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McCarthy: Up to Us to Win Back Fans
Saturday, 6th Aug 2016 06:00

Blues boss Mick McCarthy accepts it’s down to him and his players to win back stay away fans with their performances at Portman Road during the season ahead.

Town’s season ticket sales are down 1,000 on the same point last year to around 12,000 after what McCarthy admits was a disappointing home campaign last year, despite the Blues ultimately finishing in seventh.

“It takes a lot to earn their money and to hand it over to a football club is another thing altogether,” said the Town manager, whose side is expected to be watched by a crowd of 17,000 or 18,000 when they take on Barnsley in this season's opening fixture at Portman Road this afternoon.

“It is up to us, of course it is. It’s our performances that determine it. And they were a bit flat, the home performances especially, which was unusual because in the years before it’s always been a bit of a fortress here, we were excellent.

“But each season’s different, so let’s hope it’s another excellent season at home for us.”

He added: “We want to win games, we want 20,000-plus in here, we want to entertain them, we want to score goals and we want to bring them back in.

“If we’ve got that in here because we’re doing it, they’ll come away and watch us anyway. That consistency, home and away wins. We need them both.”

McCarthy has aimed to get his side playing more attractive football during pre-season while retaining the many of their previous attributes.

“Still the same, kill the opposition, stop them playing, play the way we want to play,” he said.

“If you set off with just the intention that we’re just going to play and it’s going to be, ‘Oh well, we’ll play and they’ll let us play’, then that ain’t going to work.

“So, stop them playing first and foremost and then inflict what we want to do on them. And that’s never changed.

“Out-work them, out-scrap them, out-fight them. If we can do that we’ve got a better chance of winning.”

He added: “We will look at the opposition, how they play, what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are, freekicks, corners, as we always do. But we’ll attempt to play the way we want to play.”

The Town boss is hoping to begin the season in a positive manner: “A good start is important. We’ve got a home game against a team that’s been promoted and we were seventh and were trying to get out of the other end of the league.

“We need to put our marker down. We need to put a stamp down and let’s see if we can.

“It’s not going to be easy because there are no easy games, we saw last year. You think of the three teams that went down, Bolton, Charlton and the MK Dons, I can’t remember having an easy game against any of those.”

Regarding the Blues’ undistinguished pre-season friendly campaign in which they lost to Barnet and Belgian second division side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and drew with Cambridge and Charlton, he said: “I’m not bothered about the pre-season at all. We’ve tried to adapt and change a little bit and be a bit more considered and subtle with the ball and I think we have.

“I thought we were excellent for 70 minutes against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise but we gave two awful goals away.

“I came off and I was raging and shouldn’t have been because we should have beaten them by about four.”

Meanwhile, former Blue Kevin Foley, 31, has joined Charlton Athletic on a deal to January following a trial.

Elsewhere, Fulham beat Newcastle United in the Championship's first game of the season at Craven Cottage last night, Matt Smith scoring the winning goal just before half-time.


Photo: Action Images



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planetblue_2011 added 06:24 - Aug 6
We need to play a passing game which can hopefully create a lot of goals for the season ahead.
COYB a 2.0 win for us today👍🏻⚽️
2

muccletonjoe added 06:49 - Aug 6
The players we have in the squad are more than capable of playing attractive football and maybe the biggest worry we have is the defence making silly mistakes.
5

Keaneish added 06:50 - Aug 6
"Still the same, kill the opposition, stop them playing, play the way we want to play,” he said.

Nothing has changed. Same scrappy, defence first mentality. Boring first half feeling each other out. Please tell me a game where we have ever "killed the opposition". Boro came here last season and played the way they wanted to play which killed us. What's wrong with that approach? This man is as predictable as he is boring.

9

happybeingblue added 07:13 - Aug 6
cheapest adult ticket £27.50 i still believe this is the main reason fans stay away, a day trip to africa alive is £20 so put that into comparison 90 mins or a whole day out, FOOTBALL WILL EAT ITSELF and as for the premier league the fees being paid out are absurd, all the £ clubs make and still no thought for the fans.
25

cats_whiskers added 07:16 - Aug 6
I have to agree with "keaneish"
McCarthy tends to set the side up to play and to hopefully just nullify the opposition, (sigh)

We have unfortunately heard this talk from McCarthy before, and I for one have become immuned to it as he says one thing and does the complete opposite.
He owes the fans big time,
having to endure the mediocrity that they have had to suffer in previous performances.
7

Dissboyitfc added 07:29 - Aug 6
Muccletonjoe... my concern is the lack of goals.
1

muccletonjoe added 07:41 - Aug 6
Dissboy.. lets hope the 2 new signings this week can go some way toward solving that issue. I certainly hope so.
4

Surco72 added 07:44 - Aug 6
Don't agree with and never will on MMs footballing philosophies as I believe the foremost thought should be taking control imposing your style of play on the opposing team rather than stop them , tackle them hard and try and nick one .
I don't agree with his team selection a lot of times leaving more creative players on the bench or out of position for very average workers who run hard .

That said I have woken up like an excited teenager to a house full of excited children about the start of the season and will be fully behind the Town , heres to a good season
4

MarkFish added 08:02 - Aug 6
Hoof
Enjoy today guys and if we do complete more than 4 passes in the oppostions half i will eat a rhino.
-8

Mullet added 08:09 - Aug 6
It's definitely McCarthy that's stubborn.
5

BlueHennee added 08:13 - Aug 6
Surco72 agree - you sound like someone I know - you're not in Birmingham are you? Not quite so excited as usual as MM lost me after the Rotherhsm debacle toward the end of last season. Defence still annoys me with RB choice & MMs subs & team selection more often from the Roy Hodgson school of football mis-management. Pleased to see Newcastle loose - only cos I have had to endure my other half crowing all pre-season about how many new players they've bought! Fair Play rules! Can anyone tell me what's fair about Premiership teams being relegated and then still getting shed loads of parachute money?? Surely it should be written into a players contract that if they get relegated their wages revert to championship levels? After all, they're all premiership players still so that should be advantage enough. The payments they all get would be better spread out among the remaining championship clubs to give them a boost - NOW we're talking more level playing field! Anyway, never gonna happen. Still, COYB!
3

pennblue added 08:18 - Aug 6
Whilst we would all love to see free flowing attacking football, ala Robson years (which we now believe is the Ipswich way). I just can't see that being effective with the squad of players we have. MM style of play may not be everyones cup of tea, but it is effective, and does get results, you just have to look at the table to see that. MM has stabilised this club, is a good leader and has done it all on a shoe string, and I think he deserves respect for this. He IS bringing youngsters through, and has expressed a desire to play more football. I would be far more concerned if he just ditched all the footballing principles that have got him the track record he has, just to keep the fans happy.

We came 7th last season, and we came 6th the season before that. That is a huge achievement given the budget he has compared to the relegated premier league teams.
2

Devereuxxx added 08:33 - Aug 6
I must be in the minority here, but I don't believe MM owes the fans anything.

His job is to win games of football, and its his prerogative to do that in any way he sees fit. And despite a lot of people giving him a slot of stick, he's still led us to 6th and 7th the last 2 seasons, which in comparison with the other squads in and around the playoffs, especially looking at the money spent, is a minor miracle.
6

joepublic added 08:41 - Aug 6
Today I'm looking forward to seeing Bishop terrorise the Barnsley. Sears in his proper role up top. Our new signings get some playing time. Webster playing the ball out from the back!! Maybe some time on the pitch from Dozzel (one of the brightest talents from our youth team in ages)

Above all a win and a catch up with friends and supports at the ground.

COYB
1

Brownie added 08:41 - Aug 6
I suggest that contrary to some comments on this site MM is known for making the best of what he has;our position over the last few years under him shows that.

His challenge now is to do that - i.e play the young,attack minded,creative players with now have - and mix them up to keep them fresh,WIN & entertain.

I think he deserves the chance to try and do that with our support. I just hope I am as positive at 4.50pm...
3

PremierBlue added 08:46 - Aug 6
“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

What do you instill in your soldiers Mick?
1

BlueandTruesince82 added 08:59 - Aug 6
I don't give a flying one if we play pretty ballerina football I just want a WIN.

COYB
3

truthhurts added 09:01 - Aug 6
The first game of the season is upon us. Traditionally that time of year where every football fan up and down the country starts to get excited.

That was me for these back 20 years or so.

Not today

First time in those 20 years i've given up my season ticket.

Cheers Mick
6

terryf added 09:05 - Aug 6
It's a catch 22, yeah we all want to win but on the basis that only 3 Teams can be promoted I'd settle for something called ENTERTAINMENT!!
I can't recall many games last season where I came away thinking that was a great match.
Teams like Bournemouth and Swansea haven't done too badly playing entertaining football. Unfortunately playing that type of game doesn't rest easy with M M.
8

Dwillams57 added 09:10 - Aug 6
Would like to wish Ipswich all the best for the coming season. Sadly after going to port man road for over 40 years we decided not to renew our seats this year for a number of reasons mainly because of the poor entertainment last year. Hopefully for all you fans who decided to renew it will be a much better season. I shall be thinking of you all at 3pm. They are still my team and always will be
7

dirtydingusmagee added 09:23 - Aug 6
i agree MM has done well with the players he has,on the budget he has however,i dont believe that will ever get us promoted,which i assume everyone hopes for.If we are not going to be promoted because of how it is ,at least lets get some value for our money by playing football worth watching.The club seems to put more faith in the pies to get fans in. I wont return to stands if things carry on same as last season .With little in way of squad improvement and continued faith in MMs stubborn management i doubt i'll be back anytime soon .
5

Penguinblue added 10:10 - Aug 6
McCarthy is entirely responsible for the negative, defensive, tedious hoofball Ipswich have become plagued with. I don't believe he can change - it's all he knows.
Obviously we all want Town to do well and start playing but that's unlikely under McCarthy and his hoofball favourites.
The sooner he goes the better
3

TimmyH added 10:17 - Aug 6
Yawn!...more spin from McCarthy, it's up to YOU and your coaching staff. Personally I don't believe you can teach an old dog new tricks!
3

htb added 10:33 - Aug 6
I gave up my season ticket due to the very poor style of football being played. I will be at the game today going more with hope than expectation. I hope MM assertions that he wants to entertain the fans is not just words otherwise can't see myself going regularly this season. Will give him the benefit of the doubt and hope to see much better football this season COYB
2

gibbo added 11:16 - Aug 6
My betting is we play 4321, both new wingers on bench and if plan a doesn't work it will be 4321 with one or both new wingers playing centre midfield
3


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