Scrapheap for McCarthy

Deposed Wolves manager will find it hard to get back into management

Dear, dear Mick....just when I encouraged you to be more attacking and play two strikers upfront, you go all silly and chuck on three for the Black Country derby. What were you thinking?

The Yorkshireman crumbled under the pressure. After Kevin Doyle scored the winner against QPR last week McCarthy mistakenly thought that he had finally found the winning formula. Attack. Attack attack attack. The three striker system that overcame the West London club and secured a vital three points would be the system to overcame a well drilled West Brom side that was more successful on the road than back at their Hawthorns ground. As a theory, it contained some glaring holes.

Firstly, QPR were down to ten men. Wolves had actually started with their typical 4-5-1 formation and only injury and necessity saw that change. Wolves grabbed a goal straight after the restart, and even at 2-1 it could be said they did not have the game all their own way.

Against West Brom McCarthy's men were exposed from the first whistle. They only went in at half time level thanks to good goalkeeping from Wayne Hennessey and the killer instinct from Steven Fletcher, two players who are unlikely to leave the Premiership anytime soon even if Wolves do.

Once Jonas Olsson made it 3-1 Wolves were always liable to get hit on the counter, but McCarthy can have no complaints for his sacking. As stated in my piece six days ago McCarthy had spent money and accumulated a good squad that was understandably expected to perform better.

But where now for the former Republic of Ireland Manager? At 53 he could be said to be entering the prime of his managerial career but if he wants to get back on to the managerial rollercoaster he will have to step down a level. Steady building does not excite the mind like beating the odds against relegation, or the euphoria of taking a team (or teams) up to the Premiership. Wolves did not go up in a blaze of glory, they did not dazzle in the Premiership, and McCarthy's dour demeanour leaves a lasting impression for all the wrong reasons.

It's harsh to criticise a man who carried himself with a lot of dignity. Responsibility was accepted, bad luck was balanced with good, plaudits handed out to opponents when appropriate, and when the fans got on his back McCarthy allowed them their rights. There is much to admire but not much to find attractive about the ex-Sunderland boss.

That disastrous 2005-06 campaign sticks in the memory, when the Black Cats secured only 16 points in 28 games under McCarthy, as does the falling out with Roy Keane in the World Cup. McCarthy lacks the youthfulness, vigour, and perceived tactical knowledge that appears to be in vogue at the moment. It's easy to forget that he turned round a middling Wolves side that was failing to live up to expectations under Glenn Hoddle. However, that type of job, a job McCarthy would be best suited to, is likely to be offered to a younger man untainted by past failings and one has to wonder whether McCarthy wants another grinding job.

Management is a young man's game these days and a seasoned vet like McCarthy may find it hard to get his foot back in the door. After 20 years as a manager and 25 as a player, including 57 caps for the Republic of Ireland, McCarthy should enjoy some down time and hope his absence makes a chairman's heart grow fonder. Unfortunately for Mick, I don't think he will ever be remembered fondly enough.

Wolves need to bare their teeth

McCarthy needs forwards to combine together.

For the sake of football aesthetics, I hope Wigan stay up and Wolves go down. In terms of the worse teams I have seen down the Lane, Mick McCarthy's men are second only to Aston Villa. While Villa showed absolutely no ambition, determination, or professional pride, at last they didn't kick, dive and complain like Wolves did.

There is nothing wrong with being the inferior team, putting men behind the ball, and looking to sneak a draw or win, but the constant fouling, complaining, time wasting and general thuggery is irksome in the least (but enough about Karl Henry). However, Wolves do have a decent team, some very decent players, and a manager who, while dour, refrains from the oft used tactic of blaming referees, opposition players, or plain old victimisation.

The Wolves crowd is for the main supportive, educated, and not liable to short-termism. People will point to the booing of their manager earlier in the season but given the outlays in the last couple of seasons they should be expecting more than a relegation dogfight every season.

Wayne Hennessey is a promising keeper, capable of great shot stopping but the odd lapse in concentration that experience will hopefully iron out. In defence they have the stoic Roger Johnson, Sebastien Bassong brings a bit of class on loan, and while the full backs could be generously called 'limited' they are honest pros and you wouldn't wish them ill. Stephen Ward, Kevin Foley, George Elokobi - you wouldn't boast to your mates that you met them in a club, but nor would you tell the papers you say them staggering around drunkenly.

In midfield there are a few villains - the aforementioned Henry has few fans, while Stephen Hunt can wind up opposition fans - but they also have good talent in Jaime O'Hara, a £5million buy from Tottenham, Nenad Milijas, Adam Hammill, Dave Edwards, and wing wizards Matt Jarvis and Michael Knightly, who seems to have out his injury nightmares finally behind him.

Upfront is the hard working Kevin Doyle, the underrated Steven Fletcher, and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake. That is a good team, but often Wolves fail to make the most of their resources, and nowhere is this more typified than in attack.

Doyle and Fletcher are very good strikers. The Irishman provides a tireless target man, someone ready to fight to hold the ball up, will challenge and chase the opposition centre backs, and can chip with goals (it's remarkable to think he is yet to get into double figures in any of his three seasons at Wolves). Fletcher has shown class ever since he made the move south of the border from Hibernian to Burnley. The Scotsman's left foot has a certain finesse about it, he is strong in the air, and has the invaluable ability to pop up in the right place in the right time. But these two rarely play together.

McCarthy is so set with his 4-5-1/4-1-4-1 formation that he is not making the best use of arguably his two best players. Doyle's scoring record may look poor but Wolves do not score many in general, and often Doyle is isolated and combating two centre backs. Is it any surprise that Wolves put up good shows against the top teams, who are expected to be on top, but when Wolves are expected to take the initiative against their relegation rivals they struggle?

McCarthy has installed a determined mentality amongst his team of battlers, but he struggles to introduce fluidity and adventure to his side, and their home record is especially poor - their 11 points from 12 home games is only one better than their away record. They can and must improve that record in their next two home games against local rivals WBA and fellow relegation candidates Blackburn. If they cannot break those two teams down then questions need to be asked about McCarthy's ability and ambition.

Wolves' faith in British talent is to be commended. The club has prudently improved the playing squad and stadium, and while their on-field attitude could do with some improving, there is much to admire about the team from the Black Country. However, if they continue to shun attacking football and fail to pick up points against teams in and around them McCarthy will have no reason to complain if they are relegated.