Hahnemann enjoying life back in the Premiership with Wolves

What is it with U.S. keepers changing clubs in their late 30s?

Ironman Brad Friedel, still one of the top goalies in the Premier League, swapped his comfortable life at Blackburn for more ambitious Aston Villa before the start of last season. Likewise in 2008, Kasey Keller ended his European adventure and went home, to the wildly successful (off the field, that is) Seattle Sounders, instantly becoming the expansion team's No. 1.

Marcus Hahnemann kept things going in June. Cut loose a month earlier following eight mostly successful years at Reading, the 37-year-old returned to the Premier League by inking a one-year contract with the newly promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers, situated a stone's throw from soccer-mad Birmingham.

So far, so good.

"It was a big change for me, a whole new group of guys, a young team, but it's been great," Hahnemann, as affable as ever, said in a telephone interview. "I knew how great the stadium was, and the crowds were super loud. When I was with Reading, I really enjoyed going there."

Hahnemann's final season at Reading turned out to be a major disappointment. Expected to earn promotion back to the Premier League, the Royals collapsed in the second half, couldn't buy a win at home and exited tamely to modest but hard-working Burnley in the playoffs.

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On a personal note, Hahnemann, long a cult figure at Reading, fought an uphill battle. A calf injury in December triggered three months on the sidelines and threw him off his game. With his team needing only a win at home against Birmingham on the last day of the Championship's regular season to go up, his blunder on the opening goal helped the Blues to a 2-1 win. They advanced instead, to the chagrin of neutrals not particularly keen on Birmingham's defensive approach.

Hahnemann knew his time was up, especially since Aussie Adam Federici, 14 years younger, had handled himself fine during the veteran's absence.

Sure enough, Hahnemann, club captain Graeme Murty and unpredictable but explosive striker Leroy Lita, three players instrumental in getting Reading to the top flight in 2006, were among those shown the door. Cerebral manager Steve Coppell resigned.

The next task? To stay in England, not head back to the U.S. yet.

Hahnemann drew interest from a few clubs, with the Championship-winner Wolves and particularly manager Mick McCarthy showing the most.

Hahnemann had a few chats with the gaffer and asked Keller, a fellow native of Washington State, about the Irishman, since he had played with McCarthy at Millwall.

"I always thought Mick was a pretty good guy," Hahnemann said. "He seemed like it, but I never really got a chance to meet him. Now, having had the chance, it's pretty neat, because it's such a contrast from Coppell. Mick is so completely the opposite end, where he's out on the touchline yelling louder than everybody. Just after talking to him, I knew it was going to be a good thing."

How much playing time Hahnemann will notch remains to be seen. Wayne Hennessey, a highly regarded Welsh international, started most of Wolves' games last season. Carl Ikeme impressed during a spell of 10 straight starts, although Hennessey got his spot back and didn't relinquish it when Ikeme sustained a hip injury. Matt Murray, a former England under-21 star and once one of the country's top goalkeeping prospects, is on the mend from yet another injury (knee). He won't be back for the foreseeable future.

"Marcus was brought in to compete for a place," McCarthy told reporters in August. "That's just what he's doing, and he's having a real good effect on the other two keepers. We're talking about a very good goalkeeper with Premier League and international experience."

Through the first four league fixtures of this season, Hahnemann has backed up Hennessey. He made his lone appearance in the League Cup against Swindon on Aug. 25, keeping a clean sheet as the Wolves advanced 6-5 on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes.

Admittedly not the best in practice, Hahnemann intends to step it up and be ready if McCarthy calls on him. For now, he issues pearls of wisdom to his inexperienced teammates -- who listen to boy bands and R&B rather than Hahnemann's preferred hard rock.

"If we're doing shooting drills and somebody does something, I might say, 'You know what, if you just take another touch there, I'd have no chance,'"' Hahnemann said. "Just kind of give them little pointers, and guys are real receptive to that. At least to my face," he added with a laugh.

If the Wolves avoid relegation and Hahnemann remains the No. 2, he likely will stick around. That's a tall order, although the faithful at Molineux will take heart from Hull and Stoke not going straight down last season.

The Wolves didn't have to wait long for their first victory, topping Wigan 1-0 away Aug. 18, another good sign, and weren't outclassed in losses to West Ham on the opening day and cash cow Manchester City on Aug. 22. Apart from keeping things tight at the back, McCarthy needs goals from Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, last campaign's top marksman in the Championship, and Hahnemann's teammate at Reading, Irish international Kevin Doyle. Doyle impressed in his first season in the Premier League, netting 13 times.

"Our work ethic is key,'' Hahnemann said. "The guys are willing to close down everywhere. Defensively, we're super solid. We have a lot of depth in midfield and strength in numbers.''

Ravi Ubha is a London-based freelance journalist covering Americans abroad for ESPNsoccernet. He also covers tennis for ESPN.com.