Jonas Knudsen has admitted the impending departure of Town boss Mick McCarthy could impact upon his own Portman Road future.

With McCarthy due to leave next month Knudsen will be heading into the final year of his contract, the club having already informed him of their decision to trigger the one-year option they held on his services. Beyond that the Danish defender’s future is uncertain.

Knudsen said: “I need to think about my situation a bit more. The gaffer has been a big part of my career in England and I told him that before.

“I said I wanted to know what he was going to do and while it’s not just about him, I have been very happy playing under him.

“You never know what is going to happen and who will be coming in as the new manager. Does he like you or does he not like you? That’s how it is in football.

“I have a year left here now and I will always do my best for this club, 100 per cent in training and of course in games.

“But I cannot deny that the manager leaving is having an effect on what I will do in the future.

“I am very happy here and I like living in the area and playing for Ipswich Town, which I think is a great club. My wife loves it here as well, which is also important to me.

“I am definitely here for another year and then we’ll see. I haven’t heard anything from anybody at the club so I can’t say anything about signing a new contract. That’s how it is. All I can do is wait and see whether the new manager wants me or not.

“I have ambition to achieve more and I believe I can do it. I want to play in the Premier League and so should every player.

“I am 25 and I have played here for three seasons. I want a chance to play at the top level and I would love to go to the Premier League with Ipswich — that would be absolutely brilliant — but I also have to be realistic sometimes.

“Maybe I will always stay in the Championship but I believe you always have to set the bar high. If the new manager comes in and decides he wants to keep me, and the owner wants to offer me a new deal, I would be ready to talk about it. If I can see that Ipswich are going to go for it, the Premier League, it would suit me nicely.”

Knudsen echoed the views of other Town players when he stated: “I was very disappointed to hear the news that the gaffer was moving on. He has been absolutely brilliant for me, bringing me to England, and I have played 118 games under him. I am so grateful to both him and TC [Terry Connor] for what they have done for me.

“I have learned so much from them and if I have made a success of coming to England, which some people haven’t done, they are due a lot of the credit.

“When I heard they were not going to be staying at the club I was so disappointed. They have done a lot for this club. Mick has built something and now he is leaving, but that’s how it is in football.

“Personally, I would want him to stay because he has done a fantastic job and I’m not just saying that because I am in the team and play every week.”

Knudsen and his team-mates were lifted by the positive vibes as a result of the Easter Monday display against a play-off chasing Millwall side not only unbeaten in their 13 previous league games but seeking a seventh successive away Football League win for the first time in their history.

He said: “It is disappointing that there haven’t been more occasions like that this season. It was such a great atmosphere, which the Millwall fans helped to create, and the Leeds fans did something similar earlier in the season.

“Our own supporters were in great voice as well and you saw how the players react when it is like that. It was perfect.

“As players we love playing to a crowd like that and it showed what a big part of football the fans can be. It is not enjoyable for the players when the fans are not creating the atmosphere, but when they do it like they did on Monday it is absolutely brilliant.

“I could tell people enjoyed it and while we obviously wanted to win it was a game that could have gone either way and a draw was probably fair.

“I know it is a two-way thing between the fans and the players, and we need to give them more of that in the last few games of the season.

“I don’t know for sure, but maybe it has something to do with us being in the middle of the table and being a little bit more free to play that way.

“But from my point of view, while I know it is great to watch games like that, we are professionals and we need to win games to get points on the board.

“I know we got one point the other day but that’s not how football can be all the time. It was great — I had family members over from Denmark and they thought it was fantastic but every game isn’t going to be like that.

“We still have six games to go before the end of the season and our aim must be to do as well as we can in each and every one of them.

“We will do it for the club and the supporters but also the manager because he has been so important in all the players’ careers.

“I think we have a very good squad here and that is down to the manager, as well as things like the team spirit.

“You saw it on Monday when we were 1-0 down and nobody knew what was going to happen in the second half.

“We talked about it in the dressing room and what we wanted to do, and I think we showed what we are made of when we went back out to the pitch.

“We didn’t go on to lose by more goals, we came out and put in a performance to fight back and make a real game of it. The gaffer was delighted and so were we that we were able to give him something back.”

Photo: TWTD

philwhelansdegree added 21:00 - Apr 5 'Staggeringly average'.. a view clearly shared by the Danish Manager. Knudsen may not be Roberto Carlos, but his effort and commitment (as almost every player under MM) cannot be questioned. Although i don't agree with much of what MM says in interviews. The use of the word "numbskulls" seems more than apt for a large proportion of the comments on this thread. I will always support any player who shows commitment to the ITFC cause. Save your ridiculous, unfounded comments to the Leon Bests of this world

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Taricco_Fan added 21:01 - Apr 5 I wouldn't be too bothered if Knudsen decides to move on. From the beginning I felt he wasn't up to it and in the intervening years he hasn't improved enough for my liking. He might have the 'passion' and the knack of scoring against Norwich but he's a very average footballer and a liability at left back. We've have many better full-backs in recent years. What with Spence's performances falling off a cliff on the other flank I would prioritise signings of new left and right-backs in the summer. Recall Emmanuel for starters.

9

BlueNomad added 21:07 - Apr 5 Having watched Kyle Walker last night I think Jonas could play in the Premier. Prebbs007 still going on about Chambers and Skuse! The latter has had a good season. Perhaps prebbs007 should actually watch the team.
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warktheline added 21:19 - Apr 5 At the 'self-righteous' most of the majority really don't give a ruddy tuppence what morale high ground you falsely take! We've had ENOUGH! Understand ?
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pragmatic added 21:27 - Apr 5 Pragmatic blue sorry meant to mark up, so many opinions on this site are utter crap from people who think they are supporters,
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blueysbighoof added 21:51 - Apr 5 More delusions of grandeur break out at Portman rd, must be catching, agree with most on here. Play for the badge, not your mate, very interesting to see if manager x rates the “chosen ones” anyway.
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nineteenseventyeight added 21:51 - Apr 5 If it was me I would respect my manager whoever he is and play for the badge on the shirt
4

howdonblue added 21:53 - Apr 5 Like a lot of others I am not bothered that If he wants to go one bit
3

Geddis78 added 21:56 - Apr 5 It is becoming increasingly embarrassing to be an Ipswich fan. How can we turn on someone like Jonas who, however he has performed, has always played 100% for the club and worn the shirt as any of us would. Same for Chambers. Not saying they are great players but they always give their all. You have got your way with the manager going but to see you now turn on Knudsen for being honest is unbelievable. Hull was a low point. Some of the comments here keep us bumping along the bottom. And as for posters like Warktheline who never even goes to a match slagging him off, have a look at yourselves.

5

marcus9 added 22:03 - Apr 5 i havent posted on this site for 3 years mainly because 70% of my fellow town fans are complete bellends!what utter rubish is spouted all endlessly negative.yes mccarthy should have gone last season but guess what he has gone!slagging off players individually is not on and prebbs007 chambers is someone we would miss greatly . unlike your stupid posts
4

ArnieM added 22:15 - Apr 5 Cheerio then Jonas. I'm not worried by this one little bit, and I bet Kenlock can't believe his luck!
1

Geddis78 added 22:21 - Apr 5 Marcus9, well said. We are often too quiet. All the posters who hate the manager have their way. The season ticket prices have gone down. And still they spout nothing but negativity. Who to turn on now, well, the players of course. I almost guarantee they will not approve of the manager, and even if they do, will be on his case as soon as we lose a couple of games.
0

shoopdelang added 22:21 - Apr 5 SHould be here for the club not the manager. What this club has achieved over the years shows how big it is compared to you Jonas. You're an average defender.
0

thundercat600 added 22:29 - Apr 5 Reading the comments on here is disappointing, ITFC so called supporters are none of the kin. Why the hell are they still mouthing off, they have got their wish as MM and TC are leaving. I just have to wonder how long they will give the next manager be-for he too gets this vile abuse hurled at him. The dreadful behaviour of the Liverpool so called supporters who attacked the Man City bus just goes to show the mindset of a minority of so called fans.

0

Geddis78 added 22:33 - Apr 5 Does everyone on this site really work for the love of the company they work for? Do you all kiss the company logo when you clock in? Would you all stay in your jobs if you hated your manager? No? Thought not.
0

Blue041273 added 22:44 - Apr 5 You may not rate him but he has always given 100%. What more do you want?
3

alfromcol added 22:52 - Apr 5 Time for the players to keep their heads down with regards to Mick.
3

nineteenseventyeight added 22:53 - Apr 5 Geddis78, there is a fine line between the 9 to 5 most town fans have to do and to be able to be a professional football player, which is a dream for a lot of kids growing up and the obscene amounts of money they can earn and the high amounts of money most of us pay, I agree with what you say but when it comes to football its a different world
2

TimmyH added 22:54 - Apr 5 Bye bye then Jonas...never rated you defensively other than when you play on the left side as a central defender but as a right back it's a no from me, as others mention you play for the club not your mate Mick.
1

Bert added 23:03 - Apr 5 There are many things at the club that need to change and one of them is tiresome interviews that simply feed the posters who don't even part with their money but think they can speak for everyone. I doubt that many of the more aggressive ilk would spout their venom face to face. So easy to hide behind a keyboard. How about thinking a bit more positive ?
2

warktheline added 23:11 - Apr 5 Geddis , the 'ultimate excuse maker'!......Did I 'slag the boy off'?.....when 'your man' leaves I'll return, and jeez am I looking bloody forward to it!!!!!!
2

Geddis78 added 23:14 - Apr 5 1978, wishful thinking. I doubt Jonas is on obscene money but either way, you could not doubt his commitment. Same for Chambers and dare I say it, McCarthy. Players have not played for the love of the club for years. Even Terry and Gerrard held their clubs to ransome financially before signing contracts.
3

BraveDave added 23:28 - Apr 5 Geddis78 and Marcus 09. Well said. The debate about McCarthy was long and often nasty. But it's gone. Next season will be the verdict. But to turn on our own players. What total scum some of our fans are. He has said nothing outrageous, has a right to support a guy who he rates highly (rightly or wrongly) without actually criticising the fans who are now happy to turn on him. Who's next (because with some of our fans, there always has to be a 'next' scapegoat). As you say, so many who never go anyway - we established long ago that our 'alternative facts' armchair fan, warktheline, did not stop going because of MM - he had stopped going long before anyone was grumbling about him. But there you go, dare to criticise some idiots on here and suddenly you are a MM fanatic - these idiots wouldn't recognise a nuanced debate if it slapped them in the face. Oh well, at least they're lining up their excuses early for when next season shows that MM is not the problem at Portman Road.

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Skip73 added 23:31 - Apr 5 For all the idiots slagging 'proper blokes' off do you remember what Michael Chopra was like? I'd rather a team full of Chambers' and Skuse's than than one of him. We had a few others then too before McCarthy sorted it out.
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bobble added 00:29 - Apr 6 you will never be going to the 1st division with town if mick is in charge....
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