TWTD understands that Mick McCarthy will be confirmed as Town’s new manager in the next couple of days with his Wolves assistant Terry Connor and with former Blues skipper Matt Holland as part of his staff. McCarthy has been favourite to succeed Paul Jewell since he was reported to be in talks with Town at the end of last week.
The 53-year-old was sacked by Wolves after six years in charge in February. His assistant, one-time England U21 international Connor, took over for the remainder of the season but couldn’t prevent the Black Country club from dropping into the Championship.
Born in Barnsley, centre-half McCarthy played for his hometown club, Manchester City, Celtic, Lyon and Millwall as well as winning 57 caps and scoring two goals for the Republic of Ireland, the country of his father’s birth.
He began his management career with the Lions in 1992 before moving on to manage his former national side in 1996, a spell which saw his famous clash with ex-Blues boss Roy Keane at the 2002 World Cup.
A few months after that tournament — in which Holland was a regular in the Ireland midfield — McCarthy resigned, joining Sunderland as their boss in March 2003, taking the Black Cats into the Premier League in 2004/05. Having failed to keep them in the top flight the following season he was fired.
In July 2006 he took over at Wolves and led them into the Premier League as Championship winners in 2008/09 and kept them there until his exit in February.
Connor, 49, was a striker with Leeds, Brighton, Portsmouth, Swindon, Bristol City and Yeovil during his playing days.
After hanging up his boots, he coached at Swindon, Bristol Rovers and Bristol City before being taken to Wolves by John Ward in 1999.
In February he took over after McCarthy’s sacking, rejoining the backroom team under new boss StÃ¥le Solbakken. But four games into this season he left the club.
Holland, 38, needs no introduction to Town supporters having played at Portman Road between 1997 and 2003 during which time he skippered the side in the 2000 play-off final victory over Barnsley at Wembley.
Previously with West Ham and Bournemouth, Holland moved on to Charlton before retiring in 2009. More recently the Bury-born midfielder, who won 49 Ireland caps, scoring five times, has been working in the media and is the patron of the ITFC Charitable Trust.
Blues skipper Carlos Edwards previously played for McCarthy during a two-month spell on loan at Wolves in 2008, making five starts and one sub appearance.
Loanee Daryl Murphy was signed from his hometown club Waterford United during McCarthy's time as Sunderland boss, after he had had trials at Portman Road.
Coach Mark Kennedy previously worked with the new boss as a youngster at Millwall and for the Republic of Ireland.