Boss Mick McCarthy says he'd "love to be competitive in the league playing wonderful, free-flowing football" but believes that may take more than the sort of money he has had to spend at Town.

Despite the Blues having maintained a play-off challenge for a second season, Town’s direct style of football has been condemned by some supporters.

Quizzed on the criticism, McCarthy said: “I’d like to keep winning games, me. I’d like to finish in the play-offs. I can see teams who play some lovely football and we’ve played against them and beaten them.

“I want to be competitive in this league. I’d love to be competitive in the league playing wonderful, free-flowing football. Maybe that takes [spending] more than £500,000 over four years. Does it? It does.

“I can see a team who have spent £25 million and we’re six points behind them, I think it’s six.

“I admire my lads and my team and respect them for what they do and how they do it.

"And we constantly try to improve on how we play and if we can be a bit more subtle, great. But not at the expense of getting beat.”

Reflecting on this year’s home form, which has been poorer than last year’s, the joint-best in the division and the platform on which the sixth-place finish was built, he added: “It was great last season, it was a really hostile place to come and play. If you could call Portman Road a hostile place, it was because of the way we played, the results that we had, the crowds, the support that we got.

“But they all come on the back of us playing well and winning games, and we haven’t done enough of that this season.”

With season ticket renewals set to go out next week, the Town boss admits home fans haven’t had the same value for money that they did last season, although he points out that the Blues have done better than in the campaigns prior to that.

“Not as much as last season, no,” he said. “More than the season before? Yes. More than the season before that. Yes. More than the season before that. Yes. More than the season before that. Yes. Season before that. Yes.

“If I’m saying we haven’t had the same entertainment value I’m sort of having a dig at my team, and I’m not in that sort of mood to be having a dig at my own team.

“I don’t like being hard on myself and my team because plenty of others do it far more often and far better than I can.

“I think we have tried to entertain, we’ve not done it overall, but we’ve still got a chance of getting in the play-offs.

“And I wonder what entertaining is, actually. I think entertaining is winning games, if you’re a supporter, and we haven’t won enough here.”

Looking back over his four campaigns since taking over at Portman Road in November 2012, he added: “All the four seasons I’ve been here have been different. They’ve all had a modicum of success, up until this one which won’t be as successful as last season unless we finish sixth or above. But they’re all different, that’s just the way it is.

“I would think that Derby and Burnley and Middlesbrough, they’ve all been fairly different. I can’t guarantee the same sort of effect that we had last season.

“And we have had mini-periods in the season when it’s been up and down. And generally it’s been down when we’ve lost players and we’ve not had the full squad to pick from, which does make it difficult. But as has been pointed out, Nottingham Forest have had similar.”

Forest were booed off following their 2-1 home loss to Bristol City last week, their third successive defeat, having been on a 13-game unbeaten run in the Championship prior to that.

But McCarthy says fans would react similarly anywhere: “Is it any different from here, in terms of having to win games? Or anywhere else, Manchester City, where I played, or Millwall, where I played and managed, or Sunderland or Wolves.

“There’s no difference. Fans want to see their team play well. They want to see them win first and foremost, then they love to see them playing well and winning.

“And I go back to entertainment. I know a few teams which really entertain and they’re not getting anything at all, so I don’t get that.

“Is it a good time to play Forest? I’m sure Huddersfield thought it was a good time to play us last week.

“There’s a different side to every single story. Our side, we came back we feel a lot better than we did last week.

“We’ve not had great home form, although apart from the Hull game we’d had good results prior to that.

“Forest, I don’t know how they’re feeling, I’ve no idea. They’ll be coming to us saying things like ‘Not been great at home this season, it’s not been a fortress, if we can keep them quiet, if we can nick a goal early on’. All that will be said in the Forest dressing room.

“All we can do is be us. I said that to the lads today, just be us, just play like we play and play well at how we play and if we do it we’re capable of beating anybody here.”

Regarding fans and renewals, he hopes there will be a similar uptake to last year with the club currently having just over 14,000 season ticket holders.

“The supporters have been brilliant this season,” he said. “I know we had a great take-up of season tickets last year. I think that was very positive, that was on the back of how well we played and that we looked like being in the play-offs.

“All I can do is make it worthwhile for them to do it and I’ll continue to do that, as will the players. And I hope they do take them up because I think our supporters are terrific.”

Photo: Action Images

essextractorboy93 added 08:50 - Mar 5 I'm sure that no other manager we could get would do better than MM with 500k over 4 years. MM is definitely one of the best managers in the league like the majority of other football fans realise and a lot of our fans. I'm sure that if MM left Ipswich now and we got a manager who plays more attractive football, we would definitely finish next season in the bottom half and nowhere near the playoffs and Mick would likely get another team promoted. Of course attractive football is ideal but we have spent less than any other team in the league and in with a chance of the playoffs, I'd rather have that instead of more attractive football but battling it out in the bottom half of the league and hoping not to get relegated. MM is doing the best with what he's got! COYB!

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happybeingblue added 08:52 - Mar 5 when i say other fans i mean from other teams how is our image perceived i wonder :(
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warwickblue added 08:56 - Mar 5 First season ticket 1967. Last season ticket 2015-16. I can't see that I can justify renewing next season. I know what you mean dissboy and essesxboy about the Saturday habit after forty years but, honestly, we go to Asda every weekend too and that's about the same in terms of entertainment value.
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tractorshark added 08:57 - Mar 5 Nailed it Blueherts. Leicester play counter attacking football and a lot of long balls from Drinkwater to Vardy. Some are over the top to run on to, some are into channels. The difference is quality and pace. They've got it, we haven't. But Leicester massively broke FFP to win promotion and have spent big since. Ironically, they came unstuck against West Brom who sat back, giving Leicester more possession than usual. They couldn't counter attack. I don't think there's a huge amount wrong in what McCarthy has said here. There's a degree of realism. But some fans won't like it whatever he comes up with it. You can still disagree with him but be objective, not spout the same old knee-jerk tosh we often see on this site. There are so many myths on this site. Firstly, Portsmouth are supposedly better than us, play good football etc etc. As someone with close links to that club, I can assure you that's not true and most of their fans will back that up. Yes, they have a different style but it doesn't work week in, week out and often their fans moan about the fact they have no Plan B. Bennett, who everyone here thinks is a world beater, is infuriatingly inconsistent but that's why he plays in Lge 2. Last week they ground out an uninspiring win over Cambridge and even Cook described it as ugly but necessary to win promotion. Then there's McCarthy's favourites. We all have favourites. The crowd love Bru. Good player but his passing is far from perfect and his tackling shockingly weak. Bart? Definitely better than Gerken but not massively better as some would tell you. Even Fraser, the supposed player of the year. Yes, we've missed him hugely and we love him because he gives us pace, something different. But he still runs down cul de sacs and his end product can be average at times. He's learning his craft but his deficiencies would be exposed in the Prem right now. We ignore that, cos he's entertaining and every fan wants to see that. But in my opinion the player we've missed most this season is McGoldrick. Most skilful player at the club and the one who is key to our creativity. My worry is he will never return properly. My point is some fans (not all) are blinkered to the club's situation. They think a change will solve everything. Not unless money is invested and that's something McCarthy hasn't had. You can't judge him against Bournemouth, Brighton etc. They've spent big. Likewise, Pompey because they don't play in the Championship week in week out. Look at Bristol City who tore up Lge 1 and have spent large amounts. The one question no one ever answers REALISTICALLY is who did we get to replace McCarthy? Who will come to us, knowing the financial shackles we operate under? And even if the purse string are loosened, surely McCarthy deserves first crack at that given his achievements over the past four seasons?

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essexboy added 08:58 - Mar 5 Warwickblue,hmmm,food for thought.LOL.
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jonbull88 added 09:10 - Mar 5 People say Portsmouth play good football, but of course that's helped them in to the top 10 of the prem......oh hang on no league 2!
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cats_whiskers added 09:14 - Mar 5 This McCarthy jibberish actually fits that picture of him looking his smiling best He looks like he's found a penny but lost a £1
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oldbarrackdan added 09:16 - Mar 5 Moan moan moan, people need a reality check. This season isn't as good as last, but is far from dead, get behind the team, our team, sing up and let us get the win today. As for Portsmouth, since when are they the benchmark? Just because they knocked our reserve team out of the FA cup, they are 5th in league two, not guaranteed to even get in the playoffs!!!!
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Hoofball added 09:16 - Mar 5 We played great football, under Joe Royle he had no money !
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Dissboyitfc added 09:23 - Mar 5 Happy being blue... i went las week to huddersfield, 2 town fans a neutral and a huddersfield fan. the reactions were as follows, the neutral,' how can you watch that crap every week?" the huddersfield fan.." you are the worst team to go a goal down to, you just park a bus" my reaction? i wanted to gloat but Felt almost apologetic and embarrassed. Essextractorboy93.... look what Joe Royle achieved whilst we were in administration, yes the long ball was played at times, but as i have said many times i have no real problem with route one if there is some intelligent thought behind it, hoofing blind is a different story and has no place in a professional match when utilised as the only tactic. Essexboy... we all love the club, the club needs to love the supporters back, they hear what we want but fail to give it. Jas... yes investment is required but i cant defend MM on this front, he chooses to play people out of position when he doesnt have to. I.E chambers should have stayed at right central defence and kept hewitt at right back( far more capable than Chambers in that position) Really have a lot of time for chambers, but as a right back no way. Its not only about money he could lose the stubbornness that would be a start. No successful ipswich team was built with funds alone. In fact over spending was our downfall in the Burley era.

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tractorshark added 09:31 - Mar 5 The consequences of administration in the early 2000s were far different to what they are now. No points deduction for starters. Bolton are doomed to relegation but are desperate to avoid administration because of the knock-on effect. Look what's happened to Pompey. We went into administration at the right time...if ever this is one. Royle's job was easier in that respect, taking nothing away from Big Joe.

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Dissboyitfc added 09:36 - Mar 5 Big Joe's job was easier in what respect, compared to who? the comparison is about what can be achieved whilst working under heavy financial restraints, harder in Joe,s case, much worse for Joe.
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2_Goal added 09:36 - Mar 5 Saw an interview with tommy oar last night here in Australia. He's back in Brisbane with his old team. He was really trying to be careful about what he was saying as he didn't want to say anything bad about Ipswich, but when asked, he said he improved a lot in holland with technical development but unfortunately he didn't seem to have much of a chance to improve at Ipswich. Basically he was referring to the style of play. I believe MM truely wanted to play differently this seadon, and the team started out that way. But after the bad loss to reading he made a poor and knee-jerk reaction and changed back to his old ways. Tommy realised it wasn't gonna change anytime soon. I agree with some others on here, you don't need money to encourage a passing game. Good coaching can do that. Sadly, tommy has more chance of improving in the A league ( which is a lower standard than the championship.

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essex57 added 09:45 - Mar 5 MUCCELTONJOE Well said we can ONLY SUPPORT WHAT WE'VE GOT so let's support and stop moaning.
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Hoofball added 09:45 - Mar 5 We played great football, under Joe Royle he had no money !
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Dissboyitfc added 10:08 - Mar 5 We can only support what we have got, that is priceless... no one deserves our support more than our families do they? but we tell them when they get things wrong dont we or do we just accept everything everyone does whether right or not. Defending everything MM does is wrong, he gets credit where its due and criticism when its due, its called life called. BEING A SUPPORTER DOESNT MEAN YOU SUPPORT EVERYTHING! P.s i am still very grateful for MM saving us from relegation, he did a great job and received a big fat bonus, i want something else to thank him for now, not just year on year survival!

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tractorshark added 10:08 - Mar 5 We also finished 15th under Joe Royle with no money. I'm not knocking Joe but administration then was probably not as financially restrictive as our current situation now. When we went into administration in 2003, we still had the nucleus of a decent side. There were the benefits of a decent youth setup as well. The knock-on effect came a couple of seasons later. We got rid of big earners but were still able to sign Sam Parkin for £550k. When has McCarthy made that transfer outlay? Yes, we played good football but we finished 15th in Royle's last season. That's McCarthy's point. I'd like us to play better football but I want us to win promotion first and foremost because it will get us out of this financial mess. Ideally, we'd do both but even Mick's dissenters would concede it would probably take more investment than he's getting now.

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essex57 added 10:10 - Mar 5 Tractorshark excellent many posters on here should take a deep breath and inwardly digest perhaps then they wouldn't spew their ante club rhetoric.
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terryf added 10:12 - Mar 5 ''Don't know what entertainment is'' ''All I can do is make it worthwhile for the supporters to renew their season tickets'' Sounds like the spin we get from the E U in brigade Is McCarthy saying you cannot play entertaining football and achieve success. Over previous years the likes of Southampton, Swansea, Watford, Bournemouth and I hate to say it...Norwich have managed to get promotion by playing attractive football. He sets his Teams up not to lose rather than win and its boring to all of us diehards who have been used to watching some decent football over the seasons at Portman Road. The guy is a Dinosaur with out-dated ideas.

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tractorshark added 10:25 - Mar 5 Is that the same Southampton, Bournemouth and Norwich who spent big (much bigger than our budget) and won promotion? As for Watford, they utilised a loan loophole to get around wage bills and still didn't play particularly attractive football. McCarthy's not saying you can't do both. He's saying it's a lot easier if you spend more money. I don't agree with everything he says or does but I find it hard to disagree with that statement.

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happybeingblue added 10:32 - Mar 5 oh dear Dissboy i guess that is why sky have not put us on lately as well .. we know how we feel about the current situation but it hurts when others think it as really tarnishes the image of our great name STILL PROUD AND HOPING FOR 3 PTS TODAY AGAINST ANOTHER GREAT CLUB WITH RENOWED REPUITATION IN FOREST
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happybeingblue added 10:35 - Mar 5 and id just like to add that jim magilton actually had us playing some good stuff as well and i for one was gutted when he was sacked
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grubbyoik added 10:38 - Mar 5 Show me one team MM has managed that has ever played free flowing football... He sorted our club out granted.. But the saddest day was Evans giving him a new contract.. That has pretty much assigned us to this drivel till that ends.. As long as MM keeps us in and around the play offs he has a job! I would love him to change the style of play and prove me wrong.. And Evans ain't gonna sack him so there we have it...

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Lightningboy added 10:44 - Mar 5 Well the likes of Swansea City and Reading got into the Prem playing free flowing football on a near zero budget - it is possible Mick but you either want to or you don't and let's be honest here,you do not have the know-how to do it. It'll be more of the same next season folks.
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gorfuc added 10:58 - Mar 5 I had to stop going to the games shortly after we hired Mick due to neck problems.
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