Town boss Mick McCarthy doesn’t expect to make significant changes to his squad but will bring in some new signings and will give on-loan youngsters such as Matt Clarke, who has spent the season with Portsmouth, a chance to prove themselves in pre-season.

“There’s still going to be 15 or 16 of the squad that’s around,” McCarthy said. “We will lose some, I’m saying that but that’s dependent on conversations with players in terms of what they want, what we can offer, what we want to do.

“There’s not going to be a massive change to it, but we do need to bring some fresh bodies in because it always gives it a lift and a bit of a spark for everybody.”

Clarke, 19, has spent the season with Pompey, while fellow centre-half Josh Yorwerth, 21, has been at Crawley for much of the season and U21s skipper Joe Robinson, another 19-year-old central defender, has recently been on loan with Vanarama National League side Woking.

“Certainly Clarkey’s done really well when we’ve had him watched and I thought that would be the case,” McCarthy said.

“We’ve watched Josh Yorwerth as well at Crawley in a different team. Portsmouth have been flying high so it’s easier to play in that side, but having said that if you’re a defender and you’re mid-table to bottom then you get plenty of work to do.

“I’ve seen Josh and he’s done OK, whether that’s going to give him the platform to be in our first-team or not I don’t know.

“But Clarkey, he’ll come back, we’ll take them back in pre-season and we’ll look at all of them that are been out on loan, the ones we’re thinking may well be [in next season’s squad].

“He has to come back in pre-season and make sure he’s fitter, stronger, looks the part, plays in the pre-season games.

“I won’t be doing any loaning him out before that. I want to see if he can play in the first team.”

In addition to youngsters Clarke, Yorwerth and Robinson, the more senior Cameron Stewart has spent much of the campaign at Doncaster, and is available for a permanent move despite having a year of his contract remaining, while Polish defender Piotr Malarczyk is with Southend until the end of the season.

Regarding Liam Feeney, who is on loan with the Blues from Bolton and is out of contract at the end of the season, and Kevin Foley, who signed a short-term deal until the end of the season, McCarthy says he will be speaking to them about their futures.

“Both of them have done well,” he said. “They’re both in the building and I’ll be having a conversation with them both.

“Both players though will have their own ideas on what they want, what they want to do, what they want to achieve and we’ll have our ideas as well. But both of them have done well, I’ve been pleased with them.”

Ben Pringle is on loan from Fulham for the remainder of the season and has another year left on his Cottagers deal.

Photo: Action Images

KuqiCoup added 06:53 - Apr 22 Well at least we should thank Mick for allowing some people to cancel their season tickets in advance. Given we are crying out for a creative midfielder (we cannot assume Bishop can play 46 games), a goalscorer (because none have done the business this year), wingers and a right back, it's clear we are in for another Chambers and Douglas filler season. I'd have personally kept Bart, Gerken, Knudsen, Smith, Chambers or Berra, Skuse, Bishop, Bru, Pitman or Murphy, McGoldrick and Sears from the senior players and got rid of Berra or Chambers, Malarcyk, Douglas, Tabb, Coke and Toure. Give the likes of Crowe, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Dozzell, Benyu, McDonnell and Patterson a chance and get 4-5 top end championship quality players. With no significant changes we are not getting anywhere near promotion. Another boring season of 10th - 14th beckons.

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BrettenhamBlue added 07:14 - Apr 22 Think Smith will almost certainly exit in the Summer or else he would have already signed the contract. Can't see Tabb here next year either. Mick has failed to point out though that we do actually need to make a significant sale at some point in the Summer. One of Mcgoldrick, Murphy or Sears is likely to go for a reasonable amount. We've got Digby, Malarcyk, Coke and Toure so should be a good season ahead. Bottom 6 unless we bring in some quality (like Fraser this year). How I wish we had the money to just sign Fraser and Williams. It would sort out so many issues.

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KuqiCoup added 07:14 - Apr 22 I'll clarify by saying we need a top striker. Murphy has struggled with injuries and was never prolific before last year. He's also 33/34. Sears cannot be relied on for goals as he's struggled too but I think he will come good. He works too hard not to get chances. Didz is good for 3 months a season now it seems. Despite a few goals I haven't taken to Pitman. Moans, doesn't do enough off the ball and ineffective unless he's playing against tired legs. Must also be on a good whack so I'd let him leave in the summer because Mick won't pay good money / wages when we have theses four and there's nothing to suggest these four will be good enough / fit enough for a promotion chasing side.

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footyblue added 07:28 - Apr 22 what we need is to play some fecking football and no matter how much money you spend I can't see this happening under MM he could spend £10 million but they might just hoof it harder
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Steelmonkey added 07:30 - Apr 22 Can you actually see where the team needs strengthening! Do you really care! As a supporter I support the team, but I can't condone the tactics you employ MM. I think we can all see why you had to leave WW, you've run out of ideas, and have no thoughts on how to sort this mess out. Stop trying to play the % game.
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footyblue added 07:34 - Apr 22 Problem with things as we are we haven't created chanced for the strikers Freddie scored 4/5 early on when he played up top on the shoulder of the last defender but then he gets shoved out wide and to me done a decent job but his goalscoring has been wasted obviously as he scored 21/22 goals last season. Pitman needs the ball at his feet as he is a footballer doesn't want it lumped up to him. Problem with Murphy has been that he has won filick ons but with Sears out wide he hasnt been as far up the field and no one else goes past Murphy so the ball just comes back

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MickMillsTash added 07:47 - Apr 22 Really hoped that some money may have been invested this summer but that door seems to be have been shut. There are not too many teams who have been in the top 6 in the last 10 years whose squad has cost 500K£.
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TR11BLU added 07:53 - Apr 22 Sick of hearing you now....pi$$ off
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muccletonjoe added 07:58 - Apr 22 Team needs major overhaul. Particularly midfield . We have bish , mcdonnell and dozzell but they are not rwady for a full league season. Up front we can not go into another season with murphy and pitman. Defence may benefit from clarke returning . Having not seen him all season that remains to be seen. Without a minimum of 5 champiobship class players coming in we will be bottom 6 or lower . No doubt in my mind about that - just look at our last dozen games this season. It should leave no one in any doubt about that.

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Mick_Mills_Tache added 08:12 - Apr 22 Bit late for April Fools aren't we? Or is Mick just taking us for one? Douglas, Tabb, Coke and Toure all need to leave. We need a decent right back, a creative midfielder, a left winger so Sears can actually play in his position (he's a goal scorer but he's not going to score many constantly track back on the left!), a right winger, maybe another striker and another manager. Pitman can score goals, he's proved that at Bournemouth, but he's useless when the ball is constantly humped up to him - he needs it to feet. Didz is quality but the football seems to interrupt his time in the treatment room. Murphy isn't prolific and last season was a freak season. Should've taken the £4m reportedly offered by Boro. Sears is a goal scorer but is wasted on the left. I can understand maybe playing ONE defensive mid but Douglas is third in line there behind Skuse and Hyam. If Teddy can stay fit then he has to be first name on the sheet but can he play 46+ games? No. We need to nail Smith down. Been our best defender this season and pre-season we should be looking at pairing him and Chambers up in the centre. But can Chambers play CB anymore seeing as he's played RB for the last 3/4 years? If we don't drastically improve our squad we're looking at bottom half next season. We've taken near enough the same number of points as Fulham, Blackburn and Forest have since 1st Jan (half a season) and taken less than Bristol and Rotherham. They're teams all in the bottom 8. With 3 of the 6 teams in the top 6 missing out and potentially two of Sunderland, Newcastle or Norwich coming down, next season will be even tougher. I dread to think how bad the scoreline will be if the Budgies come down..!

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martin587 added 08:19 - Apr 22 Surprise,surprise.No investment,no commitment from the owner,same dire football to look forward to next season.Mid table finish if wer'e lucky.I'm lost for words.
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parkinshair added 08:33 - Apr 22 Oh dear. Mick gave the same spin last year about pre season and everyone getting a chance yet you know damn well he will stick to the same old "magnificent" back four. There are always a good few youngsters who really catch the eye pre season but you seldom see them even make the bench. Would love to have seen Cameron Stewart given more of a chance. He was our marquee signing that summer but He had a couple of injuries then obviously upset Mick and was put into exile. Just can't see the incentive for some of these players doomed to languish in the pergatory that is the Kennedy crew. What's more I can see a long summer of fiddling about whilst other clubs around us indentify and sign but you kind of take that as a given with us anyway.

7

Bob7881 added 08:52 - Apr 22 Very sad times indeed just goes to show he's happy to pick up his fat salary I am sure he's the highest paid member of staff. Sorry all the optimism about young Dozzell will put a lot of pressure on the lad not good at his age. Any Manager in the game with his so called standing would walk with the lack of investment he has been given. I can't wait for his contract to run down. Sorry guys prepare yourself for a long boring painful next season. RIP ITFC

8

martin587 added 09:12 - Apr 22 He's waiting for the Rep Ireland job after the Euro's,so one more season here will do him nicely I feel. 😡
2

cornishblu added 09:18 - Apr 22 what we need to see is young talent from lower leagues come in...hungry, happy with a lift in wages and eager to prove themselves....freddie Sears, Tyrone Mings etc ....what we have however is Mick spending vast sums on wages to journey men already past their best , filling in space on the pitch that youngsters should be given the chance ....the message is consistent and clear...if we have a team that looks passionate we will beleive results will come and therefore are patient.....Mick you have lost our goodwill as you have tried our patience and wasted money on wages that ironically will mean this year having to sell one of our best players or cash in on our youngsters...look around you Freddie apart ,none of your signings have sell on ability....you bring in the wrong players....so to tell us we will have the same squad brings us no optimisim ....to bring in one or two signings no excitement as we know what mould they will be in COYB

6

ThailandBlue added 09:26 - Apr 22 Will we ever have a decent team to push for promotion.
3

essextractorboy93 added 09:27 - Apr 22 Most will read too much into these comments. He isn't exactly going to say to the media he wants X amount of players. Mick keeps things under the radar unlike the circus we had with Jewell and Keane. Of course though some people will try and make a big deal out of everything and believe every word and criticise everything they can.
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brittaniaman added 09:39 - Apr 22 Bob7881 MM.will carry on collecting his fat salary father next 3yrs. he knows he is on a good thing here, why Evans extended his contract in Jan. is beyond belief ??? that in a way is sack proof ? because Evans will never pay out huge money to get rid of MM. How ever good or bad he is.???? We cannot see Evans putting big money in to this club again, although Milne keeps saying there is money available, it is anybody guess where the funds are, certainly not in the Portman Rd safe. ???

6

12th_Man added 09:51 - Apr 22 Another quite summer zzz
2

brian_a_mul added 09:53 - Apr 22 We have good young players waiting in the wings. Clarke is ready for first team duty I feel. With Toure, Coke, Douggie and Tabb likely to move on it frees us squad spaces for youngsters likes of Dozzell, McDonnell and Benyu. Malaryck may have to move on, he hasnt really progressed and Digby, Clarke and maybe Yorwerth may be better prospects for us. I have to say I am feeling excited with the the youngsters we now have ready to step up to first team duties! I have a feeling the club have been waiting for this group to come along. Pity the damage Keano did to our youth system all them years ago.

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PortmanTerrorist added 09:56 - Apr 22 Most of what MM is saying is logical and sensible stuff from an old hand. However, and am not even sure myself how he is doing this, but every new utterance seems to come across as him losing more and more touch with what the supporters of the Club want to hear. MM is a good manager, occasionally great, but right now he needs to get lucky (Man U/Rashford) as without some extraordinary talent coming through the youth system, the football will remain tired and cannot see MM, even with ME's backing, making it to Xmas if we start next season playing the same appalling style of football......regardless of results.

2

Churchmanschild added 10:04 - Apr 22 Amazes me how they expect people to keep coming to watch that dire football served up! And what great things to look forward to........more of the same!!
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MattinLondon added 10:10 - Apr 22 I suppose we will have to brace ourselves for bids from clubs for our premier league class players such as Skuse and Chambers….or maybe not.
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Mick_Mills_Tache added 10:11 - Apr 22 If he honestly thinks that the squad we have is anywhere near good enough for the playoffs, let alone, promotion is seriously worrying.
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Mick_Mills_Tache added 10:12 - Apr 22 Comma should be after promotion. I had a brain fart.
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