Boss Mick McCarthy says it's flattering to be linked with the vacant Aston Villa manager’s job and was coy when asked to rule himself out of the running, while admitting that he is still ambitious and would “like to be in the Premier League again, however that might be”.

Most bookies have McCarthy as the third favourite for the position left by Remi Garde by mutual consent earlier in the week behind David Moyes and Nigel Pearson, priced as low as 3-1 by one company.

Premier League table-proppers Villa look certain to drop into the Championship but would be expected to make a swift return to the top flight.

The Town boss, who signed a new contract until the summer of 2018 earlier in the season, says it’s flattering to get mentioned and that it is an indication of how his time with the Blues is viewed more widely.

“It’s interesting, isn’t it?” he said. “Maybe people who are not involved in the club that you’re at look from the outside and think, ‘Hmm, you know what, maybe he is doing a good job’.

“It’s like when you’ve left and you go back. I think I’ll get a pretty good reception at Wolves when I go back on Saturday because I usually do.

“So, it’s always interesting when people mention your name. But I can’t do anything about it. My focus is here.

“But, by the way, don’t even think I’m not ambitious, don’t think I’m settled here and I want to just be here doing what I’m doing and trying to get in the play-offs, I’d like to get promoted, I’d like to be in the Premier League again, however that might be. But my focus is doing this.

“But it is flattering, if the remit is for somebody that can get teams promoted, then I’ve got a pretty good CV for that, haven’t I?”

However, asked whether it was worth putting money on him moving to Villa with one of those bookies he joked that the only one he'll be going to will be his holiday home.

“No, not unless it’s in Portugal, because I might go to that one shortly!” he laughed.

Quizzed further on whether he was ruling himself out of the running, he added: “I’m going to Wolves, me, on Friday. I want to win, that’s what I want to do.”

Photo: Action Images

MattinLondon added 14:25 - Apr 1 If he goes he goes. No one is irreplaceable. If offered the Villa job then he will take it — more transfer funds, more money, better chance of promotion. If he were to leave then I would prefer he goes now allowing the new man to see the team in action seeing their strengths and weaknesses. On a side note we are always told that the Championship is tight - does anyone think this is due to the fact that clubs always seems to go after available managers who have previously been managers of other championship clubs? Employing the same tactics, after the same sort of players, doing exactly the same at whatever club they happen to be at.

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Razor added 14:28 - Apr 1 Please go and we will also get compensation----double winner!! Of course I appreciate what he DID for the club but that is done and dusted and he got handsomely rewarded for his efforts. We will go no no further and the Rotherham game finally did it for me,and I also like cup runs,no chance with this guy. David Moyes in please----did great job at Preston on limited budget and needs to restore his reputation, no better place than with us. Please let it happen!!

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runaround added 14:28 - Apr 1 I'm undecided as to whether Mick needs to go or not. I just want to see more exciting attacking football. If Mick can produce that then fine. He has done excellently with what he has available to him but seems to have plateaued off & is increasingly becoming infatuated in what teams can do to us rather than what we can do to them. If he were to leave & Evans kept to his current financial plan it would be difficult for the new manager to get us up. However lack of finance alone doesn't stop teams playing attractive attacking football as Portsmouth have shown us. Whilst it might not always win you games it does make the football experience more enjoyable & the lack of enjoyment is the problem with ITFC currently

2

Bob7881 added 14:33 - Apr 1 A Message to the McCarthy fans why use an excuse of lack of money are you all claiming the players he brought in can only play hoof it up the pitch. All footballers are different in ability i accept that but surely every professional player is capable of play a passing game of some sortI. If they cant they shouldnt be in the game.
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MattinLondon added 15:20 - Apr 1 @TimmyH Really enjoyed reading your post.
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essex57 added 15:27 - Apr 1 Well Mick if you get offered the job take it you've done a fantastic job with no funds I wouldn't show any loyalty to the moaning so called fans on here ie penguin blue all the prebsamob etc. The most exciting thing about ITFC will be watching this news site going into melt down and oblivion remember you don't appreciate what you've got till its gone. Well better get my bag ready for Wolves tomorrow.

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isaacchezer added 15:30 - Apr 1 we will only be a mid table club with mick
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grumpyoldman added 15:42 - Apr 1 How does anybody know what would happen if MM went, would we end up in Vanarama league, would we be in the Premier, nobody knows. The die hards who want him to stay seem to believe we would witness the end of ITFC, others think all would be well if he left. Who really knows what would have happened if MM had not be appointed, we all have an opinion but nobody can be certain. Just because you support one side or the other does not mean you are right it just your opinion. Please stop taking yourselves so seriously there is more to life than the blues

3

yorksblue added 16:26 - Apr 1 Yes please. Gary Monk then comes to us.
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Lathers added 16:38 - Apr 1 Realistically Villa would be mad to appoint MM over Pearson and possibly a couple of others based on the recent history. Love the way Mick keeps harping on about his 'amazing' record of getting teams promoted from the Championship. He's done it twice, that's once more than managers who have got a team promoted from the championship (and there's loads of them). Also Wolves was about a decade ago now. I still believe a half decent manager would have saved us from the drop 3 years ago with the squad we had. Yes he did very well last year against the odds, but he has failed to build on last season's success and his team plays a dire brand of football. Everyone would be a lot more accepting of failing to make the play-offs if we were at least entertained on a Saturday. Seems like there's an even split in terms of Mick in or Mick out, but for me I would like to see a Manager brought in who still has player pulling power, but is given a few years to turn us back in to a proper football team and make fans feel they 'want' to go to PR rather than feel they 'have' to through a sense of duty.

8

battyblue added 17:55 - Apr 1 I have watched a lot of championship football this season and the vast majority play a good to watch and enjoyable game of football and six of those sides are above us so to say all championship sides play dull Hoofball is utter rubbish town plays the worst football in the championship and that is all down to the managers coaching so had enough turn off the light when you leave Mick but thanks for your effort but not for your selection and tactics abilitys.

3

TimmyH added 18:02 - Apr 1 @Lathers - spot on!
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Surco72 added 18:39 - Apr 1 Villa will not approach MM he has never succeeded in premiership which is exactly where they will be after a season . Purely paper talk , the majority of opposition managers , fans and chairmen say want a long ball old fashioned physical side we are or do those outside comments not count MM ? Pig headed man whose arrogance has cost him all of his previous jobs
3

geminimustang added 18:41 - Apr 1 Razor "David Moyes in please----did great job at Preston on limited budget and needs to restore his reputation, no better place than with us" I regularly went to Goodison Park and watched Moyes at Everton.You could set your watch by his 1st substitution,75mins for years.granted he wasn't as rigid in his latter time there but the football was defensive,unadventurous and boring.Total waste of the ticket price.MM has his faults but Moyes..................... Razor,please do me a favour and stop winding me up!!

0

cornishblu added 18:47 - Apr 1 ...always funny waiting to be down marked by essex57 and then read the drivel that is then posted ...makes me laugh everytime....leave your bag where it is ...it's my coat I'd be getting if I were you COYB
3

Edmundo added 19:31 - Apr 1 Let's look at the facts: we have been a mid-table (occasionally over-achieving i.e. playoffs or promotion) team for over 20 years now. The past is gone. The only reality on offer is either Sheikh whoever coming in with billions to burn, or we stay as we have (remember we're still in the hunt to get the odd promotion). For me it's been a long time of seeing Div 2/Champ football, so the only solace is a style of play that harks back to the best of times: we're not getting that. Would I rather have silky footy over promotion? No. But as promotion seems a long way off, and anything more (i.e. establishing in the top flight) is a pipe dream with the current set up, I want entertainment and atmosphere. Both are sadly lacking at PR.

2

Mick_Mills_Tache added 20:03 - Apr 1 Ipswich fans are getting almost as bad as Liverpool fans for living in the past. Yes he DID save us from the drop but I think a few managers could/would've done the same. A lot of the MM lovers seem to be related to Mystic Meg it seems (coincidentally MM too?) As for the "if we finish 4th next season, they'd all be up his backside" comment, no I wouldn't. I'd be over the moon (as every supporter would be) but I'd still say MM isn't right for us and we won't get promoted under him. I've been saying this since he took over. Let's take a step back a minute and look at the real problem; Evans. Big questions have to be asked about what he wants out of our club. It certainly doesn't look like he's serious about gaining promotion to the richest league in the world, if he was, he'd have invested in January last year when we were in the top 2 and on that unbeaten run. So what is the real reason as to why he owns us? He's losing £5-7m a year just to cover our losses. Why would such an astute and savvy businessman be prepared to lose money without seemingly getting any personal gain? Wouldn't matter if we had Pep Guardiola as manager, we're not likely to get promoted given our transfer policy. We can stick with a manager who is pigheaded, stubborn, arrogant and seems to be so tactically inept; a man who makes us play the worst football in the league (and quite possibly all 4 leagues) and watch attendances dwindle and drop further because the football is so dreadful to watch or we can appoint somebody younger, from a lower league so knows how to work on a budget and has good knowledge of lower league talents and somebody who plays attractive, attacking football. I can name a few managers...Cook (Pompey), Woods (Northampton), Gary Monk, Poyet/Taricco, Holloway? (Sorry for the essay!)

2

Tractorboy1985 added 21:48 - Apr 1 After sitting on the same table as mick on the recent golf day chomping on our roast beef I too wanted some answers regarding the club we all love.. Let me tell u.. U will not get a straighter man than mick! I heard of speculation regarding the villa job earlier in the week so asked him straight up.. So mick would u be interested? Listen he says.. If Marcus came to me and said there was an approach from villa I would seriously consider it.. Who can blame the man? Wouldn't we all accept a pay rise in our world of work? Secondly I said is there funds available and why don't we seem to spend money on transfer fees no more? His answer.. Marcus puts 5 million quid in of his own money a season to keep the club afloat! Lastly I said about the style of football and he said don't we all want to play like Arsenal? I replied.. What have they really won over the past 15 years? A couple of FA cups! U really could tell the man is so frustrated and he finished with it really f**ks me off that we can't compete! I want to be winning this league! To me the relationship with Evans is on the rocks due to his lack of investment he has been given! He has had his hands tied from day 1! I said about the money that keane and Jewell spunked and he said if he had that sort of money I at least would expect playoffs every year! The man is doing his very best with what he has got! Bishop and mcgoldrick have been key losses all season! I would love to know who some of these fickle fans think we can actually attract as manager?

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prebsa added 22:05 - Apr 1 A great read from essex57 as always
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alfromcol added 22:48 - Apr 1 Could pop along to Villa at the weekend for an interview while in the Midlands.
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Hegansheroes added 13:23 - Apr 2 Currie10 are you MM under a pseudonym
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