Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
McCarthy: Summer Has Flown By
Monday, 26th Jun 2017 16:29

Town boss Mick McCarthy and his squad were back at Playford Road for the start of pre-season training this morning.

McCarthy said he felt the summer has passed very quickly: “It’s flown by, it seems like I was never away now, talking to you chaps.

“I had a great holiday, thank you, I loved it, but you’ve got to get back to work and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’m ready for it, I’m ready for starting. It’s the first day back at school, the lads are in the gym, Lids [fitness coach Andy Liddell] is shouting at them. It’s back in the old routine. I’m looking forward to it.”

He says everyone was back in good condition: “That’s just usual for them now, every year for the last 10 years I would say players have come back almost in the shape that they left. Again this year they can be proud of themselves.”

Among those training was Luke Hyam, who missed the whole of last season with a knee problem and then an ankle injury.

“He’s been having rehab all through the summer, he’s been doing his work and it’s good to see him out today,” McCarthy added.

“Fingers crossed because he came back from the nerve damage that he had and he looked really good.


“Then he blocked a ball on the line and he did his ankle ligaments and I felt so bad for him.

“He’s had such a bad time. I go back to his tackle against Brentford when he got sent off and [Alan Judge] broke his leg, it was awful that and that 12 months has been a really tough time for him.

“Fingers crossed he’s got a good start to this season and we’ll can get a full season out of him.”

He says the start of a new season is a clean sheet for everyone: “It has to be. I don’t come back on the first day of pre-season with preconceived ideas.

“But, of course, there are some you can hang your hat on and there are some that you’re not so sure about and there are some where you might have to change your mind that probably haven’t been playing.

“And I am prepared to change my mind, so it’s up to the players to come back, if I’ve got any doubt over anybody, they have to change my mind. Whatever I had my doubts about, they have to do it differently, they have to do more, run more, play better, whatever it might take. They’ve got to change my mind.”

McCarthy is pleased with the early season programme of fixtures, which was announced last week: “We’ve got a home game against Birmingham, who I’m sure will be investing.

“I think that’s a good game for us, perhaps if they do invest it’ll be interesting to see. Harry Redknapp’s there and we’ll see what players they get, there’s a lot of talk about what they’re going to do. And then, of course, Barnsley and Millwall, two of my old clubs.”

Missing from today’s first session were Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson, who have been away with New Zealand, Andre Dozzell, who is set to travel to the European Championships with England, and David McGoldrick, who has been with Ireland.

McCarthy confirmed that the knee injury which ruled McGoldrick out of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier with Austria is nothing serious.

The Town boss says they will join up with the squad after the week-long training camp at Carton House in Co Kildare, which ends with the Saturday 8th July friendly at Drogheda.

“They’ll be back after we’ve been to Ireland,” he explained. “Tommy Smith, I’m looking at him playing [for New Zealand against Portugal] two days ago thinking that he started pre-season training this time last year.

“I know he had an injury, but nevertheless he’s still been in, he’s still been doing his rehab, he’s still had to be at the training ground, David McGoldrick the same, he was always going to have a break. They’ll all be back after the Ireland game.”

McCarthy has said before that in his playing days he ran out of steam in September following a summer tournament with Ireland and will try to do everything to avoid the same happening to Smith.

“It could catch up with him,” he admitted. “He didn’t play that many games last year, so I think he’ll be relishing the prospect of coming back and trying to get in the team and playing lots of games. It’s not like he played 50 games through the season but he’s still been going.

“David McGoldrick, he had a few injuries but played more games. But it is tough, it’s hard work. We’re all playing football, managing, doing it for a living, it’s fantastic, everybody wants to do it, but you do get knackered.

“And of course David McGoldrick will probably get called up for internationals, Tommy Smith might get called up for internationals, so maybe they don’t get a rest, they just keep going. It’ll be hard for them.”

Also missing was Kevin Bru, who is understood to be among the players told he can move on if he can find a club, however, McCarthy says the Mauritius international is expected back soon: “Kevin’s away in France, but he’ll be joining up.”


Photo: TWTD



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Lightningboy added 16:39 - Jun 26
All I ask Mick is that you start from scratch and give ever player a fair chance and do not just lump your favourites (i.e. Skuse) onto the team sheet just because they are your "proper blokes"..put some actual thought into it this season and pick teams to go out and win rather than not get beat.

You need a good start otherwise it'll be more of the same and God knows none of us want a season like last again.

Last chance Mick.
2

Mark added 16:48 - Jun 26
"We've got a home game against Birmingham, who I'm sure will be investing."

It seems, at last, that we might be investing too. If Evans does put the money it it will be time for Mccarthy to deliver. We want to push for promotion, not a relegation battle where our manager talks up the opponents every week.
1

Bluesquid added 16:50 - Jun 26
"We've got a home game against Birmingham, who I'm sure will be investing."

lol, Mick getting his excuses in early then!

Same old guff...
4

TimmyH added 16:51 - Jun 26
Soon as he's back off holiday he's jibbering again, Summer isn't over Mick it's june!

He shouldn't be here now in my opinion...'and back in the old routine' - maybe that's the problem Mick you need to change.
3

lightingblue added 16:53 - Jun 26
Summer definitely has gone quick. The heartache and pain will be back in full flow all to soon. Yawn football. Even my doctor mentioned about me being an Ipswich fan. I said how'd you know. He said it's because only that kind of neck injury comes from watching ipswich and looking skyward to often.
0

therein61 added 17:01 - Jun 26
The man will never change(clean sheet for everyone!! what a joke) it will be proper bloke Skuse 1st on the team sheet every game again.
2

cat added 18:13 - Jun 26
"I'm looking forward to it" - glad you are you fecking Dino!! cause I sure as hell ain't.
1

SamWhiteUK added 18:42 - Jun 26
@cat don't go then
1

Bluetone added 19:06 - Jun 26
Summer Has Flown By and your still here bad, bad news.
2

cat added 19:22 - Jun 26
@SamWhite - with the exception of the nailed on lads trips for the Leeds home & away games, I won't be. Even on these occasions I might just stay in the pub. No season ticket :( merchaise or anything else for that matter, it's the case of 'putting up or shutting up' fella, & I ain't one to shut it!!!!
1

BillyBaxterwasbest added 20:56 - Jun 26
So much negativity, why don't you live in the real world where life is not always a bed of roses, money does not grow on trees, thank you Marcus Evans for keeping us afloat. Thank you mick Macarthy for being an excellent manager with a tight budget. If all you want to do is watch a team win go support the top five premier clubs. If you want real fotball watch the town, warts and all!
-4

Bluetone added 09:05 - Jun 27
@BillyBaxter there was a time when you could watch the town playing real fotball unfortunately that's no longer the case.
2

cat added 13:29 - Jun 27
@BillyBaxter - you spend most of the year trawling through posts hitting the minus button with a vengence, then posting once in a blue moon moaning about how negative other posters are. That might be considered a contradiction in some eyes, so although I don't typically down vote posters views, I will now make it my absolute mission to down vote you at every opportunity.

Ps reading through your post it appears that you just ain't getting it, catch up fella!!! cause it's not all about the results
2


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024