McCarthy tight-lipped over Hunt
Republic of Ireland winger Hunt delivered a typical all-action – and goalscoring – performance as relegation rivals Hull and Wolves fought out a draw on Saturday.
McCarthy is a keen admirer of the 28-year-old and is thought to have had three bids to sign the Waterford man turned down this month. Hull last week confirmed they have rejected at least one offer of £4m but the cash-strapped club’s resolve to keep him could be tested again before tonight’s transfer deadline.
Yet while McCarthy was willing to sing the praises of the player – whose display was marred slightly by an aberration that led to Wolves’ first equaliser – he would not be drawn on the continued conjecture.
“He’s a very good player but he is also a Hull player,” said McCarthy. “I’ve watched him play for Ireland as well and have never seen him play any other way than he did. There’s been a lot of speculation but I have never confirmed or denied anything.”
McCarthy was happy with his side’s efforts in securing a second successive draw by twice coming from behind at the KC Stadium.
It was a result that kept the Black Country side a point above Hull and outside the relegation zone. Benefiting from a bizarre Anthony Gardner own goal after Hunt gifted possession and a Matt Jarvis strike, Wolves also ended a five-game scoring drought.
McCarthy, however, felt they could have had even more.
“We should have won it, the chances we had,” he said. “We shouldn’t have to create six or seven chances to score one, but that is the way it has been. Having come from behind twice I have got to be happy, but I think we should have won it on chances and the balance of play.”
With the draw coming after another creditable point against Liverpool, McCarthy feels his players are showing the spirit of survival.
He added: “Consistency will be the key. But it is all right playing well – if we make mistakes we will get beaten in games.
“But if we have got our resilience and can cut out the mistakes we have got as good a chance, probably better, than the other teams around us.”
Hull, having led first through a Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink strike and then Hunt’s penalty, felt the greater sense of loss.
Victory could have lifted Phil Brown’s side out of the bottom three and given them a boost ahead of tough games against Chelsea tomorrow and Manchester City.
He said: “The chairman has just had a word with me and I am very confident Stephen Hunt will still be a Hull player.
“If we sold him these fans would go crazy and it is certainly not on my agenda.”
Brown reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with Jozy Altidore and Vennegoor of Hesselink up front but later revealed that had been enforced by an injury to Craig Fagan. Yet he was pleased with the performance of both strikers and felt the presence of new signing Amr Zaki on the bench might also have lifted them.
He said: “It worked well, Jan got his goal and maybe that was the threat of Amr Zaki on the bench.
“Who knows why strikers suddenly get into a rich vein of form? But as far as I was concerned it was a positive move from our lads.”
Brown could also reflect on a satisfactory first league start for 19-year-old midfielder Tom Cairney. The imminent return of Jimmy Bullard from injury and Seyi Olofinjana after the African Nations Cup may deny the youngster more opportunities but Brown was pleased with his display.
“Tom has got a bright future ahead of him,” he said. “I know he has played for Scotland U-18s, and I don’t know whether that qualifies him for the national team, but I hope he will consider being English.”
MATCH RATING: *** – A good old-fashioned relegation scrap where a draw suits neither side but makes for entertaining viewing for those at the KC.
REFEREE: Mike Dean (Wirral) 6/10 – Ronald Zubar’s crazy challenge which gifted Hull a penalty was the easiest decision Dean had to make on a day when neither side caused the Wirral official any major problems.
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