'MM stands for Mick McCarthy - not Merlin the magician'
- Published
Former Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has been reflecting on how he managed to get the club promoted in 2009.
Wolves almost went up in the 2006-07 season but agonisingly lost 4-2 on aggregate to fierce rivals West Bromwich Albion in the Championship play-off semi-finals.
They were in the mix for the play-offs the following season too, only to miss out on sixth place by a goal difference of one.
Speaking to BBC Radio WM, McCarthy explained how he managed to rejuvenate the dressing room, but recalled how he had not been supremely confident when he first arrived at the club.
"You may remember my quote at the time," he said. "I said that MM stands for Mick McCarthy - not Merlin the Magician!
"You take the club on but it was Wolves, for goodness sake. Then it was my job to deal with the players."
In that promotion campaign of 2008-09, McCarthy suggested some of the players he was able to acquire - along with his own positive attitude - made a stirring difference in the dressing room.
"You have to lift yourself up first - you have to come back in ready for it," McCarthy said. "The players have to see that you have come back in energised.
"That third season when we won promotion, we won seven on the bounce.
"The players were young and hungry. Christophe Berra was a huge signing for us as was a wonderful centre-forward from Plymouth, who got all the goals. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was amazing!"
