The teacups don't fly with Kenny Jackett

Wolves boss Kenny Jackett insists he has never thrown a teacup as he prepares to welcome firebrand ex-manager Mick McCarthy back to Molineux on Saturday.

Jackett is attempting to emulate McCarthy by leading the club to the Premier League and needs victory over the former boss's Ipswich side to keep Wolves' play-off challenge on track.

McCarthy is famed for straight talking and once rowed with then-captain Gary Breen in the physio's room after a game.

Jackett, meanwhile, is renowned for a quieter approach and claims to have never thrown a cup in anger in the dressing room.

He said: "No, not really. I don't take too many people on – against some of these lads, I don't think I'd do very well! You have to pick your wars.

"You have to show passion and when you're not happy, the players have to know that.

"There's no doubt about that. They have to know how you feel all of the time.

"And if you want to pick it up and say 'we need to move and this is how we're going to move on', then the players have to know. It's just how you tell them – that's the key."

McCarthy has built a reputation as an expert at Championship promotion, having led Sunderland and Wolves to the top flight and put his current club in the shake-up for a play-off spot.

And Jackett reckons all styles have their place in football, saying: "In management, there's no right or wrong way or right or wrong time to do anything.

"So if you need to address the group then that's fine, and if you need to speak to an individual or leave an individual out then you do it.

"The key to it is doing it at the right time in management.

"You need to be able to do it all – tell the group when you're not happy with them and be able to point an individual in the right direction if you think he's going in the wrong direction for the club, the team or himself.

"The key to it is doing it at the right time and that's something that can always change as you're going through a season.

"Choosing that and selecting that is quite often a key to man-management."

And Jackett – who coached at Manchester City and Watford and managed at Swansea and Millwall before joining Wolves – is always analysing his own performance.

The 53-year-old, who led Wolves to promotion from League One last season, said: "It's something you have to work at.

"It's not something that I've suddenly 'got.' You always ask yourself 'did I get that right?', so you must look at yourself and you're always learning and trying to improve.

"So it's not something where you can say 'I've got that.' Each group of players are quite different and the dynamics of each group are important.

"You need the right people in that dressing room and the right level of determination and whatever attitude or determination you have, ultimately it has to come from the players.

"And it's your responsibility as the head coach or the manager to then put the right players in the right slots at the right time.

"So there's not a necessarily right or wrong in terms of man-management or individuals or group.

"But selecting the right one at the right time is one you have to get right and you have to keep assessing that and feel as if you're learning."

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