Mick McCarthy
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy (born 7 February 1959) is an English
-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager
of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
, where he has been in charge since July 2006.
McCarthy's playing career included spells at Barnsley
, Manchester City
, Celtic
, Lyon
and Millwall
, as well as representing the Republic of Ireland
internationally on 57 occasions.
He has previously managed Millwall
, Sunderland
and the Republic of Ireland
and has also worked as a television pundit and commentator
, most recently in South Africa as part of the BBC
's 2010 World Cup
coverage.
fan, McCarthy made his league debut for then-Fourth Division Barnsley
on 20 August 1977 in a 4–0 win over Rochdale. He spent two years in the basement league, before the club won promotion. Two years later, the team again went up to the (old) Division 2. A strong central defender, he was a virtual ever-present for his hometown club, but departed in December 1983 for fellow Division 2 club Manchester City
.
The Maine Road
club won promotion in McCarthy's first full season and he finally had the chance to play at the highest level. His first season in the top flight was steady enough as the club reached midtable, but relegation struck the following year. McCarthy himself would not face the drop though as he moved to Celtic
in May 1987.
He picked up his first silverware at the Scottish club as they won the league and cup double in his first season. The following season McCarthy again won a Scottish Cup
winners medal, although the club had to settle for third place in the league.
McCarthy again moved onto a new country, as he joined Lyon
in July 1989. However, things did not work out for the defender in France and, feeling his international chances were being harmed, he returned to England on loan with top flight Millwall
in March 1990. Despite the London side suffering relegation during his loan period, McCarthy impressed enough to earn a move and he was signed permanently in May 1990 for £200,000. His appearances in the next two seasons were often limited by injuries and he effectively retired from playing when he took over as manager of the club in 1992.
because his father, Charles, was Irish. Making his international debut in a goalless friendly against Poland
on 23 May 1984, McCarthy soon became a first-choice player and featured in all three of Ireland's games at Euro '88
. He went on to become captain, leading to the nickname "Captain Fantastic", as per the title of his autobiography.
The highlight of McCarthy's international career was the second-round penalty shoot-out win over Romania
in the 1990 World Cup
finals. This led to a crunch tie with hosts Italy
in the quarter-final, where Ireland's first ever appearance in the finals came to an end, losing 1–0. McCarthy was the player who committed the most fouls in the 1990 tournament.
In total, McCarthy won 57 caps for Ireland; scoring two goals, one against Yugoslavia
in April 1988, the other versus USA
in June 1992.
in March 1992, succeeding Bruce Rioch
. In his first full season (1992–93), he was still registered as a player, but made only one further appearance (in the Anglo-Italian Cup
), before he became solely a manager.
He took the club to the play-offs in 1993–94 after a strong third-place finish, but they lost out to Derby County
in the semi finals. During the 1995–96 season, McCarthy became the prime candidate for the vacant Republic of Ireland
manager's job, after the resignation of Jack Charlton
. After a protracted period of speculation, McCarthy was officially appointed on 5 February 1996, two days after his resignation at the club. Despite sitting a comfortable 14 points clear from the relegation zone at the time of his departure, Millwall
would go onto to suffer the drop (by virtue of goals scored) after McCarthy's departure.
His disastrous loan signings of the grossly underachieving Russia
n internationals Sergei Yuran
and Vassili Kulkov from Spartak Moscow
, who each received a £150,000 signing on fee and were being paid five times the wage of the rest of the first team, would later be cited as one of the main reasons Millwall were eventually relegated under Jimmy Nicholl
.
and Euro 2000
, McCarthy took the nation to the 2002 World Cup
held in Korea
and Japan
. However, their tournament was overshadowed by a very public and bitter spat between McCarthy and the team's star player Roy Keane
, who was sent home without having kicked a ball on the eve of the tournament. The conflict occurred after Keane had questioned the quality of the preparations and facilities the team were using.
Despite this furore, McCarthy's team reached the second round but were eliminated by Spain
in a penalty shoot-out (after having already missed and scored a penalty in normal time), thus fractionally missing out on a quarter-final place. Indeed, the narrowness of the elimination meant Ireland were the ninth best performers at the World Cup
, and the fifth best among European teams in the competition. In spite of this, the Keane issue remained, with the proportion of blame undecided. Many in Ireland sided with Keane — particularly following a televised interview in which details of poor preparation were revealed — and demanded McCarthy's resignation both during and after the tournament. An independent inquiry into the organisation's handling of the squad's preparation later commissioned by the FAI
created a damning report, leading to general secretary Brendan Menton tendering his resignation.
Criticism of McCarthy in the media became increasingly intense after a poor start to Ireland's qualifying campaign for Euro 2004
. In particular, his persistence with several players and tactics that some perceived to be inadequate did him damage, as did a 4–2 away defeat to Russia
and a 2–1 home defeat to Switzerland
. Under mounting pressure, McCarthy resigned from the post on 5 November 2002. During his 68 games in charge, the Republic of Ireland won 29, drew 19, and lost 20.
as an immediate replacement for Howard Wilkinson
, who was sacked after six successive Premiership defeats left the club facing near-certain relegation. McCarthy could not stop Sunderland
's slide, and the Black Cats were relegated at the end of the season.
However, he largely escaped blame for the relegation and was retained as manager. The following season, McCarthy took Sunderland
to the First Division
promotion play-offs, but lost in a penalty shoot-out to Crystal Palace
after Palace had scored a stoppage-time equaliser.
McCarthy completed the turnaround of the club in the 2004–05 season. The Black Cats returned to the Premiership as Football League Championship champions, amassing an impressive 94 points.
Life in the Premiership was much tougher for McCarthy though, as he was unable to spend much to strengthen the team. After a poor season and with the club 16 points from safety with only 10 games remaining, he was dismissed on 6 March 2006. In an ironic postscript, Sunderland eventually appointed Roy Keane
as their next permanent manager.
side Wolverhampton Wanderers
, replacing Glenn Hoddle
who had departed a fortnight before. The Midlands club faced an uncertain future after having to sell the majority of their first-team players, though despite this situation, McCarthy promised Premier League football at Molineux
within three seasons. From this awkward position, McCarthy managed to collect together a team from the club's youth ranks, and some lower league signings, and free transfers. Despite the lack of expectations, the team managed to make the promotion play-offs in McCarthy's first season, but it was third time unlucky for McCarthy in them as the team lost out to local rivals West Bromwich Albion over two legs, losing 3–2 at Molineux
and 1–0 at The Hawthorns
.
In the 2007–08 season he took the club to within a single placing of a successive play-off finish, ending seventh, losing the coveted sixth place to Watford
by a goal difference of only one (although another goal would have been required to overcome Watford's superior goals scored record). The campaign had also seen him linked with the international positions of South Korea
and his previous post as Republic of Ireland manager.
The 2008–09 season started well for McCarthy as he won the August Championship Manager of the Month Award
, after seeing his side reach the top of the table, eventually going on to match Wolves' record start to a season (equaling the 1949–50 season). Wolves maintained their position at the top of the table over the following months, and McCarthy again scooped the Manager of the Month Award for November.
After maintaining top spot since October, McCarthy's Wolves secured promotion to the Premier League by beating QPR
1–0 on 18 April 2009. The following week McCarthy clinched his second Championship as a manager after a 1–1 draw at his hometown club Barnsley
. He won the Championship Manager of the Season Award at the conclusion of the campaign, his side having led the table for 42 of 46 games.
The following season, McCarthy kept Wolves in the Premier League, his first success at this level in three attempts. The club assured safety with two games to spare, eventually finishing 15th, their best league finish since 1979–80, and their first ever survival in the modern Premier League. However, in the process of keeping the team in the top division, Wolves and McCarthy were fined £25,000 for fielding a weakened team at Manchester United and thus breaking the Premier League rule E20. The Premier League also stated that the club had failed to fulfil its obligations to the league and other clubs in the utmost good faith and was therefore in breach of Rule B13.
The first game of the 2010–11 season began with a 2–1 home win against Stoke City. On 5 February 2011, Wolves (bottom of the table at the time) beat Manchester United
(top of the table at the time) to break their 29 game unbeaten run in the league in a 2–1 home win. On 22 May, Wolves ensured their top-flight status, despite a 3–2 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers.
|1977–78||rowspan="7"|Barnsley
||rowspan="2"|Fourth Division
||46||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1978–79||46||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1979–80||rowspan="2"|Third Division
||44||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1980–81||43||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1981–82||rowspan="3"|Second Division
||42||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1982–83||39||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1983–84||12||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1983–84||rowspan="4"|Manchester City
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
||24||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1984–85||39||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1985–86||rowspan="2"|First Division
||38||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1986–87||39||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1987–88||rowspan="2"|Celtic
||rowspan="2"|Scottish Premier League
||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1988–89||26||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1989–90||Olympique Lyonnais
||Division 1
||10||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1989–90||rowspan="3"|Millwall
||First Division
||6||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1990–91||rowspan="2"|Second Division
||12||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1991–92||17||2||||||||||||||||
447||11||||||||||||||||
48||8||||||||||||||||
10||1||||||||||||||||
505||20||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1984||4||0
|-
|1985||7||0
|-
|1986||6||0
|-
|1987||7||0
|-
|1988||9||1
|-
|1989||5||0
|-
|1990||12||0
|-
|1991||3||0
|-
|1992||4||1
|-
!Total||57||2
|}
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, where he has been in charge since July 2006.
McCarthy's playing career included spells at Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
and Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, as well as representing the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
internationally on 57 occasions.
He has previously managed Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
, Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and has also worked as a television pundit and commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, most recently in South Africa as part of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
coverage.
Club
Born in Barnsley, Yorkshire and a boyhood Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
fan, McCarthy made his league debut for then-Fourth Division Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on 20 August 1977 in a 4–0 win over Rochdale. He spent two years in the basement league, before the club won promotion. Two years later, the team again went up to the (old) Division 2. A strong central defender, he was a virtual ever-present for his hometown club, but departed in December 1983 for fellow Division 2 club Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
The Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
club won promotion in McCarthy's first full season and he finally had the chance to play at the highest level. His first season in the top flight was steady enough as the club reached midtable, but relegation struck the following year. McCarthy himself would not face the drop though as he moved to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in May 1987.
He picked up his first silverware at the Scottish club as they won the league and cup double in his first season. The following season McCarthy again won a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
winners medal, although the club had to settle for third place in the league.
McCarthy again moved onto a new country, as he joined Lyon
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
in July 1989. However, things did not work out for the defender in France and, feeling his international chances were being harmed, he returned to England on loan with top flight Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in March 1990. Despite the London side suffering relegation during his loan period, McCarthy impressed enough to earn a move and he was signed permanently in May 1990 for £200,000. His appearances in the next two seasons were often limited by injuries and he effectively retired from playing when he took over as manager of the club in 1992.
International
McCarthy was eligible for the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
because his father, Charles, was Irish. Making his international debut in a goalless friendly against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
on 23 May 1984, McCarthy soon became a first-choice player and featured in all three of Ireland's games at Euro '88
1988 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in West Germany. West Germany won the right to host the tournament with five votes ahead of a joint bid from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, who gained 1 vote, and a bid from England. It was the eighth European Football...
. He went on to become captain, leading to the nickname "Captain Fantastic", as per the title of his autobiography.
The highlight of McCarthy's international career was the second-round penalty shoot-out win over Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
in the 1990 World Cup
1990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
finals. This led to a crunch tie with hosts Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in the quarter-final, where Ireland's first ever appearance in the finals came to an end, losing 1–0. McCarthy was the player who committed the most fouls in the 1990 tournament.
In total, McCarthy won 57 caps for Ireland; scoring two goals, one against Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
in April 1988, the other versus USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in June 1992.
Millwall
McCarthy became player-manager at MillwallMillwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in March 1992, succeeding Bruce Rioch
Bruce Rioch
Bruce David Rioch is an English-born football manager and former player. He was manager of Aalborg BK in the Danish Superliga, until his sacking on 23 October 2008....
. In his first full season (1992–93), he was still registered as a player, but made only one further appearance (in the Anglo-Italian Cup
Anglo-Italian Cup
The Anglo-Italian Cup is a defunct European football competition that was played intermittently between 1970 and 1996 between clubs from England and Italy. Founded by Gigi Peronace in 1970, following the success of the Anglo-Italian League Cup, it was played as a professional tournament until 1973...
), before he became solely a manager.
He took the club to the play-offs in 1993–94 after a strong third-place finish, but they lost out to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in the semi finals. During the 1995–96 season, McCarthy became the prime candidate for the vacant Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
manager's job, after the resignation of Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
. After a protracted period of speculation, McCarthy was officially appointed on 5 February 1996, two days after his resignation at the club. Despite sitting a comfortable 14 points clear from the relegation zone at the time of his departure, Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
would go onto to suffer the drop (by virtue of goals scored) after McCarthy's departure.
His disastrous loan signings of the grossly underachieving Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n internationals Sergei Yuran
Sergei Yuran
Sergei Nikolayevich Yuran is a Ukrainian-association football coach and a former striker.-Career:At club level he played in six different countries...
and Vassili Kulkov from Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow
FC Spartak Moscow is a Russian football club from Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships and 9 of 19 Russian championships they are one of the country's most successful clubs. They have also won the Soviet Cup 10 times and the Russian Cup 3 times...
, who each received a £150,000 signing on fee and were being paid five times the wage of the rest of the first team, would later be cited as one of the main reasons Millwall were eventually relegated under Jimmy Nicholl
Jimmy Nicholl
James Michael "Jimmy" Nicholl is a Canadian-born former Northern Ireland international footballer who played for Manchester United.He was mainly a right-back but could also play in other defensive roles...
.
Republic of Ireland
After two narrow failures to qualify for the 1998 World Cup1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
and Euro 2000
2000 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe....
, McCarthy took the nation to the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
held in Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. However, their tournament was overshadowed by a very public and bitter spat between McCarthy and the team's star player Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
, who was sent home without having kicked a ball on the eve of the tournament. The conflict occurred after Keane had questioned the quality of the preparations and facilities the team were using.
Despite this furore, McCarthy's team reached the second round but were eliminated by Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
in a penalty shoot-out (after having already missed and scored a penalty in normal time), thus fractionally missing out on a quarter-final place. Indeed, the narrowness of the elimination meant Ireland were the ninth best performers at the World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, and the fifth best among European teams in the competition. In spite of this, the Keane issue remained, with the proportion of blame undecided. Many in Ireland sided with Keane — particularly following a televised interview in which details of poor preparation were revealed — and demanded McCarthy's resignation both during and after the tournament. An independent inquiry into the organisation's handling of the squad's preparation later commissioned by the FAI
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
created a damning report, leading to general secretary Brendan Menton tendering his resignation.
Criticism of McCarthy in the media became increasingly intense after a poor start to Ireland's qualifying campaign for Euro 2004
2004 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, better known as Euro 2004, was the 12th European Football Championship, a quadrennial football tournament for European national teams. It was hosted in Portugal, for the first time, between 12 June and 4 July 2004, following its selection by UEFA, in...
. In particular, his persistence with several players and tactics that some perceived to be inadequate did him damage, as did a 4–2 away defeat to Russia
Russia national football team
The Russia national football team represents Russia in association football and is controlled by the Russian Football Union , the governing body for football in Russia. Russia's home grounds are Luzhniki Stadium, Lokomotiv Stadium , and Petrovsky Stadium in St.Petersburg and their head coach is...
and a 2–1 home defeat to Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
. Under mounting pressure, McCarthy resigned from the post on 5 November 2002. During his 68 games in charge, the Republic of Ireland won 29, drew 19, and lost 20.
Sunderland
On 12 March 2003, he was appointed manager of struggling SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
as an immediate replacement for Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson
Howard Wilkinson is a former English football player and manager, and has recently stepped down as a Non-Executive Director at Sheffield Wednesday after formerly relinquishing the chairman role to Milan Mandaric...
, who was sacked after six successive Premiership defeats left the club facing near-certain relegation. McCarthy could not stop Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
's slide, and the Black Cats were relegated at the end of the season.
However, he largely escaped blame for the relegation and was retained as manager. The following season, McCarthy took Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
promotion play-offs, but lost in a penalty shoot-out to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
after Palace had scored a stoppage-time equaliser.
McCarthy completed the turnaround of the club in the 2004–05 season. The Black Cats returned to the Premiership as Football League Championship champions, amassing an impressive 94 points.
Life in the Premiership was much tougher for McCarthy though, as he was unable to spend much to strengthen the team. After a poor season and with the club 16 points from safety with only 10 games remaining, he was dismissed on 6 March 2006. In an ironic postscript, Sunderland eventually appointed Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
as their next permanent manager.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
On 21 July 2006, McCarthy was appointed manager at ChampionshipFootball League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, replacing Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
who had departed a fortnight before. The Midlands club faced an uncertain future after having to sell the majority of their first-team players, though despite this situation, McCarthy promised Premier League football at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
within three seasons. From this awkward position, McCarthy managed to collect together a team from the club's youth ranks, and some lower league signings, and free transfers. Despite the lack of expectations, the team managed to make the promotion play-offs in McCarthy's first season, but it was third time unlucky for McCarthy in them as the team lost out to local rivals West Bromwich Albion over two legs, losing 3–2 at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
and 1–0 at The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns is an all-seater football stadium in West Bromwich, Sandwell, England, with a capacity of 26,484. It has been the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C. since 1900, when it became the sixth ground to be used by the club. The ground was the last Football League ground to be built in the...
.
In the 2007–08 season he took the club to within a single placing of a successive play-off finish, ending seventh, losing the coveted sixth place to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
by a goal difference of only one (although another goal would have been required to overcome Watford's superior goals scored record). The campaign had also seen him linked with the international positions of South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
and his previous post as Republic of Ireland manager.
The 2008–09 season started well for McCarthy as he won the August Championship Manager of the Month Award
Football League Championship Manager of the Month
The Manager of the Month is an association football award that recognises the manager adjudged best for each month of the season in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, after seeing his side reach the top of the table, eventually going on to match Wolves' record start to a season (equaling the 1949–50 season). Wolves maintained their position at the top of the table over the following months, and McCarthy again scooped the Manager of the Month Award for November.
After maintaining top spot since October, McCarthy's Wolves secured promotion to the Premier League by beating QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
1–0 on 18 April 2009. The following week McCarthy clinched his second Championship as a manager after a 1–1 draw at his hometown club Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. He won the Championship Manager of the Season Award at the conclusion of the campaign, his side having led the table for 42 of 46 games.
The following season, McCarthy kept Wolves in the Premier League, his first success at this level in three attempts. The club assured safety with two games to spare, eventually finishing 15th, their best league finish since 1979–80, and their first ever survival in the modern Premier League. However, in the process of keeping the team in the top division, Wolves and McCarthy were fined £25,000 for fielding a weakened team at Manchester United and thus breaking the Premier League rule E20. The Premier League also stated that the club had failed to fulfil its obligations to the league and other clubs in the utmost good faith and was therefore in breach of Rule B13.
The first game of the 2010–11 season began with a 2–1 home win against Stoke City. On 5 February 2011, Wolves (bottom of the table at the time) beat Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
(top of the table at the time) to break their 29 game unbeaten run in the league in a 2–1 home win. On 22 May, Wolves ensured their top-flight status, despite a 3–2 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers.
Player
|-|1977–78||rowspan="7"|Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
||rowspan="2"|Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
||46||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1978–79||46||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1979–80||rowspan="2"|Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||44||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1980–81||43||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1981–82||rowspan="3"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||42||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1982–83||39||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1983–84||12||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1983–84||rowspan="4"|Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||24||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1984–85||39||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1985–86||rowspan="2"|First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||38||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1986–87||39||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1987–88||rowspan="2"|Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
||rowspan="2"|Scottish Premier League
Scottish Football League Premier Division
The Scottish Football League Premier Division was, from 1975 until 1998, the top division of the Scottish Football League and the entire Scottish football league system...
||22||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1988–89||26||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1989–90||Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
||Division 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
||10||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1989–90||rowspan="3"|Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
||First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||6||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1990–91||rowspan="2"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||12||0||||||||||||||||
|-
|1991–92||17||2||||||||||||||||
447||11||||||||||||||||
48||8||||||||||||||||
10||1||||||||||||||||
505||20||||||||||||||||
|}
|-
|1984||4||0
|-
|1985||7||0
|-
|1986||6||0
|-
|1987||7||0
|-
|1988||9||1
|-
|1989||5||0
|-
|1990||12||0
|-
|1991||3||0
|-
|1992||4||1
|-
!Total||57||2
|}
Manager
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
 |
18 March 1992 | 4 February 1996 |
|||||
| Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland national football team The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010.... |
 |
1 March 1996 | 5 November 2002 |
|||||
| Sunderland Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... |
|
12 March 2003 | 6 March 2006 |
|||||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
|
21 July 2006 | Present |
|||||
| Total |
||||||||
As a manager
- Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
2004–05 — SunderlandSunderland A.F.C.Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League... - Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
2008–092008–09 in English footballThe 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
— Wolverhampton Wanderers
As a player
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Football League Premier DivisionThe Scottish Football League Premier Division was, from 1975 until 1998, the top division of the Scottish Football League and the entire Scottish football league system...
1987–881987-88 in Scottish footballThe 1987–88 season was the 91st season of competitive football in Scotland.-Notable events:Billy McNeill's second spell back in charge of Celtic began in style as they finished the season by winning the double of the league title and Scottish Cup...
— CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
1988 — CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
1989 — CelticCeltic F.C.Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...