Town boss Mick McCarthy denied that he told the Blues’ travelling support to "f*** off" when celebrating skipper Luke Chambers’s goal during the 1-1 derby draw against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

TV footage appeared to show McCarthy gesture and shout towards the away fans in the Jarrold Stand after Chambers had given the Blues the lead in the 89th minute. Timm Klose equalised for the home side in the fifth minute of injury time.

Earlier fans had been chanting, "Mick McCarthy, your football is s***" following a 79th minute substitution.

Asked whether his reaction was aimed towards supporters, he dismissed the suggestion: “Just celebrating the goal.”

Pressed further on it looking like he was telling fans to ‘f*** off’, he added: “You’re putting words in my mouth. No, just the game, celebrating the [goal].”

So it wasn’t a reaction to fans’ earlier chants aimed towards him? “A reaction to the game, I want to win the game and we didn’t.”

Was he frustrated by the fans’ chants when he swapped Dominic Iorfa for Jordan Spence rather than making a more attacking change?

Safe to say Mick McCarthy enjoyed that goal.... pic.twitter.com/ZGoFMr4r7q– Irish Football Pics (@irish_pics) February 18, 2018

“Jordan Spence came on because Dominic Iorfa was cramping up,” he said. “That’s my tactical substitution and making the subs we have to make, I do my job as I see fit.”

Does he think fans didn’t appreciate the situation of needing a defensive replacement at that point?

“Well, it’s funny that I’m answering questions like that. If we’d come off and we’d won instead of them equalising it would have been so different, wouldn’t it? It’s sad that you’re having to ask me those questions. I’m not bothered, I do my job as I see fit I think and I do it particularly well actually.”

Asked whether he is concerned that his relationship with supporters is permanently fractured, he added: “Not really, no. I keep doing my job and doing it as best as I possibly can.”

But once a rift of that type appears it’s difficult to turn around, isn’t it? “Winning games overcomes it, so we’ll see what Wednesday [and the home game with Cardiff] brings, shall we?”

Asked again whether he told the fans to f*** off, he reiterated: “Just emotions at the game.”

As for the game itself, McCarthy was pleased with the display if not conceding the late, late equaliser: “I thought we did well. It was a really good performance and we’ve just let our guard down in the 95th minute, wherever they came from.

“Of course [the goal] could have been prevented. We might have blocked the ball in the box, we might have won the first header, we might have followed him out instead of Bart following him, I think that was just a bit of confusion.

“That’s how goals come about. I’m sure they’ll look at ours and think somebody should have been marking Chambo closer, no pun intended.”

Did the game go to plan? “I thought it was a really good performance in the first half as an attacking threat, as an offensive threat.

“And I thought in the second half when it got really tough those players were blocking and tackling and working hard, and Bart made a couple of saves. And I knew that would be the case. I was delighted with my team’s performance today.”

Reflecting further, he added: “I was pleased with the team’s performance, all of them. Stephen Gleeson has not played that much football so that’s why he was replaced with Lukey Hyam who, to be fair, has probably got more legs than he has and we needed that in the midfield. I was pleased with them all, I think they played well.”

He was pleased with the way Cole Skuse too care of James Maddison in the first half, although the Canaries youngster made more of an impression after the break.

“I thought in the first half certainly,’ McCarthy added. “Second half, he’s a very good player and you’ve got to take care of him.

“And pretty much we did, he had two freekicks he hit the target with but overall, up until the 95th minute, a job well done.”

Regarding the change to a 3-5-2 system, he said: “It was for today, might be for Wednesday and it might be for Saturday, but the system and the tactical changes worked today.”

The switch allowed him to get both Adam Webster and Cameron Carter-Vickers into side but equally means other players have to miss out.

“It does but it gets Santie out and it gets somebody else out, so there are the dilemmas. You can’t play everybody.”

Despite the criticism aimed towards him by Town fans, it was pointed out that the Blues are still ahead of Norwich on goal difference.

“We are, I think if I’d been given £100 million over the last three years I think I could have been languishing in 13th as well,” he added.

Norwich manager Daniel Farke felt the match was “a typical derby”.

He said: “Much aggressiveness, many duels. Some crazy things happened and then a lot of emotions with conceding what looked a determining goal and then the celebration in the 95th minute. There was an explosion at Carrow Road.

“To be honest, after this second half normally it is ridiculous to have one point. I thought it was a close first half but in the second half we had 75 per cent possession, we had 13 shots on goal to their one shot, one header that went in for them.

“We had James Maddison with two freekicks, Nelson Oliveira with three shooting chances, Timm was two metres out and missed his kick. Normally you must be sad just to have a draw.

“Sometimes small things make the difference. We gave away a freekick in the 88th minute with a young player who was a bit naïve. Ipswich is the best team on set pieces in the league. From the freekick came the corner and from the corner the goal.

“I just can’t praise the reaction and the mentality of my boys enough. It feels like a bit of a winner. So important for our club and supporters and us as a group.”

Photo: TWTD

toxtethblue added 19:31 - Feb 18 Realipswich - I'd tell him to f ack off to his face and if I lived closer probably would at the next home game. He and ME are killing the club I love.
8

onemarcusstewart added 19:32 - Feb 18 I'm sorry is mcmcarthy the only manager in the world who can keep ipswich in this division let alone challenge for promotion ? Can he say and do whatever he likes without reproach ? Ipswich were once a great club with a tradition of playing football the right way. Some people on here backing him are beyond belief. How about giving mc carthy a contract for life then the crowd of evans and milne and a handful of others that know nothing about the beautiful game enjoy watching the crap that is being served up which you seem to enjoy for many years to come.

23

I_AM_GOD added 19:40 - Feb 18 Whether aimed at the fans (which would be totally unacceptable in my book) or anyone else, this is not showing anyone a good impression of himself or the club, especially if being broadcast on national TV. In this day of the Respect campaigns and such like, surely the club have to issue some form of fine. The issues between the fans and the club - not just the manager any more - are deepening so rapidly I can't see how the club can keep ignoring this.

11

toxtethblue added 19:41 - Feb 18 To all the 'careful what you wish for' 'who would you get instead' etc brigade, wt actual f is wrong with you?!!! In answer to the two above questions- a manager who represents our club honourably, plays attractive football and can beat norwich once in a generation. 2. Cowley's, Luton manager, plymouth manager, there's more to life than MM!!! Have some ambition!!
18

Swn98 added 19:41 - Feb 18 Get rid of MM
9

Swn98 added 19:42 - Feb 18 Welcome back the beautiful game!! Deluded souls.
0

dannyrr added 19:44 - Feb 18 I personally don't care too much if he had decided to give back some abuse to the fans after receiving it. But games are not won in the 89th minute they are won when the final whistle goes. If he had done it at the final whistle with us taking 3 points many might have felt he was justified. This is the second game that has been on tv this season where we have been leading at 90 minutes and have conceded in extra time. This was a display of MM contempt for ITFC fans who have not shown their gratitude for saving us from relegation and treating us to mid table mediocrity and watching entertaining football such as the display against Burton Albion who were anchored at the bottom of the table where we struggled to have a shot.

4

NBVJohn added 19:50 - Feb 18 This is symptomatic of everything that's wrong at ITFC. What will happen? My guess is nothing. ME will only find out if someone tells him, and the someone that should tell him, that bastion of ownership and responsibility Ian ‘the powers that be' Milne, was probably away admiring Delia's saucepan set by as late as 89 mins. I have defended MM in the past and whilst I don't like his tactics, his mistrust of young players or his de-skilling of talented players, I have always felt that he he did an OK job on limited means. This however is about as low as the CLUB can get for me, and there's no doubt in my mind that it was aimed at his own supporters. Do I blame McCarthy personally? Not really. I blame the club for creating an environment where abuse of supporters is routine throughout the organisation. Sky high ticket prices for poor entertainment by a manager resorting to negative tactics as an excuse for lack of boardroom support generates backlash from supporters and this is an inevitable outcome. Some honesty from MM about his instant release of emotion would have gone a long way too. It's not a simple case of MM out in my opinion, it's simply time for a change of regime from ME to MM and the glorified tea boy Milne. Sad times - desperate measures.

22

NSL added 19:52 - Feb 18 Mick isn't going to admit anything that leads to a dismissal under gross misconduct is he!
6

Blue_Meanie added 19:54 - Feb 18 Liar and coward as he won't admit it
10

Kingfisher49 added 19:56 - Feb 18 On the day Sir Bobby would have been 85 years old, and the late Cobbold brothers were probably turning in their graves, the club reached a new low with the tirade from MM. It was a huge taste of the disrespect he has for followers of our club. In the old days he would have been asked to attend the Chairman's office and told to go forth and multiply in an Old Etonian manner, but I fear ME is probably not concerned one bit as he does not have any concerns for our followers either. Season ticket sales will be even more interesting now.

18

dukey44 added 19:58 - Feb 18 Seriously I can't believe people still want this Irish ....... man still in charge of us???? Boring now and sorry but he did swear towards the fans !!!
5

Swn98 added 20:01 - Feb 18 The Go now I can't wait for next season!!
-1

Blue_Meanie added 20:03 - Feb 18 Have you ever seen a manager reacting to a goal like that to opposition fans let alone his own teams ? Evans act now and sack him whilst you still have a shred of decency left with the Town fans.
15

Carberry added 20:04 - Feb 18 Brilliantly put, NBVJohn.
3

blue75 added 20:07 - Feb 18 realipswich I don't know who I want to replace McCarthy that's not my job, I just want someone who'll play football and not be scared to try to win a game. Swn98 you need to face and accept we can do better and you know we'll give a new manager a fair chance McCarthy's had plenty of time.
8

BlueArrow added 20:09 - Feb 18 If someone was wearing my name or company name on the back of a jacket and behaved like that on live TV I'd be calling him in for "a word" or two of my own proto
7

BlueArrow added 20:10 - Feb 18 Pronto rather
0

Blue_Meanie added 20:10 - Feb 18 South West Norwich and 19/20 years of age. Time for bed troll; college in the morning
1

dirtydingusmagee added 20:12 - Feb 18 Blue Meanie ,spot on , there can be NO DOUBT what was said and done and to whom it was directed,but he hasn't the balls to stand by his actions, and cringingly tries to deny it .
5

Swn98 added 20:17 - Feb 18 Wrong on all counts bluemeanie have another go.
-3

onemarcusstewart added 20:19 - Feb 18 I would love to know if Evans and Milne seek any kind of counsel from any one respected within the game or simply beleve everything mcmcarthy is feeding them to the point they believe that unless they put 300 million in or whatever they can't do without him so are sh*t scared to do anything at all.
4

wayway added 20:33 - Feb 18 The one thing these people who are STILL sticking up for Boring Billy McCarthy don't seem to grasp. His foul mouth rant was not directed at the so called keyboard warriors on this or any other forum. It was directed at the REAL fans who paid their £40 and turned up at Carrow Road. These REAL fans have obviously had enough and are quite entitled to vent their anger. One thing I would like to ask Swn, why are you so convinced that a new manager would be such a disaster? On what do you base that assumption

8

blueboy1981 added 20:35 - Feb 18 ....... the only thing that McCarthy loves about this Club is the £1m + Salary he gets each year. He couldn't care less about the Club, it's wellbeing, or future - never has, and never will. WAKE UP PEOPLE - who continue to believe in this completely lost cause, and waste of Salary.
11

Northstandveteran added 20:36 - Feb 18 Swn98. Although I always look forward to reading your 'alternative' comments and as I've said before, it is good to get differing opinions, but as a lifelong Ipswich fan, regardless of your support for McCarthy, which is your choice and not knocking you for that. Surely you must agree that his position is not going to be tenable off the back of this? Regardless of what anyone thinks of the man or the manager, this has always been a club with the highest moral standards, and in your words, a sense of fair play. This has always been a family orientated club. Today's behaviour, emotionally charged or otherwise was totally unacceptable. I realise that you are giggling away to yourself winding everyone up but know that deep down you feel that McCarthy must now leave.

12

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls