McCarthy made 11 changes for the trip to League Two minnows Northampton, but as Warnock's Rangers were being humbled 2-0 at home to Rochdale, Wolves marched into the third round with a 4-0 win. So while McCarthy was spared some momentary embarrassment, he is still faced with at least one more distraction from his primary focus of keeping his team in the top flight. Birmingham's relegation last season, three months after they lifted the trophy, has given McCarthy another reason for perhaps wanting to steer clear. When asked if he was thinking of winning the Carling Cup this term, he replied: "Do me a favour!" And as for the winners qualifying for the Europa League? McCarthy made his feelings on that particular competition clear following his side's victory over seasoned Euro travellers Fulham on Saturday, and he reiterated his stance last night. "I don't want to go in it," he said. "If we progressed into a solid, Premier League outfit and had got the squad that we could carry, that could deal with it, then that's a different ball game. "But at the moment, entering a competition that would just impair everything else we are trying to do, by getting to be a solid Premier League team, and travelling all around... "I watched Fulham (in Europe) on Thursday night and then they came to us, and it was a disadvantage for them. We made the most of it. "You go through umpteen games to get to a league basis, then you go through the league basis and they drop the Champions League teams in and then it's 'go and get thumped by Inter Milan' or someone. "So, not a chance. Life is tough enough at the moment. "It would be great if we won the Carling Cup - but not if we went down as well, though. How bad is that? "So all those things I'll worry about if and when they come."
