Mick McCarthy replaced Glenn Hoddle as Wolves manager in July 2006

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Mick McCarthy believes his squad will benefit from having already spent a year in the Premier League.

Wolves began their second season in the top-flight with a 2-1 victory over Stoke City at Molineux on Saturday.

McCarthy told BBC WM: "I looked around last year and I couldn't see much Premier League experience.

"Now we have 15 of the players who got us promoted still here, all with Premier League experience, it's great."

Of the regulars in Wolves' first-team last season, only Marcus Hahnemann, Jody Craddock, David Jones and Kevin Doyle had played in the Premier League before.

Jones scored a wonderful free-kick against the Potters, and McCarthy insists that the former Derby midfielder will not be affected by the delay in agreeing a new contract.

"He wants to play for us and I want him to stay," added the Wolves boss.

"In the meantime, I'll keep picking him and he'll keep playing like that, so we don't lose anything."

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