Town boss Mick McCarthy is confident that his current squad has what it takes to stay in the top six for the rest of the season.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw at AFC Bournemouth saw the Blues climb to sixth in the Championship, their best standing at the halfway stage of a season since the 2007/08 campaign when they were in the same position but a point better off than their current total of 35.

Asked whether he would have to add to his squad in January in order to maintain a place in the top six, McCarthy said: “No, I’ve got a good squad of players.

“We’ve not got huge back-up behind them, but the players that I’ve got are really good players and good characters, good Championship players who will scrap and kick and do everything they can and play their football to get themselves into the play-offs.

“We’ve got one or two that have been there, certainly the lads from Wolves who got promoted there, Christophe, Sylvan, Hunty, and there are other lads in the squad that have done it as well.

“We’ve got a good bit of experience there and they’re enjoying playing well and winning games at the moment and none of them want to lose. We can stay there with this squad, of course.”

The Town boss says he’s not so much underplayed his side’s current position but maintained his general approach to any situation: “I don’t know if I’ve played it down, I’m just pragmatic about it. We’re there but there are 20-odd games still to go.

“If somebody said it’s May 6th and the season’s finished and we’re in the play-offs, that would be fantastic, that’s at least where we want to remain.

“But that can change very quickly, I keep saying that. Leicester’s results stick in my mind. They had two poor defeats and then they go and beat QPR away and Bolton at home and they’re four points clear. I bet they were howling up there before that.

“It’s being consistent with your performances, because you’ll get beaten even when you’ve played well in this league. Be consistent with your performance and be consistent with your personality, whether that’s win, lose or draw, keep an even keel to it all.”

He says has the same outlook now as he did when he took over with the Blues bottom of the table on seven points: “It’s not me just doing it now, that’s me from November 1st last year when I came here when the expectation was that we’d go down.

“I said we’d have a look at it and we’ll see, and that’s my personality, that’s not me trying to play it down. Let me tell you, I’m delighted we’re in the top six but I’m not going to walk around with a coat hanger in my gob smiling at everybody just to prove it.

“That is a nice little achievement, but once you start thinking ‘Top six, happy days, we’ve knocked it off’, we’ll be looking at the bottom end.

“I understand that fans do. I seem to remember making a couple of substitutions at Blackpool. I didn’t know what I was doing up until making my substitutions and winning.

“Is it any wonder that I and other football managers are pragmatic? And then I’m Super Mick when we win 3-2.

“So I don’t get carried away with all that, I’m not interested. I love it that football fans get excited because that’s part of my job to excite them with the team, that’s part of our job, to get fans through the door through winning performances. But not to get carried away with it.”

McCarthy says Town’s climb up the table isn’t just down to him but also his staff: “I’m the mouthpiece for everybody, but there’s a whole lot of work that goes into it from a lot of people.

“The fitness guys, Andy Liddell and the physios, they take a lot of credit because they keep them fit because we haven’t got the biggest squad, but we’ve got a good squad, I’m never knocking that, the tight-knit squad that we’ve got are all good players and can all play.

“There’s not too much back-up but that in a strange way is nice because they all get the chance to play, there aren’t three or four of them with no chance of playing. And, of course, with the coaches and TC, he has a huge role to play in it.”

Overall, he says the Championship is as tight as ever: “I keep using the word but it is bonkers, it really is. It’s a really tough league where there’s not much in teams at all. You might see one or two start to fall away.

“I didn’t feel for Donny when we were playing them, but they’ve got nine injuries and I feel for Paul Dickov because he’s one of my peers and I think we took advantage of a seriously depleted team and everybody needs their best players.

“If you lose too many of them you’ll get beaten. It’s a league that you’ve got to be consistent in, week in, week out delivering performances full of energy, full of purpose, workrate, organisation and then sometimes you need that bit of luck, sometimes it’s a decision, sometimes it’s a bit of brilliance from somebody, and to maintain it for another 23 games we have to keep our standards high.”

Photo: Action Images

Wallingford_Boy added 06:42 - Jan 1 Up early Phil, no hangover?
1

Akaroablue added 07:07 - Jan 1 As I have said in an earlier post, it's time to get the 'War Chest' out and buy a couple of players to see us through to the next level! goal scoring mid-field player and a target man for McGoldrick IMO.
-3

murhtuG added 08:54 - Jan 1 I don't think we will (or necessarily need to) see much, if any, money spent in Jan. We have a tight-knit, tough, functional squad with some good players in the wings (Hunt, Ebanks-Blake). It's been good enough to get us into the top six, so doesn't require tampering for the sake of it. And, besides, the money isn't there, either under FFP or in Evans' budgeting.
2

Len_Brennan added 09:44 - Jan 1 The squad is tight-knit no doubt & that certainly helps the spirit, something Mick is exceptional at achieving with his teams, but there are a couple of areas he must be looking at & speaking to the owner about, especially with have us right there at the business end. We have no right back (again) in the team, match day squa or indeed in the squad as a whole right now. Luke Chambers is a fine player & has done really well have moved over, but his is a centre half playing out of position. Funnily enough I though Stearman was far more natural at right back, despite being a converted centre half also. I am certainly not having a go at Chambers here at all, but I do think we need a natural right back in the squad, especially with Hewitt & Veseli both gone on loan. Should Chambers pick up an injury we are probably back looking at Edwards having to cover, which is far from ideal for a playoff chasing side. Also, if Smith or Berra were to get injured, I think we would need Chambers to slot back in at right side of the centre half pairing, where he has been excellent for us, rather than leaving him at right back & playing Mings (another left footer - Berra has been exceptional) at centre half. I doubt Mick would have left both young right backs go on loan without having something up his sleeve. The other area he might be looking at, & I really hope his is, would be creativity from midfield. Mick obviously doesn't fancy Taylor or Wordsworth to bring it, which is somewhat disappointing to me as I liked what I had seen of Woody & thought he would play a fair bit this season & Taylor promised so much; but Mick & TC see what they are doing everyday & know what they need. With Graham going back to Villa, maybe there is a space for a new addition who can unlock stubborn defences with a little bit more of a spark than what we currently have.

1

oscarwhiting added 09:55 - Jan 1 As much as I'd love for us to get promoted, if we don't add to this team we'll get slapped by every team.
-7

SouperJim added 10:10 - Jan 1 What, like we've got slapped by every team so far?
5

churchmans81 added 10:16 - Jan 1 Kevin Phillips about to be released by Palace. He was due to come here years ago so would be good to see him in blue & white and adding some experience and strength in depth up front, even if as an impact player off the bench for final 30-15 minutes.
-2

ArnieM added 10:26 - Jan 1 ....."im not walking around with a coat hanger in my gob smiling at everyone". Seriously PMSL ! Mick is a breath of fresh air.
3

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls