Richard Stearman happy with Wolves boss - despite being dropped

Oct 3 2010 by Gregg Evans, Sunday Mercury

RICHARD Stearman could be forgiven for resenting Wolves manager Mick McCarthy.

The England Under-21 international has been frozen out of action at Molineux after getting himself sent off in the home defeat to Wigan Athletic last season.

Stearman started the campaign as a first choice regular but fell out of favour after his game-changing dismissal.

Since then the 23-year-old has made sparing Premier League appearances as McCarthy continues to overlook him in favour of Christophe Berra and Jody Craddock.

But while other footballers will moan and groan at the lack of first team opportunities, Stearman is determined to knuckle down and prove that he is good enough to be in the team.

The former Leicester City centre-half shows no bitterness to the manager, in fact he reserved praise for the man who he says has been inspirational in helping him become the player he is today.

“I’m quite lucky because throughout my career I have worked under managers who were defenders themselves,” he said.

“That helps because they can put their own input into helping you improve your game.

“Mick McCarthy has been great to me and he’s really helped me progress. He’s been brilliant in helping me adapt to the Premier League and to improve.

“He’s passionate himself so it rubs off on others.”

Stearman’s progress in the Wolves team has slowed in the last third of each of his two seasons at Molineux.

In 2008-09 he lost his place following the £2.3 million arrival of Berra in February after the Scot was preferred alongside Jody Craddock for the final 14 games.

Then after the red card last season he was restricted to a last-minute substitute appearance in the 2-2 draw at Hull.

McCarthy has been quick to applaud both Berra and Craddock this season despite their recent poor run.

And while Stearman admits that they have both been playing well, he is also ready to grasp any chance he is given.

“Christophe and Jody have done well so I’ve just got to take my chance whenever I get it.