Town are close to naming former Wolves, Republic of Ireland, Sunderland and Millwall boss Mick McCarthy as their new manager, according to national newspaper reports. The 53-year-old and ex-Charlton and West Ham boss Alan Curbishley have always been viewed as the frontrunners to succeed Paul Jewell since the Liverpudlian’s exit by mutual consent last week.

If confirmed, McCarthy is expected to be joined at Portman Road by his former Wolves assistant Terry Connor with former Blues skipper Matt Holland, who played for the one-time centre-half with Ireland, believed to be another prospective member of the Barnsley-born boss’s staff.

A three-year deal is understood to be on the table for McCarthy, who has been out of work since leaving Wolves in February after more than five years at Molineux.

In the summer he spoke to Nottingham Forest about their vacancy prior to Sean O’Driscoll’s appointment, while more recently he has been linked with the likes of Bolton, Burnley, Blackburn and Crystal Palace.

Town chief executive Simon Clegg said last week that he was hoping to have the new appointment in place before Saturday's game at Birmingham City.

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 10:00 - Oct 30 Come on Mick! COYB
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StowTractorBoy added 10:07 - Oct 30 Always been my number one choice. The prima donnas will be gone in January hopefully. Good luck Mick but you have one hell of a job on your hands.
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verulam added 10:18 - Oct 30 In October 1964 Bill McGarry (a younger version of McCarthy)took over from the very nice but totally inept Jackie Milburn (who had been a cracking player) . We were in the bottom two of the old Division 2. By the end of the season Bill had turned a team of no-hopers into a winning unnit that finished 5th in the table. Let's hope McCarthy can do similar!
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Lightningboy added 10:23 - Oct 30 I like Mick but he wouldn't have been my first choice...hopefully he'll drag us out of the mire though and if Matt Holland's part of the team then that would be the cherry on top of the cake.
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tractorboy2421 added 10:23 - Oct 30 hopefully he will root out the workers from the shirkers & bring some fire & passion back ( something thats been missing for ages ) he may not be everyones cup of tea, but he didnt do to bad at wolves & on a budget as well.
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reusersfreekicks added 10:27 - Oct 30 If we were in a less hazardrous situation we could look for a younger progressive manager who would bring good football and not only take us out of this league but would have a good chance of survival in the premier league. However we are in a deep crisis where experience and firmness are needed and he is probably the best available for us at the moment
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Keaneish added 10:29 - Oct 30 Interesting exit interview from Jewell on Player to watch. He cites a couple of his signings for not working but failed to understand why not. For me this is Chopra and JET. Both clearly talented but both a waste of space currently. If there's any manager to sort this out who's currently available it has to be Mick. The right appointment for me and the addition of Holland is great. Here's hoping its confirmed today as anything else right now would be a downer and we've had enough of those! Given Keane's aggressive, stand-offish approach and Jewell's 'too nice' touch, perhaps Mick, Matt and Terry are a good blend! Looking forward to the first series of team selections regardless!!!

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StuartBrett8 added 10:31 - Oct 30 If Big Mick comes in I 100% guarantee Carlos Edwards wont be playing at right back anymore
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portmanteau added 10:45 - Oct 30 here we go again. same old delusions of grandeur by itfc. must have a "big name". out of a job because he didnt succeed at the last one. unless there are changes above him he will be in same position as PJ. haven't got him yet anyway, the old personal terms may get in the way. wish him well if he gets the job.
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Jonnosdreadlocks added 10:46 - Oct 30 Hope this isnt true. Never been impressed with McCarthy although I liked the way he dealt with Keane. Don't like his style of football and as for Holland why? He has no experience. If they want an old boy (which I do) let it be someone with coaching credentials and experience like Mariner, Yallop or Butcher.
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bobble added 10:47 - Oct 30 this will break the dark lords curse ,the magic of mick is all powerful against the upstart corkites devilish works.....
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Beforeyouwereborn added 10:49 - Oct 30 Not a McCarthy fan, but probably better in the circumstances than a 'mild mannered man' like Curbs or George (though GB has by all accounts a bit of a temper). However my 'dissappointment with MM is tempered by the reference to how Wolves played direct football under MM. As I recall, during the early days of a certain Sir Bobby Robson the Town tactics were to get the ball to the front (THREE!) early, then play around with it in the opposition's penalty area. This held mostly true even when Frans and Arnold came to the club, so from what I have seen of Wolves (when playing well) and reports here and elsewhere I am not as worried as I might have been if I had taken his reputation at face value. What is a given though is that he should get the best out of Chopra and JET (even if it's only the transfer fee!) as well as sort out some of the other time wasters.

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MrFullSwing added 10:51 - Oct 30 Not my first choice either but after reading Saturdays reports of lack of effort on the pitch the right sort of manager to sort the players out and keep us in this division. We are currently a very long way off a Premiership side so no currently no point looking for someone for this role.
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mawwam added 10:58 - Oct 30 I don't doubt he can probably do a good job at kicking some of the players into touch or getting rid of the bad eggs, but god is he boring!! oh well, hope the results change and fast... Although saying that Clegg will most likely f**k this up anyway!
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Pabloisgod84 added 10:58 - Oct 30 if its true i dont think its that bad a bit of news really, especially if Matty Holland is part of the set up! when wolves got promoted im sure they played some ok stuff, in the prem they were not exactly pretty but its not easy to play amazing football in the prem week in week out when your up agaisnt class oppostion. and hopefully he will adapt some what to the way ipswich like to play. weve been watching garbage styles of football at PR for the last 5-6 years, under Jim we played some nice stuff at times but that was nothing compared to the burley years. would be nice to win a few games wouldnt it?

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blueblood_soldier added 11:05 - Oct 30 At the start of this i was saying please not McCarthy, but after listening to all the virdicts of ex town players and pundits i think this is the right man to kick some of the Lackluster Players into shape! whoever is given the job, they will get my full support unlike some whom say the supporters will be walking away in there thousands! Really, not real supporters then are they!!! COYB'S

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Hatman added 11:06 - Oct 30 Time to get behind MicMac I guess. Not my preference, Curbs better track record, but I do believe MM can firstly get us out the relegation zone, and secondly put together a side to challenge for play-offs and promotion, and it's been WAY too long since any of us had the slightest adrenelin rush come the play-off time of year. Longer term, he hasn't succeeded in keeping teams in the Prem, which is why I favour Curbs. Holland as part of the set up definitely a good move. MM way better that some of the other plonkers out there..., e.g. Megson, Davies, Cotterill. COYB.

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bohslegend added 11:17 - Oct 30 YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! If you never do a single other thing right in your time at PR Mr Clegg please make this happen.
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Seasider added 11:26 - Oct 30 Oh dear, seems that he is the popular choice although not mine.We had a similar manager once before who I recall got us into the top division;but he took over a better squad,and the 'Cobbolds were at the helm.'Yes it was (Sgt Major) Bill McGarry who ironically left us for Wolves and we had this young chap Bobby Robson take over,remember him.
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blues1 added 11:26 - Oct 30 unbelievable. cant there be any story on here without the clegg slaters getting in on it? apart from anything else its evans that will be sorting this out( along with clegg i dare say), and if it doesnt happen it will more than likely be because of circumstances beyond our control rather than us getting it wrong. in other words, palace or blackburn maybe being a better prospect for him. also, what nobody has considered is that maybe its not even him we are after. mickswich. what a great fan you are. just because you dont like him youll stop supprting the team. regardless of who comes in(even if it was megson, god forbid), he would get my backing and id be there to support the team.

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mawwam added 11:29 - Oct 30 Where has this report come from? Latest news I just heard in last 5 minutes is - MANAGER LATEST: Talks ongoing as interviews get underway. Simon Clegg talks to the Club website regarding the managerial latest at #ITFC Interviews with an S
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blues1 added 11:36 - Oct 30 exactly my point in my last post mawwam. it was in a national paper this morning. so just speculation at this moment in time. so we need to wait & see. hope it is him tho as while he wouldnt, like several people have said, been my 1st choice a while ago, i believe hes what this club needs right now. and with the added bonus of matt holland under him to learn the ropes could be the long term future of the club.

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BBNOIDEA added 12:08 - Oct 30 This would be the worst appointed ever. It is just another sidways step MM has prooved with money behind him he can set up a team to play boring long ball football. Moaning Mick would not infuse the players, fans etc he would just depress them with his constant barrage of excuses and moans. AC on the other hand would. Just look at what he did with west ham and what happened to them when he left. He can turn the average player/team into a team that performs above expectation

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WolfgangWolf added 12:14 - Oct 30 Wolves fan in peace. Those against Mick getting the Ipswich job should check out his Championship record with S'land and Wolves - Playoffs Champions Playoffs Seventh Champions Plus his honesty and decency will win over the majority of fans. I expect him to get a rapturous reception when he returns to Molineux.
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dubblue added 12:18 - Oct 30 On balance yes, hope there won't be endless comparisions with Keano having regard to Saipan and all that. As I said before he's a good track record in the championship not so in the premiership. COYB
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