Town boss Mick McCarthy says owner Marcus Evans remains “as hungry as ever" that the club should be challenging for promotion to the Premier League.

McCarthy recently stated that he still had the ambition of returning to the top flight, either with the Blues or his next club, having said that he will consider his Portman Road future in the summer.

“He’s as hungry as ever for this club to be challenging to get promotion, of course,” the Town manager said when asked about Evans’s ambitions for the club.

“Very much so. I had that discussion with him recently, that I don’t want to be middling, just finishing mid-table and nowhere to go, that’s not what I want to do.

“And to be fair to him, he doesn’t. So let’s try and finish as high as we can this year then we’ll plan for next.”

McCarthy admits he’s still keeping one eye on the relegation zone with the 15th-placed Blues only nine points away from the bottom three.

“Until we have enough points, yes, so that we know that we’re going to stay in the league,” he said.

“But it’s got less of a concern because of the way we’re playing and the way we’ve played over the last six games.

“If you’d asked me six games ago, which I think you probably did, then it was more of a concern, of course.

“But we’ve played well enough and looked solid enough and good enough that we will get the points required.”

Town are set to send out season ticket renewals in the next few weeks and McCarthy admits he understands why some supporters may be wavering when it comes to securing their seats for 2017/18.

The Blues boss has previously said fans’ thoughts about him, as well as the budget Evans makes available, will come into his thinking in the summer and he believes the remaining 11 games of the season will impact upon that.

“As I said, I don’t want to be walking up the track next year and there’s only 10,000 fans at the first game of the season. If that’s a reflection on me, I don’t want that,” he added.

“I want the fans to be proud of the players, of the club and proud of their team that they’re supporting, so the next few games and results are [crucial] in trying to get people to come and pay their money.

“The only way you’ll do it, you can try everything else, but the only way you do it is by having a good team that wins games, and you get fans in.”

Photo: TWTD

BackToRussia added 16:20 - Mar 6 So not hungry enough then.
5

ClausThomsen added 16:23 - Mar 6 The next few games are crucial right you are Mick, so maybe see how they go before making any comfy plans about next season. Fully fit squad, no excuses left, the stage is yours!
3

Steve_D added 16:24 - Mar 6 Season ticket forms being sent out next week sums it up ,
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nbsiyag added 16:28 - Mar 6 Try setting your teams up and making substitutions to win games and more people might consider renewing.
17

martin587 added 16:35 - Mar 6 You should have been positive from game one Mick,not just looking at the remaining eleven games.If the owner is that Hungary,then I'm very surprised.!!
7

braveblue added 16:37 - Mar 6 Try to win tomorrow night then. Play more than two in their half.
10

christiand added 16:41 - Mar 6 Actions speak louder than words ME- well Milne I mean, he is Evan's mouth-piece!!
4

Ferguson added 16:42 - Mar 6 Prove it.
8

Wickets added 16:42 - Mar 6 I must admit season tickets renewals are on the way, Marcus is still hungry , opps!
3

ArnieM added 16:44 - Mar 6 "Evans hungry as ever".....Really????? WELL F..LUCK..IN SHOW IT THEN. Words are cheap. Season Tickets are NOT!
16

htb added 16:48 - Mar 6 I will only be getting a season ticket if MaCarthy is gone.
11

martin587 added 16:50 - Mar 6 Iv'e already made my mind up,and the next Eleven games won't deter my decision.! 52 years a season ticket holder,home and away. Things need to be said by the owner on what his plans are for the 2017/18 season with regard to investment,management,etc.Sooner,rather than later.!
14

dirtydingusmagee added 16:53 - Mar 6 heard all that crap before.The time to invest for a promotion push was way back when we were close, That's when a little more could have made the difference.We have nearly half a team of loan players, a quarter of a team of lame players,and will go into the summer needing complete rebuild, Is Evans hungry enough to finance putting that right .Another buls#it statement from Mick the Murphyless ,hoping to get fans hopes up .

19

IamSpartacus added 17:01 - Mar 6 I'll be getting a season ticket because I support the club.... clearly the prawn sandwich brigade jump ship when their stampy little feet get sore.
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jjhbruno added 17:01 - Mar 6 Really pitiful attempt to get supporters back on side. Minds will only change when there is actual 'change'
19

jjhbruno added 17:07 - Mar 6 I support the football team not MM and ME. I also like prawn sandwiches
11

jas0999 added 17:20 - Mar 6 Clearly not. I'm sorry, but this constant spin about how great Evans is and how hungry he is is just that - spin. At any other club the Manager would be sacked with the results and performances this season. Fans have deserted the club in their droves because of it. Evans spent just £110K in fees in January despite promising a replacement for Murphy who he quickly cashed in on, despite having no replacement. The club is badly run by unambitious Evans.

16

planetblue_2011 added 17:21 - Mar 6 Bye bye Mick seems like your standing still on your desicion on staying on next season. We do need wins now, not saying we haven't done well in our last 5/6 games we have done well. Just need that extra edge against Wolves tomorrow night. It will be a big 3 points if we do win!! Honestly think Mick & Evans will give it another season & if we haven't improved then it's time to draft in another manager. Really do think it could work if Evans gives Mick a nice budget to work with. We will see, prob be same old rubbish!! COYB for tomorrow night

0

blueboy1981 added 17:42 - Mar 6 Then that answers most people's questions - he obviously doesn't trust MM to spend his money. Who can blame him for that - I wouldn't either. Change of Manager required to move this Club forward to the promised land - and maybe, just maybe, Evans knows just that Let's watch this space - shall we ?
9

NBVJohn added 17:46 - Mar 6 He's off in the summer. He omitted to tell us that in order to achieve all this, you need serious investment, which won't be forthcoming - MM has already positioned that with his ''It's ME's money'' and '' the owner puts in £6m of his own money each year to balance the books'' remarks. So the change that so many want is coming............where will we be in a year?
2

blueboy1981 added 17:56 - Mar 6 ..... if the truth be known MM hasn't asked for money to be spent. The eternal martyr that extends his tenancy by being the way he is. He will never be able to play the game the necessary way to achieve Premiership status, or survive in such company - funds or not.
1

TimmyH added 18:13 - Mar 6 there really is some absolute cobblers coming out of Portman Road lately...
3

surgery added 18:20 - Mar 6 Well thank fcuk for that piece of reassurance. Just imagine the squad that we'ed have ended up with if he wasn't bothered
1

shakytown added 19:10 - Mar 6 Season ticket time so out comes the BS.
5

RegencyBlue added 19:16 - Mar 6 This club is going nowhere under Evans!
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