Town boss Mick McCarthy said he fully understood why fans vented their frustrations during the Blues’ 2-2 home draw with Rotherham, admitting that he’s “disappointed” by his own performance at present and that his team aren’t getting the results he believes they should.

“I was disappointed with the second half, but I wasn’t disappointed with the first half at all,” McCarthy said reflecting on the game. “I thought we played some good football and we created some good chances.

“But we gave a goal away. I say we gave a goal away, they scored by keeping on top of us, fair play to them.

“We didn’t clear it enough for us to push up and Chambo had been knocked to the ground and played them onside by virtue of being there.

“And I thought in the first half we did well. In the second, we never got a chance because we conceded that goal from a Keystone Cops moment.

"Two centre-backs collided with each other and it was just hooked in the net and we never got a chance to replicate the first half because we were 2-1 down.

“We were nervous and cautious and they could sit back and protect their goal and try and catch us on the break which, of course, happened. Thankfully they didn’t catch us on the break.

“But we kept going, that’s probably the biggest thing we could get out of it was that we kept going and if you’re ever looking for a point in a season when you want something to turn your bad moment around, maybe that’s it, a bit of luck, but a wonderful strike from a really good player, who it’s nice to have back.”

Regarding Christophe Berra and Adam Webster’s collision which led to Danny Ward’s second goal, he continued: “When things are tough and things aren’t going your way you have uncharacteristic moments unfortunately, that’s what costs you. But they have been different class the pair of them.

“The positive is that we got something, we kept going right to the very end, to the bitter end. Didzy’s had his 90 minutes and played well and it might be that one point which turns it around for us.

He added: “That’s not lucky, that’s a wonderful strike. He saved the bacon today, Didzy.

“He was fine in terms of his fitness, no problems with him physically, he was great and I think he must be because he struck that ball.

“If you’re knackered there’s no way he would have struck that ball as cleanly as he did, great technique.”

Regarding Rotherham, now under Kenny Jackett’s management, he said: “I was under no illusions that Kenny’s team would come here and be anything other than pretty tough and hard to break down, although we scored two against them, against that tough and hard to break down.

“And they are scrapping for their lives. Four years ago, Birmingham away, we had seven points, we go there and win 1-0. We managed to hold onto it and it made a big difference to us.

“I don’t see their team and see a whole load of bad players and think they’re a relegation side by any stretch of the imagination.”

McCarthy was asked about the “boos and jeers” towards the end with fans in the Sir Bobby Robson Stand chanting, ‘Mick McCarthy, your football is s–‘,

“That’s an understatement, that’s putting it politely, ‘Quite a few boos and jeers at the end’,” he said.

“We didn’t play well, I fully understand it. I’ve enjoyed probably three years and nine months, almost four years, of relative success here and people think I’ve been doing a good job and people were saying the other things, ‘Super Mick’, ‘Mick McCarthy, isn’t it great?’.

“It’s just tough at the minute for all of us, but I treat them both as impostors. I prefer the nice ones, but even that, I don’t get carried away with that and I don’t get carried away with being booed and jeered either.

“I and the players will continue to work to try and turn the season around and I’m hoping that the point today, as disappointing as it seems that we haven’t got three, it might just be the positive point.”

He says he’d much prefer it if there was a more positive feel around Portman Road rather than frustrated chants from fans but says it doesn’t get to him.

“Do I like them? No, I prefer a good atmosphere,” he said. “I prefer a good atmosphere around the club, the training ground - although the training ground’s a great atmosphere - but the town, the grounds, the matches.

“I much prefer a nice atmosphere but there’s only us that can create that by playing better and winning games.

“Quite clearly there’s an opinion about the way I play football today, but the only way I’ll [change] that is by winning games.

“And when we were winning and we finished in the top six, there were no complaints. I didn't hear [any complaints]. Generally you don’t if you’re winning.

“Does it bother me in terms of being shouted at? No, it doesn’t. But it bothers me because I am disappointed in my own performance at the moment that we’re not getting the results that I think we should with the team I’ve got.”

Much of the criticism aimed at McCarthy by his detractors has related to him fielding sides which they view as not particularly attacking and long-ball in their approach, but he says those accusations couldn't have been made about today's line-up.

“I’ve seldom changed but over the four years, that's not been the case, nobody’s really levelled that at me, maybe a bit last year,” he said.

“Some of my detractors, there are detractors giving all sorts of opinions about me at the minute.

“With Tom Lawrence, Wardy, Freddie, Didz, Bish, I don’t know what we’re go and do other than try and play football, to be honest with you.”

He added: “David McGoldrick has been injured for 12 weeks, Pits is injured for 10 weeks, Bish has not been fit, he’s just coming back fit now. Jonny Williams is just about getting fit. Reg Varney has been injured.

“It’s almost like I’m keeping all of them out. Do I go around and injure them all to keep them out of the team, my good sexy players, who can play football? No.

"Come on, give me a bit of credit for that. The more players you’ve got like David McGoldrick fully fit, we’re a better team.”

McCarthy was pleased with left-back Myles Kenlock, who was making his first appearance this season in place of the injured Jonas Knudsen: “Myles played well, I’m delighted with him. I didn’t take him off for any other reason but for moving to three at the back and putting players forward.

“A great decision that, wasn’t it? I take something out of it that it worked. Everyone can say it’s lucky. Or is it that we’ve got players in forward positions and it’s ended up dropping to one of them. Myles was good, I was pleased with him, very pleased.”

On Jonathan Douglas’s omission from the 18, he said: “Jonathan Douglas isn’t injured, I just left him out. That was the team I wanted to play, that strangely defensive team I wanted to play to play s-– football, that’s why I did it.”

Rotherham manager Kenny Jackett was disappointed not to come away with the win but said that point was a step in the right direction for the Millers.

“Football is a cruel game,” he said. “It was a terrific strike from David McGoldrick. We spent the last 15 minutes trying to get one of my midfield players to man mark him because I know if the ball does drop - although it was outside the box - inside the box invariably he’s going to hit the target.

“It was a terrific strike and obviously deflating for us, particularly for the players as they’d worked so hard.

“That’s two late goals in the last two weeks. We’re close anyway, sometimes close isn’t enough, but the bit that we have to find to be a successful team is there.

“I think we’re very competitive, certain things we need to improve on but we’re certainly working hard enough and making it difficult for teams and looking like a goal threat, which are pluses that we can build on.

“They’ve had a run of defeats, before today seven away defeats on the spin, so although it should have been three points and we’re desperately disappointed, it does stop the rot of defeats and gives the players a point to build on.”

Photo: TWTD

DurhamTownFan added 19:13 - Oct 29 Stop bloody going on about four bloody years ago! It's here and it's now, no it stinks.
27

DurhamTownFan added 19:14 - Oct 29 And*
2

blue75 added 19:14 - Oct 29 If you understand us you'd have left by now!!!!
24

jas0999 added 19:16 - Oct 29 There no excuses. This, along with the past twelve months, has been terrible. Uninspiring, boring football. Little entertainment. Low quality players. Poor results. Evans and McCarthy must share the blame, but Mick must go.
34

multiplescoregasms added 19:17 - Oct 29 Some old same old Dino. Do us all a favour and just go.
25

Lightningboy added 19:23 - Oct 29 McCarthy would prefer more positivity around Portman Road? - well Mick,the way crowds are falling it'll only be you and TC at the games before long,so you'll have to provide all the positivity yourself. And don't kid yourself that you've been some sort of messiah over the last 4 years (or 3 years & 9 months as you like to put it)..Murphy's goals papered over the average football that scraped us into the play-offs..since then the standard has been fairly abysmal. Deluded.

36

Bluetone added 19:26 - Oct 29 Dino wont resign 'cos it will cost him money Evans wont sack him 'cos it will cost him money. So that's us up sh1t and no paddle.
17

martin587 added 19:31 - Oct 29 Devoid of any idea now and well past your sell by date.
14

Kesgraveblue57 added 19:32 - Oct 29 McCarthy you don't know how the fans feel but I'll tell you, you're boring, your football is boring you're a man without honour we don't want you here anymore just go, you are destroying our club single-handed you are totally responsible.
17

prebsa added 19:34 - Oct 29 Couldent care less what he thinks or feels! Just want him gone!
22

jjhbruno added 19:37 - Oct 29 What a sorry state of affairs our club is in and has been for far too long that I care not to remember. I really thought that the day Evans bought the club we were on a winner. Little did I know it would be the worst period in itfc club history. Bored of being disappointed
24

brittaniaman added 19:39 - Oct 29 OH WELL THAT IS IT THEN,, He is not going !!!!!
5

braveblue added 19:40 - Oct 29 He is so arrogant towards the fans. The comments at the end re Douglas are ridiculous. He played a back four plus his pet Skuse who sat and watched the game. Bishop has been fir since May. Still using as an excuse. Why not bring Williams on for Skuse?
21

phillo added 19:41 - Oct 29 Two things spring to mind re all that from Mick: Firstly - so having played and defended Douglas continually - despite sustained criticism - saying "he's the best we have", "he's the right solution" etc etc ..... suddenly he's not even on the bench !!! Now I'm m not a fan of "Skuglas" as a partnership but if you think it's the right thing for as long as Mick has & to defend that decision continually - as you should if you think you are right & have some sort moral fibre - to suddenly completely change your mind - and claim somehow it's all your plan - smacks of major desperation, not knowing exactly what you are doing & complete lack of any integrity at all !!! (before Mick lovers jump do an my throat - yes I am glad he did it .... but from guaranteed starter to out if the he squad in one week ..... really ?!??!) Secondly - if you "understand" fans frustration Mick for the love of god do something about it !!!! GO !!!!

18

Mark added 19:41 - Oct 29 I thought it was a good attacking line up, but perhaps we are just not used to playing like that! We had a great start, but after Sears goal just stopped playing for quite a while. We grew more and more into it first half, but second half were just awful, particularly the first 15 minutes when Rotherham were on top. Rotherham...a team with 2 points all season!! Very poor. Positives - Starting two strikers, who both went onto score. McGoldrick quality first half. Webster's forward runs really add something, I like him a lot. Sears first half runs and overall work rate very good. Kenlock really good first half. Negatives - Just about everything second half. Chambers not getting forward like a full-back should. Ward looking poor value for money. Lawrence not making the impact his skill warrants. We can't use money as an excuse today. Ian Milne said we pay "top quartile" wages, yet we fail to beat a team who really do work on a shoestring, Rotherham. When Best and Ward were there last season they were part of their resurgence, and it is a worry if our coaching staff are not getting the best out of players.

11

Guessblue added 19:44 - Oct 29 Mick, thank you for all you have done in the past,, but your out of touch with reality, and its time for a change at Portman Road
13

Wonky added 19:45 - Oct 29 Actually there was (if not complaints), disquiet about our inability to hold the ball, even when we were near the top. Mick repeatedly trots this out when it's been obvious to everyone for years that our one dimensional style restricts our progress.
20

ChrisFelix added 19:47 - Oct 29 A good attacking team today, but feel should have started with Best. A target man was all that was missing
2

hoppy added 19:47 - Oct 29 Friday 28th October: "Town boss Mick McCarthy admits that Saturday's home game against bottom-of-the-table Rotherham United is a match that the Blues have to win." Saturday 29th October: Oops... Friday 4th November: "Town boss Mick McCarthy admits that Saturday's away game against 7th placed Sheffield Wednesday is a match that the Blues definitely need to get something out of...." Saturday 5th November - one to remember, or try to forget?

5

Karlosfandangal added 19:53 - Oct 29 Well guys face facts football is dead really Look at your Newcastle and Norwich of these world far more money than town and next year the teams coming down will have even more money to spend. Man U spend £89 million on Pogba and then gave his agent £24 million........ town can never compeate so a change of manager will not make a difference to town in getting in the prem. Best we can hope for is a new manager who wants to play entertaining football and if you want a team who will play champions league etc is to go support a team that are already there. Stop wasting you money on over paid footballers and spend it on living your life

11

TractorBoy666 added 19:57 - Oct 29 I swear this bloke comes out with the same quotes regarding injuries. Get in players that aren't injury prone then you clown. And stop going on about 4 years ago, your kind of football works for a small amount of time and then you get found out and can't adjust to play a different way after making a side difficult to beat. You've done your job of keeping us up and I'm thankful for that like most other fans, but your time was up a long time ago.

14

warwickblue added 19:59 - Oct 29 McCarthy, as I've said before, you do not fully understand the fans' frustration otherwise I would still have my season ticket and you wouldn't have your job.
25

Woodbridgian added 20:05 - Oct 29 4 years of MM and we're gone full circle ! Today was a replay of the end of the Jewells time at the club, clueless, hopeless and gutless football. If MM understood the fans frustrations he'd stop the arrogant sh*t he keeps coming out with and admit he's got it wrong. He did a great job when he came in and punched above our weight to get to the playoffs, so thanks for the memories Mick but it time to go. Evan's hasn't supported him either so he needs to decide if he has any ambition left, if so he needs so back a new manager if not he needs to get out. Simple as !

23

jonnysuave added 20:16 - Oct 29 MM really doesn't like fans and certainly not criticism from them to the point where he reacts in a way that is detrimental to results. Can't think that he's ever entertained wherever he's been and we shouldn't be surprised what has happened here. It's just that we as fans who are lucky to have been to have been around when Robson managed (and a few good years under Burley) feel we deserve better. He tried to play against the grain today but as Mick Mills said the team have been over coached and none of the players are willing to create the magic required. It has to end now, negativity is ingrained, it will only get worse. Mick do the decent thing, the club and its fans (yes, we are important) deserve better.

24

dirtydingusmagee added 20:28 - Oct 29 Unfortunately, the reason McCarthy is still the manager and will remain so is that there are still fans that want him out going to the matches, the best thing they can do is treat themselves or loved one to a nice day out or a meal or something instead of wasting it on Saturday at Portman Road,15000 gate today was low but flatters Evans and McCarthy,boycot matches ,All the chanting and booing means sod all, all you get is bulls##t spewed out by a manager who is in total denial .

23

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls