McCarthy in swipe at critics

Mick McCarthy has hit back at the sniping at Wolves’ play-off flops by claiming his team are a “fantastic footballing side”.

Fans still smarting from the club’s failure to reach the play-offs have singled out McCarthy as the scapegoat.

Performances at Molineux, where Wolves won just four out of 11 games in the second half of the season, have attracted criticism.

Wolves ended the season missing out on a top six spot by a single goal and the club were the Championship’s fifth lowest scorers.

But McCarthy believes the team have provided good value and insists his team will continue to play the same way - but hopefully fill their boots more along the way.

“I think our team is a fantastic footballing side,” he said. “I will continue to go with good, hopefully pacy footballers, playing 4-4-2 with two wingers and hopefully scoring more goals.

“I’m not going to change. I will stick to my footballing principles.”

McCarthy also hit back at fans’ criticism of his emphasis on hard work, a quality he places the highest stock on.

“Anyone who wants to criticise me for asking my players to work hard is sad in the head,” he said.

But the Wolves boss admitted to still hurting at missing out on the top six.

“You never change the disappointment of not being involved in the play-offs or even getting promotion, which is what we set out to do.”