Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll make a decision on his future in the summer with his Blues contract up at the end of the season. McCarthy signed a two-and-a-half-year deal in January 2016, which also included an option for the club to keep him for a further two campaigns.

Next Wednesday is the fifth anniversary of the 58-year-old taking over at Town. Asked whether he sees that as an achievement, he reflected: “I would say in this day and age it’s a good achievement to be anywhere more than 12 months, bearing in mind the managers that get the sack.

“I won’t be looking upon it [in any particular way], I’d like to be looking upon it that we’ve won a couple of games between now and my fifth year anniversary. Just another milestone.

“I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, some more than others, I might add, but nevertheless I still come in here full of enthusiasm and vim and vigour to do my job on a Monday morning, whatever it is, whether win, lose or draw.

“And I still come in here and do it exactly the same as I’ve done it for five years with you guys [the media] as well. How much longer it goes on, we’ll see.”

He says he’s not yet talked with owner Marcus Evans about his situation come the summer: “I’ve not sat down [with him], I don’t look beyond it. It’s not my intention to be looking beyond it or even worry about it, or to be here next year. I’ll finish my contract and I’ll see what happens.”

Asked to clarify what he meant, he added: “I’m not assuming there’ll be an offer and I hope anybody’s not assuming that if I’m offered anything then I’m actually going to accept it and stay because that’ll be dealt with, but I’m not assuming anything.

“It’s my decision, nobody can sit me down and make me sign something whether I wanted to or not. It’s my decision, my contract will be up in May and I’ll decide what I want to do.

“It’ll be my decision what I want to do, I’ll have been here just the guts of six years [by then], if I get to the end of May, of course. And I’ll decide what I want to do. Isn’t that a nice position to be in?”

McCarthy has enjoyed a good working relationship with Evans with the pair remaining similarly grounded regardless of Town’s position.

“He’s very consistent because I hear exactly the same and exactly the same amount if we’re top of the league or bottom of the league and he always has a very consistent demeanour, which is why we’ve had a really good working relationship over the last five years,” McCarthy said.

“I guess there are not many owners who have been fortunate enough to have a manager who has spent £3 million over five years [on fees] and taken £14 million, by my reckoning with Murphy, Mings and Cressy, although I didn’t sign him, but I still sold him, and still maintained promotion pushes and stayed in the league and not had to sack three, four, five managers in the meantime and had to pay them off.

“So maybe we’ve both been fortunate. Me to have a guy that’s trusted me and let me do it and for him to have somebody that when you do trust them he can do it.”

Photo: TWTD

blueboy1981 added 16:38 - Oct 26 ........ he's a Millionaire make no mistake - therefore he couldn't care less about Marcus Evans, ITFC, or the Supporters. All he is about is self praise (which is no recommendation, he should remember) - all he is capable of is Championship mid table mediocrity, and in all fairness for a Club who wants nothing more, or in danger of relegation mid way thro' the season - he's their man. His dour and boring style will always, just about, achieve this level. That's why it would surprise me if there weren't offers on the table after he left Portman Road - another Sam Allardyce in my book. At least Allardyce can normally do it a level higher.

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GFH added 16:39 - Oct 26 Should have gone at the end of last season in my book. I hate calling for the managers head but enough is enough he has to go and the sooner the better.
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blueboy1981 added 16:41 - Oct 26 ...... Lightninboy, theres evidence on TWTD that at least six would renew .... !!!
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RobbieBobson added 16:45 - Oct 26 I am as true a blue as the rest of you, but saw the below article today from a Budgie and to be honest, agree with most of what he wrote. Our club has lost it's identity and the longer this goes on, the further we will fall. A different football philosophy is needed rather like Huddersfield and now Naaaarich. Milne and Mick ARE football dinosaurs so lets start with removing them and get some modern thinking leaders in. http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter.com/2017/10/26/from-waving-shrivelled-up-ten

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ArnieMsBigToe added 16:46 - Oct 26 Yeah yeah yeah. But who would be his replacement? When MM was initially signed, I wanted Chris Hughton. I would like to see Gus Poyet and Mauricco Taricco (or whatever his name was) Now that would show ambition.
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MVBlue added 16:46 - Oct 26 SE1Blue "And nothing really has happened at PR since the eighties. " What about 5th place Premier League in 2001? WAS THAT NOTHING? As for the last 5 years, attendance levels help describe the pattern.
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blueboy1981 added 16:47 - Oct 26 ........ with so many player contracts running down fast (yet again) - this would be the right time to bring someone else in, giving time to address the situation before it's too late. McCarthy will do nothing in staying here - and anyone new coming in would have an enormous headache to start with, and precious little time to hit the ground running for next season. Where in Football does ANY Manager have his kind of audacity - and get away with it ?? If there is - please enlighten me, I must have missed something.

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Cakeman added 16:48 - Oct 26 why is there all this talk about the summer and beyond? Skuse, McGoldrick and now McCarthy are all mentioning this as though our current season is over. If these three Go in to games thinking of uncertainty like this then we are in for a potentially very poor ending. I get the feeling all three aren't fussed one way or another if they are with us or not and that goes for now as well as the future. Very poor examples being set by senior people at our club. This is where our invisible owner needs to step in and rattle a few cages. I cannot see that happening though.

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blueboy1981 added 16:52 - Oct 26 ........ one of my best friends is a staunch Carrot Road supporter - he constantly says he hopes McCarthy stays forever, and that he should be offered a 10 year contract right now ..... !!! That tells it's own story.
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SE1blue added 16:57 - Oct 26 MVBlue... 5th in the Premiership was outstanding and thoroughly enjoyable. But that's one season out of nearly 40. I could respond in capitals but that makes a poster look a bit weird.
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TimmyH added 17:00 - Oct 26 Ha!...'promotion pushes'!! - one in 2014/15 when we scraped into the play-off places thanks in part to final day scores going our way! As for the bit where he waffles on about how he has had only £3M in fees and in return the owner has taken over £14M...well that's basically why you haven't been sacked, you've worked to a tight budget whilst selling on players for your mate ME, don't worry about what's happening on the pitch or entertainment values - that's why you've been here 5 years. Don't bother mentioning about your handsome salary believed to be near £1M a season and not forgetting that bonus, I wonder where you stand in the league there?...I'd say pretty high up. In the meantime you keep 'bigging' yourself up Mick...the sooner you leave the better!

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hampstead_blue added 17:01 - Oct 26 Enough already. He is one of the best Champ level managers but I've had enough now. Giggs, Phil Neville, Martin Jol? Time for a change and not just for the sake of it.
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BluedanW added 17:02 - Oct 26 Funny how he says he's only spent £3M. But when we complain that the club haven't spent enough, all we here is the "it's the wages that is the investment" so he has spent a lot more money, signed six useless players at the end of last season to add to wage bill, loanees etc. Time to go, everything he has said the last 4 years has sound me up the wrong way!
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TimmyH added 17:09 - Oct 26 Really time for Marcus Evans to 'divorce' his football/business husband and grow a pair for the sake of detriment of Ipswich Town Football Club.
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jas0999 added 17:17 - Oct 26 It's this sort of arrogance which will further isolate him from the fans. Frankly, he shouldn't be given the option - it shouldn't be in his hands. Evans should make the decision and sack him now. It's remarkable that we have a manager who sits there on the back of the worst finish in 60 years and now seven defeats in nine, saying he will decide his future. It's completely wrong, but shows the incompetence of the owner. Can only assume Micks comments on the spending and sales is the driver. Evans pleased with the net profit on transfers. That has to be the only reason why he doesn't act.

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phil_itfc_brown added 17:22 - Oct 26 People say who would they like to see if MM goes.. i personally would Love to see Butcher as manager and Matty Holland his #2 to learn then take the reins !!
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blueboy1981 added 17:35 - Oct 26 ....... his only objective over his tenure of 5 years is exactly as stated in the last paragraph - and as, jason999 correctly points out, is the only reason he is still here. On that basis he has been successful in the eyes of the Owner, who with limited ambition for the Club, other than what this proves, will be quite content. Ipswich Town is very much at a crossroads - where do we go from here ?? - I think it has to have a new Owner and Manager - both with different philosophies to the above, otherwise we are going to stay right where we are - mid table Championship at best. With gates dropping alarmingly, the Club will not survive with just the financial input of the 'happy clappie' bunch. Surely, even they, must see this. Change is of paramount importance, right now - and the Supporters need an honest input from the Owner himself as to what his future plans being for the Club actually are. Time for - NO BULL.

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prebbs007 added 17:38 - Oct 26 Fark off now. No one wants you here. You're a stubborn rude antiquated individual who is so far off the pace with knowledge of modern football. Give our hew manager the chance to assess the squad before the next window. You've completely lost the support of the fans do the right thing and get lost. Give us our club back. Go bore the pants if some other mugs in division 93 or whatever. It's where you belong.

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runaround added 18:07 - Oct 26 Sounds like the whole club will be in limbo whilst Evans & McCarthy decided when they are going to decide! Meanwhile the club haemorrhage fans at an alarming rate, treading water at best in mid table in the league. The club is directionless & whilst those in charge pontificate there is every chance our poor form will continue which will lead to us inexorably sleepwalking into a relegation battle Massive change is needed for the future of the club as current inertia is damaging. I know many long term fans who no longer go to games & they all say it's because it's boring & there is nothing to get behind get excited about or feel proud of. They say when things change probably Mick as less likely it will be Evans, then they will return. I am guessing we all know people that feel that way, the fan base is disintegrating & comments like Micks today only make it worse he is not more important than the club nobody is

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Seasider added 18:08 - Oct 26 He still thinks he is the best thing since sliced bread, and I don't like that either !
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baxter7 added 18:09 - Oct 26 I honestly cant see us getting anything from the next 3 games and if we dont and the dino is still here i can see the crowd dropping to below 10,000 then perhaps evans will realise he has to go MCARTHY out
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Gcon added 18:18 - Oct 26 To me, his message is that he's fed up with having no budget. I find it odd that everybody reads this, berates him and calls him arrogant etc instead of taking on board the more important fact that our owner refuses to spend money on players. As far as the future of ITFC is concerned, the lack of investment and lack of engagement with supporters or the community is the far bigger issue.

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obiwan7 added 18:24 - Oct 26 MM is just being honest. Seems some people want him sacked to just prove a point and cannot cope with the fact that MM might just say, sorry not going to accept a new contract; want to work in a club where I am actually given some resources to manage a club on a competitive basis.
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Dissboyitfc added 19:12 - Oct 26 cant believe the arrogance of the man! So he says he has enjoyed every minute, well i and many others have not! Just go!!!!
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Swn98 added 19:18 - Oct 26 OBIWAN and appreciated!
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