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

bostonusablue added 17:50 - Jan 19 'Young lads coming in'.....did he forget to add 'on loan' at the end of his sentence? He's certainly not falling over backwards to include our home-grown youngsters. I fear for our club. I really do.
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runaround added 17:52 - Jan 19 Bossman - I would say a few more points are needed before you can say we're safe from relegation. A poor run now & all of a sudden that 10 point gap will start to shrink! We definitely are good enough to stay up but players confidence is rock bottom & Micks comments will hardly inspire them! I read as though he realises his tenure has run its course but wants to end it his way. My fear is the potential damage it could cause to the club whilst he does it

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Brownie added 17:52 - Jan 19 He is a proud man but also stubborn. I can't remember he resigning anywhere before and that won't start now. His comments are basically please sack me. To be contemplating leave and letting the senior players know he doesnt see them a his priority this season is saying' Ive lost the team I'll play the youngsters'. In addition who in there right mind will sign for the club when the manager is saying that!! The irony it is the senior players that haven't been good enough; married to the complete basket case that is team selection, tactics & management of the club at team & board level and you have a calamity of a football club. ME should act but will he. I doubt it. It is a sad time for the club and it doesnt ever seem to get better.

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DurhamTownFan added 17:54 - Jan 19 = MM and ME happy to coast for the rest of the season as long as we don't go down. = MM leaving in the summer = fans frustrations at lack of direction/progress continue until the end of the season! This isn't going to be fun
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Kesgraveblue57 added 17:57 - Jan 19 Please don't go Mick we all love you, or make the break now if you have to so we get over this loss
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carlo88 added 18:00 - Jan 19 If he didn't come over quite so arrogantly I think people would cast him a bit more slack. And didn't play Douglas of course.
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therein61 added 18:07 - Jan 19 How the hell can he have the bloody cheek to state that he will decide on his future in the Summer!!!!!!!!?????? this man is so blinded by his own arrogance it beggars belief, he should not be in the managers chair based on the failing favourites selections that he continues to stuff down our throats week in week out that has been compounded by his little darlings huffing and puffing and doing eff all at Lincoln(credit to the Imps well deserved and good luck next round but what did you have to beat!!??) in front of the Nation on TV, yet he remains at the helm, well that's me done I said on here when I retired in August that I would not be spending any more money on the Town while he is here but relented with hope that he might change it(what a laugh!!) after seeing every game so far this season that is it he has absolutely done me in(and several 1000's more) this man is a disgrace to football.

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blue75 added 18:08 - Jan 19 What a game to celebrate 900 games well at least it summed up your style of play for a majority of those games!!!!
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chorltonskylineblue added 18:08 - Jan 19 It doesn't feel to me that Mick's style is to walk away. Perhaps if we just scraped survival at the end of the season - or worse still got relegated, although it'd be out of his hands then - he'd walk. I'm not seeing the arrogance in his recent statements that others are, although I feel some of his comments in recent months have been misplaced. I think he's giving honest answers and he's not cooking up too many excuses. We have got a pretty horrible run of injuries to key players of late, but that's only exposed the frailties of our squad, which is paper thin beyond the first 11. He's alluded to the budget he's working to and other evidence seems to back this up - £30K a week for Henri Lansbury, no thank you. Much as it pains me to say it, Norf**k born Chris Sutton got it right when he said this week that we are where we deserve to be in this division.

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WestSussexBlue added 18:09 - Jan 19 No Way, If Mick decides at the end of the season whether he goes or not that doesn't give any more than 10 weeks for a manager to come in, get to know players, bring in new players, look at who's contracts have finished and left and do pre season? Arrogance I'm afraid. Come on Evans Stop being an Ostrich!!
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geminimustang added 18:10 - Jan 19 MM,TC,Milne & ME are good men and none deserve the nonsense i see spouted daily on this forum.When will people understand that a club £80M+ in debt is a mid-table side at best and more likely a club that should be in a relegation fight year on year.I hope Mick stays for years to come.
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Pip50 added 18:11 - Jan 19 I don't get Marcus. He clearly is a very intelligent successful man, knows how to deliver performance and lead, as well as making £m's. Why continue with those delivering abject failure on and off the pitch where ITFC Limited is concerned. Doesn't make sense!
4

rugbytomc added 18:12 - Jan 19 He steered us from bottom to 14th. Then 6th then 7th. All on no budget. This year the club sold our main striker with no time or money to replace him. Yet again Mcg and bish have been injured. Other players have had injuries and others bedding into the team and others past their sell by date. I think it's only fair to give him till summer to see if the team prospects improve and we see more like we did against bristol city or if we see more of the Lincoln performances. To be fair to him it's the first time in his career he's tried to change his style of play and also the last two teams to sack him as soon as things went a bit bad both got relegated and took a while to recover. He deserves more time plus would another manager be able to do better with the same lack of money?

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dirtyboy added 18:14 - Jan 19 He's got a contract. If you or I had a contract that was paying you a living, you too would have to be a tit to walk away from it. I've got plenty of clients who mop up money on contracts without actually being that good and openly admit it, at least Mick has the self bellief. Genuinely hope he can bring something back to the club in the last part of the season...a plethora of good results against the teams above us along with a move to good football would certainly ease the pressure. Really does need to be a strong push for a change in direction.

1

blueboy1981 added 18:15 - Jan 19 So what are we likely to get between now and then from him ? - more of the same - because he couldn't give a flying fcuk. Arrogant to the extreme. Please go now - and at least give us a glimmer of hope of getting our Club back to what it should be, It would also prove if Evans has any remote interest in our Club - other than for whatever benefit only he knows.
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Seasider added 18:19 - Jan 19 Only one in four people agree that he is doing a decent job;the other 75% want him out. I still think he is an arrogant man,and this would show again were he to get decent results Knowing what a useless judge Evans is,I wouldn't put it past him extending his contract,let alone terminating it. Has obtained promotion for Wolves and Sunderland,also sacked by them.Hasn't come anywhere near getting this club promoted.Yesterdays man!

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blueboy1981 added 18:20 - Jan 19 rugbytomc ......... obvious mistake in my marking your post - not at all sure giving him EVEN more time would make one iota of difference. We would most likely sink even further - God Forbid.
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prebbs007 added 18:21 - Jan 19 You're deluded and arrogant no one wants you here anymore. If you have one shred of decency and ANY feelings for our club you would do the right thing a go very very far away. I'm happy to drive you to the airport. Go enjoy your retirement. Let a young hungry up to date with modern football come in before we waste money on more of your shocking transfers. Go now before the window closes and allow Gary Rowett to bring in a few football players to replace the utter dross you pick every week. You're a washed up past it sad old northern guy who got lucky for 18 months and has taken us backwards for 2.5 years to a place far far worse the Keane or Jewell. We didn't win much with them in charge but we didn't play such dire tripe and you have taken us to the worst ever result of a defeat against a non league team. It's nothing to do with available funds as our budget massively outweighs that of Lincoln City but they wanted it on Tuesday. Your bunch of idiots had no clue no fight no organisation no ability no hope and that is all down to you.

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phillymark added 18:22 - Jan 19 This is clearly a case of the owner telling him that he is not coming back next year but giving him this way out instead of firing him as a way to save face and thank him for the work done.
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NoelTheDub added 18:29 - Jan 19 So Mick your going to play the kids all of a sudden is that all you can tell us stupid supporters after that debacle on Tues.You havent got the balls to play them and when you do its only because of an injury to one of your favs and as soon as their back you banish the youth to rot on the bench or in the U23s were you tell us there doing great .Im only waiting to see whos rolled out from the team to tell us fools how hurt the players are after that shambles.

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ArnieM added 18:31 - Jan 19 Sounds like a gentleman's agreement for Mick to depart at the end of the season to me. What say others?
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Orraman added 18:32 - Jan 19 Any chance of a decision before the deadline date for Early Bird season ticket renewals?
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itfcbam added 18:35 - Jan 19 Think you will see in the summer he leaves by mutual consent. Both sides think they then win. Town as it will work out cheaper than sacking him which theoretically will give the new manager slightly more funds, and MM walks away with more pride rather than being 'sacked'. Don't underestimate how much it would cost to sack him now which is probably why they haven't yet, it's not as though we have money to burn! But till then...........

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brazil1981 added 18:35 - Jan 19 Think I'll wait until the summer before deciding my future then...no purchasing of three early bird season tickets!
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bostonusablue added 18:40 - Jan 19 You have to laugh that he has the audacity to compare himself to Kendall or Ferguson. Pull the other one, Mick.
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