Birmingham City v Wolves: Mick McCarthy insists games don't get bigger than this
Mick McCarthy
“This is our third season with the players I brought in and it has been a gradual process since 2006.
“We finished fifth, then the following season, seventh and it has been a nice, steady progression.
“If you are a team who has come down it is almost insisted upon that you have an immediate impact. Last year it didn’t work that way because Watford are struggling but two of the teams that came down last year – Birmingham and Reading are second and third.
“But to be honest I am more worried about trying to get up there than thinking about staying there at the moment!”
While McCarthy’s Wolves have youth on their side, evergreen Kevin Phillips is the man they most have to fear.
The former Villa and West Bromwich Albion marksman has scored 13 goals this season despite seeing his appearances limited through injury and McCarthy has long been an admirer.
McCarthy said: “Kevin Phillips has been Blues’ talisman when he has been fit and he scored all the goals for West Brom last year when they got promoted so we know what he can do.”
Phillips came on in last meeting between the two sides back in January in the FA Cup third-round clash which Wolves won 2-0.
The Wolves boss said: “He only came on in the last game between us with a couple of minutes to go and hit the crossbar!
“He has to be the number one dangerman. He is a natural goalscorer, the European Golden Boot winner and he just has the know-how and the knowledge to score goals.
“He is a good player but then they have good players. Cameron Jerome I think is a real handful and Seb Larsson too. They are a good side which is why they are second in the league.
“They might be a bit stronger than they were in the FA Cup but I think we might be a bit stronger too!”
McCarthy underlined his respect for his opponent in the opposite dug-out, adding: “Alex has got a good squad of players and has just taken Stephen Carr too. and the fact they are second underlines how good the players are that he has got.”
