Boss Mick McCarthy admits that he feels “a tiny bit of envy” that some other Championship managers have more significant resources at their disposal but is making no complaints and is confident that the Blues will still be competitive this season.
Town dropped to ninth – although still only a point off the play-offs – following Friday’s 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough, one of a number of Championship sides who spent large sums of money during the summer.
Ex-England pair Stewart Downing, who cost £5 million from West Ham, and David Nugent, for whom Boro paid Leicester £4 million – who McCarthy views as Premier League players – respectively created and scored the Teessiders’ second goal.
McCarthy says he’s far from the only Championship boss working on a more limited budget and knew the situation when he accepted the position three years ago last month.
"I’m not on my own, there are other clubs as well, other managers who have got it,” the Town boss said when appearing as a guest on Sky’s Goals on Sunday.
"I think it’s wrong if you take a job knowing what the circumstances are and then you whinge and bleat that you haven’t got any money. I think that’s completely wrong.
What you see is what you get with Mick McCarthy 😜 top guest for me & @benshephard to have on @GoalsOnSunday pic.twitter.com/1lPElpv7gC– Chris Kamara (@chris_kammy) December 6, 2015
"My job is to deal with it as best I can and get players in and get the best out of them - myself, TC and the rest of the staff - and to try and create a team and a good team spirit, that we always do, and have a very, very competitive side.
"But there’s a tiny bit of envy, of course, because I’d like to be not just competing for the play-off spots but be trying to win it.
"You saw that bit of quality [on Friday], the ball from Stewart Downing and the finish from David Nugent, that just sums it up. When they’ve spent that much money on those two players, that can be difference in a game. But nevertheless we’ll continue to compete with what I’ve got.”
He added: "I’m delighted with my squad, I’m not out there seeking, looking to [add]. We’ve got good players, I’ve got a good squad of players.
"I think whoever it might be could always go out and find somebody better but it depends at what level, how much it costs and what it is. I’m delighted with them and we’ll still be competitive this season.”
Assessing the state of the division, with Brighton having regained top spot ahead of Boro following their 3-2 home win against Charlton on Saturday, McCarthy said: "When we played Hull [now fourth] recently I couldn’t see them going three games without winning.
"Middlesbrough, having played them the other night, we threw everything at them and I’d say their goalkeeper was excellent and kept them in the game for a time, but they look a really tough team with good players.
"Brighton, their record speaks for itself. I saw Derby play Hull the other week and I don’t think it’s going to change much from those three at the top, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Derby.
"But the league is such, it is bonkers. You see the incredible results every week, when you think somebody’s really down and out, that they’re never going to win, they beat the top team and you think ‘How does that happen?’. I don’t see it changing much, I think we’re scrapping for the top six.”
Meanwhile, Town’s U21s will face Watford at Playford Road on Monday afternoon (KO 1pm).