Wolves aiming to talk a good game
Georg Margreitter is aiming to prove it's good to talk as Wolves' League of Nations continues to grow.
The Austrian defender, signed from Austria Vienna last week, is one of seven new arrivals at Molineux this summer.
Each one is a different nationality – Bjorn Sigurdarson (Iceland), Frank Nouble (England but qualified for the Ivory Coast), Slawomir Peszko (Poland), Tongo Doumbia (Mali), Razak Boukari (Togo) and Bakary Sako (France).
Only Doumbia struggles to speak English, but he isn't short of French speakers with it being the first language of Boukari and Sako as well as Ronald Zubar and Steven Mouyokolo.
Although it's not yet Wolves' busiest summer of recent times – Mick McCarthy recruited 11 after promotion in 2009 – Wolves' squad has never been so cosmopolitan, with 16 nationalities when you add Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cameroon, Nigeria, Serbia, Guadeloupe and Holland.
That swells to 18 if you include the management – a Norwegian boss in Stale Solbakken and a Danish coach, Johan Lange.
For 23-year-old Margreitter, who hopes his international clearance will be processed in time for tonight's Capital One Cup tie at Northampton, it's vital to not only have the common football language but a good grasp of English to communicate.
"As a footballer these days, I think it's really important to speak English if you want to play all over Europe," he said.
"English is the language everyone has to understand because it doesn't matter where the boys come from, it's communication which is so important.
"We must be able to talk in English together."
With communication serving such a vital role and Wolves having such a big squad, Margreitter is still getting used to his new colleagues.
"There are so many faces and names to remember in a few days," he said.
"Yesterday we had a really good tactical session with a few things to remember and work on, so I now know the players who play in and around me on the pitch.
"That's good because communication is one of the important things, and it's something we need to work on.
"But I'm ready to play – I'm in good shape physically and I'm looking forward to the first games."
Margreitter consulted with Wolves' other recent Austrian import, Stefan Maierhofer, to get the lowdown on Wolves.
"Stefan is a friend of mine – and he's a character, that's what he's famous for!" he said.
"He told me about it being a big club with huge support that is crazy about football .
"I'm very proud to have signed for this club and the big goal for everyone is to be promoted.
"Wolves have to be playing in the top league in this country, and that's what we're all working towards."
Northampton (4-1-2-1-2): Snedker; J Johnson, Langmead, Artell, Widdowson; Towser; Hackett, Harding; Guttridge; Platt, Nicholls. Subs: Charles, Wilson, Demontagnac, Moult, Akinfenwe, Mukendi, White (gk).
Wolves (4-4-2): De Vries; Zubar, Margreitter, Stearman, Elokobi; Boukari, Davis, Milijas, Forde; Sigurdarson, Nouble. Subs: Ward, R Johnson, Edwards, Hammill, Doyle, Ebanks-Blake, Ikeme (gk).
