New Blues boss Mick McCarthy felt he’d been out of the game long enough when Town came calling in the wake of Paul Jewell’s Portman Road exit a week and a half ago. The 53-year-old had been without a job since being sacked by Wolves in February.

McCarthy says managers can get forgotten when they are without clubs and can also lose their edge: “I’m sure you can also get rusty. I didn’t want to be out for so long. Eight months is enough.

“I was neither mentally nor physically exhausted but I was quite happy to have a break away from it.

“I had three years at Sunderland and six at Wolves. It was full on. Everybody else has to work but it is slightly more pressurised than most jobs. Better paid, but more pressure.

“I could have sat around, waiting and waiting, and it mightn’t have happened. I wasn’t prepared for that. I wanted to get back to work.”

While he says he would have liked another top flight club, he’s not sure those he might have got would have been too much more attractive that positions with Championship sides: “If I got a Premier League job where do you think I would get one? In the bottom three, bottom four.

“Even then they are the ones supposedly under pressure and Harry’s name is mentioned for all of them.

“It’s a tough job, this. I’ve got to keep them up and that isn’t going to be easy. I just have to find a formula.”

Inevitably, the events of Saipan ahead of the World Cup in 2002 have received more than a few mentions in recent days with McCarthy taking on the job vacated by Roy Keane in January 2011.

However, McCarthy says that’s nothing new for him: “I’ll be about 75, walking my dog and somebody will say ‘There’s that bloke who sent Roy Keane home’.

“It’s always the same. I can’t go 24 hours without somebody bringing it up. I don’t know if Roy gets similar. I haven’t a clue but it doesn’t affect me. Did I ring him up before I accepted this job? No.”

McCarthy was in charge of the Republic of Ireland from 1996 to 2002 and, although playing down recent links with the role, he doesn’t rule out returning to that job at some point in the future.

“I’d go back, but when it’s right, when it’s available,” he said. “I’m not trying to add pressure on to anybody else.

“Giovanni Trapattoni has got the results that I expected him to get. He has beaten Kazakhstan, beaten the Faroe Islands and lost to Germany. Ireland are playing for a play-off spot because Germany will win it.”

Photo: Action Images

Mr_Evans added 02:08 - Nov 5 He refers Ipswich as ' them' instead of 'us', so? Given a little time he will fall in love with the club and area just as many others have; Mills, Beatie, Walk, Burley, Holland, Wilnis etc..
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Mr_Evans added 02:08 - Nov 5 He refers Ipswich as ' them' instead of 'us', so? Given a little time he will fall in love with the club and area just as many others have; Mills, Beatie, Walk, Burley, Holland, Wilnis etc..
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brockleyblueboy added 06:05 - Nov 5 Sum reader? Well played Marcus! Berk.
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Bergholtblue added 09:08 - Nov 5 Having previously been widely reported as having turned down other offers from Championship sides he can hardly say anything else for fear of being branded a liar. The fact is he is here. With all the other teams needing managers he is at the team in the worst position in the Championship, he must have seen something about the club that attracted him (probably the salary). For someone who still hankers for managing in the top flight, surely he wouldn't have come if he thought we were dead certs for the drop. I for one applaud his honesty. The only way he will go back to managing Eire is if he is a succcessful manager once more, so I look forward to time when the Irish FA start tapping him up to take over again, because it will mean we are back in the top flight.

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weggisblueboy added 10:38 - Nov 5 Brockleyblueboy you need to start reading a decent rag.By the way are you related to Brockley speers.MM will be a fab manager and we will have some sound tactical thought on the pitch for a change
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thechangingman added 12:09 - Nov 5 Yes, I have to admit to feeling just a little bit saddened by Mick's rather underwhelming, ahem, 'enthusiasm' for his new role. Like others, however, I do in fact admire his absolute honesty in not just trotting out the usual platitudes and cliches about his love for the club and its fans - which, to be frank, is rather embarrassing when it's not authentic. Overall, therefore, I am sticking firmly to this appointment and hoping that in due time he will rebuild and restructure our club and yes, maybe even start to enjoy being here. Any authentic relationship takes time doesn't it?

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blueherts added 12:43 - Nov 5 Three Ipswich players in the Sun team - THREE IN DEFENCE !!! - UNBELIEVEABLE
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R_LAMB3 added 20:08 - Nov 5 Its true that any manager would like to be managing in the premier league ands its no different in McMarthys case But Mick know ipswich have a big history and are sleeping giants and he know he will manage at sometime again in the premier league with IPSWICH TOWN.
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