Blues boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll only use the loan market to augment his squad next season, believing that Town have had far too many players on a temporary basis this season. The Blues have had 16 different players on loan over the course of 2012/13.

“We’ve had too many, without a doubt,” McCarthy said. “When I’ve signed loan players and have to leave them out of the squad, that’s not right, and that’s happened a couple of times.

“An ideal squad number? You could do with 20 players, you’d want two players for every position if you could, 22, but it might not be the case that you can do it.

“I understand that the loan market can be good because you can have some good players from Premier League clubs, but you need a base of your own players, without any doubt. And loan players come in to supplement that, in my view.”

As he looks ahead to next season and decides who he might look to keep or move on, he says he has learnt about his squad as this campaign has progressed: “You learn all the time, from day one, from November 1st from walking in.

“You learn about individuals and you learn about them collectively. Some things you like, some you don’t, but I have to say in the main, for the most part, I’ve liked what I’ve seen of the players.”

Defender Richard Stearman has done well since joining on loan in January but McCarthy wouldn’t be drawn on whether he feels the 25-year-old could become a permanent addition in the summer: “He’s a Wolves player and I wouldn’t even begin to talk about it because it would be unprofessional and unfair.

“What I would say is that he has done very, very well. He has been excellent. But he’s a loan player, he’s not my player. Wolves might want to take him back, somebody else might fancy him the way he’s played for me.”

Given Stearman’s excellent form for the Blues, Wolves' willingness to allow him to move might be seen as a surprise, although the Town manager says his former club had plenty of defensive options at the time: “They’d got Ronald Zubar [now with Ajaccio in France], they’d got Kevin Foley, they had got Richard Stearman, who is a right-back and centre-half and does both equally as well, which is nice.

“They’ve also got young Matt Doherty as well, who has been playing, so they were well blessed with right-backs, and we took advantage of it.”

In terms of the other members of his solid backline being targeted in the close season, McCarthy is relaxed about the possibility: “Whatever. If they are, great, it means they’ve played well. They’re under contract. That doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

“We all want to do well and we all want to be the best we possibly can. Whether it’s players who want to do well while they’re at Ipswich and they move on and end up being Premier League players or me, that’s the way it is.

“I’d like to think they’re all ambitious and if somebody comes in and buys one of them for big dough, then we’ll go and get somebody else and start again. That’s the way it is. It makes the football world go around.”

Photo: Action Images

Surco72 added 12:12 - Apr 18 Worcester .. i know what you are saying but Ward has had an excellent season at Palace and after we originally tried to sign him it took us over a year to finally get Stearman on loan to have a right back and we still need to sign someone now ? Davies has scored 13 goals for a relegated team double any of our strikers ? And for me Boyd would walk into our side on the left and his creativity we have been crying out for and he will be playing in the premiership next season . Perhaps MM will convince DJ to sign in the summer ,it hasnt worked for him at Blackburn ?

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BotesdaleBlue added 12:28 - Apr 18 Wkj I totally agree with your comments. They are exactly my thoughts as well on MM. I also have confidence in his background team of scouts and coaches and I haven't been able to say that for many a season. These are also important ingredients which need to come together for sucess. Our club is very luck to have MM and his team at this club.
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Mach_foreignBlue added 12:58 - Apr 18 I dare to say we're getting our ITFC back thanks to Mick and Terry. They both are the best thing we've got since relegation from the Premiership back in 2002. As good as Joe Royle or maybe even better as they've saved us from inevitable disaster.Without them WE WOULD HAVE BEEN LEAGUE ONE team alongside Bristol City right now. The mess they had to deal with from the start and the way they have stabilized us has been incredible. We always say it's all about next season. But this time I've got a deep belief that next one could be the best for years even if it means boring 1-0 wins. I'm not bothered if that's the case. 3 points is 3 points now matter how we do it. After years of mediocrity it's amazing to be a Town fan :) Can't wait for my Sheffield Wed trip come Saturday. User avatar Mach_foreign_Blue International Posts: 1255Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:48 pm

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Mach_foreignBlue added 13:00 - Apr 18 I dare to say we're getting our ITFC back thanks to Mick and Terry. They both are the best thing we've got since relegation from the Premiership back in 2002. As good as Joe Royle or maybe even better as they've saved us from inevitable disaster.Without them WE WOULD HAVE BEEN LEAGUE ONE team alongside Bristol City right now. The mess they had to deal with from the start and the way they have stabilized us has been incredible. We always say it's all about next season. But this time I've got a deep belief that next one could be the best for years even if it means boring 1-0 wins. I'm not bothered if that's the case. 3 points is 3 points now matter how we do it. After years of mediocrity it's amazing to be a Town fan :) Can't wait for my Sheffield Wed trip come Saturday.

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Blue041273 added 13:13 - Apr 18 Can't really argue with any of the points raised on this thread. Would just say that pragmatism rules in this league. The emergency loan system is a safety net for Championship clubs which clubs have to use regardless of whether they are top or bottom of the table. If anything the FFP rules will mean that most clubs will try to operate with smaller squads, given current player salaries, and will 'augment' their squads, working the emergency loan system to its limits. Not many clubs will be brave enough to rely on existing support players or give their youngsters a chance. If MM is prepared to play the long term game ignoring the lure of the 'quick fix' he would backed to the hilt by me. The emergency loan system is wrong in my view and compromises the true sense of fair competition. That said, I don't deny that season-long loans have a place in our game. It's only the emergency loan system that I can't agree with.

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runningout added 13:21 - Apr 18 who comes and who goes, what will be, will be.. We are not in any position to hold off the riches from elsewhere.. With that our powers that be must have a plan b and c in place..
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RaymondovicBlue added 13:29 - Apr 18 Did we really only have 3 shots on target ? What Cressy did was exactly what we've been crying out for all year .... he had a go and took a shot to nothing ..... and was not scared of what we might write on her had he missed ! Agree with everyone that we need to sign permanent players AND ALSO that with MM and TC here this will be a lot easier. MM and TC WILL be here next year, wont they?? Can I also apologise - I wanted Holloway instead for the long term, but I have to say that on evidence since November I WAS WRONG. MM and TC will take ITFC to the Premiership within two more years and then who knows

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kerryblue added 13:43 - Apr 18 At least this transfer window we wont have Clegg mucking things up and it will prove what we always thought
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jas0999 added 17:20 - Apr 18 Great to hear! MM knows exactly what he is doing. Great job so far!
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Blue041273 added 18:10 - Apr 18 The other point to note here is that it would seem we are looking at running with a much smaller squad. MM is talking of a squad of 20 players and thinks that a squad of 22 might be beyond our means. Given that a match day squad comprises 18 players, there would appear to be little room for manoeuvre with injuries/suspensions/disciplinaries/poor form etc. Thus the need to augment the squad as and when necessary. The key will be going into pre-season with a core squad that MM believes will be good enough to compete vigorously in this league, and take it from there.

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Talbs77 added 19:40 - Apr 18 Its all about whether he will backed from the powers that be at the club. Remember FFP rules kick inand the clubs who come down from the Premier League will have a definate financial advantage. But MM has done a magnificent job of utilising a squad of players that, quite frankly, were useless prior to his appointment. He's also made excellent loans in McGoldrick, Stearman and Tabb, if we can get all of those in permanently I would be happy.

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TimmyH added 19:58 - Apr 18 More sense from big Mick and totally agree what he says. Certainly a fair percentage need to go back to their parent clubs but as mentioned yes McGoldrick yes Stearman maybe Tabb and maybe Murphy.
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 21:14 - Apr 18 Let's all do the conga Sign McCarthy up for longer La la la la, la la la la! Let's make the squad much stronger No more loans from Wonga La la la la, la la la la!
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BuckieBlue added 21:35 - Apr 18 With regard to Mick's 'me' comment near the end someone has posted as saying it's referring to himself possibly moving to another (PL) club, or could it be he means our best players staying and reaching PL with him/Town? Not sure. Sometimes MM's phrases confuse me- but hey he can manage a football team!
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horsehollerer added 08:13 - Apr 19 Seeing the highlights for the first time just now, I didn't realise Frank still had a fair bit to do for his goals. Thought he was lightning quick to pounce on the errors in the first place, and then showed great decisiveness and composure to make each finish look a lot easier than it probably was. Both were gifts, yes, but neither was a given.
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