Wolves wield axe on McCarthy after derby defeat

Wolves have launched their search to find a replacement for sacked manager Mick McCarthy and have not ruled out an interim replacement until the end of the season.

Barnsley-born McCarthy’s five-and-a-half year reign at Molineux was ended yesterday by chief executive Jez Moxey in a training-ground meeting, with Wolves having slid into the bottom three of the Barclays Premier League.

Sunday’s 5-1 home hammering by local rivals West Brom was the final straw.

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But Wolves’ previous alarming sequence of results since early-season optimism faded – just 14 points from the previous possible 66 – was the over-riding concern for club owner Steve Morgan and Moxey.

Morgan said: “I’m afraid the board thought we had little or no choice.

“Mick and I have had several conversations in recent weeks. Mick’s a good guy and the decision was taken extremely regretfully but results have not been good enough this season.

“Wolves has historically been one of the great clubs in English football. Hanging around the bottom few places and relegation is not what this club is about.

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“We need to pick ourselves up and be aiming up the league and hopefully that’s what the new man will take us forward with. We have ambitions and fighting relegation is not one of those ambitions. It came with a heavy heart because everybody likes Mick and he’s been a great servant to the club, and we wish him all the best.”

Moxey, who hopes to bring in a new manager before Wolves’ next game at Newcastle on February 25, agreed: “We felt we had to act now. We had to get a new manager in to try and halt the decline in results.

“We felt if we had carried on the way we were we would certainly have got relegated. The trend was only going one way.

“Is an interim appointment a possibility? Yes, that is an option for us, we are not ruling anything out.”

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McCarthy cleared his office at the club yesterday and expressed his hope that Wolves would stay up.

He said: “I just want to thank everyone for what has been nearly six wonderful years.

“I feel we’ve achieved a lot both for me personally and as a club.

“I’ve had a great working relationship with everybody at the club and would like to thank all those who have contributed to the success that we’ve had, and also to the fans who have supported me through thick and thin.”