Town boss Mick McCarthy has reiterated that he believes he has “done a very good job under the terms of conditions of how [he has] been asked to do it” since taking over at Portman Road four years ago and will "continue to do that".

QPR manager Ian Holloway made an impassioned defence of his Portman Road counterpart after the Blues’ 3-0 defeat of his side a fortnight ago, reminding the former Ireland boss’s detractors of where the Blues were when McCarthy took over and pointing out that he has been hampered by the sales of players such as Tyrone Mings and Daryl Murphy.

“He’s a football colleague of mine, but we don’t go out drinking together or anything,” McCarthy said of his relationship with Holloway. “We’re always pretty respectful me and Ollie.”

Told of Holloway’s comments, specifically his suggestion that it should be asked “why [Town] keep having to sell all [their] best players all the time”, McCarthy laughed: “The reason I’m laughing is just because Ollie’s asking it doesn’t mean to say I’m going to answer it to you. I’m not quite as green as I’m cabbage looking!”

However, he added that he believes he has done a good job in the circumstances of having had to make those sales along the way, even if he’s aware not everyone agrees with that view.

“At the Supporters Club AGM there was a little hostile reception for me at one point and I just told them, ‘I’ve done a really good job here and if at any stage they want to get me out, they can always get in the stand and sing’.

“But because I’ve done those things, because I’ve sold Murph, because I’ve sold Tyrone, because I’ve replaced them, because we’ve stayed competitive all the time, I’ve done a bloody good job. I’ve no problems with that at all.”

The Blues have finished sixth and seventh in the Championship in the last two seasons on comparatively tight budgets and McCarthy continues to insist he has no problem working within those restrictions.

“I’ve done a very good job under the terms and conditions of how I’ve been asked to do it and I’ll continue to do that,” he said.

What does he believe is currently holding back the Blues? Additional quality? Resources to fund it? “I guess it’s that or either another magician manager that can turn them all into wonderful players, better than I can, and they’ll go up the league and get promoted. That’s the options.”

Despite recently expressing his frustration that mitigating factors at opposition clubs, such as injuries or player exits, have been highlighted by the media more than similar problems at Town, McCarthy says he’s not one to make a big play of those types of issues.

“You [the media] give me a chance and a position and a profile to stamp my feet and pull my hair out and say, ‘It’s not fair, I wish I was doing something else…’” he added.

“Why? From day one when I’ve come in I’ve never changed what I’ve said which is probably unusual for managers, they change the mantra time and again, ‘Well, it’s this fault, it’s that fault…’.

“I’m holding myself responsible. Those are the players who are my players, the ones I’ve signed that I’ve got to do better with and make sure results are better. I’ve got to hold myself responsible as well as asking each and every individual to be responsible.”

Meanwhile, speaking yesterday ahead of today's game, Cardiff boss Neil Warnock echoed Holloway's thoughts on fans' criticism of McCarthy.

"I always think it’s like when people shout for Wenger’s head - be careful what you wish for," he said.

"If Ipswich were spending millions and millions I could understand the frustrations of their supporters.

"Mick's done a fabulous job working to a tight budget for years and he's kept them respectable.

"But they'll be crying for him until he goes, then someone else will come in and in six months they'll cry for him to go as well."

Photo: TWTD

MicksZzzTactics added 09:07 - Dec 10 'DELUSION OF GRANDEUR' .... at it's core! :-) Straight from an online Encyclopedia of Psychology: "A 'DELUSION OF GRANDEUR' is the fixed, false belief that one possesses superior qualities and is basically more important by far than they really are. It is most often a symptom of schizophrenia, but can also be a symptom found in psychotic or bipolar disorders. People with a 'DELUSION OF GRANDEUR' often have the conviction of having some great but unrecognized talent or insight, or they may believe they have made something great and important that others don't understand or appreciate." As for Mr. Warnock's & Colleagues' comments .... LOL!!! While those short and very very SUPERFICIAL comments are obviously not exactly "factual" incorrect , ehhhhmmm on the other -- and imho much much more important! -- hand they (Warnock & Colleagues) don't have to neither A) watch it .... in it's entirety!!! B) pay for it!!! or C) simply "live with it"!!! on a daily or weekly basis as US die-hard Ipswich fan have to, period!! And by "it" I naturally refer to the FUNDAMENTALLY: unequivocally boring, wimpy & hedgehoglike, dead-afraid-to-take the-field-going-for-the-win, thus basically Gung Ho about close 40 low-scoring or scoreless "excellent point" league draws, overall NEGATIVITY-laden too Hoof-susceptible + too few 'shots on taget'-susceptible prehistoric kind of football ..... week in and week out for OVER 4 loooong years !!!!!!!!!!!! .... and especially therefore I simply see their comments (and complete unconditional??? backing of) good old pal MM as predominantly little more than run-of-the-mill MISGUIDED "Collegial Loyalty"!!!!!!!!!!

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Woodbridgian added 09:07 - Dec 10 If you judge McCarthy by end of season league positions and win percentages only given the funds he's been given to work with and the support he's got from the owner then what he says has some merit. However I go to football to be entertained and his reign at the club has seen the most boring one dimensional football known to man. Hard to beat we may be dreadful to watch we most certainly are.

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Tractamatt added 09:13 - Dec 10 Sounds to me that if we don't get 3 points against Cardiff we will be looking for a new manager come Monday. Now our chairman doesn't spend money so we won't be looking at managers from other teams as that would mean having to pay a fee so it would mean a manager that was already unemployed wich doesn't leave much choice.
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Dissboyitfc added 09:14 - Dec 10 ITFC has NEVER! been able to compete with the big boys money wise. We were built on our reputation for nurturing home grown talent. MM doesn't give them a chance. I don't think i am alone in saying this, i would rather be playing our younger talent in there correct positions than the different class HAS BEENS or never beens who are nailed on to start every game regardless of form! I honestly believe our league position would be no worse and on a Saturday we could enjoy our passion for ITFC. It would be far more enjoyable! Other teams with less budget still play football, style of play is NOT down to budget! If it wasnt for Murphy's goals feat a couple of seasons ago we would have had nothing to cheer about in MM's entire time in charge, any team would have achieved the play-offs with his goals! MM out, NOW!

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casanovacrow added 09:15 - Dec 10 We have the best crop of youngsters in many years and he doesn't use them. No long term outlook, he said himself he goes game to game. As much as the guy has no money, and I feel Evans is a huge problem himself, Mick doesn't make the best use of what he's got, negative fullbacks and negative central midfield, then he wonders why we have a biblical goal drout this season. I would love Mick to snap out of his stubbornness, but he's from Yorkshire, aint gonna happen. We need him out before we loose the potential we have in coming through the academy

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Dissboyitfc added 09:18 - Dec 10 Marked Muccleton up by mistake, meant to be a down mark!
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:23 - Dec 10 totally agree that Evans isnt interested and that Mc Carthy has little or no financial backing AND COULD be deemed to have done ok to a point .HOWEVER,if Mc Carthy was ambitious he would have said ive done what i was brought in for [avoid relegation ] now i'll move on to a club that i can achieve things with,and have money to spend .He HASNT , he's s sat tight with his wage and fails to do anything else other than stay out of relegation spot[and he may well fail at that too ],and with mind numbing tactics as well,The fans deserve more. Both should go .

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runaround added 09:45 - Dec 10 No one is saying that finishes of 6th & 7th on a budget smaller than some although Milne does bang on about us being competitive on wages & in top quartile so unless he's lying, not as small as Mick likes to portray. The issue I have is the awful style of football & lack of entertainment. Teams with smaller budgets than ourselves play much better football so it's just about money, it's Mick's choice the selection & tactics. He's taken us as far as he can & fans have had enough of his style. If we can't compete financially at least we can try to entertain & bring through exciting young players. Fans will buy into that more than grinding out nils nils in games that don't have a lot in them

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BillBlue added 09:50 - Dec 10 Hell! I love me, who do you love! Mick, if you were half a man and are given no funds then, as a Football Manager, you would/should walk away Full Stop. But Phil why was he not questioned on this if you and other reporters were present? Why was he not asked about playing his favourite, out of form, players while leaving the obviously better, younger, players sitting on the bench or even worse. Why was he not questioned on playing people out of position for so long they can no longer play to their own standards? Why was he not questioned on introducing a steady stream of younger players (as we were all promised and gave our money away to a falsehood) when it just has not happened? Why does he always appear to substitute the wrong players at the wrong time? Why does he make no effort in the Cups which would add a bit of spice for the long trampled supporters? My opinion is that people in your position have a responsibility to ask these (and many more) questions instead of just reporting what is said? You have a responsibility to the once great club which is being slowly watered down to extinction.

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MicksZzzTactics added 09:58 - Dec 10 @BillBlue My sentiments exactly! Today's so far greatest & most *gutsy* post!
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RIPbobby added 10:00 - Dec 10 I have to say that mick is ruining the club's name. We used to be known as the little friendly club where the only crisis is when the board room runs out of wine. Now we are seen as a skinflint, boring club who just keep their heads above the water. We need to rekindle the 'give kids a chance' brand. If we have to get relegated to move us on then sobeit. Somebody needs to remind people at the club we were not so long ago European champions and feared across the land. At this moment in time we are just another team that plays in a league on a Saturday and a Tuesday.

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ipswich1992 added 10:04 - Dec 10 One good season in 4 years. Even then the standard of football was shocking. You were exactly what we needed four years ago and thanks for what you have done. But we are heading back to where we were 4 years ago. -and in four years the football has got worse and worse. Time to go you arrogant Dino!
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Miles added 10:04 - Dec 10 The problem we have is Evans came in and completely stabilised us as a club financially but hasn't given the same resources as to when he stated and it's difficult to compete with teams who have that spending power. MM has done as good as a job results wise as we could have expected with little to no funds along the way. Won't get us relegated and because of this and previous seasons results I think he deserves the chance to at least see the season out and then all can re evaluate then. Waiting till the end of the season is the right thing to do. I don't think a change of manager will get is promoted this year so let's keep the man until the summer and assess the current situation then at least. Is MM slightly arrogant? Possibly, but I don't really care. All managers have to have a bit of it and he has earned the right to be confident in the approach he delivers.

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rugbytomc added 10:05 - Dec 10 It's a frustrating time being a town fan as I think we're all searching for answers but really none of us quite know what the answer is. One thing I think we can agree on is the last 4 years the club have tried one direction(same manager, same style of play, same budget) and unfortunately we haven't gone up. So something needs to change. It could be as simple as one of those things or as drastic as all three. I believe MM should be given the money to buy a striker, the best we can attract at any cost because I believe they could in today's conditions be sold on for the same price if we took a gamble to go up and it failed. Like Burnley took a chance on Gray but not how derby took a chance on spending millions across the whole squad. If that fails then maybe a change in style of play is next-I know I preferred the passing style under Burley than I do the current style but right now I'd take victories and promotion over style

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patthegimp added 10:21 - Dec 10 MM is doing the best job he can with the players he has. He is on a tight budget and doesn't really have the players to play a fast passing game. Am I a MM apologist? No merely a realist but do have respect for manager and the team effort. COYB
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poldark added 10:24 - Dec 10 Evans doesn't pick the team or gives the team tactics he might have loans and freebies but this doesn't mean you play the most boring football in our history. Seems he has run out of ex players and team members to tell us all how wonderful he is McCarhty OUT
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braveblue added 10:47 - Dec 10 Great job. Just above relegation places after 4 years. Playing awful football. Crowds dwindling. People say he is constrained. Let's see if he starts with attacking midfielders today against a team at the bottom of the table. Just leave.
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howdonblue added 10:55 - Dec 10 McCarthy has done a good job with what he's had to work with Im good with that . However When he has continued playing systems that clearly don't work ( sears wide,Pitman leading the line ,Chambers at right back ) That's where he is guilty. I do feel that our board have to take the lions share of the blame such as when we sell our most effective striker (centre forward) and don't have an adequate replacement for 3 months along with selling Mings and letting Mick replace him with Knudsen who with the greatest respect to the man is woeful imo ! Selling high and scraping below the bottom of the bargain basement barrel! It's no wonder season ticket holders of 30 years plus are jacking them in

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howdonblue added 10:56 - Dec 10 Also Warnock keep your large conk out pal !
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Lightningboy added 11:35 - Dec 10 The problem Mick is not our finishing positions in the league under your management,it's the truly diabolical,sleep inducing non-style of football that you have dumped on us over the last 4 years. And it's only getting worse. Lack of money is a pi55 poor excuse for coaching players how to play half decent football.
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bressinghamblue added 11:40 - Dec 10 Mick is deluded. Today we will see an all-tine low crowd actually in the ground. It'll be announced as 15-15.5k but with the hordes of 'I'm bored' season ticket holders, we'll be lucky to have 10k actually there. My son and I, both season ticket holders for many years can no longer face Mick's dross. I hate Christmas shopping but thats what I'm doing today instead. Mick you have overstayed your welcome. GO.

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Bluetone added 12:14 - Dec 10 So there you have it MCCarthy has (in his opinion) "I've done a very good job" Or to put another way the arrogant dino thinks "it's not me is all them others".
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carlo88 added 12:15 - Dec 10 He makes some fair points. If the paying fans really are all fed up with him then they'd all start chanting him out, which isn't happening. We are always, if nothing else, competitive.
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Ipswichbusiness added 12:24 - Dec 10 When MM arrived we were bottom of the league and our defence just couldn't defend. He did an excellent job in that first season taking us up to 14th. However, 3.5 years later, we are 16th and just five points off the relegation slots. Is that progress? We are back in relegation trouble. If we lose today it will start looking very bad. Remember, this is now his squad. He is running out of excuses.

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grumpyoldman added 13:31 - Dec 10 Pettitt10 who has subsidizes this club to the tune of approx £8 million plus extra spent on academy? MM no, supporters no, Evans that's who. Again as I have stated, MM chooses the players to sign, the tactics, the players who play each match, when and who is substituted. The only thing Evans has made mistakes with is his choice of manager and when to change them. I want us to do well but have no faith in MM to do succeed. You have a different opinion and I respect that. If MM got the push there would be a long line of others applying for the job, and I feel sure a few could do better than MM

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