McCarthy: Wolves are making progress

Feb 13 2008 By Paul Berry, Birmingham Mail

MICK McCarthy hailed Wolves’ goalless draw at Blackpoolas “progress” after back-to-back defeats – and insisted he was unconcerned about the growing points gap to the play-offs.

Seven goals conceded in defeats against Watfordand Stoke meant last night’s clean sheet delighted the Wolves boss even though the Molineux men slipped further adrift in the race for the top six.

The gap to sixth placed Ipswichis now four points not to mention five other teams, but a defiant McCarthy insists it’s the league table at the end of the season that counts.

“Is this progress? Absolutely it’s progress – we’ve been beaten twice so a 4-4 draw would have been progress,” he said.

“It is an improvement – it’s a clean sheet and we needed that after conceding the goals that we have done.

”Before that we’ve been good defensively all season.

”Perhaps one or two that have been a little bit cutting with their comments, from media outlets or supporters, might understand that we’ve had Jody Craddock, Neill Collins and Gary Breen all missing.

”As to the table I’ve not even looked and I’m not bothered at the moment.

“It will matter at the end of April and the beginning of May – lets see where we are then.

”I get a little bit tired of everybody reminding me we’re in this position, that position, we’re two points, three points or five points away.

“At the moment, that is a good point for us, bearing in mind we’ve just conceded seven goals in two games we’ve stopped the rot.”

McCarthy, impressed both with Breen’s return from injury and debutant George Elokobi’s improvement as the game wore on, was left calling foul over a penalty claim for the second successive game.

Hot on the heels of Saturday’s game at Stoke when referee Andre Marriner missed Salif Diao’s late tackle on Rob Edwards, Andy Keogh’s second half shot appeared to be diverted over via a defender’s arm.

“I don’t think we’re ever going to get a penalty,” said McCarthy.

“I’ve just seen Keogh’s shot near the end and it looks to all of us like he’s spooned it over but he’s actually hit it and the guy has handled it over the bar.

”I don’t think we’re going to get one. But then again, we miss them anyway so it doesn’t matter!”