Town boss Mick McCarthy says the fans play a “massive part” when a team is winning but can also “be a massive part of us getting beat as well”. Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s vital Championship game at home to Wigan, the Blues manager says a negative atmosphere can help the opposition.

Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Birmingham was played in a fractious atmosphere with fans booing after the visitors took the lead, then aiming chants at McCarthy, owner Marcus Evans and MD Ian Milne.

Prior to that match McCarthy had said he and his players needed the backing of their fans as they look to secure their Championship status and he says they need it again against the second-bottom Latics with the Blues six points off the drop zone with seven games left to play.

“It’s their team, it’s their club,” McCarthy said. “Any negativity is detrimental to the team. And if it’s detrimental to the team and we don’t play well, we don’t get the result we want, they’ve been part of it.

“I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is. They are part of it. Forget us. Generically, when a team’s winning, a club’s winning we’re all winning together, it’s fantastic and ‘Aren’t we great?’ and we, we always tell the fans we’ve got the best fans in the world and ‘Aren’t they brilliant’ and all this and all that. We all win together.

“But when we’re playing badly and we’re losing, we are shit. Maybe we were, I said we were and, by the way, I’m the first to come and admit to it. I never come and try and dress it up and say ‘We played well today’, anybody that’s ever said that about me, forget it because it doesn’t happen.

“I get grief of people who say ‘You were a bit brutal with your team on Saturday, that was a bit harsh, saying you’d played badly’. Well, we did.

“And on a Monday I might come in and think that we weren’t as bad as we thought we were.

“But they are part of it. They are part of it when we’re winning, they’re a massive part. They can be a massive part of us getting beat as well.”

With fans having called for McCarthy’s sacking and expressed their frustration with owner Evans and next year’s season ticket prices, there appears to be a divide between fans and the club.

“There can’t be,” McCarthy added. “They’re a massive part. I know it’s up to us, we’ve got to set the tone, definitely, I get that, it’s our responsibility and I would never pass it on, but then there is a time when you need a dig out, a leg up and maybe that’s tomorrow.”

Does the negative atmosphere impact upon the players? “Of course it does and it affects the opposition positively. That’s what it does.

“I’ve played enough - ‘Happy days, this mob are getting pelters!’. It’s great. And it’s amazing, you see the confidence rise and you can see the other side fall.”

Speaking recently McCarthy said he hoped performances in the final weeks would help mend his relationship with fans. With only seven matches left, does he believe that can still happen? “Win tomorrow they’ll think a lot better about me, won’t they?”

Pressed further, he says he’s not looking any further than Tuesday’s game: “Win tomorrow.”

Photo: TWTD

TractorCam added 15:39 - Apr 3 PLAY AN ATTACKING TEAM AND YOU'LL GET THE ATMOSPHERE. I don't understand how he doesn't see this. February was a fantastic month, in both home games against Reading and Leeds, the team went off to a standing ovation after 2 brilliant performances. I noted on one of these Mick was sort of stood on the side of the pitch soaking it all in. How does he not comprehend why this was? Is he really that arrogant and blinded by his favourite players?

14

OldClactonBlue added 15:47 - Apr 3 Hasn't he said we've played well on a number of occasions this season when most people thought otherwise? And he also convinced Mr Milne if I remember correctly.
6

blackcat added 15:48 - Apr 3 How many times have the fans chose the losing team? If fans had chosen the team how many more points would we have? I'm guessing a lot more Idiot has signed his death warrant with this outrageous statement
5

ipswich4life added 15:48 - Apr 3 We all know he's of in the summer thank fk,he's just trying to wind up the fans as much as possible before he goes,as his inflated ego has taken a massive dent,don't know why everyone says he's a really nice bloke,he's a horrible cnt,will be interesting see where he ends up as he's done a really good job for us.
0

paulcooperisgod added 15:53 - Apr 3 Just go you dinosaur and take your favourites with you
4

gypo added 15:54 - Apr 3 He's now doing what he did before getting the boot from wolves the pissed up old fool has lost it...
1

pointofblue added 15:58 - Apr 3 But all the fans need is acknowledgement Mick. "I'm not perfect, I've made mistakes this season and maybe I haven't learned from them quick enough. I'm sorry for that. Me, the staff the players, we have to take responsibility for the season. We can't keep pointing the finger at the fans and expect them to suddenly find positivity and hope from nowhere - we have drained that way and for that I'm sorry, I truely am sorry. But we have seven cup finals left and I hope the fans can find it in their hearts to forgive us for the mistakes of the season and to get behind us through good and bad for the rest of the campaign. But if they can't without seeing more then I understand we have to give them more and we'll try; we have been poor this season but we've never stopped trying." I bet the response from the terraces would be slightly different if he said something like that.

3

ThePinkMist added 16:01 - Apr 3 ZZZZZZ boring boring town fans. Mick is doing the best he can with what investment and money he has been given. Give him a break. You moan about his team selection, but if he hasn't got the quality of players that can compete at this level, What else can he do? In my opinion, I am pointing the finger at Marcus Evans for not giving Mick a decent transfer budget. It's like being a manager at a normal place of work. If your company has hired sh*t workers you are going to get a sh*t result. Give Mick money and watch him work his magic.

-21

cat added 16:03 - Apr 3 Let's be completely honest here, the only thing what will save our "TOTALLY INEPT DINO" from taking us down this season is the fact that the teams below us are even more PISH POOR than we are.
7

Tufty added 16:03 - Apr 3 Actually I think the fans are doing a fantastic job Just the same as you are Mr McCarthy difference is we have to pay to watch, you get paid to watch And we don't need you to tell us we are rubbish we can see that for ourselves Those that are left at least COYBF
7

Lightningboy added 16:07 - Apr 3 Give him a bigger shovel cos that hole he's digging himself into just gets deeper. Deluded if he thinks beating the likes of Wigan at home tomorrow evening will change the fans feelings towards him & his style of football...seriously Mick,are you really that thick? On paper & when everyone's fit we have a squad more than capable of pushing for the play-offs..unfortunately we have a manager who exudes negativity - on the pitch and now off it.

14

BobbyBell added 16:11 - Apr 3 If I went to a theatre and the actors didn't perform, forgot the words, missed their cues and ruined what should have been an entertaining evening I would complain and demand a refund. If the director then sends out the same hopeless actors again and again to do the same old thing the audiences will disappear. This is no different and the crowd / audience are entitled to voice their opinion. The crowd / audience is shrinking as a result. Having said that the foul and abusive language is not acceptable.

12

hampstead_blue added 16:19 - Apr 3 Maybe MM's ideas just don't work with the players we have. Either give him what he needs, or get someone in who can work with what we have.
-2

christiand added 16:34 - Apr 3 Play a team that attacks and creates chances you won't have any problems then MM. The fact is YOU create a lot of the problems with your team selections, standard of play and tactics. Why don't 'YOU' take some responsibility and admit that you've got it wrong over the last 18 months? It's been absolutely pitiful at times and the sooner both you and ME foxtrot out of the club the better!

4

sidtheswan added 16:36 - Apr 3 I've lost the will to live . Why should I go watch a football team with the manager the only person in the world I detest more than Nigel Farage . The only games I will watch next season are the ones after he's been sacked . It is a fact that our biggest win since he's been in charge was when he was sick and TC was in charge ! Anyway get your money out 1-1 draw tomorrow odds on favourite .!

1

PSGBlue added 16:36 - Apr 3 A win tomorrow and perhaps we can start looking for someone new to lead us into next season. Mick you have destroyed the likes of Sears, Bishop, Dozzell, Bru, Pitman and you continue to play negative tactics with the likes of Skuse and Douglas. Regardless of the result tomorrow night, this will be the lowest position I have seen Town finish since I started going in 1977! That combined with failing to beat Lincoln in two attempts is reason you should go.

12

BlueArrow added 16:47 - Apr 3 Doesn't the old saying go :- A poor workman always blames his tools. That's not being derogatory to the players btw.
5

Michael11 added 16:47 - Apr 3 To be honest, I think we could win 6-0 tomorrow and our feelings still won't change one bit. His attitude/disrespect towards the fans and how nothing's ever his fault is gob smacking. Another annoyance to me is he likes to think he's brutally honest and always says "we're s**t" but I've NEVER seen him say that in 4 years? Normally he's just bigging up the opposition saying how brilliant they are (when they're not) and says they're in a "false position in the table". Thank you for keeping us up 4 years ago, but just leave.

7

Ferguson added 16:54 - Apr 3 Mick, you were never a supporter were you ? It ISN'T all about results. Give yourself a break man and give us something to be proud of tomorrow night. Or are you telling us that you don't you think our players are good enough to go out and beat Wigan ? I think they are good enough. But what do I know. I'm just a "fan".
1

Daleyitfc added 16:59 - Apr 3 Name the last manager to retain his job at any club when he'd turned on the fans ; or, indeed, when a large proportion of said fans had turned on him. You won't be able to, because there haven't been any. Until now ... I think he'll still be here in 3 years' time ; and we'll still be roughly in this position in this same division ; what WILL have changed, will be the average attendance : I would guess c. 14k next season, 12k the next and 9k in 2019-20. Then the club will bring in Nigel Pearson ...

3

Ferguson added 17:02 - Apr 3 HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. Extract from Who Ate all the Pies. A prime exponent of that northern penchant for speaking bluntly, Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has decided to have a pop at the fans who were calling for him to be given the boot at half-time in Saturday's game against Swansea. In the second-half, Wolves came back to secure a precious point against the Swans but McCarthy was still irked by a section of supporters during the game. “Let me clear something up, it doesn't help. Let's not give any of the dissenting voices, the mindless idiots that do it, any credit, ” said the former Ireland international. “I almost think some turn up hoping it is going to be that way so they can have their whinge and get shot of the manager.” “They are not going to get shot of the chairman or the players, so it's a case of, ‘Let's give it to the gaffer'”, he continued. “I've done a great job here. I came five years ago, there were only 10 players here and just a million quid to spend. Five years on, we are in our third year in the Premier League and building the new stadium — but we are having a tough time.”

5

itfchorry added 17:15 - Apr 3 Deluded and somehow still here - McCarthy OUT
7

TJS added 17:17 - Apr 3 I was in section 6 on Saturday and I didn't hear any booing of Town players that would be audible from the pitch. There were anti-MM chants and anti-ME chants. Having said that chanting that "ME is a c***" is moronic and does not help.
1

cfmoses added 17:19 - Apr 3 The last straw for me. Dougie man of the match, give me strength! If MM was close to the club AND the supporters he MUST have known what selecting Skuse and Douglas as defensive midfielders on Saturday would do to the atmosphere and expectations of the supporters. That alone to my mind explains the negative chanting and the often silent Portman Road. MM struggles so much to see his own failings and own up to them. This season his post match comments consistently concentrate on the skill and performance of the opposition. I do not recall him ever saying we were s*** - rather it was - "that's not us, I won't criticise my players, I cannot fault them for the effort they put in". To place any blame on the supporters just beggars belief.

6

dukey44 added 17:20 - Apr 3 There must be a way this man leaves? Why are we the only club out of 92 league clubs puts up with tosh every week then the Manager blames us?? Do one Mick we ACTUALLY DO HATE YOU NOW!!
4

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls