McCarthy eyeing Gills striker

McCarthy won't pursue Huddersfield hot-shot Jordan Rhodes in January despite being linked with a £1.5m swoop for the prolific 19-year-old with Premier League rivals Stoke at the weekend.

The 6ft 1ins hitman, signed by the Terriers this summer following his move from Ipswich, has scored 11 goals in 14 games this season.

But McCarthy said: "No (there's no interest). I know his dad. We had watched him before when he was at Ipswich and at Brentford.

"We haven't had any discussions with Huddersfield at all."

But McCarthy, who also dismissed interest in Coventry striker Leon Best, was at Brighton's Withdean Stadium last night where sources in the south say he may have been eyeing Gillingham striker Simeon Jackson in the Seagulls' 2-0 win.

Jamaican-born Canadian Jackson, 22, a 5ft 8ins forward, has scored 10 goals this season and has a one-every-two record with the Gills and Rushden and Diamonds.

Meanwhile, Wolves striker Sam Vokes was today linked again with a loan move to Derby after they lost Everton's James Vaughan for eight weeks after cartilage surgery.

n McCarthy has responded to Stefan Maierhofer's comments that Wolves' training is "brutal" by revealing the giant Austrian tackles as hard as anyone. Comments attributed to the striker yesterday had Maierhofer saying the training was "brutal" and that only shinpads had prevented his leg being broken. But boss McCarthy says Wolves players train like they play – and revealed Maierhofer loved it.

"He's saying it as it is. We wear pads and we tackle every day," said the boss.

"Anybody who doesn't like that – don't bother coming."

"It's the way we train. It's not the same as at other clubs, but that's just the way we are.

"He's seen a difference, but he's embraced it.

"He hasn't been whingeing about it. He hasn't got a problem at all – I'm pleased with him.

"He trains like the rest of them and he hasn't said to me: "gaffer, we tackle too hard".

"He hasn't got a problem because he doesn't mind a tackle himself.

"If I'd seen a six foot seven and a half striker walk in here, he would be getting tackled - by me."

McCarthy disagrees with Maiehofer's assertion that there are 35 players fighting for a place however.

"It's bull - 24 and you might get closer," he said.

"There's some suggestion that someone might kick someone to try to get into the team, but that's not the case.

"Beside which, Stefan's coming up against George Elokobi, Matt Hill, Richard Stearman, Ronald Zubar, Christophe Berra et al in training, so they're not looking to 'do' him so they can take his place.

"And I don't see Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Chris Iwelumo, Andy Keogh, or Kevin Doyle going into 50-50s with Stefan."

McCarthy believes the quotes may have got lost in translation.

"He speaks good English, but they all go away on World Cup duty and people ask them stuff," he added.

"It starts off as "send reinforcements, we're going to advance" and ends up as "send her in, we're going to dance"."