Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll speak to trialist Jerome Thomas about his situation but that deal is unlikely to be done on what’s almost certain to be another very quiet deadline day at Portman Road. McCarthy says he’s not sure he could have found the players to strengthen his side, although revealed he had made one or two enquiries regarding some younger players.

As TWTD revealed on Wednesday, Thomas, 32, has been training with the Blues having been released by Crystal Palace last summer and McCarthy says he’ll talk to the ex-Arsenal, Charlton and West Brom winger in the days to come.

Thomas played in Friday’s behind closed doors friendly against Southend, which ended in a 1-1 draw, but isn’t involved in this afternoon’s U21s game against QPR.

“I’ve got to speak to him and, of course, he’s a free agent so he can sign at any stage, there’s no great hurry in terms of today,” McCarthy said.

“It’s not one where I’ve been looking at him for a little while. I actually had him in the building at Wolves and was going to sign him and he got a better deal down at West Bromwich Albion. But I’m not holding that against him, quite clearly, I’ve had a look at him again.

“He’s a very talented player but he’s not played for quite a while. But, like I said, it doesn’t have to be done today.”

Asked whether he was disappointed not to have strengthened his squad during January, he added: “I’m not sure I could have done. Yes, I could go and get somebody different, but I’m not sure I could go and get anybody better, who would come and replace what I would say is my first team.

“I could go and get somebody else, whether they're better than what I’ve got with the budget that I would have to pay for players, for loan deals, for wages.

“We’ve had a look at a number of younger ones that I’ve talked about, we’ve enquired about, but they’re non-starters really in terms of the money.

“It’s always nice to bring somebody in, it might freshen you up for a couple of weeks, but if they’re better than what I’ve got then I’d have had to spend a fair chunk of money and I don’t believe in just bringing players in for the sake of them.

“And I’ve got two players for every position. I said previously, before the 11 o’clock bell rings, I’m happy with my squad, I’m delighted with them.”

He added: “I’d have to go out and pay a lot of money to get better than what I’ve got and I don’t think that’s going to be the case. I’m happy.

“I’ve not been looking, not too much, because there’s no point in me saying I’m happy and then behind closed doors scrolling through all these players thinking ‘I might get something else’. No, I’m pleased, the lads are great.”

The Blues boss confirmed he’d still like to get youngsters such as Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock and Adam McDonnell out on loan, but says that’s now more likely to happen once the emergency loan window opens next week.

U21s: Marsden, Emmanuel, Morphew, Robinson, Kenlock, Guldbrandsen, McDonnell, Hammond, McKendry, Ford, McLoughlin. Subs: Wright, C Smith, Blanchfield, Meldrum, Ramadan.

Photo: Action Images

essextractorboy93 added 14:50 - Feb 1 Gillingham midfielder Bradley Dack being linked with a 2 million pound move apparently! A few sources on twitter saying the same thing.
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cartman1972 added 14:51 - Feb 1 The Romford blue I believe I'm fully entitled to moan at our lack of creatively
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Surco72 added 14:51 - Feb 1 Romford ...Is Cartman paid one of the highest wages in the championship ? Then surely it is MM's job to find better is it not ? MM says he is confident as he did last season in January and we went from top to 6th , he can only be judged by the results at the end of the season and league position , but for me the window has made our squad weaker as we have lost players who could play championship football if we had injuries and replaced with none .

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Currie10 added 14:54 - Feb 1 Usual meltdown on here for people who take Mick's comments at face value. He'll praise a lump of wood to the press, bluetack. Everyone he has is fabulous, brilliant, other superlatives. The press will get nothing out of Mick, ever. Remember the days of Jewell / Keane spouting off about this player and that, the press saying who we were close for? They are done. Out the blue with Mick. Do I like this approach? Ideally I'd like to know who on earth we are targeting and what's going on as with Sheffield Wednesday signing Aiden McGeady that doesn't help our chance of the top 6 one jot. I feel we're a couple of players short this time around - at present anyway. Big game tomorrow night, lets get our season back on track. I would imagine we may have a loanee or two on the way in the coming weeks.

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GoldieBlue added 14:57 - Feb 1 Our squad is desperately thin. When was the last time we could look at our bench and think we had a player who could make a difference. We've been like this for years now. What's more frustrating is we've backed the wrong 2 out of the last 4 managers with funds. This was our year to push on from last season and get promotion, they only come around every 3-4 years. MM will probably be sacked if we don't get top 6, lose some key players and then the rebuilding starts again. So fed up of the championship.

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billlm added 15:18 - Feb 1 Love the championship but don't like the same old spin someone needs to man up at town and come clean on what is really going on
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bluelodgeblue added 15:25 - Feb 1 With this level of inactivity you would almost think we were going through a process of due diligence just before the club is sold? ...... or is that wishful thinking only?
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phillo added 15:28 - Feb 1 Ok this is ridiculous now ! At the risk of incurring the wrath of all the supporters on here who insist you aren't a true fan unless you accept everything Mick says as gospel & have the temerity to criticise anything please, please tell me where the consistency is here !!!! Less Tha 2 weeks ago Mick effectively slagged off the team of "back up" players he put out in the cup games who performed so shambolically as "proof" that he knew his "first team" (an incident that did or did not result in the departure of Oar depending on who you believe) ....... then today utilises those same players when saying he "cant improve his squad" or "get better than I've got"

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phillo added 15:33 - Feb 1 sorry premature posting .... to finish above 😊 ....... how is this consistent !!!! Even if you love the football we currently play, insist anyone who doesn't "isn't a true supporter" or slavishly subscribe to "in Mick we trust" mantra ..... surely you see the utter hypocrisy & rubbish here !!!!
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raycrawfordswig added 15:42 - Feb 1 Thanks TWTD for keeping us all amused today.
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bluey123 added 15:52 - Feb 1 Why don't the real supporters of ITFC realise Evans has no thought for this club just look at Middlesborough Gibson nowhere as wealthy as Evans he has spent to try for promotion wether he succeeds or not time will tell but Evans has done nothing. McCarthy is paid to appease the supporters saying everything is great and McCarthy lovers believe everything they hear. This has got to stop and the only way to do it is voice your opinions at matches. McCarthy OUT

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essexbluey added 15:57 - Feb 1 My moaning wont change anything so i will come up and get behind the team v reading. We had better smash reading or a lot of people will be angry i think.
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geminimustang added 16:13 - Feb 1 People need to read before diving into MM again.He's happy with what he's got with the budget he has available to spend.I'm happy with the house i've got for the budget i've available to spend.Do i want a big mansion? Yes but i haven't the money.I'm with MM,again! We can argue that the budget for ITFC isn't big enough to match the ambition but to continually blame the Manager,do me a favour!

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phillo added 16:22 - Feb 1 geminimustang my point was about the hypocrisy of the 2 comments/viewpoints about the squad that Mick has made in the last 2 weeks ....... agree with the points you make about the possible size of budget available (although there are clearly 2 opposing views of who's to blame for that) however don't think it's much to ask from the manager a bit of honesty & consistency imo

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Gcon added 16:23 - Feb 1 Bluey 123. A little contradictory there. You are blaming Evans for his lack of ambition but want McCarthy out.... I'm with you re Evans lack of ambition. Completely disagree that getting rid of McCarthy answers the issue, it only exacerbates it. If McCarthy was sacked right now no right-minded, quality, ambitious manager would come near this place.
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therein61 added 16:34 - Feb 1 I'm going to wait until 11pm tonight before I make any comment
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blueboy1981 added 16:36 - Feb 1 Who are the MUGS ... ??? NOT Evans ......... because the Turnstiles keep clicking. NOT MM or TC .......... because they now have 'extended contracts'. This Club we love - has become such a JOKE.
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battyblue added 16:38 - Feb 1 There is absolutely no desire from the management to gain promotion or go on a cup run so what is the point of either of them continuing at this club they are killing us and taking our money.
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Shauny78 added 16:38 - Feb 1 I can see why he got his new contract now....doesn't spend any money,loans will do...happy to sit in the Championship til the end of time so M.E. doesnt have put his hand in his pocket and spend millions on a Prem Team..
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StochesStotasBlewe added 17:01 - Feb 1 Once again, we shop at Poundland or not at all while the clubs around us shop at Waitrose or better. Don,t expect us to make top 6 now with paper thin squad, shame, but if the unthinkable happens & by some act of God we do, I,ll be the 1st one on here to eat humble pie.
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Kirbmeister added 17:02 - Feb 1 It's all very well moaning about the lack of ambition but exactly which players should we be signing? clubs aren't going to get rid of their best players in the January window and will only want to get rid of the castoffs anyway!
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Kirbmeister added 17:05 - Feb 1 Blueboy1981- welcome back. I've missed all that over used punctuation. I hope you weren't an English teacher.
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Kirbmeister added 17:09 - Feb 1 Blueboy1981- welcome back. I've missed all that over used punctuation. I hope you're not an English teacher.
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Taricco_Fan added 17:14 - Feb 1 ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz.....
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jas0999 added 17:19 - Feb 1 Same old. No ambition. Milne trying to distance ME from this today by claiming MM is happy with his squad. As we all know Mick doesn't think he can strengthen on what he's got with frees and loans. More spin from PR. The reality is there's no budget, no investment from Evans. We probably can't improve on what we have with such a poor transfer strategy, no commitment from the owner. An owner who will gladly increase season ticket prices, but offers us rubbish like Toure, Coke, Foley and Digby. Cheap, low quality players. If Evans has the nerve to charge more for this sub standard product, I simply can't justify renewing. Costs me over two grand a year with travel etc. Abysmal from Evans.

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