McCarthy stays on the ball

Aug 15 2007 By Paul Berry, Birmingham Mail

WOLVES are hoping to crank up the pressure by continuing to use their "multi-ball" system for tonight's Carling Cup tie with Bradford.

Since Mick McCarthy's arrival Wolves have employed the system whereby ball boys quickly return a ball to play without having to wait to retrieve the old one, aiming to make the most of their young and hungry team and put the opposition on the back foot.

But at times it has not been without problems, sometimes incurring the wrath of referees who have abandoned the system, on occasions because they themselves are unable to keep up.

Most recently Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd was surprised to see the supply of balls disappear with Wolves 1-0 ahead on Saturday, but McCarthy has insisted he had nothing to do with a decision seemingly again enforced by the officials.

"Aidy was asking who stopped the multi-ball and so was I - it wasn't me," said McCarthy.

"I've no idea why it was stopped and we're trying to get to the bottom of it.

"The referee had a good game, and I put that in my report, and I don't know if this was it but sometimes they find it difficult to keep up with it. It would be ridiculous for us not to have it - I know some clubs intentionally stop it if they go in front but not here because it's to our advantage to keep it going.

"I know if I was playing against Wolves in a big stadium I'd be trying to boot the ball over the stand and as far away as I could thinking I could get a 20-second break to kill the game."