Media Fire Molineux Meeting

November 25th 2006.

Not a date of great significance to many.

However, when that day comes, the eyes of the country's media will be firmly fixed on Molineux as the respective managers of Wolves and Sunderland leave the players tunnel.

Given that Wolves incumbent Mick McCarthy was formally installed as Sunderland manager, a moderate amount of press interest was always going to be inevitable.

But events of the last few days have thrown added spice into the encounter.

As soon as Roy Keane's appointment at The Stadium Of Light was confirmed, Hack's across the world went straight to the fixture list to check when Sunderland would meet Wolves, instantly rubbing their hands together with glee.

4 year old quotes were dusted down and trotted out, and murky pools of past discontent stirred once more to eek out every possible column inch ahead of the November encounter.

When November comes, it`s unlikely that the encounter will generate the kind of fireworks Wapping dreams about.

Keane has remained fairly impassive on the subject of the meeting of managers, and in general displayed a levelheaded approach to his new trade, going as far as admitting that some of his past behaviour, including the infamous Japan 02 walkout was at best, ill advised.

For his part, Mick McCarthy has maintained a gentlemanly silence, refusing to be drawn on the subject, or into raking over past disagreements.

It`s easy to forget that for all the media circus surrounding Keane`s walk out in 02, McCarthy led what was seen as a hugely successful campaign in Japan without him.

And a victory over Sunderland at Molineux will speak louder than any media soundbite when the two men meet as managerial equals for the first time.

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