Putting the focus on those players who have had long and well-travelled careers in the game, but only made a brief stop off at Molineux.
This week, we feature a player who spent just one season with the Old Gold following the turn of the Millennium as Wolves pushed for a place in the Premier League – Temuri Ketsbaia.
Before Wolves
Starting out his professional career in 1987 in his native Georgia with Dinamo Tbilisi, midfielder Ketsbaia featured four times in the UEFA Cup during his debut campaign for the club, while going on to make more than 100 league appearances. Throughout his five seasons in Tbilisi, Ketsbaia would win two Umaglesi Liga titles (in 1990 and 1991), before heading to Cyprus to feature for Anorthosis Famagusta – the first of two playing spells with the club – and Greek giants AEK Athens.
Although he was unable to add to his tally of league titles in his first stint in Cyprus, his move to Athens was more successful – although it didn’t start in the best of circumstances. In his first official match for AEK, a UEFA Champions League qualifier against Rangers, Ketsbaia seriously injured his hand and requires times on the sidelines. On his return, he took time to adjust to the demands of the Greek league, but was soon up to speed, scoring the winner in a local derby against Olympiacos in November 1994.
His second season in Athens saw Ketsbaia rated as one of the best foreign talents in the league, as he helped AEK a Greek Cup title, before repeating that feat the following season, while also added a Greek Super Cup championship to his growing trophy cabinet. Having made his international debut for Georgia while with Tbilisi in 1990, it was during his time in Athens where Ketsbaia was shining for his country, scoring eight times in international colours between 1994 and 1997.
But having ran down his contract in the Greek capital, the midfielder decided to turn his hand to English football for the first time in the summer of 1997, as he moved to Newcastle United on a free transfer – to become one of the club’s first Bosman signings. In the first few weeks as a Magpie, Ketsbaia scored an extra time goal against Dinamo Zagreb to ensure Newcastle of a place in the Champions League for the first time in their history.
After latching on to a deft pass from Tino Asprilla the Georgian applied the finish to secure a 2-2 draw and a place in the group stages. He also scored important FA Cup goals against Barnsley on the road to Wembley in 1998, and netted crucial brace against Everton a year later as Newcastle returned to the national stadium – as well as the infamous celebration against Bolton Wanderers that same year.
Wolves career
Although considered a cult hero at St James’ Park, Ketsbaia fell out of favour with Sir Bobby Robson, and faced with the difficult decision of sitting on the bench in black and white or regular football in gold and black, the Georgian picked the latter, joining Wolves for a fee of around £900,000.
Manager Colin Lee was delighted to bring Ketsbaia to the West Midlands, and said about his capture, ‘Temuri is a great player who will add something different to the squad. He can score goals from anywhere.’
And he couldn’t have had a better start to life in Old Gold. On his debut outing at Molineux, on the opening day of the 2000/01 season, Ketsbaia opened the scoring inside the first minute of the match. From a well-worked free-kick, the midfielder was laid up, 25 yards out from goal, to direct a bullet effort into the top left corner – almost taking the net off in the process.
However, the midfielder became a victim of not fitting in at Molineux following the change of a coach, a change in tactics and attributes being those which didn’t suite the new system put in place by incoming boss Dave Jones.
During the season, Ketsbaia was used to warming the bench more than he was gracing the pitch, leading to the then 33-year-old labelling his choice of joining Wolves as the ‘worst decision’ in his life – an outburst which came following a display of anger which saw him upset Jones by throwing his gold and black shirt to the ground when he was substituted in a match against Crystal Palace.
Although Wolves fans were desperate for the Ketsbaia signing to come off, having seen glimpses of the quality which could have led to him becoming a cult icon at another English club, it wasn’t to be. Just 12 months, 29 appearances and four goals, after checking in at Molineux, he was off to Scotland.
After Wolves
Ketsbaia was not to feature in English football again, having joined Dundee ahead of their 2001/02 season. But after another one-year stint at a club, he returned to Cyprus and Anorthosis, where he went on to make more than 100 appearances for Famagusta, while also getting back to picking up silverware.
During four years as a player, he helped the team to league and cup success, firstly claiming the cup in 2002/03 and then the First Division title in 2004/05, which coincided with his first year as a coach having taken over the club’s managerial responsibilities.
Since retiring as a player in 2007, Ketsbaia continued as manager of Anorthosis, claiming another league title as well as the Cypriot Cup and Super Cup. He has since managed Olympiacos, the Georgia national team, APOEL, Orenburg and another former club in AEK Athens. He spent three years back at Anorthosis between 2019 and 2022, leading the club to another Cypriot Cup success, before taking charge of the Cyprus national team 16 months ago.
This article originally featured in Wolves' official 2023/24 matchday programme. Last season's programmes are still available to purchase online through retailers Curtis Sports.
