Matt Murray insists Wolves players do care

The popular retired goalkeeper will be on punditry duties at the stadium on Sunday when a Championship clash against Cardiff begins with Wolves in the bottom three.

It has triggered a fresh wave of criticism from supporters stunned by the team's continuing collapse which saw the players exit the Barnsley pitch on Tuesday to ugly abuse from some travelling fans.

But Murray has dismissed accusations that Karl Henry and Co think more about their pay packets than the perils of their position – or the feelings of the fans.

The 31-year-old said: "I'm telling you now, 100 per cent, they care. Trust me – they care. The majority of that squad have enjoyed promotion and then staying up in the Premier League.

"They have shared great times with the fans – believe you me, they do care. Everybody thinks these days that players are only motivated by money but it doesn't work that way.

"Trust me. It is hurting them as much as anyone to be in this position. And anyway, if it was all about money, going down from the Premier League into the Championship and now with the threat of League One.

"This has massive implications on their earnings. And their careers – do you think they want relegations on their CVs? It's embarrassing for them, they don't want it as professionals.

"You hate it, You don't want to look at the tables, you don't want to see the fans out on the streets because you know they are angry . . . it's horrible. You hate your life when it's like that."

Wolves have gone into a lockdown in the build-up to the Cardiff crunch, with the training ground shut down to public access as a siege mentality takes a grip of their planning.

But Murray believes that the team's fortunes can turn on the slender margins that eluded them once more in the 2-1 defeat at Oakwell.

He added: "I'm a great believer in this game being all about fine lines. We're 1-0 up at Barnsley, playing well, and Jamie O'Hara's shot comes down off the bar.

"That's the difference – 2-0 up and it's a different game, we get a great lift. But the ball stays out, it goes the other way. Barnsley get the lift.

"You can't tell me that the team that played at Derby, for example, didn't care. Not when you've got Jamie O'Hara with his nose all busted coming back on, not with Danny Batth throwing himself into tackles."