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Smith: McCarthy Exit Would Be Massive Loss for Town
Monday, 4th Apr 2016 06:00

Centre-half Tommy Smith believes manager Mick McCarthy moving on would be a “massive loss” for the Blues, the Town boss having been linked with the vacant job at soon-to-be-relegated Aston Villa.

McCarthy is now ranked as the joint-fourth favourite for the role left by Remi Garde by mutual consent last week behind new favourite Nigel Pearson, David Moyes and then Hull City manager Steve Bruce, whose odds narrowed significantly last night.

The 57-year-old Blues manager, widely quoted at 8-1 along with Wales boss Chris Coleman, has said he takes being mentioned in connection with a club such as Villa as a compliment.

But Smith says it’s important that McCarthy remains at Town: “Of course it is, we’ve improved every season he’s been here so far. It would be a massive loss for us, but hopefully he’ll stay.

“I know the squad of players are all backing him to stay and there’s not a lot we can do about it, to be honest. We’ve just got to crack on and do our jobs and hope that he does the same.”

He added: “His career in management speaks for itself. It’s no surprise to us that he has been linked with jobs, he’s been linked to jobs previously while he’s been with us. A manager of his calibre is always going to be linked with jobs.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Wolves, Smith said: “It was definitely a much better performance. It was disappointing for everyone involved with the club after the last game at home to Rotherham.

“We knew we had to put in a decent performance against a Wolves team which is better than their league form has shown this season.


“I’m delighted to come away with a point at the end of the day but we felt on the day we could have, and perhaps should, have taken the three points.”

Town went closest when Liam Feeney hit the post, while Brett Pitman had a second-half header brilliantly saved by Wolves keeper Carl Ikeme, having had the ball cleared off the line by Kortney Hause just before the break when squaring to the on-loan Bolton man might have been a better option.

“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing, if he scores nobody’s going to say that,” Smith continued. “It’s the hardest thing to do in football to put the ball in the back of the net and unfortunately we haven’t managed to do that but a point away from home and a clean sheet is never a bad thing.

“We had the chances to win the game and it’s disappointing that we didn’t manage to capitalise on that and I can only remember Bart having only one save to make all game.

“But as the gaffer has said, a point away from home, especially away at Wolves, is a good point.

“We move on to two home games next week and hopefully we can pick up six points there.”

With the Blues now five points off the play-offs, in a practical sense six given Town’s inferior goal difference, Smith admits that there's little scope for slip-ups in the remaining seven games.

“There aren’t many more points we can afford to drop if we want to be back in those play-offs.

“It’s about keeping on going and never believing that you’re out of it. Six points could swing in two games.

“We’ve just got to keep our heads, keep going, keep focused and hopefully it’ll click for us.”

Having failed to beat Wolves taking something from the away trips to fellow play-off contenders Sheffield Wednesday and Derby is now even more important.

“They would be anyway but we need to take points off those teams to gain an advantage on them and try and get closer to them," the 26-year-old added.

“They will be important games but before that we’ve got two home games which we have to make sure we take maximum points from.”

The New Zealand international says Charlton, who beat Birmingham 2-1 on Saturday, will be fighting for their lives, just as Town were during McCarthy’s first season at Portman Road.

“We were there a few years ago and we started beating teams that were looking upwards rather than behind them and when you’re having a scrap to avoid relegation sometimes you can produce your best performances.

“They’ll battle away and it’ll be tough for us but we’ve got the quality to beat those sorts of teams.

“There will be pressure on both teams for different reasons on Tuesday night but we are where we are for a reason and hopefully we can put another nail in their coffin.”


Photo: Action Images



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Penguinblue added 06:11 - Apr 4
You belittle yourself with this talk Mr Smith. You are not improving as a player under the hoofball instructions of McCarthy.
Appreciate you may be obliged to come out with this crap, but you would be better advised to hold your counsel and practice passing the ball for when a football manager takes over.
MCCARTHY OUT
3

bluearmy84 added 06:18 - Apr 4
why dont you pick the side penguin im sure you could do a better job!!
-1

textbackup added 06:29 - Apr 4
Penguinblue.......... smith is the only player that's improved under Mick, so cant agree with you there im affraid
13

Penguinblue added 06:30 - Apr 4
Cheers,, actually I think I could.
I dare say you could as well if you like football
-4

Penguinblue added 06:32 - Apr 4
Don't get me wrong I like T S, but I think he is regressing under MM's 'tactics'
-3

jas0999 added 06:48 - Apr 4
This season an improvement on last? Really? Time will tell, but I wouldn't say so at the present time.
26

Mick_Mills_Tache added 06:56 - Apr 4
If this season is an improvement on last, then surely we need to finish 5th or higher or win the playoffs?

Tommy saying this just makes me think the squad are fearing if MM goes because the next manager will give them all a shakeup and half of the starting 11 could be out the door!
21

Bob7881 added 07:03 - Apr 4
Im Just glad i witnessed the glory days and have some fantastic memories. Im afraid ITFC is an also ran club now. I have not been to a game under McCarhty and never will i said it from the start wrong appointment.Im sure hes a nice enoungh guy but his tactis no thanks. Lets face it with Ireland he had some quality players in that team i think he held them back. If the McCarthy fan club want ugly football and win at any cost then good luck to yer enjoy it while you can its just not for me.
23

prebsa added 07:34 - Apr 4
An improvement on last? Do you know what improvement is Tommy? MMT says thats 5th or above and he is right. Yes judge it on the end of the season but that is looking very unlikely. So Mick has not brought us year on year improvement. He has saved us from league 1 and given us a solid base but that is the past! In or around the playoffs is as far as he is ever going to get us! We need to look forward and if forward is promotion then it will be under a different manager not under Mick! The football is dire and the entertainment is zero. His pre and post match comments of "they are a great team" "an away point is a good point" are starting to get very boring and no one believes him any-more. We can finish this season off with Mick but then I believe it is time for him to move on.
10

RYITFC added 07:36 - Apr 4
I do think Mick's getting some unfair criticism as present. Performances of late have been poor but where do we expect to be with the resources he's had? Yes it's dull to watch but that's his tried & tested method of getting results with a very average squad.

Do we think that someones going to come in & get us promoted with no money to spend? Not a chance.

Questions need to be asked but to the owner, We need to invest into the squad now regardless of who the manager is or we will move backwards.

4

tallguy6767 added 07:48 - Apr 4
Don't be afraid of change people! Why stagnate under the present dross !!
We would face the same dilemmas even if he sees out his contract.
9

bedsitfc added 07:57 - Apr 4
Everyone talks of investment in the squad but in what position??
Right back could be argued but apart from pace I think chambers is ok.
Only regular starter I am wanting changed is Douglas but I think dmac would be best there in a diamond
-4

Woodbridgian added 08:14 - Apr 4
Improved this season........If (and it is a big if ) I renew my season ticket next season I'm seriously considering moving my seats from the SAR stand as the view from the dugout or the pitch must be of far better performances and better football than I have to witness week in week out!
6

Bert added 08:25 - Apr 4
Even allowing for understandable PR spin, a player is not going to speak out if he does not want to. The players know far more about MM than any of us. MM would be a loss in my book as there is no investment likely so any new manager will need to have MM's pedigree to attract decent loan signings and freebies. Too many on here are one dimensional in their criticism which devalues what they say. I will renew my season ticket not because the football is good but because I believe the club is far better than most in this league.
-5

bluey123 added 08:43 - Apr 4
McCarthy OUT NOW
4

gloucester_tractor added 08:54 - Apr 4
At Wolves on Saturday and a number of there fans said be careful what you wish for re Big Mac out was the worst thing they did .
He has the core of good team just needs a few more teaks and an injection of pace .
Yes Douglas was poor Saturday , I think Bru would have used Feeny more who was always looking for ball at feet
Let's see what the summer brings , Micks major disappointment is not finding the wide men who can stay fit and do the job he wants , we can't say he is not trying in that area







9

oldelsworthyfan added 09:02 - Apr 4
If we are content to stay in the Championship, probably in the top half of the table, playing dour, unimaginative football, then MM is our man.

I accept he has little or no money to spend and, from time to time, has brought in (or brought on) a few good younger players (Mings, Sears and Bishop for example), but there have been too few of these and too many '30 year old plus, players who have seen better days.

His continued selection of a suspect and complacent back four that have leaked far too many goals for us to be serious contenders for promotion has been baffling.

The continued selection of plodders like Douglas beggars belief.

All Managers have injury worries and MM has been unlucky with McGoldrick, Murphy and Bishop's long absence, but this is where Mr Evans should have helped - and he didn't.

All in all a disappointing season. Tommy Smith is deluded, he might have improved, but the team hasn't.
5

Penguinblue added 09:12 - Apr 4
I'd like to ask the players what they actually do in training, kick the ball hard and high?
We used to be fed the line that TC put on special shooting sessions, very little evidence of these on match day
3

tractorshark added 09:25 - Apr 4
Penguin blue, you really are a bore.
It's all just vitriol, with no constructive comment or reasoned argument.
I welcome other people's opinion, I'm happy to have a debate but you've got to have a semblance of rationality to do that.
You just come over as a spoilt three-year-old.
-10

ShropshireBluenago09 added 09:25 - Apr 4
Gloucester Tractor - on the fill side there are many Wolves fans that also say that he is one dimensional, stubborn and unable assemble an attacking team - as we are finding out.
6

Guthrum added 09:32 - Apr 4
'In or around the play-offs is all he's going to get us' - well that's better than any ITFC Manager since 2005 (even Magilton only managed the "around" part, never the "in").
-3

Penguinblue added 09:39 - Apr 4
Well tractorshark l accept that I see little good in MM. There is a hint that McCarthy could go and I'd do everything to encourage that (although I don't believe the AV story).
Please give me some pointers on constructive things about MM - other than saving us 3 years ago after two equally poor managers.
I desperately want to renew my season ticket but despair of what MM thinks passes for football. No pun there. I see kids playing better football than us at present.
Smith's comments are worrying as it appears the players are a bunch of yes men having any creative thoughts knocked out of them
10

WhoisJimmyJuan added 09:52 - Apr 4
I personally agree with Gloucester Tractor . One more season for MM for me after this. He has us in the right part of the table but playing the wrong way with the wrong players. It gets results up to a point but no enjoyment and this doesn't work unless you win all the time. But no one wants a relegation scrap either even 8f the football is nice. As Gloucester says: be careful what you wish for. If we could just start unearthing some nuggets from the youth team that would help.
2

Mr_Evans added 09:57 - Apr 4
As much as I like TS as he seems a nice guy, he is simply not good enough - people commenting that he's out most consistent and improved player are blinded and don't know a good footballer if it hit them in the face. We've conceded more goals than any other team in the top 10 - yet MM insists on player he same back four week after week; even with two CDM's infront of them! TS is an average Championship player at best, he does not know how to play the ball, he refuses to use his right foot, shys away from receiving a pass and his positioning is woeful. I look out for him in each highlight of a goal we conceded and a lot of the time it's because he has let his marker go. TS would not get in any other starting 11 of any of the teams above us - same goes with Luke Chambers.
2

muccletonjoe added 10:01 - Apr 4
There is no way mm will be going to villa. Wheather he stays here is another question.
2


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