McCarthy pours scorn on Pompey

Published Feb. 16, 2010 8:40 a.m. ET

foxsports

McCarthy witnessed the Fratton Park outfit flex their apparent financial muscle last summer after admitting to missing out on signing two players as Wolves could not match the wages being offered by Pompey. Since then the south coast club have financially imploded, and now face another date in the High Court on March 1 relating to a number of unpaid bills. Although McCarthy insists there is no bitterness towards Pompey, he does feel the financial state of the game today is a shambles. "We had a player in my office and wanted to sign him, but couldn't match the deal being offered down there. It would be grossly unfair to name the player," McCarthy is quoted as saying in the Express & Star. "Then another one we were trying to sign and were negotiating with also ended up at Portsmouth, on a deal we wouldn't be prepared to give him. "It doesn't make me feel bitter, not at all, but it's cock-eyed football is allowed to get so much in debt. "Liverpool spend hundreds of millions, Manchester United do. I might as well start whinging about it being an unfair playing field with them. "But if someone is prepared to run their business and keep spending a pound more than they earn, you know it is a recipe for disaster at some stage. It has got to be." Wolves were heavily linked last summer with a move for Jamie O'Hara prior to the Tottenham midfielder joining Pompey on loan, while striker Tommy Smith, who moved to Fratton Park from Watford in August, is another who has previously interested McCarthy.