On the latest episode of the Victory and Vices podcast, former Wolves winger Matt Jarvis revealed Mick McCarthy was the best manager he ever worked for.
The 34-year-old enjoyed some of the best years of his career at Molineux after joining Mick McCarthy’s men from Gillingham Town back in 2007.
Under the former Republic of Ireland manager’s tutelage, the Midlands outfit won promotion to the Premier League in 2008/09 before enjoying two successful campaigns in the top flight.
Between 2009/10 and 2010/11, Jarvis bagged seven Premier League goals and provided a further 13 assists to his teammates, earning him an England call-up during Fabio Capello’s reign, and the Woking Town man believes McCarthy played a big part in his success.
He said: (15:51) “There was a few other clubs that were interested but I, good story, I was just packing my bags. I was just going to the airport, with my mates to go on holiday on a boy’s trip. And I get a call from my agent to say that I’ve just had a call from Mick McCarthy. ‘He wants to meet you in Portugal. He’s out there in Portugal.’
“This, I think was on this was a Friday. So, he wants to meet me on Sunday in Portugal. I was like, ‘Yep, no problem.’ I was like, ‘Lads, I can’t come. I’m going to meet Mick McCarthy.’ So, I flew out to Portugal in the morning, met Mick McCarthy, and as soon as I met him, you know, there was no other club that was I was going to sign for.
“He was, he probably is the best manager that I’ve worked with. He has that aura about him when you meet him. What he said that he wanted to achieve at Wolves and how he was going to do it and what players he had and what players he was wanting, why he wanted me to go there, and it was just such an easy decision.”
TIF Thoughts on McCarthy…
The 62-year-old has split opinion throughout his career, but successes with the likes of Wolves, Ipswich Town and the Republic of Ireland national team have earned him a solid reputation within the sport.
McCarthy is currently enjoying a renaissance in his long career at Championship side Cardiff City after a disappointing spell with Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia.
However, it was at Wolves where he enjoyed his best days as a Premier League manager after suffering relegation with Sunderland and it’s, therefore, understandable why Jarvis holds the Yorkshireman in such high regard.