Source: Team_Talk
Honest Mick relishing challenge
True, the Barnsley-born 50-year-old does not have the same swagger as the self-proclaimed "special one" Jose Mourinho, but regardless of Wolves' plight this season, he will certainly leave his mark among England's elite.
The former Republic of Ireland boss is one of few managers in the top flight who will not fall into the trap of dishing out cliched, almost predictable answers.
Many a question during the 2009-10 season will be turned on its head, sent back the way it came with another one in return or simply answered in a way that no-one could have predicted.
But love him or hate him off the pitch, it is what McCarthy does to affect matters on it that will have the most relevance over the next 10 months.
The former Barnsley, Manchester City, Celtic, Lyon and Millwall centre-back would prefer to forget his last, and only, real foray into the Premier League as a manager.
Having overseen the final stages of Sunderland's relegation in 2003, he guided the Black Cats back to the top flight by winning the Championship in 2004-05.
But, having had little money to spend the following summer, he was dismissed with 10 games remaining as the north-east club lay 16 points from safety.
Sunderland eventually racked up a then Premier League record low of 15 points, with McCarthy guiding the club to only two wins from his 28 games.
But that campaign will not be preying on his mind when Wolves welcome West Ham to Molineux on August 15.
"I don't get wrapped up in all that," said McCarthy. "It's a real challenge, one that we're all relishing and looking forward to.
"The other one (Sunderland) doesn't affect me at all."
Wanderers will be desperate to get off to a good start and the fixture list has been kind, with their first opponents from within last season's top five, Everton, a reasonable nine games in.
The club's strong start last season, winning seven of their opening eight league games, formed a base for continued success.
But McCarthy is under no illusions as to how hard it will be to replicate their achievements.
"I doubt we'll do that," he laughed. "It makes a hell of a difference to the way everybody feels about it - to your own self-belief, to your own self-esteem - if you hit the ground running and have a few results and you're not the bottom team.
"And then you're not starting from two or three games in and people are questioning and doubting you.
"But then it's about maintaining, what we tried to do last year, that same level of calm about the place whether you've won one or lost one and keep picking up results."
Wolves received plenty of plaudits for their free-flowing, attacking football on the way to scooping the Championship trophy.
And asked whether he would take the same approach in the Premier League, McCarthy replied: "I'd love to but whether that would be wise or not is another matter.
"If it was just a game of football, open pitch, everybody's just trying to win the game and not trying to stop anybody playing, we wiped the floor with some teams (last season).
"Well if we do that in the Premier League then we'll get the floor wiped with us, on occasions, by the better teams."
He added: "We'll surprise one or two, we'll get a few slappings I've no doubt."
