Wolves vs Swansea City preview - McCarthy: Loyalty is a two-way thing

Posted Saturday, October 22, 2011 by PA

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has called for his team's fans to hold off booing until the final whistle as they look to end their five-match losing streak in the Barclays Premier League against Swansea.

Sections of the Molineux crowd voiced their discontent during the team's last home match against Newcastle, most notably by sarcastically cheering as former captain Karl Henry was substituted.

However, McCarthy insisted his team will always give their all, and that he expects the same from their supporters.

He said: "Every one of my players give 100% every week.

"If we don't win, I'm more than happy to listen to the boos and the jeers, because that's what happens.

"Not just here, it happens all over the world.

"But whilst the players are on the pitch,100% effort from us, and 100% effort from the fans.

"It's a joint venture, isn't it?

"We're all part of it, and we should all be in the tent, peeing out, not outside the tent, peeing in.

"Because let me tell you, once that starts, then there's trouble."

Wolves host the Swans with the visitors still looking to pick up their first Premier League point away from home.

"It's the clash of the titans," McCarthy joked.

"Rubbish away record plays rubbish home record at the minute."

Despite Swansea's frailties on the road McCarthy denies this is a 'must win' game - although he adds neither team can afford to lose.

"It's 'must not lose', that's for sure," he said.

"We need a performance, but it's just not guaranteed.

"It's easy to say 'we must win this', well actually, there's a Swansea team down the road on their way up saying exactly the same things.

"They'll be saying we've just lost three on the bounce here."

Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers believes McCarthy will drag Wolves out of their current predicament, but is still confident his team will bag three points against their struggling opponents at Molineux.

Rodgers thinks the 52-year-old will be able to drag the club away from trouble, saying: "Every team has a run of games. He (McCarthy) has done a brilliant job there and had periods like this before and always come out strong.

"Mick has done a wonderful job at Wolves in his time there in the Championship and taken them through.

"There has been great developments there both on and off the field.

"He understands like us all that it's very difficult in the Premier League."

Swansea go in to the match on the back of a poor performance at Norwich where they conceded in the first minute before going on to lose 3-1 against their fellow Barclays Premier League newcomers.

So Rodgers may be tempted to shuffle his back four in light of the poor defensive showing at Carrow Road.

The Swans boss has been short on options at the back since Alan Tate broke his leg, and Steven Caulker injured his knee against Arsenal.

He has received a boost in that area after finally completing the signing of Vangelis Moras from Bologna on a free transfer.

The Greece defender had been awaiting clearance from the Italian Football Federation before signing his short-term contract at the Liberty Stadium, and he may now be given his first start after being an unused substitute at Carrow Road last week.

"Vangelis comes in with good experience. He's played the last four seasons in Serie A and is an international player," Rodgers said.

"I watched him in training for a week or so and felt if we could get him up to speed he'd be a good asset for us. So far he's proved that.

"He's adapted excellently to our training and he is getting better with every reserve game. He's in the squad and available for selection."