Under-fire Town boss Mick McCarthy says he’ll get to the end of the season and then “make a decision” on what he wants to do. McCarthy has another 18 months left on his Portman Road contract with the club having an option for an additional two years.

With the Blues currently in mid-table and looking unlikely to either get involved in the relegation battle or the play-off fight, McCarthy was asked what he would see as success in the final months of the 2016/17 campaign.

He says getting more youngsters involved and those currently in the side established is his priority.

“There are a few of the young lads that are coming into the team at the moment and I hope they end up being regulars in the team, that would be nice,” he said.

“I would like to finish the season as well as we possibly can, with as many points, obviously.

“Kundai Benyu’s doing all right at Aldershot, have him back, have some games out of him, get Bish back in the team. I’d still like to get Myles Kenlock back in and around the team, and get some younger players, so next team we can start afresh with some of the younger ones.

“And get to that point in really good condition when then I’ll have a year left on my contract and I’ll make a decision on what I want to do.”

He says it’s about looking to the future and developing with promising youngsters coming through from the academy in numbers at present.

“That’s always been the case but we’ve not had any,” he added. “The younger players have not really been ready to play.

“Dozzer’s in now and playing, we’ve got Josh Emmanuel if he can stay in the team and we keep Myles and Bish and Kundai and get the young lads in the team, I think, in terms of next season, that would constitute success. If they all stay in the team. And, like I said, then I’ll decide what I want to do.

“I’ll decide what I want to do. I’ve got everybody telling me I should be sacked or going, I’ll be the master of my own destiny almost, unless Marcus, unless the club sack me. I can’t do anything about that. Other than that I’ll be the master of my own destiny.”

What might make him opt to move on? “I’ll find out when the season finishes, won’t I? If those players are in the team, if we finish well, if we’re in good shape. I may well want to stay on and continue doing it. If not, we’ll see.”

Despite continuing fan pressure in the wake of Tuesday’s FA Cup exit at Lincoln, McCarthy says he isn’t doubting his own ability.

“If Howard Kendall had packed it in [at Everton] when they went in that Oxford League Cup tie that they had [in 1984] and if Sir Alex had packed it in [at Manchester United when he was under pressure in 1990], I’m not putting myself up with them, but they’re the results when everybody wants you out of the door all of a sudden - you’re hopeless, you can’t do it.

“That was my 900th game as a manager. I’ve had pretty good success, me. I’d never doubt myself. I’ll leave that to other people.”

But he admits it’s hard to change fans’ minds when they decide a change is required: “Not to get results, to turn people’s opinion around, that’s always difficult. But I’m not going to stop trying.”

Photo: Action Images

martin587 added 17:17 - Jan 19 Shall I make it for Mick.!!
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martin587 added 17:18 - Jan 19 Shall I make it for you,Mick.!
7

Charlieblue added 17:20 - Jan 19 Just leave our club and stop winding the fans up
13

rendoblue added 17:20 - Jan 19 Give me strength, all hail Lord Mick, as if this club couldn't wind us up any more!
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karls_dad added 17:21 - Jan 19 Thats him off then at the end of the season, as i doubt the fans will change their minds now, i think everyone has had enough of this dross!
20

jas0999 added 17:21 - Jan 19 Bit arrogant and exactly what's wrong with Ipswich. Letting failures make their own destiny. Evans should act.
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sproughtonblue added 17:23 - Jan 19 You had the chance to play Kenlock and Josh earlier in the season and opted for Knudsen and Chambers you fool.
17

Bert added 17:23 - Jan 19 A fair enough reply to a fair enough question whatever we may want or wish for.
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paulcooperisgod added 17:25 - Jan 19 What you really mean is you'll walk away in the summer when we relegated. Marcus Evans got to be the worse business man ever if he let's that happen. MICK OUT
3

northernblues added 17:25 - Jan 19 Why put off something you can do today! You keep harping on about the first 3 years, well.your sell by date shelf life has long expired
6

Stato added 17:25 - Jan 19 With our league status all but secured wouldn't make more sense for the club to change the manager now rather than at the end of the season. Wouldn't it also make more sense for a new manager to decide what to do with the January budget rather than a manager who looks like leaving at the end of the season.
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Taricco_Fan added 17:28 - Jan 19 Walking away in the summer. Pretty obvious.
8

Wickets added 17:29 - Jan 19 That sort of leaves us in limbo then, does not seem to realise we are not safe, from relegation as yet.
2

TrueBlue1998 added 17:29 - Jan 19 If I was him I'd leave. No ambition from the owner and fans on his back despite him being able to do no more. Then League 1 here we come!
4

hoppy added 17:29 - Jan 19 Seems fair enough. Last Saturday and on a few other occasions, we have played some decent stuff, in amongst the rubbish like Tuesday. If he does as he says, and gets all those young 'uns playing, then I'd see that as some kind of progress. If we changed the manager now, they'd want to put their immediate stamp on things, and the youngsters would probably be held back because the expectation would be to have instant improvement, which would more likely be with playing the more experienced players.

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Ferguson added 17:30 - Jan 19 One thing I will say is that he won't take a risk playing the younger players until we're safe from the drop. We ain't there yet. So no great changes in the short term. AND I'D LIKE SOME GOOD LUCK WITH INJURIES FOR A CHANGE TOO.
8

tomitfc added 17:32 - Jan 19 'Unlikely to be involved in a relegation battle...' I wouldn't be so confident! Has anyone seen our next 8 games?!
15

blueblood66 added 17:36 - Jan 19 If the club want to sell season tickets they needs to say bye bye to him now
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Surco72 added 17:40 - Jan 19 What a horribly arrogant man . All he is doing is trying to salvage some respect for himself until the end of the season as at present if he got sacked or quit he would struggle to find another job after the shambles he managed live on TV . How come the youngsters are suddenly good enough to play ? They have been better than your selections all season but cannot hold down a regular place ? Letting this man continue any further all do nothing but hurt the club further especially when ut comes to season ticket sales in the summer

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DirtyOldNodger added 17:42 - Jan 19 Regardless of whether you are in the Mick in or Mick out camp, you cant fault the guy for saying it as it is. I'm personally still with the Mick in crowd (although I realise i'm in a shrinking minority). Would be mental of the club to get shot of him at this point in the season. I know a few people who work at Playford Rd and evidently he's an extremely popular figure there. Just a real shame things haven't been working on the pitch for the past few months. Worth seeing how things pan out for the rest of the season before the club (or Mick) decides his fate. Would be great to see the team starting to play more of the football we saw against Blackburn at the weekend. We can live in hope! Up the town!

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warktheline added 17:43 - Jan 19 Jas0999, spot on pal.👍
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richnblue added 17:44 - Jan 19 Seems fair enough.. Call me old fashioned, but reading through the lines here a conversation has already been had and ME is stuck until then with cash, hence no manager moving out, and no new faces coming in.. Still think 10th May we will get the "by mutual consent line"in any case... We have no leadership on and off the pitch currently...
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fabian_illness added 17:47 - Jan 19 He's not a quitter and has always been a loyal manager to the clubs that have employed him. I guess I'm in the minority but I like and respect Mick and will back him as long as he's here. I hope he can grab it by the scruff of the neck and drag the club out of this hole.
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BillyBaxterwasbest added 17:49 - Jan 19 Why do so called fans believe the grass is always greener on the other side. Man up, dig in and be positive about things, we have a great chairman an excellent manager and very good players, support them and stop moaning. Come on you blues!
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Vancouver_Blue added 17:50 - Jan 19 Taxi for Mick
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