Dear Raúl,
It’s been 1,050 days, 25,000 hours, or indeed 90,000,000 seconds since you left us. Your goodbye wasn’t exactly what we hoped for, especially for someone as special, and as meaningful to our club’s history, as you were.
But little did we know, we never actually needed to say goodbye. Just a quick “see you later” as you headed down to London for a bit. We were touched by the lovely video you and your partner did for us upon leaving Wolves, and how much you had taken not just the club, but the city to your hearts.
You closed out the video by saying “once a wolf, always a wolf”.
You would forever be one of our own, and we’d quietly hope that one day, you would once again be back where you belong.
Turns out, you really, really meant it when you said “always a wolf”.
Of the 60-odd goals you scored for us, it’s hard to pinpoint which one was the best.
Was it one of the ones you scored in your first season for us, or was it one of the ones you scored in Europe for us, because of the goals you scored in the first season?
Or was it that goal at Southampton, that once again reminded the world who you were, and what you could do?
But, Raúl, if you don’t mind a bit of poetic fantasy, is it perhaps the one you’re going to score against the Albion next season? The one that secures our immediate return to the Premier League? Or go on, how about a glancing header from a Trippier cross to win the FA Cup?
As an old friend of yours once said; dreaming is for free.
Enzo Ferrari once said that the best Ferrari is the next one to be built.
Perhaps the best Jimenéz goal for Wolves is the next one to be scored.
As you return to Wolves, we remember the happy, joyful, incredible times you brought us, and the magic you could do with a ball at your feet, but it would be remiss not to mention the sad, scary times too.
We were so glad you came back, and we were so glad to watch you from afar to continue playing so well, and thank you for not scoring against us either!
Whether you were in the WV postcode area or not, your name was still sung, with a chorus of “si senor” reminding us of the good times, the times where we felt we had the world at our feet, and thank goodness the world was at your skilled feet.
We’re a cultured club, really. Did you know that Elgar, the legendary English composer was a Wolves fan? We’re also very well supported by Robert Plant, a man who’s written a couple of songs, which you may have heard.
So it feels right for us to get a bit poetic here.
You, Raúl Jiménez, are coming back to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
You helped take us to heights we never thought possible, places that we maybe didn’t belong, and as we find ourselves sliding back into the second tier, you are coming back to help us get back to where we belong.
You, Raúl Jiménez, who put his body on the line for the shirt, are coming back to wear The Shirt.
You, Raúl Jiménez, have been missed for 1,050 days.
You, Raúl Jiménez, were a wolf, are a wolf, and will always be, a wolf.
Raúl Jiménez, bienvenido de nuevo a casa.
