Roger Johnson backed to recover from Wolves axing

Captain Roger Johnson will benefit from being dropped, Wolves boss Mick McCarthy insists.

McCarthy made the bold decision to axe his £4.5m summer signing for Sunday's 2-1 win over Sunderland, replacing him with 36-year-old Jody Craddock, who made his first Premier League start of the season.

Centre-back Johnson missed out on his 400th career start but did replace the injured Craddock as a 74th-minute substitute.

The former Birmingham defender looks like winning an immediate recall for Saturday's trip to Manchester United with Craddock out with a hamstring injury.

And McCarthy believes Johnson will be better for his omission.

"Being taken out of things can help," said the boss. "You go away and 're-boot', as they say now.

"You look at the game, you probably think about it yourself and what's been happening and re-focus a little bit and come back.

"I just decided to change it. It was my decision, but he'll be fine. You don't need to play every game. It needed to be done and Jody was ready to play.

"I'm not saying he lost any focus, it's just sometimes it doesn't happen for you."

Apart from the first three games of the season and the 3-1 defeat at Manchester City, Johnson has struggled for form at his new club.

But McCarthy insists he has no regrets about signing the 28-year-old.

"Roger has been fabulous, but sometimes it doesn't turn to gold for you," he added.

"When he came he was awesome, he was brilliant for three games.

"He's a really good player. I'm delighted we've got him but it just wasn't happening.

"The harder you try, sometimes the worse it gets."

As a former central defender himself, McCarthy speaks from experience having struggled for form during his spell at Manchester City, although then boss Billy McNeill spared him the axe – just.

"I've been there as a player with Manchester City," he said.

"I didn't get dropped. It kind of sorted itself out because I was very close to it and Billy was very supportive of me, just as I like to be to all my players."

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