Town boss Mick McCarthy believes this season’s Championship is the toughest ever but dismissed the suggestion that it is mission impossible for the Blues, despite other clubs splashing out huge sums in fees and wages.

McCarthy is currently going through his hardest time since taking over at Portman Road in November 2012 with a large number of fans believing it’s time he was replaced, but the Blues boss says he’s known tough spells before at his previous clubs.

“I’ve had difficult times,” he reflected. “I think [that’s going to happen] when you’re at a club for the time I have here, I’ve been here four years.

“Strangely enough when I was at Sunderland for the first three years it went swimmingly and then we got promoted, we got no money to spend and you’re in trouble.

“The same at Wolves, actually. We didn’t compete in the Premier League financially with other clubs and I’d had five years of relative success.

“We’ve been good in the Championship here but there are teams just throwing money around which is ridiculous in this league. Some of the wages I’ve been hearing about just doesn’t compare to what we’re doing.

“We’ve been having it tough but we’ve been doing it a certain way and we’ll continue to do it. Whether it’s tough or not I’ll keep doing it and I’ll keep smiling at everybody.”

Despite other clubs having in some cases vastly superior resources he dismisses the suggestion that it’s now mission impossible for the Blues to compete.

“Not at all,” he insisted. “I think like anything, if you’re in a Formula One race if you’re driving a Formula One car you’re going to be better off than if you’re driving a Mondeo.

“If you’ve got the best and you’re plying at that end then it’s always going to be [about] spending more money, that goes for everything in football.

“I’m not suggesting for one minute that’s the comparison, us being a Mondeo, by the way, and certainly not me as a manager, but the clubs that are spending have really invested in this league and it’s made it tough. It’s made it tougher still. This is as hard a season as I’ve ever seen in this league.”

As he looks to get his side’s form back on track he says his players have access to a sports psychologist but he says he believes that’s not something which should just be employed at times of adversity.

“Yes they do, but I always find that the worst thing you can do is when you’re losing a few games and resort to sports psychology,” he added.

“If it’s going to be done I think it should be done on a regular basis. If players are seeing somebody to help with their focus or their confidence, I think that should be done regularly, not a case of saying, ‘Let’s get the psychologist in, that’ll sort it out’ because it doesn’t.

“We need to play like we did against Bristol City and QPR and not give goals away, if you need a psychologist to work it out.”

Photo: TWTD

Toronto_Tractor added 06:09 - Jan 14 It is mission impossible and Tom Cruise is nowhere to be seen.
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tallguy6767 added 06:25 - Jan 14 Here we go with the excuses! Sorry but when a non league team can show you how to play football it's time to do one! There can be no excuses for the awful brand of football you play Mccarthy ! Your ruining our once proud club . You will not turn this around the rot has set in you have shown that you will not change your stubborn ways and the contempt you show the fans is totally unacceptable F.O.M.M the sooner the better !!!

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northstandsteps added 06:50 - Jan 14 Comparing us with other Championship sides is fine, however we can't even despatch non-league opppsition. Our Mondeo was in a race with a D Reg Hyundai that day
6

prebbs007 added 07:38 - Jan 14 Mondelo would be good. We're a skoda at best. The league is tough every year but we don't improve. You still play players out of position. You still play dross no matter about form. You still pick your "good blokes" even though they're clearly not good enough. You still play hoofball, you still don't give youth a chance, you still make awful substitutions, you still talk drivel every week. You're past it, out of touch with the modern game, you've lost the fans and the players no longer support you and your prehistoric ideas. Now just fark off and let us try to rebuild our club. You're not wanted here. Let's hope for a miracle today coz we are in deep deep relegation trouble. COYB

3

mickeyjb added 08:00 - Jan 14 A loss today followed by a cup exit???? I hope not, I really do but it wouldn't suprise me
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muccletonjoe added 08:14 - Jan 14 It is mission impossible while you play douglas and berra no matter what they contribute to the team
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midastouch added 08:50 - Jan 14 It seems like Mission Impossible getting Marcus to see that he urgently needs to appoint a new manager with fresh ideas!
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prebbs007 added 09:02 - Jan 14 Mondeo
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Woodbridgian added 09:28 - Jan 14 MM Mondeo Man Personified!
1

Mark added 09:49 - Jan 14 “We've been good in the Championship here but there are teams just throwing money around which is ridiculous in this league. Some of the wages I've been hearing about just doesn't compare to what we're doing." But Milne told the Supporters' Club AGM that Ipswich are paying wages in the upper quartile of the Championship and point 2 of Evans' strategy is "To provide a sustainable and competitive squad salary budget", so how come we do not compare?! Also, how does our wage budget compare to Stevenage (who knocked us out of the EFL Cup) or Lincoln (who nearly dumped us out of the FA Cup and may yet)?

5

karls_dad added 10:25 - Jan 14 Just one word"Dementia"
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exeterblue10 added 10:30 - Jan 14 Deo! Mondeo! Kick off comes and we wanna go home...
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TimmyH added 11:32 - Jan 14 Is this just an excuse for McCarthy to go on about his history and how 'well' he's done?...why is he going on like this 6 months into the season? Let's face it is the league tough?, it's competitive due to the lack of quality in a lot of the teams. Bore off McCarthy.
1

battyblue added 11:36 - Jan 14 Heared it all before from you several times now McCarthy and we all know you got both teams realegated.
1

geminimustang added 12:03 - Jan 14 Mike Ashley has put a £33M credit facility in place for NUFC and they haven't been able to get a single signing and we're half way thro' January.Not an issue as Benitez has 2 players for every position already.MM has 11 fit first team players and very little money to spend but it's all his fault!Does he complain?No,he accepts the unfair playing field and does his best.I wish the comments on this forum were more understanding of MM's plight.ME can't compete with Mike Ashley's millions but has financed the team as best he can.Another Investor(someone with more money than sense!), needed on Board is my view.MM,TC & ME please stay.

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Penguinblue added 12:05 - Jan 14 Ipswich are in a bad place at the moment but the single biggest problem, imo, above all others, which adversely affects everything else, is McCarthy. He has to go, walk with what's left of your decency, or be sacked. McCARTHY OUT
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Kikapu added 12:57 - Jan 14 Geminimustang Now what's the point in stating the obvious. You can't come on here making intelligent comments otherwise you'll deny moaners (doubt if they're remoaners) the opportunity to have a go once or twice a week. Of course it's to do with investment - or lack of investment. And the one off cup games don't come into it. The league costs large amounts of dosh and it helps if your team is situated in a sizable city and not a tiny town.

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tallguy6767 added 13:28 - Jan 14 Kikapu and geminimustang you are both totally deluded and blinded by the ITFC spin machine and probably related to the dinosaur! !!!
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BillyBaxterwasbest added 13:54 - Jan 14 Manage the club within the financial boundries you have. The first supporter who puts in £5 million can say what they want. If you cannot be grateful to the man who can or shut up! man is a better manager than 90% of the others in the division. All you moaners would have sacked bobby Robson when he had a difficult patch. Shut up and support the best club in the league, cheer them on and stop you childish booing

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NoelTheDub added 15:11 - Jan 14 McCarthy supporters above. Nothing to do about money but we all would like to have some.Micks thinking on football is dead and buried a long time ago and to give this man money is not the answer.He would ruin Ronaldo if he was at PR the man should be put out to grass a long time ago and at my age I remember the game he plays its dead now...
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