Boss Mick McCarthy says he would happily have taken Town’s current situation when he took over at Portman Road on November 1st with Town bottom of the Championship. The Blues go to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday all but safe in 13th place on 56 points, although still only five from the drop zone.

“I sure would, I’d take it now, it’s a good position to be in,” McCarthy said. “What are there, 12 teams below us? There are a lot of teams who have got to play each other.

“We’re not mathematically safe, which is bonkers at 56 points. It’s been a ridiculous season and the league table would be on its head in terms of teams who have been winning — Barnsley, Peterborough, ourselves, Huddersfield had a spell, Wolves won three on the bounce.

“But I’ll take the position that we’re in. It’s a good place to be at the moment when we were rock bottom in November.”

Since taking over after Paul Jewell’s exit when Town were on just seven points from 13 matches, McCarthy’s Blues have picked up 49 points from 30 games and would be fourth in a league based on results from November 1st onwards.

The Blues would also be fourth in a table which started on December 1st, 11th since January 1st, third since February 1st and second March 1st.

He admits he couldn’t have wished for better progress: “It’s gone as well as I could have hoped for. I didn’t come in with any expectations, I came in and, as I’ve said before, in the first week I was here nobody had a good word to say about anybody. I was thinking of doing a U-turn!

“But that’s not been the case. There’s such a good bunch of fellas here, staff and players, it’s been a good experience and at the moment we’re in a good position.

“But we want to go and get something at Sheffield Wednesday and try and make sure that in the last two games we’re not wanting points. I don’t want to be wanting points going up to Burnley on the last game because they might be, and it would be a huge game.”

He says he’ll have learnt something from going through a Championship relegation battle: “Yes, but don’t ask me what!

“It just adds to your experience, your own emotional, physical portfolio, not anything you can share with anybody, it’s just there, it’s within you and you learn how to handle things, manage things at a given time during what might be happening.

“It’s not something that I’ve ever done. I joined Sunderland with nine games to go and we had 19 points and we ended up with 19 points.

"Different league, a different set of circumstances and as has been proved, nobody’s ever done that. Nobody’s ever inherited that sort of team and kept them up. This is different, it’s the Championship, but I’ve learnt, I always do.”

He says younger bosses involved at the wrong end of the table will ultimately find the experience beneficial: “They’ll benefit by being in the Championship next year, that’s the first benefit. Then they’ll benefit after that from having experienced being in a scrap.

“When things are going well for you and everybody’s patting you on the back and it’s all nice and rosy and there’s no pressure, it’s a doddle because you come in, you put sessions on, you do it.

“Nobody’s really knocking on your door trying to find out why they’re not playing because they know why they’re not playing - because the team’s winning.

“You come in and do the press and it’s all nice and benign and nobody really bothers you. You go out in the street and to restaurants and people all shake your hand and say hello.

“But if you’re suddenly swimming around in the shark pool at the bottom and you might be getting relegated, it’s ‘Why am I not playing?’, owners or chairmen are in your earhole asking why you’re not doing this or not doing that, fans are as well, media are, that’s just the way it is.

"That’s the life of football managers and they will benefit from it. If they survive it.”

This season’s turnaround at Town is unlikely to have gone unnoticed elsewhere and it would be little surprise if other clubs were taking notice, but he insists he is enjoying life with the Blues, who he is contracted to until the summer of 2015.

“I hope they are,” he laughed. “I’m ambitious to be at the top of the game, but I’d love to be here and do it, having enjoyed what I’m enjoying now.

“That’s my ambition at the moment, and you can only change that if someone comes [in for you], the same if you’re a player, it doesn’t matter what job you’re doing. If you just settle for what you’ve got, there’s something wrong with you. Enjoy what you’ve got, but always try and get better.”

Overall, McCarthy appears more than content: “I’m kind of happy in my life. People see me on the pitch and people judge me on how I played and all that.

“Although I’m not walking around with a coat-hanger in my gob, I’m a happy person that’s kind of secure with his lot, with his life, with my family and I enjoy the job.

“And I hope that’s reflected in how I go about my job as well. I haven’t got any rabid insecurities with anything at all.”

Photo: Action Images

canveyblue added 06:25 - Apr 19 We love yer Mick. Roll on next season when hopefully we are near the top end of the Championship.
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rogie_dog added 06:51 - Apr 19 I really worry that we might lose Mick McCarthy.
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irishtim added 07:13 - Apr 19 MM is loyal. Yes roll on next season.
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DiamondGezzer added 07:45 - Apr 19 I might be well wrong and reading wrongly between the lines, but is that not the third time recently MickMack has put himself casually in the shop window ? I certainly hope not, I would sooner be totally wrong !
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This_girl_is_blue added 08:01 - Apr 19 Sorry rogie dog but that is ridiculous! If something good happens do you immediately dread it going? Enjoy Mick and everything he brings. He's only just got here, is doing a great job and loves it here. Don't need to get paranoid just yet....
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Morgan added 08:02 - Apr 19 Ipswich fans can always turn a positive into a reason to worry, we have seen it all before but need to change out mindsets. ;-) I'm Hoping he is just buzzing with his own success and I would do the same. Relaxing a little as we are in a safer position plus the questions he get asked have all been around how well he has done turning things around. If it is the shop window thing lets hope Evans has seen what he can do, backs him and offers him an attractive challenge for next season.

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walberswick added 08:06 - Apr 19 we won't get another point, the team think they're safe but they're not. other sides are desperate for points while our players are thinking about their golfing holidays in portugal. mm will be off once he pockets his £1m and then we'll need a magician to get out of div1
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bigolconnor added 08:17 - Apr 19 "mathematically safe"!! If we win all three and everyone loses or draws, we get to the playoffs. Aah to dream. Don't go anywhere Mick. I fear that would be the nail...
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TractorBoy94 added 09:15 - Apr 19 I can't see anyone realistic coming in for McCarthy who he would want to go to at the moment, obviously no one knows what will happen over the summer but I'm 99% sure he'll be with us next season.
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50yearsablue added 09:16 - Apr 19 walberswick, you've made some idiotic posts in the past and this one is no exception
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Wickets added 09:21 - Apr 19 Known as Dingle Mick in parts of Yorkshire i'm told!
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itsonlyme added 09:24 - Apr 19 Walberswick: Are you a budgie in disguise? What drivel you come out with! We are 99% safe as all the teams below us have to play each other at some stage in the next three games, and the ain't all goona get 3 points. One more point will definitely see us 100% safe!
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IvorFeeling added 09:32 - Apr 19 Walbers -Whilst it was not cheap all of us on TWTD have bought you a ticket. See link for details and please take Dippy4Strife (probably your MRS?) with you! - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22146456. Also if you are that convinced re the points I take that bet for a £1k if you are man enough? Don't worry about Mick's loyalty. He is still ambitious and wants to manage back at the top. He has learnt that with a bit of tweaking he has a squad capable since he has amassed points to be 4th from when he joined, he knows we have the right structure at the club, a good owner rather and a decent 20k plus home atten figure when things are good. He is also happy which is more than can be said of warbers!

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bobble added 10:11 - Apr 19 we can relax now and win the last games..... 2-0 to town at sheffield
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righty added 10:12 - Apr 19 I think MM will be loyal to the club but he does need ME to back him if he doesnt we will loose him thats for sure. I dont think MM will accept a top half finish as progress. If ITFC do well the gates will improve as well as keeping the best manager for years. So come on ME back our manager .
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GrannyOnBongos added 10:32 - Apr 19 I would love to see us turn Weds over and make their survival more complicated. I don't get to many games but I was at ITFC v Weds and it was horrendous.
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Michael11 added 10:34 - Apr 19 I'm also very worried that someone will come in for Mick. It's the first time in years that i've fully trusted our manager to make us a very good team again. I just hope Marcus backs him in the summer and shows that he's serious about making a promotion push to match his ambitions!
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neillrumsey added 10:38 - Apr 19 Why worry about what could happen. Of course MM is still an ambitious man who wants to manage at the highest possible level and why not. That said he's going a great job here and appears to be enjoying the role. He has proved that he can motivate players and develop players and the future is looking alot brighter than it has for many years. Enjoy MM while he's here and enjoy the success he brings to the club..

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LollITFC added 11:20 - Apr 19 walberswick your a dick .... the only golfer in the squad is Jay Tabb, the rest prefer busting moves and playing on their PS3's .... get your facts right dude ! err dick
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wkj added 11:31 - Apr 19 I don't know about you but I might just have to get BOnKERS printed on my strip next year - Super Mick McCarthy
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wkj added 11:38 - Apr 19 Marcus Evans is quite loyal with his managers- Many of us believe RK and PJ should have gone sooner; if we did get promoted under Mick and got relegated the next season I believe Evans would stick by Mick; as a manager in the game that kind of rare loyalty must appeal- and on that ground I believe Mick will be with us for some time.
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will444 added 11:49 - Apr 19 i like bees
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PSGBlue added 12:00 - Apr 19 Walberswick - You can't even get your facts right, MM only gets £1M if we stay up, so where will he get it from if we are Div1 Cannot see MM walking away yet, he didn't at Wolves or Sunderland when he took them up. Would worry if we finished in top 6 next season only to lose in play-offs. Then he may go, but not yet.
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will444 added 12:07 - Apr 19 we all love mr birneys bees, i like
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walberswick added 14:16 - Apr 19 marcus evans walks and we get docked 20 points
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