Jeff Shi: Two-year plan for Wolves promotion - and why Walter Zenga was his biggest mistake

The Chinese conglomerate have endured a tough opening season in charge of the club after their £30million takeover, with Wolves flirting with relegation as recently as last month.

Results have since improved and Wolves' owners and management are now hoping for a much more productive campaign in 2017/18.

And main director Shi, speaking to the media for the first time since September, suggested that Zenga's surprise appointment at the start of the season was a big reason behind Wolves' disappointing campaign.

"The only thing we can do better is the coach in the summer," Shi, speaking in an official club interview, said on Friday.

"On transfers I think we did quite well. I think the coach at the beginning was not the right one. Maybe he would be a good coach for another club, because it's about the match...he didn't match us so we have to change.

"It's a learning curve for me.

"Last summer it was a very depleted squad, we had to change and have better players.

"We experienced some toughness and difficulty but the good thing is we went through it. Now I think we're fully ready for next season."

Five wins in a row have steered Wolves away from relegation trouble and earned Paul Lambert the manager of the month award for March.

Attention will soon be firmly focused on 2017/18. Money will be available in the summer, Shi confirmed, but he doesn't expect as many additions as last summer.

He also warned against fixating too much on short-term results - as he revealed that promotion within the next two seasons is the target.

"I said at the beginning it's a 10-year plan," Shi added. "We have huge ambitions but we have to start from the first year. We have to move forward step by step.

"You can't do everything in one day. We need at least three years - the first year is this season, we needed a strong enough squad to compete for at least the play-offs.

"After several wins now in a row the current squad is strong enough to compete for the play-offs.

"The second year we will try and get the squad stronger and maybe then we have the potential to compete for the top two. The third year we should ensure (promotion). We should be at the same level as Brighton and Newcastle.

"It's a three-year plan, but the sooner the better. After that, more challenges will come.

"I think we're one window away from being a very strong team for promotion. The fans can see next season will be very exciting.

"Everything's very positive to me now. Sometimes outside the club when we look at it we can only see the win, draw, loss. For us, everyday, we know what we're doing and what we can achieve. I don't care so much about short-term results. I care much more about the potential of the team and how they are working because that will impact the future outcome.

"If you focus too much on immediate results it's not fair."

And on Lambert, Shi added: "Even when we are losing games, some fans emailed to me and say 'Jeff what's happening?'. I always kept confidence in Paul. From outside the club you can't see anything but we're in the club day to say and can see how he's working very hard and is a professional with good leadership and smart tactics.

"The trust and confidence is always there."

* An extensive interview with Shi by Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers will be in tomorrow's Express & Star as he discusses Paul Lambert, Kevin Thelwell, Jorge Mendes and Helder Costa.