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

MrDiddle added 00:57 - Apr 6 Mick will be missed up at Playford Rd. Wont be long before he's missed at Portman Rd either.
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Fartman added 01:16 - Apr 6 Absolute trolling from our disgraceful fanbase. Knudsen isn't saying he want to leave, just want to sort out his long time future. He's been on of our most consistent players this season. Feel free - go on and force him out of our club.
6

Blue_Meanie added 06:23 - Apr 6 I'd give 100% if I was to play for ITFC; unfortunately that is not the only requirement needed, natural talent is something Jonas has very little of.
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arnielowestoft added 06:49 - Apr 6 Your not that great fella !!! All ya got is a pish poor long throw in your locker ! And yet to score off F@@k off with MM & TC
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Roola added 07:36 - Apr 6 I'll put my head above the parapet and say I was someone desperate for Mick to leave and glad he's made the right choice. What concerns me is the level of angst and aggressiveness that still lurks on here. I personally respect Knudson for being honest about how he feels, I'm sure many others feel the same with a new manager coming in. Rate him or not, he's always given his all in games and has improved a great deal since arriving suggesting he trains hard too. Give the lad a break, I'd rather have Knudson than journeyman like Bowyer or Bullard or loans that people consistently moan about. The vile language and comments towards players is not what are club is and think those people should draw a line under the McCarthy era and try to be a little more positive and upbeat about the future, let the new manager decide eh.

5

woohoo added 08:19 - Apr 6 The appointment of a new manager 'could' have an effect on any player. As to Knudsen, never really convinced me. But, quite right for him to have ambition to play in the PL - wouldn't want any player who does not have that.
3

rollercoastertown added 08:44 - Apr 6 Your Contract my friend is with Ipswich Town, you are contracted to work for the Club. The club is funded by our owner and the fans. These are the people that pay your wages, and provide you with the opportunity that you have. Show these people some respect.
0

warktheline added 08:44 - Apr 6 There's a superb article about Danny Cowley on the BBC football website!....some of you 'we're doomed without McCarthy' theorists should have a read! That's 'life and football positivity' a far cry from the last 4 yrs Ipswich supporters have suffered !
1

essextractorboy93 added 09:26 - Apr 6 Sad to see some of the negative comments towards Knudsen on here. He has progressed since he joined us and hopefully he will stick around for a few years. He's in good form and hopefully will be off to the World Cup this summer with Denmark. He's often unfairly made a scapegoat for poor performances by the team, at most clubs there are two or three players that are always singled out by certain fans unfortunately. Solid defender at this level and as we have seen this season can play centre back as well as left back very well.

4

dirtyboy added 09:38 - Apr 6 Average TWTD poster <engagebrain> <brainengagementfaileddonotproceed> <goesaheadanyway> <carcrashofidiocy>
0

stewartm added 10:33 - Apr 6 Well lets hope you follow Mick out the door. ps- there are a few other players in the squad that can go with you...
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Swansea_Blue added 10:49 - Apr 6 Good honest interview. Of course Mick's departure will have an impact, because he's been here so long and has been Jonas' only manager in England so far. No wonder Mick tells us to eff off given the idiocy shown in some of the comments .
4

GiveusaWave added 11:16 - Apr 6 Improved as a player in his time at the club...still relatively young and potentially going to be in the World Cup. Important player and won't be easily replaced If he moves on in my opinion. Some strange comments here...suggestive that people don't actually watch him play.
2

Swn98 added 11:17 - Apr 6 Strange thought process of some users when all Micks"proper"blokes and all the ones they hate go who is going to replace them?you could see 75% of the squad gone if everyone gets their wish.
0

Skip73 added 11:20 - Apr 6 Who the hell would want to play for this club with the magnificent 'fans' we have?
-2

Gcon added 11:33 - Apr 6 He's so bad he's made it back into the Danish national side.....
1

stewartm added 12:10 - Apr 6 Well I have seen him numerous times and all I see was a liability! In fairness team selections around him have not helped but lets be honest he is nothing special.
1

BlueBlood90 added 13:06 - Apr 6 Another one of McCarthy's teachers pets who didn't deserve to be playing but played every week so of course he's upset. I personally couldn't care less if he stayed, he's average at best. I find it laughable that he's talking about the Premier League as if anyone there would want him. Unless he's talking about the Scottish Premier.
0

timspencero added 13:46 - Apr 6 I'm not sure if he's been taken out of context or what, but he should want to play for the club, the badge and the fans. If he's here only or principally for the manager, then I have no affinity with him personally. He's as welcome to move on as a disgruntled superstar would be if they didn't want to play for the club, the badge and the fans. All players will be scared of a new manager as it's inevitable turbulence for them and their careers. But energies should be focused on proving they are good enough to move the club forward with a new manager - not saying you're sorry for the old manager and hoping to get a contract at his next club.

2

BeattiesBackPocket added 14:26 - Apr 6 I'm glad some of the players are a little worried about their positions at the club to be honest, too long have some of these players known they will be in the team no matter what or how they play. They're never threatened by the youngsters or anyone else because they know straight after injury or ban they'l be back in the team. Too many youngsters haven't got game time due to "proper blokes" being picked ahead of them, we have some good kids to come in and should get game time now. We even have players playing out of position instead of bringing in one of them. Those fans who bemoan McCarthys injuries to players, well he bought in players in the past including Williams, Huws etc who have histories of being injured, why do these players keep getting injured something in training he does or his staff not looking after the players? Either way the manager has a say on his staffing and that includes those treating the players.

3

poldark added 14:41 - Apr 6 Prehaps Mr McCarthy should leave Knudson out and play Kenlock who does want to stay and is a much better player
2

bedsitfc added 16:16 - Apr 6 Yeah, new manager might not want you and maybe a few others.
2

Swn98 added 17:22 - Apr 6 Sorry roola should of been an uppie couldn't agree more
0

TonyMowbray added 18:44 - Apr 6 Don't want to hound him out but have never thought he was good enough personally, although, that may be partly down to the fact our previous two left backs were both fantastic.......two big pairs of boots to fill! I like players to be able to pass a football and be able to veat another player and he isn't particularly good at either. Would be happy to sell him and replace with someone from Tranmere or Chippenham.

2

blueboy1981 added 18:50 - Apr 6 Players come, players go - Managers come, managers go - all are replaceable. If neither want to be at Portman Road, and 'think' they are above us - then on their bike. Best advice I could give you Knudsen is get your head down and improve your game, and don't have too much faith in your messiah. It has been all too easy for you, and certain others, to keep your team places under McCarthy, and you all in question know it.,,, !! If you have faith in your ability, and know you deserve to be in the team on merit - you should have no fear of someone else coming in, and you working under them. With your current stance, maybe the new Manager may not be impressed with such - therefore the choice may not be entirely yours. Get your head down, and don't follow McCarthy by being 'above your station'.

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