ARE MY PLAYERS UP FOR THE CUT?
Mccarthy’s wage warning to squad
v NEW Blackpool boss Mick Mccarthy believes the threat of a pay cut should focus the minds of his squad as they try to avoid relegation.
The 63-year-old was appointed last week to steer the secondfrom-bottom Championship side to safety and admits that takes priority over today’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Southampton.
Blackpool’s solitary victory in 11 matches since October came against a much-changed Nottingham Forest side in the previous round (celebrating the fourth goal in a 4-1 win, right).
But there is more emphasis being placed on next weekend’s trip to Middlesbrough. “We have been preparing for an FA Cup tie but, with the best will in the world, I have an eye on the league and I expect the players will have an eye on the league,” said Mccarthy.
“I don’t know what their circumstances are in terms of contracts and whether they get less if they are in League One.
“But if they do, they should all be running around like blue-a***d flies in the next three months to make sure we stay in this division.”
Mccarthy, whose contract is only to the end of the season, is under no illusions about the job he has been brought in to do.
“Listen, if I was to get to the final and win it, wouldn’t that be great? But the reality is
I’ve been brought in to try to help the club stay in the league,” added the ex-cardiff and Wolves boss, back in football after more than 14 months out.
“A win on Saturday would be brilliant because that would give us some momentum for Middlesbrough coming up the following week, and other games to follow.
“I hope we win it and on Monday the players are all saying they expect to play again. But if we don’t, I’ll be expecting the ones I haven’t picked to be training like they should be playing, and be lined up ready to come knocking on my door telling me they should be in.”
Mccarthy has only been in the post for a week and admits he will need more time to get across his message.
“Building a base for the rest of the season,” he said of what his week had been like. “Fundamentals are what I expect and demand of players and that is what we have been pretty much laying down in the last couple of days,” he added.
“You try that but it has to be an ongoing thing, you have to keep dripping that in, all the standards you want.”