Town boss Mick McCarthy accepted “a big part of the responsibility” for the Blues' 1-0 home defeat to Rotherham United, Leon Best having scored the winning goal for the Millers a minute before the break.

Unusually, McCarthy made his way straight down the tunnel after the final whistle signalled boos and chants of ‘What a load of rubbish’ from the home support.

“We deserved to get booed but I don’t have to listen to it,” he said. “We’re going for the EPPP in the academy, well that summed it up because it was a ‘piss poor performance’.

“I take a big part of the responsibility because I left the team as it was from Tuesday night having played.

“Whether we hadn’t got the legs or the energy in them for some reason. I watched the game back on Thursday and I thought we played well enough in the game.

“And in hindsight, which is 20:20 vision, maybe I should have changed it. Liam Feeney livened it up. I take a large part of the responsibility.

“In hindsight I wish I’d played a different team, we’d played better and we’d won. Hindsight is 20:20 vision.

“I left the team as it was because we won the game, consistency, leave it as it is. And you know what, if I change it and we play badly and we get beat, it’s the other way around. I have to take responsibility for my actions, which quite clearly I have.”

Regarding the boos and ironic cheers earlier in the game, McCarthy added: “I said the other day, I think people are maybe getting tired of me. Happens, doesn’t it?

“We all want to win, don’t we? And when fans have paid good money to see us play well and win, which we haven’t done, of course I accept them.

“I’m not claiming to be a victim of my own success at all. I just think that it starts, I think people are a bit more tolerant, then you have a couple of bad performances and it doesn’t start going right and they just get tired of seeing us play that way, which I would if we played like that, but we haven’t played that way all the time.

“And I just think people start to get a bit more intolerant of results and performances, but I get being intolerant of that today, because I’ve already said it was ‘EPPP’.”

He says he picked the side he did because of the way he anticipated the game going: “I could see what was coming. As it turned out, we were one down from our own freekick, which we shouldn’t be.

“I sensed the way it was going to be. It wasn’t going to be thrilling or pretty or wide open and expansive and I didn’t want to be in that position where we’ve conceded because we’ve had to defend against long throws, freekicks, corner kicks and we’ve done all of that. And then we’ve conceded a really poor goal.

“A very good goal on their part, I might add, because [it is] if they catch you on the break and do you.

“What I didn’t want to do was be 1-0 down with a nice, pretty team on the field. You can always add and try and create something later in the game, but it’s just not worked out. I’ve had the plaudits in the past, I’m now getting the brickbats, so be it.”

Do fans’ reactions like the one on the final whistle put him off doing the job? “No, not at all.”

What disappointed him most about the performance? “I’m going out for a bite to eat about half-past eight, I might still be here then if I start telling you that.

“All-round, I don’t think any of us, and that stems from me picking the team and how we played and how we’ve set up, to the players, I think none of us have really come out with any glory.”

He added: “[I’ve seen the highs and the lows] and I’m sure I’ve got loads more to come, both of them. Let’s hope more highs than lows.”

Millers' boss Neil Warnock was delighted with the win which took his side out of the bottom three and up to 20th.

“They’ve done ever-so well," he said. "We are limited. The Championship is my cup of tea really. We’re getting out of the lads probably what they didn’t think they could do, and it’s lovely to see them.

“I said to them that I’m going to come in for 14 games and I’m going to enjoy all my time here. There’s no pressure on me because we’re enjoying it.

“I asked them to give me their best and their all and you saw today that you can’t ask any more than that, can you? The tackles and headers, trying to keep the goal intact.

“And really the goalkeeper, Lee Camp, didn’t really have a shot to save, aside from one or two difficult balls into his body.”

Photo: Action Images

oldegold added 18:42 - Mar 19 Today was the nadir...stayed away with my son who doesn't want to follow Town after seeing one too many defensive, mediocre and woeful performances and tactics. For the first time under his management, I think it's time to leave and pass the baton to a fresh, Ipswich minded manager who will play football the way it should be played, has a variety of strategies and genuinely cares about the direction the club is going. Thanks for steadying the club in these 3 odd years but the quality of football played and his intransigence in front of clear mediocrity beggars belief. I saw my son play this morning and saw more attacking vim in those 70 minutes than in a lifetime of McCarthy hoofball. Time to walk now...

14

Carberry added 18:44 - Mar 19 “What I didn't want to do was be 1-0 down with a nice, pretty team on the field. You can always add and try and create something later in the game, but it's just not worked out.'' This is the scariest statement of all when you are playing the team that's bottom of the league, at home. Will he ever set up an attacking team ever again?
27

BriggEnd added 18:44 - Mar 19 The biggest pile of brown stuff ive ever heard tired playing 2 games in a week get real mick. The playoffs were there for the taking in the last 4 or 5 weeks time to get real fellow supporters it will be the championship again next season our home form is no were good enough to mount a challange . midfield is powder puff at best and has been our biggest letdown.
9

markytitfc66 added 18:45 - Mar 19 Fxxk off Mccarthy! Season ticket renewed but I will not set foot in the ground until you duck off Mccarthy! You have done your bit bit can do no more. Face it Mick you our out of your depth now! !
9

Westy added 18:45 - Mar 19 I have been the greatest advocate of not changing a winning team so can't blame Mick for not changing the Team that beat Blackburn, but when it clearly wasn't working he should have changed it sooner. As Mich himself says, easy to say in hindsight.
-2

markytitfc66 added 18:49 - Mar 19 Fxxk Off Mccarthy Pleaaaaaaaase! I will not set foot in the ground until you duck off Mccarthy! And I have renewed my season ticket Please go now for Fuxxs sake you stubborn ,Arrogant Txxt!
1

H1960 added 18:51 - Mar 19 This has got to be one of the worst games I have EVER witnessed and I have seen a few in the last 45 years. It is up there with the worst of the dross from the John Duncan era. I was in the pub with a few mates before the game (in hindsight I wish I had stayed there) the team news came through, this was greeted with groans and comments like same as usual etc. As previous posters have said you cant start with three holding midfielders, one is enough playing at home against a poor team that is at the bottom of the table for a reason.

15

peteswindon added 18:52 - Mar 19 But we don't need any extra players do we ? your happy with your team, My respect for you Mick is going downhill faster then Lance Armstrong being chased by the drug testers.
1

carsey added 18:53 - Mar 19 To those who have been defending McCarthy and his archaic football philosophy I say the last 2 home games sum up perfectly what Ipswich Town is now about. Mid-table Championship (2nd Division) football. I have been around a long time and I can't ever remember feeling so fed up and unexcited as I have been this season. We need a younger forward thinking manager like the bloke at Portsmouth who will get the players playing the right way. There isn't one of the worlds top clubs who play the McCarthy way so he can't be right can he. If we keep him we will definitely be mid-table for the next few years so we may as well try someone else who wants to get the ball down. Even if Foley Bru Pringle and Feeny had started today our back 4 would still be whacking it over their heads because that's what they are programmed to do. None of them can play with the ball at their feet. If we get a goal kick or free kick in our half everyone turns around and runs away from the ball because the de-fault is for Bart to whack it up the pitch. On the rare occasion someone takes or looks to take a quick short one no-one else is ready for it. Finally Douglas ................................

17

Blue_Moses added 18:57 - Mar 19 He can take responsibility for me not opening my ST renewal letter too. I can put up with us losing if we give it a go but this counter-defending football is too much. Rip it up and start again.
9

jas0999 added 19:05 - Mar 19 Although pleasing to see MM admit to his failings, I sadly don't think anything will change. MM and ME must now take joint responsibility. Mick for the tactics, negativity and some ordinary signings; but Evans isn't blameless. He seems more content in selling assets, raising prices and ripping the fans off, while not investing significantly enough in the playing squad. January was a real low. Four out. Two in. A weaker squad. No ambition. No investment. Both of these guys are to blame. Inexcusable today.

14

NSL added 19:05 - Mar 19 Able managers just do not make mistakes like this in the final knocking of the season. What would happen if we got tonked in one leg of the playoffs becomes the manger can't pick the right team?!! Blimey if you can't pick the right team at this end of the season then you have got to go. I'm sorry.
3

sidtheswan added 19:13 - Mar 19 Hopefully you have now realised what a nob you are Mick . 3 defensive midfielders no Pringle who has been excellent, no Foley whose been excellent, no Feeney until it was too late. 2 defenders in wrong positions, Sears out of position. So tell me Mick what did you expect to achieve ? You're a dinosaur who hasn't got a clue, just leave at the end of the season and take TC with you as well as the idiot who extended your contract whose happy with tedium!

7

GFH added 19:16 - Mar 19 We have f##k all to lose now why don't Mick shake things up and put out a completely changed side at least we would see he is listening and trying.
3

LordMamu added 19:21 - Mar 19 Haha! Where are the pro Mick posters??! I will not set foot in the ground or buy any merchandise until this clueless bone headed plum leaves the club...
2

delias_cheesy_flaps added 19:21 - Mar 19 The general consencus is we want to be entertained first & foremost and a result would be the icing on the cake. Unfortunately entertainment is a distant second which drives the fans away.
4

Bluetone added 19:31 - Mar 19 McCarthy added: “I said the other day, I think people are maybe getting tired of me. Congratulations that is something we can agree on.
10

Witchesaswell added 19:41 - Mar 19 So MM says it was EPPP, pissed poor performance I say it means ' Exceptionally Piss Poor Planning ' on his part! Everyone saw on Tuesday that we won ugly and got the 3pts and could see the midfield wasn't working but he started the same team because we won, what a load of rubbish ! He's so tactically inept it's unbelievable. Better stop there.
9

CornardBlue added 19:44 - Mar 19 Sad to say, but this is the most boring Ipswich team I have ever seen, we only have one plan hoof it up field if this does not work we go to plan B hoof it twice as hard. Knudson is the worst player I have seen in a Town shirt, Douglas is not far behind and the only thing that saves Hyham from abuse is that he is a local lad. Liam Feeney was the only bright spark in the team he must wondering if he left the second worse team in the league to join the worse team.

4

Talbs77 added 19:50 - Mar 19 I haven't been on here a while but felt compelled to after today. I felt like Mick got his selection all wrong especially in midfield where I have no idea why Douglas was playing when you have brought a new loan player in this week that has been playing regularly whilst your other loan midfielder is the only goalscorer from midfield all season. I really don't know where we go from here as this season has gone for me. I've always respected Mick which was again demonstrated in such an honest and accurate post match press conference where perhaps even insinuated he may have taken us as far as he could.

2

Mick_Mills_Tache added 19:50 - Mar 19 Same old arrogance from the dinosaur. Season ticket renewals through the post including a price increase, a ticket promotion trying to entice more punters through the turnstiles and Mick serves up that dross two games on the bounce. Well done MM and ME, the season ticket numbers and gates will drop even further next season 👍🏻
7

Penguinblue added 19:51 - Mar 19 MM _ toral/full responsibility. Please get out of our club and take your second rate favourites with you. How can you serve up this crap at a time when season tickets need renewing? Come on people, see the light, this hoofball manager will not take ITFC anywhere. MM OUT
6

Penguinblue added 19:52 - Mar 19 MM _ toral/full responsibility. Please get out of our club and take your second rate favourites with you. How can you serve up this crap at a time when season tickets need renewing? Come on people, see the light, this hoofball manager will not take ITFC anywhere. MM OUT
4

StowTractorBoy added 20:02 - Mar 19 I have defended MM in the past but today his team selection was totally unbelievable. Unlike others on here I think we do have the players but they have to be used properly. Foley, Pringle and Feeney should all have started in midfield today along with Skuse. Murphy should play down the middle instead of constantly bring told to go wide and should be up top with Sears. I can live with the defence although it does need improvement but the hoofball today will keep a lot of fans away I'm afraid. I won't be one them as ITFC are a massive part my life but today was a new low and MM needs to take a good look at himself on a day when our play off hopes have now disappeared.

8

essexboy added 20:03 - Mar 19 At the end of the day MM,we do pay your wages.!
3

Blogs 298 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls