Liam Keen comment: Representation is important but Wolves disconnect runs deeper than nationality

Much has been made of 'Englishness' in the English top flight, too, and the extent to which that makes an impact.

The national team has a foreign manager in Thomas Tuchel for example, but does it matter? Many (but not all) of the top flight stars come from overseas, but who cares?

Recently, national media outlets were discussing Wolves' disconnect with their fans and whether that is exacerbated by a lack of English players in the squad.

The January transfer window may make this a moot point anyway, but Wolves seemed likely to become the first top flight club in English football history to go a full season without fielding an English outfield player.

Academy star Mateus Mane has since played this season - coming on against Chelsea under interim boss James Collins. The 18-year-old was born in Portugal but moved to England aged nine and has represented England at youth team level.

The question is not whether there is a disconnect between Wolves fans and the players and club, that has undoubtedly happened, but the question remains whether that has anything to do with nationality, like some have suggested.

The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

At a club like Wolves, that has passionate, hard-working supporters that often work all week to watch their team on the weekend, there is a general feeling of belonging.

Fans dream of being the one player that scores a last minute winner in front of the South Bank - the local lad that makes it at his boyhood club.

Wolves' academy has not produced many Premier League players of late but when youngsters do come through - whether they are from Wolverhampton or not - there is a clamour for them to be given a chance. We saw it with Mane and have seen it with others in recent years such as Nathan Fraser and Leon Chiwome.

It would be disingenuous to suggest that bringing through English talent is not important to some fans, it undoubtedly is, but it is not the reason for disconnect.

Matt Doherty is Irish but has spent the vast majority of his career with Wolves, in good and bad times, and was a key member of Nuno Espirito Santo's successful team.

Many foreigners have arrived at the club and endeared themselves to the supporters. None more so than Ruben Neves, who is still revered to this day and has a huge love for and connection with this football club.

Similarly, when Wolves were relegated from the Premier League in 2012 there were several Englishman in that squad, yet the disconnect was obvious.

The common denominator is performance. When Wolves are successful nationality carries little importance and that hardly changes when Wolves are unsuccessful.

However, when Wolves are performing badly, it helps to have people at the club that appreciate what the fans are going through and that could come back to origin and a connection to Wolverhampton.

Doherty is not English but will certainly fall into this category, as will the two Englishmen in the goalkeeper department.

Wolves currently have no space in their registered Premier League squad for non-home grown players, so they may end up addressing the balance when the transfer window reopens anyway.

But now the man in the dugout has an affinity with Wolves and that could have the right impact.

Rob Edwards is from Telford but represented Wales on the international stage, yet for Wolves fans he will feel like 'one of their own'.

That identity and pride in Wolves and Wolverhampton will be a key ingredient to any successful survival attempt this season.

But if someone from Norway, Nigeria or Zimbabwe scores Wolves' winner against Crystal Palace this weekend, fans will celebrate it exactly the same way.

Representation on the pitch will be important to some fans, but performance levels and a disconnect with owners Fosun has a bigger impact.

Accountability and communication has been lacking from the top and corrections there would help.

But ultimately, Wolves need to start winning games. Perhaps it is too simplistic an answer, but if the team stays up by winning enough matches but does not field another Englishman for the rest of the season, it will not make a blind bit of difference.

Wolves' disconnect runs much deeper than that and performance is at the root of it.