Blues boss Mick McCarthy says he knows nothing of links with the vacant manager’s job at his hometown club Barnsley, where he started his playing career, despite emerging as the bookies’ favourite to succeed Paul Heckingbottom yesterday.
"If I’m looking tired, I’m sorry because I had a long journey back last night!” McCarthy joked when quizzed on the betting developments.
Has he been contacted? "No, nothing in it and they haven’t been contacted. I was surprised yesterday morning when somebody came in my office and said, ‘You still here?’. I said, ‘What are you on about?’.
"And then the lads were taking the Michael, ‘Ay Gaffer, you still here?’. And I hadn’t seen it, they all came in and told me what was going on. I’ve not heard anything at all.
"And my mates, of course, in Barnsley are all sending me texts saying, ‘Are we seeing you at Oakwell soon?’. So anyway, I’ve said no. Next season maybe.”
Given his history at Barnsley, would he fancy the Oakwell job at some point? Is it one he has seen as one he’d like at some point in the future? "I don’t give that too much thought. I used to do, when I was younger and I started managing I used to think, ‘That would be great’ but I don’t give it any thought at all.
"Honestly, I’m enjoying my life here, where I live and the job I do and I don’t give any other job any thought, whether it’s the Ireland job or somebody else throws my name in and I have to come and answer questions about it. I can’t do anything about it.
"I hope they get somebody, whoever it is, and they stay in the league. That’s what I hope.”
So he’s at Town until the end of the season, barring a "ridiculous” offer from Manchester City or another big club.
"I really think that’s sad that you think it’s ridiculous Manchester City asking me to do the job!” he laughed. "Not half as ridiculous as I think it sounds.
"Of course, I’m here until the end of the season. I’m planning for next season in terms of players.
"I’m going out and signing Aaron Drinan and Barry Cotter and I’m already looking at loan players whoever it might be, people that might be coming available, planning pre-season, as I’m doing.
"I’m doing my job as professionally and as focused as I always am and talk of Barnsley and anybody else that might come up doesn’t bother me.”
Is it flattering to be linked with other jobs? "Yes, I guess it is. But who’s saying it? Is it a bit like if I’m not here and the Ipswich fans decide who they want and they find some, in their words, 'former player' or whatever they’re going to call us, that they like and think would do a good job, so suddenly all these names go viral?
"Is it one of them? Or is it a genuine thing? But it is nice when fans remember you fondly. It’s nice.”
Told that Barnsley fans are tweeting with the hashtag #bringmickhome, he added: "Do you know what’s really interesting in this? I think that it’s almost equal, it’s great when you get both sets of fans wanting me to go to Barnsley. Do you what’s really sad? I might be disappointing both of them!”
McCarthy dismissed suggestions he feels a bit unloved at Portman Road, despite a significant number of fans having made it clear they want him to move on both this season and during the previous campaign.
"No, I think there’s a very noisy minority,” he reflected. "No I don’t actually. I meet people in the town and I get mail and I get emails sent in.
"I’ve really got good support here, but I don’t think it matters what you do. I came back from a World Cup in 2002 and we’d got to the last 16 and there was a fair section that weren’t having me then as well for one reason or another.
"I’m never going to please everybody. But it’s funny because I guess the two people here who are reviled most are [owner] Marcus [Evans] and me and we’re the two people who are doing their best for the club.
"He’s keeping it afloat by sticking six or seven million quid in a year and I’m doing my best by having a small budget and finishing in really good positions, except for last season. So, the two people they want to get shot of are the two people who are doing most.”
He says he has dealt with similar situations in his 25-year-plus management career: "For sure, for certain. I get lots of support when I meet people. I almost get apologies from people saying, ‘Look, it’s not all of us’.
"And I don’t think it is for one minute. I would have thought that the fans at Sunderland had a great afternoon and enjoyed that performance and enjoyed the result. It’s winning games, that’s all it is, winning games.”