Wolves boss set for gamble

The Wolves boss was reflecting on the impact of weekend match winner Michael Kightly, who looks set to retain his place for the weekend visit of Norwich in the face of stiff competition from Lewis Gobern.

McCarthy took a gamble bringing the unproven Kightly to Molineux and admits his limited transfer budget means he may be forced to look at more players currently plying their trade in non-league.

The latest pair to be linked with a New Year move to Molineux are a highly-rated Irish top flight duo with no experience in English football - Bohemians striker Stephen Ward and Derry City midfielder Kevin Deery.

Centre forward Ward scored six goals in 27 games last year and was capped in the recent Republic of Ireland B international against Scotland, while 22-year-old Derry is a goalscoring central midfielder who was recently voted Irish young player of the year. The pair are believed to be available for around £200,000 each.

McCarthy said today he will continue to try to unearth more in the Kightly mould.

"I don't buy into this perception that there is at certain clubs that a player has to be a name and they have to spend money on them," McCarthy said.

"I'm not sure that is the case here, but as I said to someone recently, 'Just because you sign someone does he have to be a million pound player?'

"I was asked about that when I signed Michael Kightly and I said he will probably make a bigger contribution to this place than some people who cost a lot of money. To be honest, he's probably done that already."

McCarthy's scouting team are casting the net wide to try and find a forward in the January window.