Mick McCarthy

Undoubtedly the star of the World Cup so far.

Now, on the whole, Roy Keane's infamous summation of McCarthy surely holds water:

"You're a fucking wanker. I didn't rate you as a player, I don't rate you as a manager and I don't rate you as a person. You are a fucking wanker and you can stick your World Cup up your arse."

(How many of you have so wanted to say that to one of your bosses at some time in your life?)

However, I always enjoyed the comment he made when celebrating taking Wolves into the Premiership. A reporter asked him how excited he was to be in the Premiership next season.

"Aye, I can't wait. Bottom of the league after 11 matches and sacked by Christmas."

Such bluffness has been just the ticket for most of the matches so far. Such a shame he wasn't co-commentating on England/Algeria last night. It's been like watching a game with your favourite old, bigoted, professional yorkshireman, uncle. A Geoff Boycott in shinpads.

A Serbian defender pretended to have been pole-axed yesterday. McCarthy summaries the play as follows.

"What a tart".

Daryl and I were e-mailing each other our Ascot disasters at the time and both agreed we'd spent the entire match mimicking him.

Much more satisfying than blowing a paper comb I'm sure you'll agree...

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