The January transfer window ended at 11pm last night with no further additions to the Blues squad but with manager Mick McCarthy happy with his squad, believing it would be difficult for him to have improved on the players he has available to him given his budget.

The Town boss also feels there’s no point in adding players who aren’t any better than those in a squad which he feels is big enough already.

“We’ve had 22 [outfield] players training this morning, who are all contenders for first-team places,” he said.

“I’m not really at liberty to bring another two or three in and add to that while there are 24 players who could play there.

“Yes, some of them have more of a chance of playing than others, but the reality is that I’ve probably got 18 or 19 of them who are first-teamers on a regular basis.”

He added: “I’m not saying for one minute that there aren’t players that could make my squad better or enhance the team, but only if I can do them within the budget, the parameters of what we can do.

“And they’re not available. We’re pushing for the top six with these lads, who have been brilliant. I prefer to give them the support.

“The players would appreciate it if we could go out and go and spend £5 million, £4 million, £3 million and get four players.

“All the lads who are playing would be thinking ‘Hey ho, we’re all going to be better off next year because we might get promoted’.

“But that’s not the case. So, if you can’t do that, stick with what you’ve got, keep getting the best out of them and let’s make sure we’re in the top six.”

The Blues boss says there will be greater pressure to succeed on the clubs who have spent big money in the transfer window. Derby have again been amongst those splashing the cash, while Middlesbrough finally sealed their £9 million move for ex-Town striker Jordan Rhodes last night.

“Of course there is,” McCarthy added. “We’re seeing it now. Derby ended up finishing eighth last year despite whatever budget they had last year and suddenly they’re fifth now.

“I thought when we played them and Middlesbrough that they looked like the top two teams.

“Burnley are spending money, Hull, they’ll spend money, there are some really good teams at the top of our league and some spending power as well. Of course it adds extra pressure. But it gives you a better squad.

“And by the way we’re not talking about them taking a loan deal for two or three grand a week, we’re talking about £9 million and 40 grand a week. And we’re talking about £3 million or £4 million players and 15 or 20 grand a week.

“That’s beyond a lot of us and whilst it would be fab if that were the case, but it’s not, so I think you should revel in what you’re good at, what you do and keep doing that and make sure that we stay at the top of our game with what we have and not be bitter and twisted and jealous or anything of anybody else because I think we do it well what we do.”

He says plenty of clubs in a worse position than Town have splashed out plenty more cash.

“If you consider the teams below us, if you start looking at them I think they’ve spent a few quid over the time that I’ve been here,” he said.

“The teams in and around us, Sheffield Wednesday have spent, Leeds have spent money, Fulham have spent money for heaven’s sake - Ross McCormack [cost £11 million].

“And when I looked last we were above a good deal of them and I would think that a few of them in the top places are worried about us overtaking them.

“That’s my point all the time. I understand what my job is and I think as a club we do it well, and long may it continue.”

Perhaps surprisingly, he says no one made an approach for any of his players during the transfer window, at least up to his press conference at lunchtime yesterday.

“No I haven’t, maybe they haven’t got my number," he joked. "I’ve only had it for 28 years. I’ve not changed it since I was a player at Millwall, so they must have it!”

He added: “That would worry me, that would be the concern that I walk in there and there’s some bonkers offer for Murph or for Freddie, for some of the lads who have been really ripping it up, Skusey.”

Reflecting on the success of Cole Skuse and Daryl Murphy, amongst others, he continued: “We’ve been all right at getting them for nothing, on free transfers, we’ve had some good ones. Didz, Murph, Skusey, Berra. A few good free transfers we’ve had.”

Photo: Action Images

Greektractor added 06:18 - Feb 2 Not fussed we've not spent millions. A couple of new faces would have been nice, but let's concentrate on who we've got already and try and find some form. Both Watford and Norwich were in a similar position at this point of the season and ended up getting promoted automatically. Who knows what will happen over the next few months? Bring it on.
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Benters added 06:33 - Feb 2 Long way to go and that may be a problem with a weak squad .
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Bob7881 added 06:43 - Feb 2 So its official ITFC have no money what so ever thanks Sheepshanks for everything you done. You must be so proud.
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Dissboyitfc added 06:47 - Feb 2 Geektractor.. i think you will find Norwich were promoted via the play-offs Beating us in the process. Speaking of the play-offs, i cant see us making them but if we do and somehow we win it will be interesting to see if Me invests in the team! lets face it we have a couple of players who may cope with premier league football but the rest? Lack of investment is going to cost us, fact!

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carlisleaway added 06:51 - Feb 2 If this was April 1st I thought this was a joke
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Benters added 07:31 - Feb 2 Carlisleaway lol !!
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footyblue added 07:40 - Feb 2 Greektractor only thing different was both of those mentioned played football whereas we don't and to get out of the Championship now you must play football
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bluey123 added 07:57 - Feb 2 What a joke this idiot thinks the squad is strong enough I respected him when he came now he is just a mouth piece for Evans saying what Evans tells him Both should get out . People on here think Evans saved this club if that's true why has he not paid off any of the debt and why was the sales of players in recent seasons not taken off the debt he is a disgrace and just drags this once great club down. Evans OUT and take the clown McCarthy with him

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JustSpivvyChops added 08:06 - Feb 2 Lovely to hear some of these things straight from the horses mouth.......not very long ago at all many of the "win" brigade were out in force and their latest opinion was that transfer fees and wages for new players upset the existing squad, naturally I attempted to debunk that myth and suggested that in fact it's a a massive boost for the players to have some quality joining as it means a greater chance of promotion, so all of you silly people peddling that ludicrous theory not so long ago take note. Oh and I also shot them down when they were coming out with ridiculous suggestions for price tags for the likes of Bishop (long term injured) and Sears (worse than 1 in 4 goal ratio) and I said I'd be amazed if we had bids for any of our players........guess what? No bids. Back to the piece above.........nothing new to see, just confirmation that MM has no finances available to him for anything other than a free or a loan, again the sensible amongst us have known this for some time and hence directed frustration at ME and not MM. We can try to gloss this as much as we like, but the fact is that we are a poorer side than we were last season, we have one tactic and one tactic only the fabulous "hoof ball", we already had a very thin squad which got even thinner with the loss of Oar and Parr and we seem almost certain to have a big struggle on our hands for the remainder of the season (subject to what happens during the emergency loan window). Last season we were struggling but had some impetus put back in the side by the signing of Freddie Sears.......we don't have that this time around and as far as I'm aware, didz and bish et al are still some way from fitness, then there's match fitness etc etc It's a big disappointing hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm atm

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TimmyH added 08:21 - Feb 2 A weaker squad now than before the January transfer window opened so how can Mick be happy?...anyway I thought when MM first got here he said we were not going down the route of loanees and low and behold today we hear...
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therein61 added 09:03 - Feb 2 Does the 22 1st team squad include the x1 v Portsmouth who you stated will not be giving you any selection headaches by any chance??
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Surco72 added 09:10 - Feb 2 I don't mind if the club have no money to spend just please stop the absolute bo$£^$ks talk before season ticket sales every summer on how we will spend money on signings and new players as it really is mugging off the supporters
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essex57 added 09:30 - Feb 2 Justspivychops you are so wonderful at predicting things what's gonna win the 2.30 today
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theipswichman added 09:45 - Feb 2 Footyblue 'get out of the Championship now you must play football' you evidently don't know the championship then😂
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prebbs007 added 10:05 - Feb 2 Perhaps surprisingly, he says no one made an approach for any of his players during the transfer window ????????????????? You're kidding right ??? Who would want ANY of our players. We had the chance to get s big fee for Murphy in the summer, that will never be there again !! Sears would possibly command a small fee apart from that we OWN no players with premiership possibilities beyond our injured players who clearly wouldn't be bid for. If you're happy with this group Mick you are clearly easily pleased !!! By the way, just in case you actually gave a sh1t the fans are NOT happy (certainly the majority anyway)

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muccletonjoe added 10:09 - Feb 2 I really don't think the squad is strong enough to make the play -offs. I can see us slipping away into mid - table. Just an opinion, I could be wrong. Let's see what happens tonight
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Garv added 10:39 - Feb 2 Who is going to bid for Skuse?
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JustSpivvyChops added 13:07 - Feb 2 essex57 I'm not a psychic (I thought we'd finish upper mid table last season) but fortunately you don't need to be to, all you need is an idea of what makes a football club and its players tick. 2.30? There are no winners at the Chinese dentist............
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karls_dad added 13:26 - Feb 2 Its obvious to get out of this division you need a great team, front to back and others of equal quality to step in! do we have a great team, well thats a NO! we have a good team, but as above thats not quite enough! As for having equal quality players to step in, ie, our second string? are they good enough, well the FA cup showed just how good they are! got turned over by a team TWO divisions below us! thats how good they are, we may as wll let them go as soon as for they are just wage stealers! The only player i would consider a great player is Fraser, and he is not even ours! Ask yourself an honest question, would our current team survive in the prem, or even the core of the team? i doubt it very much! A finish around tenth is on the cards, play offs? well we are just not good enough at present! Sad to say it but thats my humble opinion for which i,m entitled!

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BackTheBlues added 13:48 - Feb 2 @Bob7881 - if you're not going to come out with intelligent comments don't post any - Sheepshanks fault how? As for this from Mick - well that's that! Get behind the team try help push them into the play-offs and re-think it in the summer! I do however think something will need to change if we don't go up this year! But if we do - you can't doubt Mick McCarthy! Until then - COYB!

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Bob7881 added 19:08 - Feb 2 @BacktheBlues Why Sheepshanks you ask well his terrible mis management of the club forced us into administration then sold the club to an owner who has racked up the debts to his own company. No one will want to buy the club to clear the debt to ME. The only way out is Get promotion and he will take the money and run. As For MM nothing personal just hate his style of football. I never Slate him or make rude comments. Please dont question my intelligence especially from behind a PC screen.

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