Soccer:Republic of Ireland striker Kevin Doyle is desperate not to end the Premier League season with back-to-back defeats as he prepares for Wolves' final game of the campaign against Sunderland tomorrow afternoon.
Having secured their Premier League survival last month, Wolves slumped 3-1 at relegated Portsmouth last weekend — only their second loss in nine games.
While nothing can take the shine off their success in surviving their first term back in the top flight, Doyle is keen to ensure Wolves end their season with a win in front of a sell-out crowd at Molineux.
“Now we’ve got one game left it will be nice to be able to round off the season on a high by not being beaten,” he said. “We’ll have been safe for two weeks by then and we should be raring to go and wanting to finish on a high, so hopefully we can get something from the game.”
Doyle, who became Wolves’ record signing when he arrived from Reading last summer, added: “We’ve still got a chance of finishing 14th and that’s what we’re trying to do.
“That point has been made to us and we’ve been training as hard as ever. Whatever happens on Sunday, I don’t think we will ruin the season because we’re safe, but it would be nice to go out on a high.”
Despite their successful battle against relegation, Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is committed to strengthening his squad this summer with the addition of four or five new signings.
But he admitted Doyle is bound to attract interest in the transfer market and said he would be facing “a real problem” if one of the Premier League big guns targets Kevin Doyle this summer.
He has been watched by a host of clubs this season and last weekend was linked with a €10 million move to Arsenal.
McCarthy is adamant that Doyle is staying but accepts there could be interest in him this summer. He said: “We can dress it up but we all know how football works and I’ve said it to everyone.
“Doyle is a Wolves player but if Manchester United, Manchester City or Liverpool come hunting him, I’d have a real problem. That’s the way it goes, just like if I go looking for someone else, they’ll be saying ‘Wolves are coming, it’s a Premier League club.‘
“Doyle fits into that process exactly the same as anyone else. If a big enough club comes and asks, it’s difficult for anyone — it’s the way of the world. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard might leave Liverpool — are we and Doyle oblivious to all that? Not everyone is for sale but sometimes you just can’t stop it.”
Despite his concerns, McCarthy is confident that Doyle will still be at Wolves for the start of next season.
Doyle has gone on record to state how much he has enjoyed life at Wolves and McCarthy added: “He looks after himself — he hasn’t got any agent and no one is nibbling my ears about him, he’s terrific.”