From Charleroi to Wolves to South Africa to Charleroi.

 

It's been a pretty busy six months for Adlene Guedioura.

 

But the unassuming and ultra-polite 24-year-old wouldn't have it any other way.

 

It was back in January that the French-born Algerian first checked in at Wolves on loan until the end of the season from Belgian First Division side Charleroi.

 

Tomorrow he is part of the travelling squad heading to Charleroi for Saturday night's friendly between the two clubs a fully fledged Wolves player and Algerian international with three World Cup appearances to his name.

 

It remains to be seen how much part he will play in the game (kick off 7pm British time) bearing in mind he has only just returned to training this week.

 

And while he will be rooting for his current employers to prevail against his past, he is also bearing in mind some 'special' memories of his time in Belgium.

 

"It is special to go back to Charleroi because it is my last club and I have many good memories there," he says.

 

"But if I play in the game I won't be thinking about that too much because I am a Wolves player and want to win.

 

"I do have good memories and I think I am here at Wolves now because of what I did at Charleroi.

 

"If I hadn't enjoyed it there and done well I wouldn't be here now.

 

"So I won't forget what happened to me at Charleroi where I had some great times.

 

"Amongst other things I was captain there which was really special.

 

"But now I am at Wolves I am looking forward to the next stage of my career."

 

And that's a career which now has the addition of a World Cup on the Guedioura CV.

 

He may only have come off the bench in Algeria's three group games as they exited the tournament, but it was still an invaluable experience which he believes he has learned from ahead of the return to the challenges of the Barclays Premier League.

 

 

"The World Cup is the best competition in the world," he says.

 

"It was a great experience, I really enjoyed it and learned a lot from it.

 

"I didn't play all that much time but I was a new player in the Algerian team and I just enjoyed the times that I did play.

 

"It was a bit frustrating because I think we deserved a little bit more than we got in the competition.

 

"We were involved in three very close games and could have done better but in football you can't win if you don't score.

 

"Against the USA we lost in the last minute and just before that we had a good chance to score.

 

"But that's football.

 

"I think as a team Algeria will get better and hopefully will show that when we qualify for the next World Cup.

 

"I hope I showed to people at the World Cup what I can do and that I represented Wolves well.

 

"I learned a lot from the international games on how you have to be really focused all the time into such a short spell as it's not like a big season."

 

Guedioura may have reported back to the Compton training ground three weeks later than his team-mates due to his World Cup exploits.

 

And those club colleagues are certainly right up to speed fitness-wise if the performances of the opening friendlies against Bohemians and Walsall are anything to go by.

 

 

But it is expected that the World Cup trio of Guedioura, Nenad Milijaš and Marcus Hahnemann won't have too much catching up to do given the level of fitness maintained as they prepared for and then competed in the tournament in South Africa.

 

"Three weeks off is a short time after a long season but I'm not going to complain about going to a World Cup," he added.

 

"And I enjoyed the three weeks because I was with my family and had a holiday.

 

"I do feel refreshed and am ready to start work again and hopefully have a good season at Wolves.

 

"I was back in on Monday and had my fitness testing on Tuesday.

 

"We've all got to do the work and I'm ready for the pre-season to get myself right for the start of the season."

 

It's a campaign which Guedioura is very much looking forward to.

 

He certainly finished the last one with a flourish - scoring the winner on the final day against Sunderland - and is relishing the prospect of going into another Premier League campaign this time as a permanent Wolves player.

 

To that end Charleroi - also the parent club of Molineux loanee Geoffrey Mujangi Bia - may yet provide him with his first test with the season now little over three weeks away.

 

 

"Charleroi have a big stadium and a lot of good players," he says.

 

"So it will be a good game and a tough game.

 

"It will give us a good test as we continue with pre-season.

 

"I am really excited about the new season.

 

"I was on loan here last year but I know I am here permanently.

 

"I finished last season well with the Sunderland game and am really happy about starting again and trying to get in the team.

 

"And I think we can do well again this season."