Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Not an ounce of bounce will be wasted!
MICK MCCARTHY hardly had a chance to test the trampoline – let alone measure the new boss bounce – in his last job.
After just 65 days, and two wins in eight games, working with a skeleton squad ravaged by Covid-19 at Apoel Nicosia, they fired him.
It was easily the shortest reign of his career in charge.
“No experience is wasted,” said Mccarthy.
“It was probably the best sacking I’ve ever had because I turned up at Cardiff... so happy days.”
The former Republic of Ireland manager is back on the hamster wheel in a division where he led Wolves and Sunderland to the title in the space of four years.
It’s fair to say Mccarthy’s appointment to replace Neil Harris was greeted with muted enthusiasm by fans.
But he’s already winning them over after collecting eight points from his first four games. Mccarthy said:
“The new manager bounce? It seems to happen, doesn’t it? But I guess it’s whether you can carry on in the same vein that matters.
“Listen, I’ve gone into jobs and there’s been no bounce – at Sunderland for instance – but you often get a reaction.
“Whether it’s a new voice or a new face, you hope you get a response because it’s a long way back if you don’t.
“I’ve got a decent record in the Championship but just because I was 62 last week, it doesn’t mean I want to pack it in and retire.
“I want to prove to myself every day that I’m still able to get a tune out of players.
“I’d like to enhance my record in this division and, if I’m honest, I would still love to have another crack at the Premier League. I’m not suggesting we might do it this year, but I’ve not given up on it.”
Mccarthy certainly doesn’t seem bruised by his experience in Cyprus, where the pandemic left him with a duff hand. Cardiff were slipping towards the quicksands when Mccarthy arrived last month.
But now they are looking upwards instead of over their shoulders.
A third consecutive win against Coventry would be another step towards replacing Gavin & Stacey as top of the bill in south Wales, and Mccarthy said: “This is arguably the best squad I’ve ever inherited when taking a job where results haven’t been going well.
“But if we can make it 11 points from five games, it sends a message to ourselves – that we should be looking at the backsides of the top six and not at the noses of the bottom three.”
On social media pond life who think trolling players, managers and referees with death threats and racist bile is acceptable behaviour, Mccarthy added: “I’m not really familiar with the platforms because I’m not on any of them.
“And the reason I’m not on any of them is because you leave yourself open to abuse.
“As tough, resolute and thick-skinned as I am, I still don’t want to read people’s opinions of me.”
It was the best sacking I’ve ever had because I wound up at Cardiff
IT feels like a long, long time ago.
Remember when Ollie Watkins was the man who scored a perfect hat-trick against Liverpool in that amazing 7-2 thrashing back in October?
Some players could have let that incredible feat go to their heads.
But the Aston Villa striker has carried on with the nitty-gritty of the Premier League and continued to score goals this season.
He’s currently on a great run,
scoring four in his last five, including the winner against Arsenal last weekend.
Villa travel to a Brighton side that have kept just seven clean sheets in 23 games this season and only three shut-outs on home soil this season.
That’s great news for Watkins and team-mate Jack Grealish, who provides all the ammunition.
Watkins is 5/1 with Bet365 to score first at the Amex. That will do nicely.