Mick McCarthy says Town fans’ view of him and the budget provided by owner Marcus Evans will come into his thinking when he considers whether to continue as Blues boss in the summer.

The 58-year-old, who celebrates his 25th anniversary as a manager next month, has no intention of retiring and is still targeting a return to the Premier League, either with Town or his next club, but during the Blues’ struggles last month and while on the receiving end of flak from supporters said he would “make a decision on what I want to do” at the end of the season.

Since then McCarthy’s standing with fans has improved with the Blues picking up impressive draws with Championship high flyers Brighton, Leeds and Reading and inflicting Aston Villa’s first home defeat of the season.

A first derby win over Norwich City in nearly eight years at Carrow Road today would significantly further enhance McCarthy’s reputation among supporters.

He says his thinking currently remains the same, although he points out he is contracted until the summer of 2018 with the club having an option for a further two seasons.

“I’ve got a year’s contract to run so I can’t just up sticks and go anywhere else,” McCarthy said.

“I love doing this job and I give everything to it. I just wondered if the fans were getting tired of me.

“Me turning up next season going ‘Hello’ and they all go ‘F–- off, we don’t want you’ — that’s not going to be any good is it?”

Two years ago Town reached the play-offs, then last year they finished seventh, despite having a budget which is around 16th in the Championship.

However, the Blues, who go into today’s East Anglian derby against Norwich City at Carrow Road in 15th in the division, have never looked like challenging this year and McCarthy says he will speak with owner Marcus Evans as he assesses his future in the summer.

He added: “I am not happy where we are. I want to be more competitive. I am not happy being mid-table and thinking there is no pressure.

“If anybody thinks ‘Oh, he’s on a nice little number down there, mid-table, it doesn’t really matter’ that is far from the truth.

“I want to know what we’re going to do, I want to know what the budget will be, I want to know if we can be competitive.

“And I want to know that if I’m going to be here the club is going to be happy with that. I’m still very ambitious. It burns brightly and I’d like to be back in the Premier League.

“It’s not going to happen this season and it might never happen again — but it won’t stop me wanting it.”

Photo: TWTD

Mullet added 10:07 - Feb 26 It shouldn't take a win today to change anyone's mind about Mick.
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Mark added 10:12 - Feb 26 I agree about the budget, but less so about the fans as I think we have been pretty patient generally considering the prices we pay to watch. Anyway, now is not the time for this debate with the Derby two hours away. COYB!!!!
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muccletonjoe added 10:30 - Feb 26 If he gets the assurance we will buy Diagouraga and Huws then of course he should stay. No brainer.
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Westy added 10:39 - Feb 26 I'm no great McCarthy fan but don't think he has been given the backing, and to be fair, I don't think any other manager could have brought in such good loan signings over the last two years. But why mention this on Derby day.
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Cloddyseedbed added 10:56 - Feb 26 I think MM will go in the summer by mutual consent. He has been hurt by the fans turning on him, but he was the one who picked the team and chose the tactics he did. His attitude to the fans was not good and only had himself to blame. Recent loan signings are just what was needed but these type of players were what was needed at the start of our season after ending the season like we did last year. He is the manager, he should of seen this. We all know Evans is starving the club of funds and this can be seen in amounts players are signed for, catering and half time entertainment. The players and tactics has changed in recent weeks and it's much more entertaining and we look like we are as good as anybody. Really have a good feeling about todays game, a few weeks ago, like everybody else I feared we'd get stuffed, today the budgies should be very worried, the pressure is all on them!

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grumpyoldman added 10:56 - Feb 26 Even if we beat Norwich today I would like MM gone, the budget in my opinion is a sideshow, a managers footballing philosophy is what I judge him on. Too long using hoofball,ineffective team selection finished, poor use of substitutes him for me.
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grumpyoldman added 10:56 - Feb 26 Even if we beat Norwich today I would like MM gone, the budget in my opinion is a sideshow, a managers footballing philosophy is what I judge him on. Too long using hoofball,ineffective team selection finished, poor use of substitutes him for me.
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Miles added 10:57 - Feb 26 The budget is the main thing here. Over the 4 years results wise Mick has done an amazing job with the resources available. If we get rid we won't do any better if the new manager has no funds. I would like to see Mick given the opportunity to spend and then we can evaluate if he's the man to take us forward because with no money being put in the club will never progress.

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cat added 11:02 - Feb 26 One thing matters today and that's the match, let's hope for a positive & entertaining game. Let's take the game to them, if we should lose let's go down fighting, obviously confident of getting something from this game. Blue army
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toxtethblue added 11:06 - Feb 26 Never beaten Norwich, cant win a cup game and cant get us promoted. What do you expect? Change one of these today and it'll count for a lot
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blue75 added 11:25 - Feb 26 My opinion of you hasn't changed since the nineties good character crap football can't see that changing after all that time!! Goodbye.
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jas0999 added 13:01 - Feb 26 Blues1 - I'm afraid we are so far apart in our views we will never agree! Enjoy the rest of the season, but in terms of budget we have differing views!
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runningout added 22:36 - Feb 26 Ye Reckon his mind made up, and will be looking for club nearer his pad.. He deserves success wherever he may be
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blues1 added 07:59 - Feb 27 Jas0999. If u read my post properly ud have seen that I don't disagree with you over the general transfer budget. Was just ur point of our budget not being enough to sign Huws . And as i said that had nothing to do with our budget. I certainly agree we need a bigger budget for transfers but think we also have to realise that the club is not in a position to throw money at it, unless Evans is willing to risk the future of the club. I'm as frustrated by that as anyone but don't know that even a change of owner would change that.

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TrueBlue1998 added 10:28 - Feb 27 Tractorboybig, how on earth can you make the playoffs "by default"??? One of the strangest things I've heard on here. It was an incredible achievement on a shoestring, which no other manager in this league could have achieved. Evans is the problem, MM doing incredible job under the circumstances
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RRanger added 11:10 - Feb 27 I think we should remind ourselves that for the first part of the season the team was decimated by injuries to our most creative players. Mistakes were undoubtedly made by the management.personally ,although I like him as a player, Jonny Williams should not have come back as he is an injury waiting to happen. Compare him to Lawrence who gets just as much attention from opposing teams. I'm not blaming Williams and he does get a lot of rough treatment from opposition players but can anyone really say they were surprised when yet again he got a longterm injury. Didsy is the same but he is OUR player not a loan.

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