Former Town chairman David Sheepshanks has revealed that Mick McCarthy could have been manager of the Blues earlier in his career if he had had his way.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Sheepshanks said he targeted McCarthy during his time in charge at Portman Road: "I tried to get him in the past but was unsuccessful.
"He is one of the great managers of this era, a brilliant guy and it shows the importance of having the right leadership, right management and right coaching in any organisation.”
It’s believed Sheepshanks approached McCarthy about the possibility of becoming Town boss at the time of George Burley’s sacking shortly after the Blues’ relegation to what’s now the Championship, but McCarthy wasn’t keen on taking on a new role having been manager of the Republic of Ireland for six years. Joe Royle was the man who took over from Burley.