McCarthy not feeling the pressure over Wolves redevelopment

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy today insisted he felt no extra pressure at the Molineux redevelopment and says the club must look no further than finishing 15th again to maintain the momentum.

The £40m stadium improvements due to start next summer depend on Wolves maintaining their Premier League place.

McCarthy, who celebrates his fourth anniversary in charge in the next two weeks, is the man on whom the team's destiny ultimately hinges.

But the 51-year-old accepts the challenge and is urging the Molineux masses not to get too excited.

"I don't feel any extra pressure the team is my concern," he said.

"If I concentrate on that, I might keep it right and then everything else can be done in tandem with that or alongside it.

"I'm not saying it all hinges on the team because the board want to get the work done anyway, but all those things rely on the team playing Premier League football.

Seasons

"Quite clearly we need to be in the Premier League for the building of the new stadium to happen because we need to be filling it up."

McCarthy has seen what has happened to Reading and Hull in their second seasons in the Premier League and stressed the need to re-establish the club in the top flight gradually.

"We've had a good four years, but we've got to do it again," he said.

"Let's be solid. Let's finish 15th again, and before anyone says we're settling for 15th, they should think again. I'll bet everyone would take it now.

"We're playing for fewer and fewer places every season.

"We have no chance of finishing in the top eight and we don't want to be in the bottom three, so there are nine positions to play for.

"We'd like to achieve more, but it's about being solid and consistent."

"Would finishing 15th be seen as consistent? Of course."

By TIM NASH