Blues boss Mick McCarthy admits he’s frustrated not to have made further additions to his squad and says deals have broken down "for various reasons” this summer. McCarthy’s record Town signing Adam Webster, who joined from Portsmouth for £700,000 plus Matt Clarke, and former loanee Paul Digby, who was recruited on a free transfer from Barnsley, are the only signings so far this summer.

“Still working on it, hopefully we’ll get something but at the moment there’s nothing happening,” he said after Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw at Cambridge United.

“We’ve tried and can’t do it at the moment, so we’ll just keep trying. There’s a bit of frustration but that’s not through lack of trying. [Deals haven’t come off] for various reasons.”

He added: “It’s not through want of trying, far from it, that’s the frustration, not with anybody else, not with the club, not with [owner] Marcus [Evans], just the fact that we can’t get anything done.

“And a lot of it stems from a lot of players being away on pre-season and we’ll just have to wait.”

He admits he would have liked more signings in by this point but says it’s not a huge concern that new players will now come in with the season about to start or already under way.

“Yes I would, but I take the view that they’re all doing pre-season elsewhere. So if we get one in the week leading up to the start of the season, or even the week after, they’ve all done their pre-season, they’ll all be fit, they’ll all be ready to go.”

Lack of signings wasn’t the only reason McCarthy was frustrated at Cambridge on Saturday, the Blues boss having been angry that his team was unable to hold on to their lead, Joe Pigott netting an equaliser a minute from the end after Andre Dozzell had put the Blues in front on 83.

“The game is coming to an end and we’re keeping the ball but we’re not going anywhere with it,” he said.

“And we kept it and kept it and passed it and it gradually slowed down to where we gave the ball away here and it ended up in our net. It’s just unacceptable.

“It was collective responsibility for slowing it down so much and not passing like we’ve tried to do. One stray pass and they break up the field and it ends up in our net. Not good enough.

“I’m not going to start accepting that, we had too many goals against us late in games last year for whatever reason, whether it was a freekick or a corner, I’m not bothered, we can’t afford to do that. So I might as well start snarling about it now. I don’t want to see that again.

“I think they were trying to be sensible in keeping the ball but it wasn’t going anywhere, it was just nothing and we probably got our just desserts.”

He added: “It’s important for our fans [to win]. This could have been a cup game on a Tuesday night, we could have come away, we don’t want a replay and we end up with a poxy replay and then we’ve got another game and then we’re playing on the Saturday.

“We’ve got to win that game. What was it 88 minutes or 89 minutes? You’ve got to win the game. That’s unacceptable.

“I had a few words with one or two of them. I’ll be all right on Monday when I see them, I’ll be back at it, but as a collective thing, as a team, we can’t do that. You’ve just got to manage the game.

“Even if it’s somebody on the pitch who says, hold on a minute, come on, do it properly. And we didn’t.

“I’ve just said to them, we’ve got Barnsley at home on the opening day who’ll be breathing fire and brimstone. They’ve just got promoted, they got promoted well and finished the season brilliantly, so they’ve got momentum.

“That’s our home game and then we go to Brentford, who are spending money. Wolves have just been taken over and are spending, then Norwich at home. That’s a helluva start for us, so we need to be right at it from the very start.”

Town have two friendlies remaining, at Charlton on Tuesday and at home to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise next Saturday.

The Blues boss says he'll give players full games in those matches: “They’ll be getting 90 minutes, hopefully. Whether that’s the team that plays [against Barnsley] is another matter.”

Photo: Action Images

DirtyOldNodger added 13:48 - Jul 25 Shock horror, Mick says something, the TWTD misery brigade twist and manipulate every word in order to put negative spin on it. I hope ME/MM read some of these comments to each other when they meet, and have a good old laugh at some of the pathetic, ill informed comments written. None of you know how to run a football club or deal with the financial aspect of employing hundreds of people. They are all working to provide you with the entertainment you all crave, but being financially sensible means its obviously going to take time to yield results and won't always give you what you all want in the short term. For anyone who questions ME's financial commitment to the club, take a drive up to Playford rd and look out your right hand window - theres an enormous amount of money currently being spent on upgrading the training ground with a view to the club providing the best facilities for the academy. Is it not better to see £1m spent on the future of the club, where our own talent can be developed, rather than buying our way out of the championship with expensive, overpriced players?

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bobble added 13:51 - Jul 25 Marcus Evans is just another tory tax dodger elitist,do we really think he cares about this club ?😆
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Bluesquid added 14:32 - Jul 25 Your not going to start accepting that Mick? But you accepted that nearly all last season. If you had started snarling about it back then we probably would of made the playoffs but instead you came out later with "They have been oustanding". What a joke.
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runningout added 14:53 - Jul 25 Same old stories...
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gibbo added 15:07 - Jul 25 Wages seems to be the biggest problem if the rumours are true, feeney offered in the region of 3k a week a 24 year old free agent who last season was playing in league one was offered a about a third of what he was earning last season, we have saved over 30k a week on wages from the end of last season yet we are not even in the same league as what Huddersfield, Rotherham, Barnsley, mk dons and Preston are paying on wages and probably any team with ambition in league one come to that, Kevin Foleys car has spotted at the training ground in the last week just probably picking things up though

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sotd78 added 15:23 - Jul 25 Its like Groundhog day on here. Look folks: £19 million out minus £15 million in equals a deficit - currently funded by loan notes from ME. If the club says: "We're not likely to get promoted; we should be okay in mid-table, and we're trying to develop players to sell on" - what would you all do? Throw yours toys out of the pram. Well WAKE UP...that is what the club is doing and saying!

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poldark added 15:34 - Jul 25 Wasted £759 k on a player not needed if McCarthy would not be stubborn and play players in there rightful positions could have signed a player we needed just look at the likes of Barnsley etc we can't even compete with them . Rubbish manager useless chairman
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TimmyH added 15:59 - Jul 25 'for various reasons' - 2 reasons really! 1. money 2. Micks style of play. So far this summer we've been left behind by other ambitious Championship clubs, it really is as simple as that.
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planetblue_2011 added 16:01 - Jul 25 Same old story we're never gonna get out of this league. Can't wait for season to start but it's not gonna be pretty for us, as long as we beat the scum home & away in not bothered!!
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essex57 added 16:04 - Jul 25 Yawn yawn yawn ambition ambition ambition can some one tell me how spending money = ambition.
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Ipswichbusiness added 16:56 - Jul 25 If a "thin" squad means that our youngsters get the game time to develop then that is a good thing (assuming that we manage to hold onto them). Actually, I don't think that we're too far away from a properly competitive squad; a right-back and two wingers should do the trick.
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armchaircritic59 added 17:20 - Jul 25 Some truth in your comments essex57, but just who was the idiot who employed messers Keane and Jewell? I dare say if someone in ME's employment had made such disastrous decisions, he'd have been out of the door quicker than a Usain Bolt 100m! The man needs to front up to his own mistakes and stop holding back the clubs present and future progress.
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Surco72 added 18:03 - Jul 25 I will tell you how Essex57 .. Because we have a manager whose tactics are so outdated they are easily out matched or out managed when we have no plan b that the only way we will get out of this league is to spend on actual class players . As I asked you the other day name a team that has gained promotion that did it on free transfers and loans ? You failed to answer then can you do it now ?

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grumpyoldman added 18:06 - Jul 25 Any organisation that wants to rise above its rivals needs the best tools to overcome them, and make a better product, these cost more money, if you are willing to own a clapped out vehicle fair enough some want to have a go in a top of the range vehicle. You could of course start an apprenticeship scheme but this is a very long term project which is hindered when wealthier suitors come calling. So Essex57 that is why ambitious clubs spend money haven't you heard of speculate to accumulate.

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blueboy1981 added 18:11 - Jul 25 Three main reasons: Style of Football. Club doesn't have the attraction to players it once had. Tight fisted Owner with little / no ambition. To add a Fourth: Manager with a contract that will see him out, until retirement. Genuinely hope this Club proves me WRONG on all four points - at some stage.
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blueboy1981 added 18:14 - Jul 25 Our Club is now a Club that wants something for nothing - from everyone. Just ask Suffolk Police.
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cats_whiskers added 18:52 - Jul 25 For any "Pea Brain" who objected to my post on Marcus Evans I suggest you open this lik below and you'll see what he makes his wealth from... He is a Glorified Ticket Tout. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/13/ipswich-town-marcus-evans-sued-
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blueboy1981 added 19:03 - Jul 25 cats whiskers ............. head in the sand time again - for the 'you know who's' of this forum.
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cats_whiskers added 19:14 - Jul 25 blueboy1981... Thanks for the supporting message Much appreciated.
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AJD1111 added 19:31 - Jul 25 If you pay the correct price you can get a good deal, you don't have to spend millions here. Scout a few quick wingers from league 1 and a proven RB and I really don't think we'd need more. You can't tell me you couldn't cover that for 2-3 million. These comments come out every summer, I hope we start well or it won't take long to turn sour
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AJD1111 added 19:33 - Jul 25 By "spend millions" I am referring to the likes of Derby + Fulham.
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ArnieM added 19:34 - Jul 25 This has to be THE most depressing forum full of whinging, so called "fans" in existence. Fluck me if you're not feeling suicidal when you start reading posts on here you sure fluck are by the end of it. FFS give it a bloody rest. MOAN MOAN MOAN MOAN MOAN MOAN MOAN MOAN IT'S BORING!
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Seasider added 19:35 - Jul 25 Bobble.Am not sure you are right about ME being a Tory,as in the previous Gen Election I believe he allowed the Gym to be used by the Lib Dems as a call centre. Catswhiskers.You are not the only one to call him a glorified ticket tout,as I amongst others have alluded to this previously. I recall that in his early days he upset the Tennis Authorities by unauthorised selling of tickets,and since then I believe he has had similar run ins with the Rugby people and Athletic body,as well as Uefa. Then there was the late payment to HMRC. We now have of course the dispute with the local police who say he allegedly owes them .£96000.He counter claimed £200k;but I believe the Court recently found in favour of the Police but Evans has appealed the verdict. It is interesting that talks are said to be ongoing regarding a safety certicate for Portman Road.Lets hope it gets one,bearing in mind the above,before the 6th August as otherwise the Barnsley game will not go ahead,or if it does it will be in an empty stadium. Oh dear,oh dear;whatever would Mr John and Mr Patrick have to say about the goings on at their beloved club?

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warktheline added 20:33 - Jul 25 I've been one of McCarthy's biggest critics over more recent times but, jeez, when he decides to leave, well I truly believe under this current owner, Mr Capitalist, I go only see our club going south! The one thing McCarthy will do is keep us in the Championship, believe me, when his tenure ends, we are going to need a huge slice of luck, in terms of the club's next appointment! I can hear my nan saying " you've got two hopes, Bob Hope, and no hope!"

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Warkys_Tash added 20:39 - Jul 25 Shocking load of excuses, we will get nailed by the scum on our home patch & it will be embarrassing. Not best them for 6 games & it will be 8. Like all the other posters say, other clubs ARE getting the deals done..One reason & one reason only.. MONEY.
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