Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has rounded on Chris Iwelumo’s critics and insisted his striker should be admired and not vilified for showing honesty over his horror miss.
Iwelumo has been highlighted over the glaring sitter he missed on his Scotland debut in Saturday’s World Cup qualifying 0-0 draw against Norway.
But McCarthy hit back in defence of the 30-year-old, who has eight goals in seven games for Wolves this season.
The manager said: “It’s typical when somebody misses a chance – and it was a good chance – people have a pop. It’s been happening for years. People say a team has lost because of somebody’s misfortune and they get slated.
“That’s bull. It wasn’t his fault Scotland didn’t win. He should be admired, not vilified, for speaking so honestly. It’s a nonsense – some have been having a right go.”
“I spoke to him after the game. He’s my player and I wanted to make sure he was fine. He’s big enough to handle anything. Chris will be fine and I’m looking forward to seeing him today.
“I know he’ll score for me and (Scotland boss) George Burley. I’d have rather be talking about him scoring but he’ll bounce back.
“That was an isolated incident but I’m sure George and his team-mates don’t blame him. When he gets the next chance for Scotland he’ll stick it away.”
Iwelumo has vowed to bounce back, saying: “I’ll come back from this bigger and stronger and hopefully I’ll get another chance.”
49 Comments
I think I’d be starting to worry if I was a chaventry fan as Chris now has a point to prove and hopefully it’ll be on Saturday, I’ve no doubts hell end up a better player as a result of all this
His quality will get him through,have a fiver on him for first goal on saturday!!!!!
Never Mind Chris… dust yourself off take the flack on the chin and carry on the good job your doing at the molineux.. You were hailed on Sky sports yesterday for picking up the phone and admitting the mistake you made.. Some people havent got the balls to do that so fairplay to you!!!!
Hear Hear !
The hissing Scotch aren’t going to be allowed to destroy Iwelumo after that miss…they’re blind if they can’t see the vast improvement he brought to the one-dimensional drudge that passes for football in Glasgow.
If they want to continue their bigoted calls for Rangers’ Kris Boyd to lead the attack…let them….he’s slow, lazy, lethargic and egotistical. He’ll fit in well with his fans and Scotland can fail as usual.
Iwelumo doesn’t need to drop to that level to be successful, or respected.
Iwelumo hat-trick on Saturday.
Get on it!
Sorry to the Scots, but rather he did it there than for us.
Fair play to MM for protecting him.Just one of those freak things.Get back on track Big Man.Cult hero already.Watch the fans get behind you more than ever now.
It was only for Scotland-who cares.
The sweaties don’t deserve to win anything.
Come back to Wolves and show them what you can do.
as long as he scores for Wolves, the rest i dont care.
He has been our star player this season. He has been missed in the last few games. Darren Ward’s brother will have his hand full on Saurday!
Its not the worst miss remember Kanu for the Albion vs Boro and then he went onto score the winner in the game at Wembley!!!!!!!!! Forget it Chris its gone now you’ll get another go - as for Boyd quitting cos he can’t have his own way go back to infants you big baby!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with most comments but unsure ” that he should be admired”, forgiven yes mistakes happen but admired for missing a sitter.
I will ask my boss if he would admire all my mistakes although i know the answer. These guys get plenty of money for what they do for a living a maybe a bit of consiquence now and then would not go a miss. This is not just aimed at him becasue he is wolves it should be true of all players.
It happens to all strikers at some point even Ronaldo has missed when he should have scored. Take no notice Chris. Its great that MM checking on how he was but he will show em on Saturday against Coventry.
I would be worried if I was a Coventry fan ,copuld be in danger standing behind the goal with balls coming flying past the post.
7) I totally agree. Wolves fans get slated sometimes but when everyone has a pop at one of our players, we will be right behind him.
Not an easy game against Coventry but I have a feeling that Sylvan and Chris will get 2 each!
hes gonna score a great goal on saturday!
Ignore Scottish fans Big Chris, their team is so poor they are considering putting Collins in it!!
Just tell them to watch that overhead kick against Preston to see the real Iwelumo!!
14 Stourbaggie - why don’t you mind your own business. Didn’t see any Baggie’s playing international games at the weekend?
Why wasn’t Scott Carson in the England team? Oh that’s right it’s because he cost us a place at Euro 2008 wasn’t it?
bob wolf 17 if the scottish teams so poor it dont say a lot for imelumo
Everyone misses one like that now and then and thankfully it was for the sweaty socks and not us! So it doesn’t matter at all and he will soon be back scoring again in a Wolves shirt!
12 Boggie. He wasn’t saying he should be admired for “missing” you idiot.
Read his comments again….
He should be admired, not vilified, for speaking so honestly…..
Get it?
At least he was there to miss it, unlike Morrison, talk about the game passing you by……..
Big chance, bad miss, big deal?? For Chris personally yes but in the big scheme of things I am not bothered at all. This will stop complacency if anything when he comes back on Saturday. Watch out Coventry is all im going to say but have a sneaking suspicion he will get 2.
may have not have been there but who are you playing saturday is it man u or coventry ha ha ha
14) You never know the prolific Luke Moore might have put that away. On second thoughts…!
Let’s not forget players such as Henry have made horrific mistakes. Remember the penalty incident with him and I think it was Pires.
Anyway to any of the Tesco snipers, we had a player on the scoresheet at the weekend, who was British…. Dave Edwards1
Bob Wolf
Koren - Slovenia (played full game)
Morrison - Scotland (subbed off 56th min)
Kim - S.Korea
Zuiverloon - Holland U21’s
Carson - England
Brunt - Northern Ireland (but injured at min)
Donk - Holland U21
Kiely - Northern Ireland
From a Wolves fan living in Edinburgh it was with pride that we saw Chris enter the fray on Saturday. He missed the only clear cut chance created for him, any other day & he would have scored. Strikers can’t dwell on misses but on scoring & with the right support Chris will do this. The media in Scotland have created a story out of this, instead they should focus on the lack of chances up to that point, and after. Build an attacking team around Chris Iwelumo (& Kenny Miller) and defence around Christophe Berra, Scotland can not only qualify but in the process get praised for attractive and game winning football.
To all Albion fans having a laugh at the big man’s expense.
Nwankwo Kanu’s glaring miss from 2yards ring any bells??
Oh and the 1 your ‘hero’ (who you have gates named after at hawthorns, GATES! what an honour) missed in 1970 world cup.
Tony WBA
And you point?
A BIG Congratulations goes out to Mick. A public show of confidence is what Chris needs. A vibrant Moli will be the tonic he needs!
Taxi for Big Chris,,,,iff the jocks dont give him another chance it will be their loss,,apart for the miss he had a good game..But sorry Chris lad its going to haunt you,,,I hope you get royalties every time its played..
Oh come on guys give him a break, the net was an inch narrower than normal. It’s an equipment problem. Seriously, it was unfortunate but nothing to dwell on. Can you imgaine the ragging in the showers after? that was enough I am sure. Need to move on, he is quality and will do us proud this year.
keep hitting the net for wolves thats all that matters and im sure you will score loads for you country as well SUPER CHRIS
I mean mediocrity, he isnt all that you know tell me about it .
TonyWBA - Kiely is Republic of Ireland!!!
Touchy bunch aint you, was just pointing out that you should just mover on thats all and just because he admits it was a bad miss(what else could he say) doesn’t mean he should be admired. That isn’t honesty And baggies have plenty of internationals real ones aswell not some nigerian playing for scotland because he watched an episode of Take the High road once
“Just tell them to watch that overhead kick against Preston to see the real Iwelumo!!”
I’ve watched it. If you think that a goal against Preston North End is enough to make a player an international footballer, go ahead and award yourself a cap.
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“The hissing Scotch aren’t going to be allowed to destroy Iwelumo after that miss”
An interesting defence of the poor chap. Insult his nationality, he’ll feel much better after that.
he wont be the first goal scorer youv ruined will he,aye boing boing donk
McIwelumo is a journeyman pro who should never have been allowed to disgrace the International stage in the 1st place.
The guy is out of his depth even in a Scotland shirt. Yes he`ll huff and puff his way to 15 or so goals this year and hope he helps get us up. But if thats the case then shake his hand and tell him to continue his journey elsewhere, he`s barely CCC class, let alone Inernational and god forbid he should ever play in the Prem.
37.go back to Smethwick Town and stay there. Enjoy the Boing-Boing experience and then realise you are going nowhere.Presumably you watch the Wolves via the radio or Sky Sports News or the Boggies on the E & S. Watch a game live at the Molineux and see what it’s really like.
Chin Up Big Chris! You changed the game on Saturday, from a drab, directionless performance to an energetic one.
Stourbaggie - thicko, Cov fans wont be behind the goal
Right it’s the most important day in my career, i know i’ll miss a sitter on purpose!!!! Get a grip as frustrating as it may have been for the Scots it is an accident! It happens to us all.
If it had gone in, Norway might have got their act in gear and ended up winning 3-1! What if what if what if! Get a grip and get on with the next match!
Comment 27, did you ever watch Geoff Astle play? If you did you’d know that he scored most of his goals with his head. Leave Geoff out of it. The fact is, England never played to Astle’s strengths, no wingers whereas, Geoff thrived on chances created from out wide, plus he played for an ‘unfashionable club’.
The point I was going to make was that Iwelumo’s miss was not as bad as it looked, the problem was the ball hit his standing foot. Kanu’s miss was far worse, he will get over it. Every player misses chances, Scotland shouldn’t make him a scapegoat.
Who cares? It wont be the first miss a striker makes and it wont be the last - Big Chris scores regularly for fun - just the E & S trying to milk the story for as much as possible - Even the best strikers in the world have missed badly but they dont get remembered for those - just look at the overpaid Robinho at Man Citeh for one example!
42 Didn’t Astle spell his name with a J ? As in Jeff Astle………even I know that, thanks for coming, you’ve been a right laugh.
Iwelumo to score twice on Saturday .. !
Come on Chris !!!!
COME ON YOU WOLVES!!!
40.Sorry for being such a thicko,I forgot the last team to have an end of the ground was us.Just remind me what the score was that day as I am so thick its slipped my mind
Sorry to harp on about Chris Iwelumo’s miss; but; I had £20 @ 7/1 on the first goal scorer.
I’ll double up against coventry….go Chris!!
watched footie round up with chris kamara and lwelumo was on there and seemed like a really honest bloke hate to say it but i liked him but really should have scored im sure he`ll get through it and get you dog heads to mid table tho
king jeff yes in 1970 so did alan ball and a few others