Under-fire Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll get to the end of the season and then “make a decision” on what he wants to do. McCarthy has another 18 months left on his Portman Road contract with the club having an option for an additional two years.
With the Blues currently in mid-table and looking unlikely to either get involved in the relegation battle or the play-off fight, McCarthy was asked what he would see as success in the final months of the 2016/17 campaign.
He says getting more youngsters involved and those currently in the side established is his priority.
"There are a few of the young lads that are coming into the team at the moment and I hope they end up being regulars in the team, that would be nice,” he said.
"I would like to finish the season as well as we possibly can, with as many points, obviously.
"Kundai Benyu’s doing all right at Aldershot, have him back, have some games out of him, get Bish back in the team. I’d still like to get Myles Kenlock back in and around the team, and get some younger players, so next team we can start afresh with some of the younger ones.
"And get to that point in really good condition when then I’ll have a year left on my contract and I’ll make a decision on what I want to do.”
He says it’s about looking to the future and developing with promising youngsters coming through from the academy in numbers at present.
"That’s always been the case but we’ve not had any,” he added. "The younger players have not really been ready to play.
"Dozzer’s in now and playing, we’ve got Josh Emmanuel if he can stay in the team and we keep Myles and Bish and Kundai and get the young lads in the team, I think, in terms of next season, that would constitute success. If they all stay in the team. And, like I said, then I’ll decide what I want to do.
"I’ll decide what I want to do. I’ve got everybody telling me I should be sacked or going, I’ll be the master of my own destiny almost, unless Marcus, unless the club sack me. I can’t do anything about that. Other than that I’ll be the master of my own destiny.”
What might make him opt to move on? "I’ll find out when the season finishes, won’t I? If those players are in the team, if we finish well, if we’re in good shape. I may well want to stay on and continue doing it. If not, we’ll see.”
Despite continuing fan pressure in the wake of Tuesday’s FA Cup exit at Lincoln, McCarthy says he isn’t doubting his own ability.
"If Howard Kendall had packed it in [at Everton] when they went in that Oxford League Cup tie that they had [in 1984] and if Sir Alex had packed it in [at Manchester United when he was under pressure in 1990], I’m not putting myself up with them, but they’re the results when everybody wants you out of the door all of a sudden - you’re hopeless, you can’t do it.
"That was my 900th game as a manager. I’ve had pretty good success, me. I’d never doubt myself. I’ll leave that to other people.”
But he admits it’s hard to change fans’ minds when they decide a change is required: "Not to get results, to turn people’s opinion around, that’s always difficult. But I’m not going to stop trying.”