Boss Mick McCarthy says he loves his job at Portman Road and gets on fine with owner Marcus Evans, despite having had to work on a comparative shoestring since taking over at Town 17 months ago.

McCarthy says he and Evans get along well: “[There’s no tension] whatsoever, absolutely none. I have a great relationship with him and I do understand the gig.

“I’m not one of those that takes a job and then tries to change it because it doesn’t suit you and you throw your toys out of the pram.

“I took the job in good faith, in trust as what it was, I get well paid for doing it and I think I’ve repaid it well with the job that I’ve done. With the team and with the club and how the club is now, I think it’s a good place to be.”

He added: “I was asked at the End of Season Dinner about support. I’ve had support from Marcus, I see support as trust, letting you do the job, trusting you to do the job.

“Financial backing is another thing altogether, but if it’s not there, then take all that support that you get, a consistent approach that he knows you’re doing your job well, he supports you in doing that.

“You have a couple of bad results and nobody’s stamping their feet and pulling their hair out, you have a couple of good results and nobody’s going ‘We’re going to get in the top six, you’ve got to get promoted’.

“I like that level of consistency and I do know the gig and I’ll be doing it again. Let’s hope we can do it better than we did it this year.”

As yet there have been no talks about extending his contract, which is up next summer, but he will meet with Evans during the close season.

“I’ve got another year to run, so I’m under contract, I’m very happy here,” he said. “I would like to think that Marcus and everybody else is happy with me being here. I’m seeing him in the summer and we’ll be having discussions about loads of things.”

Reflecting on his close season transfer plans, as will probably be the case for most Championship clubs under Financial Fair Play and as it was last year, the majority of the Blues’ signings are likely to be Bosmans, unless a current player such as Aaron Cresswell is sold for a big fee.

McCarthy is aiming for a repeat last summer’s successful recruitment drive: “It’s always funny when people talk about bargains.

“People will be saying ‘We haven’t got any money to spend’ but I see people go out and spend money and not get as good players as we got for nothing — Christophe Berra, Skusey, Ando and Gerks and Hunty, who came and played for nothing at the start. We’ve had good success with them.”

In terms of the number of signings, McCarthy won’t be drawn given past experiences: “I once answered the question about how many players I’d like to sign and gave a number.

“And every time I signed one it was ‘he only needs four’, ‘now he needs three, ‘you’re two short of your target…’, so that ain’t going to happen because I’m not as green as I’m cabbage looking.”

The Town boss, who was offered the chance to do media work at this summer's World Cup in Brazil but won’t be going as he was unable to fit it around a prior engagement, says he's loving life at Portman Road and believes there’s the potential to better this year's ninth place - the Blues' best for six years - in 2014/15.

“I’ve got a job and I really love it, and I enjoy doing the job,” he said. “I’m excited about my holidays.

"Then when I’ve had my holidays I’ll probably be excited about coming back with the lads I’ve got and there are players available. And, after making some new signings, I think we’ve a chance to kick on again and do better than we’ve done this season.”

McCarthy was back in the Wolves home dug-out with assistant Terry Connor yesterday at Jody Craddock's testimonial at Molineux, while Christophe Berra and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake were in action alongside their former team-mate.

Meanwhile, on-loan Blues midfielder Jack Doherty came on as a 67th minute sub as Waterford United lost 2-0 at Cork City in the Airtricity League First Division yesterday evening.

Photo: Action Images

TractorCam added 07:28 - May 6 Next season is ours!
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essexboy added 08:16 - May 6 Next season is the bog one.I feel sure we will get promotion.MM has done a fantastic job and will do even better next season.COYB
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Luka added 08:18 - May 6 Ayling and Webster already lined up for this season too - all seems well, especially if money is well spent from the Cresswell sale
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StuartBrett8 added 08:20 - May 6 Love him, no bullsh*t with Big Mick.... we're very lucky to have him :)
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rfretwell added 08:37 - May 6 Tractorcam, Essexboy dont get ahead of yourselves. With a much better team than this one Town scraped promotion via the playoffs, Barnsley and all that under Burley. That side had plenty of goals from midfield and brilliant forwards like David Johnson , Marcus Stewart.
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 09:18 - May 6 Fair point rfretwell but by the same yardstick dont be too negative. Theres always a place for optimism! For me I can't read whether mm wants a new contract or not. I'm happier with the results and recruitment than the performances and style. Whatever happens I think the club is in a much better place now than 2 years ago and for that I rejoice. I also think me is a very different chairman now. Chastened and realistic but loyal to the club and this is reflected in what mm says about his relationship with me.

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gazzmac4 added 09:26 - May 6 Rfretwell- Agree with you points but the centre forward role is one of the ones we need to stregthen the least surely? Murph got 14 in the end and DMcG was well on his way to 20 for the season before he got injured. I would rather spend any available funds on wingers and some flair in the centre mid as the one thing we miss, as you point out is goals from midfield.
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Akaroablue added 09:58 - May 6 I have been critical of the way things went this season, but I still feel Mick can do the right thing, I just hope he is determined to beef up the midfield and buy another recognised goal scoring striker, such as Chris Wood who might be available from Leicester, as he didn't hold down a starting position. It also seems to me that a keeper with quality should be sought.

3

Moisha added 10:24 - May 6 MM and TC have done a great job, and I see no reason why we can't improve next season. I'd like to see either another striker come in to score goals or play Marriott, this would enable DmG to drop back and be the midfield playmaker we all crave, let's face it how many of DmG's goals were scored inside the box as a poacher. We require a new number 1, Gerken has done well, but he doesn't command his area well enough, and had cost us a few points. And maybe a couple of wingers as well, only tweaks here and there, no major overhauls.... COYB

2

Bluetone added 10:39 - May 6 A couple of quick wide attacking mid fielders capable of bringing a ball under control and the vision to make themselves available. If they are quick enough it would relieve pressure on our defence 'cos the opponents would be wary of throwing too many players forward. Time we started to set out our own stall rather than just trying to nullify the opposition.
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JewellintheTown added 11:31 - May 6 "so that ain't going to happen because I'm not as green as I'm cabbage looking.” Classic Mick. Got to love him!
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Ryorry added 11:50 - May 6 "I'm not as green as I'm cabbage looking.” Hahahahaha, love his sense of humour as well as his management for us. And that he turned down a golden opportunity for a trip of a lifetime to Brazil in the summer because of 1 prior committment speaks volumes about his integrity. Well, we knew that anyway. Big mention for TC whilst I'm at it - love you too fella, great work and thanks :)

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Mark added 12:55 - May 6 That's good to read, as it can be a worry when a successful manager only has a year of his contract to run. Any uncertainty could be a factor in players' decisions on whether or not to join Ipswich. Mick has to be worth a three year contract. We also need to get McGoldrick signed up if we can. He's a key player with a year to run on his contract. As for additions, the absolute priority has to be the midfield. We need to add some pace and goalscoring threat. This season our midfield scored only once in every four matches, and Skuse didn't net at all.

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reggiedinho added 15:42 - May 6 colchester united keeper sam walker is done deal,i have heard
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Northstandoldie added 20:29 - May 6 “You have a couple of bad results and nobody's stamping their feet and pulling their hair out, you have a couple of good results and nobody's going ‘We're going to get in the top six, you've got to get promoted'. Mick obviously does not read TWTd then!!!
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Warkys_Tash added 21:43 - May 6 Great to know Big Mac & TC want to commit to our club. It wa worrying hearing rumours that he was unhappy with no money to spend. The downside, it doesn't appear that Evans is going to give him anything for this summers war chest :-(
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Blue041273 added 22:08 - May 6 This is no time to change ship. We are where we are! If the captain of our ship is happy to go forward we should get on board.
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TimmyH added 12:13 - May 7 According to the EADT McCarthy gets on well with ME and they're on the same wave length as each other regarding FFP and this summer again will be the same as last with MM on the look out for free transfers and loans or possible short contracts. ME know doubt is very grateful that Mick managed to bring in some quality players last season on free transfers and see us into the top half of the table whilst Mick was quoted as saying he was happy here and gets paid well for what he's doing. Add that £1M on top of his salary and I should think he's very happy here - 'one hand washes the other'!

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algarvefan added 15:04 - May 7 We've got what is says on the tin.....Mick McCarthy........no nonsense, Love his style, a million miles from Roy Keane thank f**k :-)
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