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Osman: McCarthy's Style of Football Out of Kilter With Fans' Expectations
Thursday, 18th May 2017 13:52

Former Town centre-half Russell Osman believes the Blues’ football under Mick McCarthy is “out of kilter” with the style fans at Portman Road have grown up with.

Osman, 58, says Town have overachieved in previous seasons given the funds made available to manager McCarthy - the wage bill of £16.5 million during the 2016/17 campaign was around the 18th highest in the Championship and has risen by around a million this season - and that the quality of football is less of an issue when a team is challenging at the right end of the table.

“Look at the size of their budget and compare that to everybody in the league,” Osman told FootballWhispers.com at their FW:2 event at stadium:mk last week.

“You’d say that if a club has a bottom-six budget, that is where they are going to finish in the league.

“In recent years Ipswich have probably punched above their weight under Mick McCarthy. They finished higher up the table than they should have done.

“If you manage to finish a lot higher — we’re talking top six or the play-offs — and the football isn’t great then that’s fine. But this season the football has come home to roost a little bit and they’ve finished 16th.

“The supporters will say Ipswich don’t play very attractive football and that is what has annoyed them.”

Fans made their frustrations with McCarthy’s style of football clear throughout the season with many citing a lack of entertainment as the main reason they’re not renewing their season ticket for 2017/18.

As TWTD revealed at the end of last month, season ticket sales have fallen below 10,000, which equates to a drop in revenue of around £1 million. Speaking on Life’s a Pitch, MD Ian Milne accepted that “the entertaining football issue” was to blame.

Former Town U18s coach Osman says the style of football drilled into young players at Playford Road is a world away from that employed by the senior side.

“When you look at the academy and the kind of football the players are taught to play, it bears no resemblance to anything the first team do,” he added.

“Even before the Bobby Robson era, George Burley’s era, and even Jim Magilton’s era, Ipswich Town was renowned for being a footballing team. They kept the ball on the floor as much as possible, they were good passers and played good football.

“We’d play off the front players at the right time, hit long passes as well as short passes, but Mick McCarthy’s style of football is out of kilter with what a lot of the fans have grown up with.”


Photo: TWTD



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Coco added 13:54 - May 18
YES Russell. The legend talks and it's what we all already know. There is an Ipswich way and Mick will never fit it.
40

kizaitfc added 13:55 - May 18
Nail on the head springs to mind!
28

martin587 added 13:58 - May 18
Spot on Russell,never a truer word said.Just a shame certain management don't get the plot.🤔
31

SouperJim added 14:01 - May 18
The most frustrating aspect of this is "unfashionable" teams like ourselves have proven time and again down the years that you don't necessarily need a big budget if you play the right way and with ambition. Just look at Huddersfield this season...

Mick out.
33

christiand added 14:05 - May 18
Couldn't agree more, but MM knows best (so we're told), so he'll keep encouraging the first team to play their crappy long ball style - to no target man, while the academy sides are all encouraged to play football in the right way, on the grass! It just seems so ridiculous, but our great leader can't see it himself as he is so blinkered with his own limited approach.
29

BlueandTruesince82 added 14:22 - May 18
Russell Osman for manager?
10

Palestine added 14:23 - May 18
I think if it can help if more former players speak out as they have more credibility than 'fans' (who are also right on this issue).
25

Lightningboy added 14:39 - May 18
Spot On Russell.

Really annoys me when the awful style of our football is put down to lack of spending - Burley,Royle & Magilton (ironically before the money arrived) all had us playing an exciting brand of football on a regular basis without spending millions..good football (whether you're winning,drawing or losing) is down to the coaching & the manager's instructions.

Our biggest problem is McCarthy not the lack of spending.
35

Cakeman added 14:41 - May 18
Good call BlueandTruesince82.
Spot on Russell now please come home and sort us out by taking the reigns to put some smiles back on us supporters faces. I am fed up walking around Portman Road on Saturday afternoons looking like Victor Meldrew!
12

OldClactonBlue added 14:41 - May 18
Well said Russell.
Thank God that someone like this is prepared to say this sort of thing rather than following the party line which most clearly have to do.
26

BlueySwede added 14:44 - May 18
The problem this season has been that there has been "no" style at all. I don´t mind direct football or occasional long balls, as long as it is done with purpose and attacking intent. When we played direct during the playoff season we were good at it. But regardless of style you need quality, and "a bottom-six budget" suggests that any manager would have a tough job at Ipswich at the moment.
6

Campag_Velocet added 14:45 - May 18
Huddersfield spent over £3million this season. I'd love their budget.
5

vanmunt added 14:58 - May 18
No sh*t Sherlock.
1

RegencyBlue added 14:58 - May 18
Spot on!

Everyone can see it except our disinterested owner and stubborn manager!

The club seem more interested in hiding the total for season ticket sales (how bad must they be!) than dealing with the real problems.

ME and MM out!
21

Surco72 added 15:00 - May 18
Our budget and squad wages is far higher than Lincolns and they outplayed for 180 minutes . MM has never been an Ipswich style manager and never will be , the club is stale and it is the manager that needs changing not just the players , we need a new approach to todays game
28

MicksZzzTactics added 15:49 - May 18
Luv you Russell! ....just as I always have, starting all those years ago when you were young & active and especially while wearing our **then** proud & revered 'Shirt'.

In stark contrast to more or less constantly being DELUDED (like say Mick "The Dino" McCarthy! to cite a prime example) HONESTY, and being completely HONEST is a fine fine virtue .... but sadly also fairly **rare** on particularly these longitudes in this Day & Age! and thus a behavior of true grandiose proportions imho .... oh and additionally it's also just a heck of a lot better than 'sugarcoated B@llsheiiiit' (like say Ian "The Snake Oil Salesman" Milne! to cite yet another prime example).

But in you unwhimsically telling it 'Like It Is' Russell dearest ....Beware!!! cause you are now not only an very ehmmm 'IMPROPER BLOKE' :-) in the eyes of the domineering Dino I gather, but also fundamentally quite likely simply perceived (predominantly by our local tragic-comical take on 'The 3 Stooges' obviously) as being subversive & "An Enemy of The Regime"! UHUU! :-) lol
9

gosblue added 15:55 - May 18
Big Sam was pulled in at Crystal Palace to keep them up. Job done. Well done Sam. Will he ever get them into Europe? No. If he stays for more than one more season will they end up in danger of the drop? Probably. Does it sound familiar? If you've got a leak, get in a plumber; if you want to redecorate you need some creativity. Thanks Mick, no one can argue with what you did for us early on but I think it's time for a change.
4

therein61 added 16:08 - May 18
It will be interesting to see if an ex players views are subjected to a foul mouthed rant that we know nothing fans get!! well said Russell we need a few more ex players to give it some now!! then maybe just maybe somebody might take notice of the shambles Mick has turned this club into
17

Radlett_blue added 16:12 - May 18
The point that the way the first team play is totally at odds with how the young players are taught is well made & that's partly why we will struggle to bring young talent through. Southampton's academy & style of play is a real role model & one we would do well to adopt if we are to have any hope of progress with our current playing budget. However, I think Evans will stick with Mick as he will keep us in this league until he finds a buyer for the club.
4

COYB11 added 16:13 - May 18
It's not so much the ball being on the floor that bothers me. It is the complete lack of attacking intent, be that on the floor or in the air. The Newcastle game was brilliantly exciting and a great day - we didn't 'pass them off the park' so to speak, but we were positive, got in their faces and played with aggression. It would be great to play like Barcalona (tikatika), but realistically I think reproducing that newcastle performance should bea must next season.
7

ArnieM added 17:07 - May 18
So if RO "gets it" why the f uck can't Evans / McCarthy ???
11

IpswichToon added 17:28 - May 18
If we circulate a rumour that George Burley is considering a return to Portman Road it may well gain enough traction to happen. #GeorgeBurleyComeHome
11

jas0999 added 17:39 - May 18
Finally an ex Ipswich player talking some sense.
11

blackcat added 17:52 - May 18
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
Sorry but Yes Mick your the old dog
Do one!
1

Seasider added 17:55 - May 18
Well said Russell Osman,unlike the rest of the ex players,who so far have toed the party line.

Perhaps if they don't they wont be welcome at Mick McCarthy's Ipswich Town,sorry no its Marcus Evans who is the owner.You would never think it though.In fact few,other than ITFC fans, would realise that he owns a football club!

Didn't Russell once coach at ITFC during the Dino's reign.We can see why he isn't there now cant we.McCarthy once said that he wont have dissention in the camp;that is why we have a bunch of yes men at Ipswich,regardless of talent;as its Micks way or the highway.

He has shown this by his reaction to criticism by the press and supporters.

Kick the arrogant b..tard out my beloved Portman Rd Mr Invisible please!
19


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