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

sereneblue added 13:49 - Dec 10 You want to be careful you don't disappear up your own ar*e, you arrogant tw*t
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TimmyH added 15:34 - Dec 10 Still your the problem McCarthy, your management style overrides financal problems I believe, yes we've 'been competitive' as you put it but not this season, anyway what does that mean?...yery unambitious from the club if that's the case. Clubs have been promoted from this division without spending too much i.e. Watford, Palace, Burnley etc. - it can be done but not by you.

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TimmyH added 15:43 - Dec 10 @cats whiskers - totally agree with your post, McCarthy I should think is comfortably the biggest earner on the ITFC payroll and thus content with his position/contract extension from a club lacking in ambition and content to be 'competive' - real shame for the supporters!
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johnabruzzi added 17:10 - Dec 10 How short sighted and foolhardy can the town supporters be who are calling for Micks head. It's the crook with no money behind him that's the problem. If Mick gets sacked, Ipswich do not have the finances to invest in a good quality manager and we'll be in League 1 before you know it. Mick is doing great job given the circumstances.
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VulpineBlue added 17:10 - Dec 10 In other words 'this is as good as it's going to get'. Fans have serious decisions to make.
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Daleyitfc added 17:37 - Dec 10 I agree with those who are questioning the lack of tough questions from local journalists of all types : the sycophantic attitude of Radio Suffolk towards McCarthy has me reaching for a bucket every time I listen to any of their football programmes. with the gut-wrenching Life's a Pitch being the most extreme example of this sucking up from all concerned, and Brenner Wooley's interviews a close second ; clearly the club has told Suffolk that ANY negative reporting will see them lose the contract for broadcasting the games - there can be no other excuse. The Star has turned slightly against him but only on the inside 'nobody reads them anyway"pages : it needs front and back page headlines stating "McCarthy Out" but, again, they have presumably been threatened with having their access to the club removed if they state the truth. As to attacks on Marcus Evans (and you need to remember that Marcus Evans is simply a company name, not a person : there is no actual human being of that name, just a succession of representatives from the company) : I would fully support those too, but the ME mismanagement of the business side in no way excuses MM's mismanagement of the plying side.

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roytheboy added 20:06 - Dec 10 What's Williams done to upset Mick ? a good proven Welsh International sitting on the bench, his bum must be flat at the bottom by now.
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Edmundo added 20:55 - Dec 10 I have issues that I've blogged about with both ME and MM being two causes of a loss of our club culture and pedigree. I would like to see how we'd have got on had we "done a Leeds/SheffvW/Coventry/Leicester/Soton/Portsmouth/Narwich". A lot best example I feel is Soton: they are the most consistently successful. A program on BBC R5 last month revealed the detail they used, mainly on player succession/recruitment. Imagine where we could be if we used that model (we'd have had a replacement for Murphy lined up already, andfor all key players). Allied with the youth talent, we could compete. I hope that we aim high in January: and that we have a plan. As supporters we at least deserve that.

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