McCarthy has slammed suggestions that four first-team players and one youth team player had been "gambling too much" last season as "lies". He is also bemused that his comments about the positive work which Wolves carry out with their first team and academy players has been spun to negative effect. McCarthy, in a statement, said: "It saddens me that a lot of positive work we are doing with our players should be reported in this way. "Yes, we do have people come in to talk to the first-team players and academy players, talking to them about gambling and drinking and drugs. "We have a sports therapist, Bill Stevens, as well as former player Jeff Whitley, and trained counsellor Mike Wood, who come in on a regular basis. "But as I said, that is purely a preventative measure rather than a reaction to anything that has happened before. "We do not have a gambling problem at Wolves, nor have we had one in the past, and to suggest we have is just lies." McCarthy added: "There are always potential threats around for players but we take our responsibilities as a club very seriously which is why we have these specialists come in. "It's pastoral care - and it's fantastic that the club are so supportive of it. "It's prevention rather than cure - you don't wait until someone is ill to bring in a doctor or wait until someone is injured before you bring in a physiotherapist."
