Mick McCarthy and Wolves have a storied history together, and the former manager is always consistent about his feelings for the club.
On a recent podcast, Mick McCarthy and Tony Pulis sat down to discuss which teams could struggle in the Premier League, and when it came to Wolves, McCarthy reiterated his feelings once again.
The 66-year-old said, ‘I hope they don’t [struggle], I love the club, I love the players.’
However, the emotions have not always been mutual, and the last time Wolves were relegated from the Premier League, McCarthy was in charge for most of the campaign.
Mick McCarthy’s last season as Wolves manager was volatile
Mick McCarthy achieved a lot as Wolves manager.
In his first season, he brought them to the Championship play-offs, and while they were unable to progress to the final, it was a huge accomplishment.
He brought Premier League football back to Molineux after winning the Championship in 2008/2009.
In 2009/2010, he achieved their highest top-flight finish in 30 years coming in 15th, and the following season survived relegation on the final day.
You would not be surprised for Wolves fans to adore the former Irish international, but in the next campaign, tides would shift.
Wolves started the 2011/2012 season strong picking up seven points from nine, but the following five matches were winless.
On the sixth game after that five match period, Wolves went 2-0 down to Swansea, and this prompted chants from the Old Gold fanbase telling Mick McCarthy, ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning.’
The Wanderers would eventually claw it back through two late goals from Kevin Doyle and Jamie O’Hara, but after the game McCarthy hit back at the chants.
McCarthy said, ‘Let’s not give any of the dissenting voices, the mindless idiots that do it, whether it’s at me or Karl Henry or Andy Keogh or Stephen Ward, any credence or any credit for getting us playing well or getting a result, because they don’t deserve any of that.’
While the chants were a few months premature, McCarthy was eventually sacked after just 21 points from 25 matches.
His final match in charge was a 5-1 defeat at home to West Brom. Wolves would ultimately be relegated, finishing in 20th with Terry Connor as caretaker manager.
It was not the ending McCarthy would have wanted, and after what he achieved, it was not the ending Wolves fans would have expected.
Mick McCarthy should be fondly remembered at Wolves
While, at the time Wolves fans were left frustrated with performances hence the chants, in hindsight, McCarthy should go down as one of their greatest managers.
The 66-year-old had it all to do at Molineux. He got them promoted to the Premier League on a shoestring budget, and performed better than any manager before him.
The final two seasons did not go as hoped, but it was likely a culmination of the lack of resources he had at his disposal.
The love he still has for the club is evident in his wishes for Wolves to remain in the Premier League. And McCarthy has provided some iconic moments too.
Vitor Pereira seems set to endure a similar season as McCarthy’s last as Wolves boss, but all hope will certainly be on it having a different ending.