Alan Curbishley out to end wilderness years with Wolves

Alan Curbishley was today hoping to use a couple of hours in the company of Wolves' hierarchy to erase four years in the football wilderness.

The force appears to be with 'Curbs' as he takes pole position for the Molineux managerial vacancy opened by Monday's sacking of Mick McCarthy.

Of all the candidates being considered by owner Steve Morgan and chief executive Jez Moxey, who met with the former Charlton and West Ham boss at a secret location in London today, Curbishley perhaps comes closest to satisfying the twin targets they will set the successful applicant.

First, Wolves want someone who can find a passage through the final 13 games of the season which will end up with the club still in the Premier League.

Second, they want a man who can work within the club's structures and philosophy to shape and develop a team capable of marching hand-in-hand with Molineux's growing dimensions.

Whether next season's starting point is in the top flight or the Championship will not affect the grand design, only its timing. What Morgan and Moxey will want to detect from Curbishley's demeanour is the strength of will and purpose to take on and see through a long-range project.

As a man who earned his managerial spurs doing precisely that at Charlton, Curbishley seems as good a candidate as there is available.

But most of all, he has to convince the Wolves board that his four years away from the touchline have not dulled his edge or narrowed his reach into an English game which moves forwards at an unrelenting and unforgiving rate of change. His style is studious, well-organised, conscientious, thoughtful. He is not a tub thumper or a firebrand, which may be the preferred qualities for some seeking a man to re-energise Wolves for this final third of the season.

Dare I say it, he will hope to map a route to safety the Roy Hodgson way – through organisation, attention to detail and planning.

Those qualities set him apart when he was last in the Midlands as a midfielder with Birmingham City and Aston Villa and I used to ghost his weekly column for Birmingham's Saturday night sports paper.

His St Andrew's team- mates were a fairly wild bunch – older readers will remember the reputation of Messrs Dennis, Gayle, Hopkins, Van den Hauwe, Harford et al – and we both bore witness to some fairly rowdy "down time".

Curbishley, though, was always that little bit distant from such laddish antics, suspicious of outsiders and aware of the pitfalls.

It was, therefore, no surprise to see him go on and make such a name for himself in management that he was on the brink of the England job six years ago.

That was followed by his fateful posting at a turbulent West Ham which began with his taking over and dramatically rescuing a relegation-threatened team but ended with bitter discord within two years as he railed against the selling of players against his wishes.

That lengthy dispute, which ended in his winning a case of aggravated dismissal, extended his time out of the game since when he has rejected repeated overtures to return at Championship level while awaiting the Premier League opening he craved.

He thought he had it when Aston Villa were looking for a man to replace Martin O'Neill only for Wolves' neighbours to lurch towards Gerard Houllier at the last minute. Curbishley was stung by the rejection.

It means his only contact with the Premier League battleground has been via Sky's networking.

But there are those who feel that this has had no impact on his intelligence network. Indeed, an ex-pro from Sky's punditry team told me only last week how impressed he had been with Curbishley's grasp of everything and everybody concerning the Premier League.

He also has natural in-roads into how things stand at Wolves – his brother manages Molineux director and global rock star Robert Plant.

Will all this be enough to sway the vote his way? It certainly seems as if it is Curbishley's post to lose. He is the first cab off the rank and it is up to him whether or not he picks up the fare.

Much will depend on the kind of deal Wolves are offering. Will it be a lengthy contract outright? Or will it be a short-term offer with a view to a summer review when their fate has been decided and the manager's impact gauged?

Curbishley is not daft and will assess the outlook carefully. But the "project" of Molineux will certainly appeal. At 54 and suitably rested, he will have the energy and enthusiasm to get his teeth into a task of this scale. His determination to prove that he is not a spent force will be fierce.

All of that was in the air today as Curbishley sat down with the key men who guide the fortunes of Wolves. How they fared will have a huge say in shaping the club's tomorrows.

See also:

• Curbishley in talks with Wolves owner Morgan

• Big Ron: It’s Gordon Strachan or Neil Warnock for me

• Who will replace Mick McCarthy at Molineux?