Mick McCarthy is heading for pundit duty at today’s big meeting between two of his former clubs – but won’t be setting foot inside Molineux.
The 64-year-old won’t even be seen in the Black Country on match-day afternoon as he is analysing for City TV.
“I’m doing my work at the Etihad,” he told Wolves Heroes. “It might seem strange to be going through the West Midlands to get to watch the match much further north but that is the plan for the day.
“I am sure the fact that I played for one club and managed the other is part of the reason I have been called on and it will be interesting to have a detailed look at the two sides, both with my research as well as once the game starts.
“TV and radio work is a good way to stay in touch with the game and I enjoy doing it. I’ve been called up for various assignments like this already this season and will be going over to Dublin in a few weeks time.”
Remarkably, the passage of time since the Yorkshireman departed Molineux is now twice the span of his successful stay here.
Although Wolves were in considerable danger of going down when he was sacked in February, 2012 after surviving in astonishing circumstances the previous May, we shouldn’t forget that he previously transformed a threadbare squad in double-quick time, took them to the Championship title and gave the club three years of Premier League football.
As a City player across four years in the mid-1980s, he had one promotion and one relegation after arriving from his home-town club Barnsley for £500,000 and was their player of the year in 1984.
His tally of more than 160 appearances while at Maine Road also included considerable captaincy duty, although the much longer-serving Paul Power was usually club skipper.
McCarthy has already been heard on talkSPORT in these early weeks of 2023-24 and will be making two trips to Ireland later in the autumn to provide expert insight for Virgin on European club games.
So are we to conclude from these commitments that, at 64, he has retirement from management? “No, I haven’t said I’m finished and will see if anything comes up,” he added.
“I have never applied for a job and will see if any club are in need of some help and decide to give me a ring. The thought of perhaps being asked to mentor a younger guy has crossed my mind as well, so I will keep playing plenty of golf and have my phone close by.”
We will be writing more about Mick before Christmas – in the meantime, he is also appearing at Stourbridge Football Club on Friday, October 27 at an evening hosted by Matt Murray. Details of how to buy tickets can be found at Coming to the Glassboys Bar! An evening with Mick McCarthy! Tickets now on sale! (stourbridgefc.com) or by ringing Wayne on 07870 150072.