Town boss Mick McCarthy says neither tonight’s opponents Fulham nor anyone else has ever made an approach for him since he took over at Portman Road with his contract with the Blues including a substantial buy-out clause. The Cottagers were widely reported to be interested in McCarthy at the end of last season.

Quizzed on whether he had received any interest from Fulham, who are currently managerless following the sacking of Kit Symons, he said: “If I had I wouldn’t tell you but genuinely, no.

“But if I had I’m hardly going to sit here and say ‘Oh yeah, they gave me a call and I had a chat with them’, am I?

“I wouldn’t do it anyway, I’ve told you. They all know the situation. If anybody rings me up I say ‘Ring Marcus because there’s a clause in my contract that you can buy me out’. Nobody’s ever been bothered with that so I think everybody knows now.

“But that’s fine because it stops people ringing me up. If somebody was deadly serious and thought that I was worthy of doing something else, they know the rules, don’t they? And then there’s a decision to make. But that’s never been the case.”

He says the clause was inserted when he was given the job at Town just over three years ago, a few months after he left Wolves: “I did that right at the very start when I took it out with Marcus. Don’t forget, I’d only just left the Premier League at the time, seven or eight months beforehand.

“And it was so if a Premier League club wanted to take me then there was a clause in the contract.

“Not specific to Premier League clubs, it’s a clause to buy me out and it’s pretty restrictive enough that nobody’s even going to bother [asking Marcus].”

He added: “That was there from when I took the job and I’m more than happy with it, so if everyone wants to know that’s there.

“I’m sure people do know because I’ve been asked before and I’ve said before, ‘Talk to Marcus Evans, if that’s the case, if somebody wants to talk to me’ because I won’t speak to anybody.

“But I wouldn’t do it. I try to look at it the other way. If people were talking to Marcus about him giving my job to somebody else, I’d be pretty pissed off, so that’s how I tend to look at it and I wouldn’t be so disrespectful to do it to him. And I know full well he wouldn’t be that disrespectful to do it to me.”

McCarthy currently has no agent and didn’t have one during his playing days. Asked if he’d have one if he was playing now, he quipped: “I’d flipping need one, I’m 56! I’d want one of them super-agents, Ronaldo’s agent!”

Photo: Action Images

Flewitt85 added 06:58 - Dec 15 Well that looks like MM will be staying Ipswich manager for a few years yet!! So all you haters will just have to deal with it. MM is the best manager we have had for a long time, and he will get us to the premier league I will put my house on it!! Up the town!!!!
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Cloddyseedbed added 09:02 - Dec 15 Blimey Flewitt, I hope you have good friends that you can move into with when you loose your house.
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oldelsworthyfan added 10:57 - Dec 15 No surprise.
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blues1 added 11:35 - Dec 15 Flewitt. He clearly is the best manager we've had for a while, tho following Keane and Jewell, is no surprise. But he will not get us to the premier league with his style of football. Hope uve got a tent
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jas0999 added 11:54 - Dec 15 I still don't think he will hang around if an offer is made with a promise of significant investment. He has done remarkably well with little backing when most other clubs spend.
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blues1 added 13:18 - Dec 15 jas0999 I wish people like you would change the record about the supposed lack of investment mm has received. yes, ur right that as far as transfer fees are concerned hes had very little but every player weve signed, whether permanent or on loan has cost a fair amount in signing on fees, loan fees , agents fees and of course wages, (as is shown by the increase in the clubs wage bill this season). I think also that those who constantly berate m. evans over this so called lack of investment should look at the situation at Bolton to see what can happen if you invest in transfers, etc too heavily. of course id love us to go out and spend big money on transfers, but not at the risk of endangering the clubs future. I do think that the club are waiting to see what happens to clubs in breach of the ffp mind you, and that if nothing tangible does happen that they may well then release the purse strings somewhat.

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Kesgraveblue57 added 13:39 - Dec 15 One thing for sure he won't be getting the statue he has kept us in the division and will do in the future
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Hegansheroes added 14:16 - Dec 15 No surprise no one has approached the club for MM. Other clubs have a bit of pride in the way they play, it is after all called the "Beautiful Game", unfortunately not at Portman Road
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Seasider added 16:04 - Dec 15 This was news to me,and cant recall it being reported before. Coming just before the opening of the transfer window,lets hope its a gentle reminder to MM.
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Seasider added 16:06 - Dec 15 Sorry,end bit should read=lets hope its a gentle reminder by MM to ME
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Flewitt85 added 17:14 - Dec 15 Come on people our league position speak for itself!!!
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blueboy1981 added 17:55 - Dec 15 ....... not going to be a massive queue of Chairman for MM's signature - a few interested ? yes, but totally dependent on the circumstances at the time. He's no Sir Bobby or Sir Alf - but he has done well in terms of results over the period he has been at Portman Road - all considered. Personally, I don't think money to spend will / would ever change his style of play - it is what it is. Cannot see him ever wanting the type of flair in any team of his, that would see the entertaining Football that our Club HAS BEEN known for - throughout the game.

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wayway added 20:24 - Dec 15 PITY
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