By Paul Jones
Mick McCarthy insists Kieffer Moore has not had his head turned by rumours of a move from Cardiff City.
Moore has continued to be linked with a transfer to Wolves but with the window due to close on Tuesday night, manager MCarthy insists there has been no official interest in his Wales striker.
McCarthy said: “I don’t think the talk about potential transfer moves is affecting him at all.
“He has got all that paper talk and interest because he is a great lad. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing happening.
“He puts a shift in and works hard, he’s got the quality. I’ve got no complaints with him at all or how he played.”
Moore was unable to prevent the Bluebirds from falling to their first Championship defeat of the season as they lost 2-1 at home to Bristol City.
Andreas Weimann scored twice and although Moore had a hand in the Cardiff equaliser, the game was decided by a superb volley by Weimann.
Daniel Bentley’s own goal had put Cardiff back on terms but the visitors withstood late pressure to secure a victory that was fully merited and moves them within a point of the Bluebirds.
McCarthy added: “My team gave me absolutely everything but we lacked a bit of quality.
“We’re going to lose games in the season and it’s how you respond. Generally we’ve responded well because we’ve shown that willingness and spirit to work.
“I thought we started the game well then conceded a poor goal, which handed them the initiative but we’d a good rally just before half-time with a couple of chances.
“Having got back in the game, I thought we then had the momentum and conceding the goal was tough to take – we had a number of chances to clear it and never did.
“We had the chances and just lacked that bit of quality, the volley they scored was top class and that doesn’t make me feel any better.”
McCarthy confirmed that midfielder Ryan Wintle – who was only signed by the manager earlier this summer – has joined Blackpool on a season-long loan.
“That was a difficult one. I brought him with a view for this season but certainly next season.
#Blackpool have signed midfielder Ryan Wintle on loan from Cardiff City.#utmp #seasiders pic.twitter.com/qwGOZiTcqv
— BBC Sport Lancashire (@BBCLancsSport) August 29, 2021
“Marlon [Pack] and Rallsy [Joe Ralls] have been great, Vaulksy [Will Vaulks] played all but two or three games last year and the emergence of Sam Bowen.
“Ryan has played 160-odd league games, he needs to be playing. He’s not yet played in the Championship. So it’s a good opportunity for him, with a recall in January, to get some experience playing with Blackpool in the Championship.”
Weimann scored twice in Bristol City’s last away game – a 3-2 win at Reading – and he repeated the feat to decide the Severnside derby.
The 30-year-old missed most of last season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury but signed a new deal at Ashton Gate this summer.
“He had a cruciate but in the modern day it’s not the career-threatening injury it used to be,” Bristol City boss Nigel Pearson said.
“He’s very diligent with how he recovers and it’s good to have him back. He played very well, him and Chris (Martin) were very efficient and that’s what we need.
“At the end of last year he was very close to being in the squad but we just said ‘what’s the point?’
“He knows what he’s good at and that’s what it’s about with players.
“Physically it was a big challenge. We needed to be relatively big today and they did well. I think the players have a bit of trust in each other, which is really good.
“We look more like a team than we did and our points total doesn’t necessarily reflect the performances we have had. It was a very important result, but it’s just one game.”