Smith: McCarthy Has Made Me a Better Player
Thursday, 5th Dec 2013 06:00

Town defender Tommy Smith has attributed his improvement in form down to Mick McCarthy’s arrival at Portman Road as manager.

The New Zealand international has been one of the side’s most consistent performers during the 13 months that McCarthy has been in charge.

Smith, 23, said: “I think it shows in my performances how much I have improved and I hope I can carry on improving under him.

"I will keep trying to keep clean sheets for the team and maybe nick a few goals along the way.”

Absent from last month’s last-gasp win at Blackpool because he was on international duty against Mexico in a two-leg World Cup play-off clash, Smith feared he may also have to sit out the following week’s home clash with Leicester because he only returned from his marathon trip the previous day.

But McCarthy named Smith in his starting line-up against the Foxes and the player added: “It was nice to get the nod to return to the team because I was worried that I might be out of the team for a little while.

“I was delighted that the manager had faith in me. I don’t feel the journey home affected me too much.

“It’s really good when you have the confidence from the manager. He speaks to all the lads and he is so good at the man-management side of things and that can only benefit all the players at the club.

“If you’re not in the team he tells you why and if you are in the team he encourages you and gives you that confidence in yourself. It’s really good to have him around.”

Photo: Action Images

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Mark added 08:02 - Dec 5 Tommy Smith has been outstanding and gets better and better. Still only 23!
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BlueMachines added 08:30 - Dec 5 Let's hope we see a similar story about Nouble in a few years. Wasn't long ago Smith was getting stick on here now he is first name on many fans team sheets. Nouble is now in a similar postion to Smith a while back.
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Keaneish added 08:31 - Dec 5 Couldn't agree more. Tommy's had some dark times in recent years and nearly been on his way out on several occasions. I thought he was done for after his sending off against Peterborough. About time we had an Ipswich stalwart at the back again. Future captain for sure.
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ericclacton added 09:36 - Dec 5 Tommy Smith say no more.
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hossblue added 10:03 - Dec 5 C ould become a Town legend up with the best who have played at centre back .
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Walk_the_Wark added 10:18 - Dec 5 Just watching this- http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/teams/ipswich-town/9052552 The last time we had a truly great manager at the club. Proper football, proper approach. Hopefully we can replicate this again in future with a future manager. COYB
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ChrisMakin2012 added 12:32 - Dec 5 Best player in our team by a country mile. Be tough to keep him
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theblueginger added 12:46 - Dec 5 He is turing into a quality CB. I Think that having Chambers next to him last year did him the world of good.
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Vic added 12:48 - Dec 5 Walk the wark - not sure what you mean by that comment! Sounds like you don't rate MM.
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Michael11 added 12:53 - Dec 5

If you'd told me after the 7-1 hammering at Peterborough when Tommy Smith was sent off, that he would go on to be one of our best players, then i would have laughed in your face. He's a top class defender now and we'll be lucky to keep hold of him. I think McCarthy deserves a big pat on the back as he was only going backwards under Jewell. Hopefully more players can develop from our youth set up to be as successful as Tommy.

SuperTommySmith added 14:58 - Dec 5

To be fair in that 7-1 defeat he wasn't really on the pitch long enough to be fully blamed for the result.
He came on and made a serious mistake, which obviously he can be criticised for. However the damage had already been done in the first half, being 4-1 down and Lee Marting being sent off, before Tommy gave away the pen and was sent off himself.
(As you can tell by my username I may be slightly biased, although I did register this username in 2010, so not purely based over the last 13 months)

Michael11 added 16:36 - Dec 5 @SuperTommySmith Yeah definitely, not disputing that, but I remember Jack Ainsley (who wasn't even a centre back) was preferred to Tommy starting that game. Then Tommy got sent off after about 5 minutes of coming on and I thought at the time that he was finished with us. So glad McCarthy came in when he did.
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TimmyH added 16:52 - Dec 5 Always backed Tommy even through his bad PJ managed days, you could see he had potential.
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Walk_the_Wark added 20:16 - Dec 5

Vic- spot on. Some people on here don't think I'm Town cos I don't rate MM. Youngsters I suppose.. I'm 40, been supporting town since 6. MM has stabilised us, and I'm sure the best man manager since Burley. But unfortunately we are not playing football anymore. For years people have shook my hand (irrelevant of our position) and said ' Ipswich play good passing football'. Unfortunately this is no longer the case. ME and MM have made us just 'another' dogged championship side… And for those who say 'Thats the championship' , look at us in 2000 ()hence the post), west brom and swansea of late . You just need a proper plan, like burley had- MM has no plan other than not to lose game in game out, and run around and defend a lot. This man is the anti-Ipswich- I personally cannot wait until he leaves

WhoisJimmyJuan added 21:19 - Dec 5

You may call yourself walk the wark but it seems you can't even talk the talk. You say town just need a plan but the reality is we are upgrading to academy one status, are in our highest league position in years and have such a good squad (despite it being small) that for the first time in years we are looking to send OUR players out on loan not bringing them in as much. We can all dream of the burley/sheep shanks legendary plan of 1996 but this plan ain't going too badly either. Move on boy and stop dreaming.