Next season’s target for McCarthy
Wednesday 28th April 2010, 1:30PM BST.
Boss Mick McCarthy today boldly spelt out the reality for Wolves next season when he declared: “We are playing to finish ninth to 17th”.
McCarthy is acutely aware that Wolves’ first battle after securing Premier League football for next season is again to stay in the division.
Like chief executive Jez Moxey, McCarthy knows survival will be more difficult in the belief the three teams coming up will be stronger than the trio relegated.
And while targeting to leapfrog Bolton the last two games, the boss is under no illusions as to where Wolves currently lie in the pecking order.
“We’re playing for one of nine places in the table,” said McCarthy.
“We’re never going to finish in the top eight next season and we don’t want to be in the bottom three, so we’re trying to finish between 17th and ninth.
“We want to do as well as we can and right now we want to finish 14th.”
McCarthy acknowledges the days when a team could repeat what Nottingham Forest did 30 years ago and win promotion from the second tier then become League champions are long gone.
But he says the thrill is to upset the odds against the big boys.
“Of course there’s always a dream factor – but what we’re doing now is taking another step towards building the club back to where it was and people say it should be,” he said.
“I don’t feel like celebrating 15th spot – it’s not like winning a title, but I’ve got the satisfaction of staying in the league.
“Go and see where Nigel Adkins (Scunthorpe manager) would like to finish next season.
“We all want to be successful but for all those teams who want to slap us, we’ve given a couple out. It’s all about staying up.
“We’ve done it once and we’re probably going to have to work harder to stay in it again. If we do then great.
“You aspire to be better – to slap a few backsides.
“I was never going to win the World Cup, but we certainly pushed Spain a long way.”
Wolves’ last game of the season against Sunderland is a sell-out.
UK Sport
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