Stephen Hunt may only in this week's tour party in Ireland to continue his rehabilitation from the foot injury which will delay his Wolves introduction.

But the winger's sheer presence in the squad will already be making a positive impact according to his former Reading and current Republic of Ireland team-mate Kevin Doyle.

The Irish pair, who will no doubt be the centre of attention among home fans alongside Andy Keogh, Stephen Ward and Kevin Foley this week, linked up to promising effect as Reading enjoyed an excellent Barclays Premier League season not so long ago.

And Doyle is certainly pleased to see his old pal adding swelling the Irish numbers at Molineux.

"It's good to see another friendly face," says the striker.

"Obviously a few of us already know him and he rooms with Keogh on the Irish trips as well.

"I know him very well and Buddy (Marcus Hahnemann) knows him very well so it's easy.

"It should certainly help him settling in as he knows so many of the lads already.

"It shows what the gaffer thinks of him to bring him in when he's injured.

"Hopefully he might be available at the end of September going into October but hopefully we won't be in a position to need to rush him back!

"Hopefully we're playing well and he will need to fight his way into the team which I know he'll be ready for.

"As well as his qualities on the pitch he'll be a boost off the pitch as well because he's lively and a very good fella.

"He'll be good for keeping people's spirits up and keeping everyone positive as well as playing well on the pitch and helping us have another good season.

"I wouldn't say he was any different to any of the other wingers I've played with to be honest.

"We have had a lot of success at Reading but went through difficult times as well.

"But he is a good player and it's easy for his team-mates to play with him."

If there is one aspect of life at Reading that Messrs Doyle, Hunt and Hahnemann will hope to have learned it's in their experiences of the now coined 'second season syndrome' which saw the Royals relegated in their second top flight campaign.

And so while these may be exciting times at Molineux in terms of looking forward to what lies just around the corner, the aim of mere survival is one which Doyle believes shouldn't be sniffed at.

"These are exciting times looking ahead to the new season but we can't get ahead of ourselves and have to stay grounded," he said.

"If we don't do that and do all the little things right and keep our standards high we'll be found out.

"We've signed some very good players and so hopefully we can maintain what we did last season and maybe push on.

"It won't be easy as I've discovered before with Reading.

"In a way I'm glad I had that experience because I'll realise what it is we all have to do this season to stay in this league.

"Everyone's aims should be to try and do better than the season before. That should be our aim, whether we do or not - who knows?

"But we have signed some good players already, some quality players and we have spent some money and that's a good sign.

"At Reading we had a really good season and then did not really seem to spend a lot of money to try to push on from that.

"We kept with the same team, the manager (Steve Coppell) showed trust in us but we let him down with a poor second season in the Premier League.

"So for Wolves straight away to come out and sign some big players puts the pressure on everyone to up their game again and shows that no one can be an automatic choice - and that's a good thing.

"Hopefully that will improve us as we try to improve and make us just that little bit better.

"Staying in the League is obviously the aim, but it would be nice to do a little bit better than last season."

Now over a fortnight into his return to pre-season, memories of a summer of internationals and then wedding to new wife Jennifer may already be fading for the joint record signing!

As he himself admits:  "It has been a mental summer!

"I finished the season and went off with Ireland, then had a stag do, got married and went on honeymoon.

"It all seems to have happened in the space of a week!

"But when you get back and get the first day of training out of the way it feels like you've not been away.

"I had a good relaxing honeymoon and now I feel refreshed."

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