Mick McCarthy happy to accept budget

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy today insisted he was happy with his lot as he refused to cast envious glances at moneybags QPR.

McCarthy lost out on his chief transfer target when Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha signed for Rangers for £3m yesterday.

Personal terms were the big stumbling block, with the 25-year-old signing a lucrative deal worth up to an estimated £80,000-a-week, a staggering rise on his £49,000-a-week wages at City.

Wolves, along with Albion and other clubs, refused to enter an auction on wages for Onuoha.

And McCarthy is happy to continue working within a much more prudent financial framework at Molineux than counterpart Mark Hughes appears to enjoy at Loftus Road.

"Good luck to him. There's nothing I can do about it is there?" said McCarthy.

"All I can do is make us better, harder to beat and more competitive. I tend to be happy with my lot, and get on with it.

"Bemoaning anyone else's good fortune doesn't do you any favours. Why would I be like that? I'm not that kind.

"I count my blessings rather than look at everyone else and what's going on."

McCarthy believes Wolves are unlikely to have a situation where a new signing is on far more money than the rest of the dressing room.

"A club can sign someone on big dough and he lives up to all expectations and everyone likes him because he makes them a better team," he said. "If he comes in and doesn't live up to those expectations, it can cause friction."

Other main targets, such as Wigan midfielder Mohamed Diame, who is also out of contract in June, are unavailable this window.

With four days left until trading shuts down until the summer, there has been little activity and McCarthy believes no-one wants to allow players to go. "Teams don't want to let them go because they want to ensure their own safety or keep their best team," he said.