Former Millwall, Crystal Palace and Blackpool boss Ian Holloway believes Town “will do well to hold on to” manager Mick McCarthy this summer and says he should be on the shortlist for the vacant Aston Villa job.
Echoing comments previously made by ex-Villa man Paul Merson, Holloway told Sky Sports: "Mick McCarthy should be on the shortlist for the next Aston Villa job, without a shadow of a doubt.
"I think Ipswich will do well to hold on to McCarthy this summer. Someone with his credibility and know-how will be hot property."
He added: "Villa must go for someone who knows the Championship and have seen it and done it before.
"It's going to take someone with real experience to clean up that mess. It's going to take down to earth talking. A straight talking person will need to lead and make the players believe again.
"That man will need to get the overpaid players who don't care out of the door. It will take someone with great skill to achieve that. It's massive job and someone has a huge job on their hands.
"They'll be a long queue of people who'd want that job - it's a belting gig, but it's one hell of a project."
Having been second-favourite earlier in the month, McCarthy is now down to sixth-favourite with ex-Leicester boss Nigel Pearson odds-on to get the job.
Meanwhile, McCarthy, who signed a new Town contract until 2018 with an option for a further two seasons in January, says he’s looking forward to having midfielder Teddy Bishop available next season after the 19-year-old endured an injury-hit 2015/16.
"It’s been a tough time for Bish and you could see at Middlesbrough when he had 15 minutes that he was goosed at the end,” he told the club site.
"He’s got to come back after the close season and get himself fighting fit for next year. He is a wonderful talent. You can see that by the way he glides past players and we want to see that talent back on the pitch next season.”