and Jordan Graham instrumental in back-to-back post-Christmas victories over Reading and Charlton Athletic.
Mask of Zyro?
During the festive period, Wolves have also secured the signing of highly-rated Poland international wideman Michal Zyro, who has more than an outside chance of representing his country at Euro 2016.
This imminent arrival, with 23-year-old Zyro eligible to play from January 2nd 2016 subject to international clearance, is a typical Jackett signing since he joined Molineux with the West Midlands outfit at a low ebb.
Building a talented young team that stormed to the 2013/14 League One title, Wanderers were unlucky to miss out on a Championship play-off place last season. At the halfway stage of this term, they sit six points off the top six and Coral make Wolves 9/1 shots to finish there.
No Jackett required where youth is concerned
Nouha Dicko, Graham and Benik Afobe were joined by Conor Coady and fellow Liverpool almunus Sheyi Ojo (loan), among others, in moving to Molineux. All are in their early 20s or younger, and Zyro fits that profile too.
With Legia Warsaw in his homeland, he has already won plenty of trophies. For what they’re worth, Zyro’s CV contains four Polish Cups and two Ekstraklasa titles.
At 6ft 3in, he is tall for a winger and Jackett believes left-footer Zyro could do a job up front as well. “With his physique and his power, can play in any of the four forward positions,” the Wolves boss said of his new signing.
“Most of his time has been playing 4-3-3, either wide right or left, and he is strong in the air.” Such versatility in attacking areas should see Zyro act as cover for long-term Wanderers injury absentee Dicko.
Another Lewandowski?
A Legia Warsaw director has described Zyro as the best young Polish player since current Bayern Munich poacher Robert Lewandowski, which may be doing a disservice to Sevilla anchorman and rumoured Arsenal target Grzegorz Krychowiak.
For a second tier team like Wolves to sign up Zyro, then, should be regarded as a major coup, but the Molineux fanbase could also be forgiven for treating this Poland prospect with some cynicism.
Experience makes supporters of this team wary, especially as Wanderers’ last Polish signing, Slawomir Peszko, was also a winger – and one who showed a proclivity for diving before being sent back to Cologne after 11 appearances.
With handsome promotions odds of 25/1, Wolves‘ latest wonder Zyro will have to reproduce what everyone in the know back home says about him in order to both cement his squad spot for the Euros and establish his new team in the play-off picture.
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