Town skipper Luke Chambers has spoken on behalf of the playing staff following today’s announcement by the club that manager Mick McCarthy will be departing at the end of the season.
Chambers said his initial reaction upon hearing the news was one of disappointment, adding: "I feel he’s done a very good job with all the things he’s had to deal with and speaking on behalf of the players we’re disappointed as a squad.
"We feel we’ve had a pretty decent run of it lately and we’re in mid-table, but it’s a different proposition to know that your manager is leaving at the end of the season.
"All we can do is continue to be professional and give him everything that he has given us over the last five years and try to finish on a high.
"We found out this morning. He called a meeting this morning and came into the dressing room, so we knew something was going on.
"There’s been a lot of talk lately, a lot of voices have been heard and a lot of noise has been made, so we knew it had to happen sooner rather than later, knowing which way we were going to go as a club.
"The decision’s been made, the gaffer’s made no secret of the fact that he wants to finish above those guys up the road, so we’ll be doing everything we can to finish as high as we can.”
Asked to describe the atmosphere within the squad, Chambers replied: "Just disappointment really. The lads have a very good working relationship and a lot of respect for the manager.
"He’s brought a lot of players in and given them a chance here and he’s brought a lot of young players through who have all improved under him.
"We’ve had relative success with what he’s had to deal with [in terms of a budget] over the last few years.
"I think we have to take our hats off to him and hopefully he doesn’t leave the club without the recognition that he deserves.”
Did he confide in Chambers as captain? The player said: "We spoke yesterday and at the time he didn’t know what the situation was going to be, but things obviously changed quite quickly.
"The club have made the decision to post their season ticket prices and a lot of noise was made about what direction we were going to go in.
"At the end of the day it’s football but we’re very disappointed to see him go. We wanted him to stay — there’s no secret about that.
"All we can do is be professional for him and the club because at the end of the day we’re all going to be gone long before the supporters.
"They are always going to be here and all we can do is try to make a mark on the history of the club, which is what we will do when the new manager comes in.”
Is the departure of one manager and the arrival of another an unsettling time for players? Chambers continued: "It always is. I think for the young players, or people whose contracts are running out, a manager going and a new one coming in is always a different experience to go through.
"A few people have mentioned the lads downing tools but that would be totally ridiculous. We want to give everything for the manager because he’s given everything to us.
"We want to give everything for the football club because we are employees of Ipswich Town and that’s what we want to achieve.
"And at the end of the day you’re playing for your future because the new manager will come in and decide who he wants to keep for next season. It’s a strange situation to have eight games left as an audition.”