Former Wolves boss Mick McCarthy speaks about his time with George Elokobi at Molineux and wishes him well in his new role as Maidstone United manager

Mick McCarthy - the man who turned George Elokobi into a Premier League footballer - can’t speak highly enough of the new Maidstone United boss.

McCarthy took Elokobi to Wolves from Colchester in 2008 and together they won the Championship title and promotion to the top flight of English football a year later.

The former Republic of Ireland boss is thrilled to see his old defender break into management at the Gallagher Stadium.

Elokobi inherited a difficult situation and has been unable to prevent relegation back to National League South.

But McCarthy, who’s managed more than 1,000 games in his long career, told KentOnline: “You only get the job when it’s a difficult situation.

“I wish him well. He was terrific for me and we still keep in touch. I always speak to him.

“He’ll ring me up and he’s a genuinely good guy. I couldn’t hope anybody else does any better than him. I’m delighted he’s got that job.”

McCarthy, now in charge at Blackpool, led Ireland to the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup and also won the Championship title with Sunderland.

There can be few better sounding boards than the 64-year-old as Elokobi cuts his teeth in management.

McCarthy tends to refrain from offering managers advice in public but said: “The only thing is to try and keep an even keel when you’re winning and when you’re losing.

“It’s easy to get carried away when you’re winning and it’s easy to be in the depths of despair when you’re losing.

“Try to be level all the way through. That’s my advice.

“Everyone’s got their own ideas and I say that from somebody who, when I first got the job, it was getting on top of me and I was becoming a real grizzly at home, so I know from experience how it affects you.

“Win, lose or draw, when you come in on a