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McCarthy Leaves Town With Immediate Effect - Updated With Audio Tuesday, 10th Apr 2018 22:16
Town boss Mick McCarthy’s departure with immediate effect has been confirmed. McCarthy, who had been due to stay until his contract is up in the summer, announced his departure at the end of his post-match press conference with the club releasing a statement soon afterwards.
“I spoke with Marcus at the weekend and we agreed that it was in the best interests for me, the players and the club that I move on now,”he told the club site.
“I said I would see the season out but it’s been a new experience and it’s not one I have been enjoying to be honest.
“I have continued to do my job to the best of my ability but there is something missing and I’m not comfortable with that.
“I have had a great time here and worked with some great people and to all those who have given me wonderful support over the last five and a half years - and there are many - I want to put on record my personal thanks.
🎥 | Mick McCarthy spoke with iFollow Ipswich shortly after the full-time whistle at Portman Road this evening as he confirmed his departure from the Club. pic.twitter.com/TEFfbLGOkA– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) April 10, 2018
“The players here can look forward to a new challenge with whoever comes in and I want to wish them, the staff and the club the best of fortunes.
“I’ll also be looking forward to a new challenge elsewhere. I’ve still got a lot of football in me.”
Assistant boss Terry Connor has also left the club with immediate effect following tonight’s match. It's understood the duo will say their goodbyes to the players at Playford Road on Thursday.
Town will announce who will be the caretaker-manager in the next day or so but we understand Bryan Klug and Geraint Williams will be put in temporary charge.
“I want to reiterate my thanks to Mick and Terry for their fantastic service to this football club,” owner Marcus Evans added.
“I have always enjoyed a good relationship with Mick and that continues and on behalf of the football club I want to wish him and Terry the very best of luck going forward. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them back here next season in the away dressing room!”
McCarthy announced his departure, which would have happened whatever tonight's result, at the end of his press conference when asked about the fans’ reaction to debutant Barry Cotter’s substitution, which you can hear below.
“A disgraceful reaction to that. But listen, I won’t have to listen to that again because that’s my last game, I’ll see you when I see you. I’m out of here,” he said as he got up and walked out.
Tonight's game was McCarthy's 279th in charge of the Blues, the 59-year-old having taken charge on November 1st 2012. Of those games, he won 105, drew 78 and lost 96, a win percentage of 37.63.
Earlier in the press conference, McCarthy had commented on the game: “I thought the lads were excellent, the first half was a tough game. Kieffer had hit the cross-bar, we both had chances. I thought we got better and better and was really thrilled with the result.
“We’ve had a clean sheet so that’s pleasing. We’ve not been good at home recently so we might have been a bit nervy, I don’t know, but we played really well in the second half and we should have won by more in the end.
“Jonas is a really good player for us and I’m delighted for him. Jonas is a proper player and I’m delighted for him.”
McCarthy was asked what was left to play for with the Barnsley win mathematically meaning the Blues cannot now make the play-offs: “Pride, points, always want to win.”
Adding to his earlier comments on the performance, he added: “I hope [fans will have left having enjoyed it]. It was a good performance and Barry Cotter caught everybody’s eye, another one that it looks like we’ve done really well on.
“He’s just got personality, he’s got a twinkle in his eye, he’s got technical ability, he’s quick and powerful, he’s got everything to be a player, I’ve just fancied him ever since he walked through the door. He came as a centre-half, I said ‘No chance, he’ll be a right-back’ and that’s what he’s going to be.
“He’s going to be a good player for Ipswich Town. He’s been a really good signing. If that’s his standard on his debut then he's only going to get better.
“He’s great, he’s not a shy boy, he’s a great fella, that’s why I put him in, I knew it wouldn’t faze him, he’s got really good ability as well.”
Was his withdrawal pre-planned? “Not at all, he was knackered. I said to him at half-time, he had his socks down, I said, ‘You tell me if you’re struggling’.
“He’d just let the wide player run on him twice and, of course, he wasn’t going to tell me because he wants to stay on the pitch.
“And that’s the art of management, knowing when to take him off and Wardy was brilliant, he was great,” he added before being asked about the fans’ reaction to the change.
Photo: TWTD
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Why do people still go on about how McCarthy saved us from relegation as if he was the only manager in the world of football who could have don so. No more will we hear the pathetic 'be careful what you wish for' chant, we may even get a manager who plays open attacking football, after all we didn't get very far with one who played boring hoofball
McCarthy leaves the club in, undoubtedly, a better place than he found it. Mick and Terry saved us in our time of need, stabilised the club and got us pointing in the right direction once more. He got us a play-off position against the odds. Those first couple of seasons were pretty decent.
That said, the last couple of years have been boring and fans have left in droves. It was time for Mick to move on. Pragmatic, negative, often dull football ground the supporter-base down to the core of around £10k we see at most games now. The fans appreciate the financial constraints Mick was working under (and he must be commended for what he achieved with next to nothing) but all we wanted was a little more positivity, a little more passing and more faith in young players and those who can create.
I wish Mick and Terry well. Mick can be belligerent and stubborn but I have no doubt he's also a good bloke and I hope he will be welcomed back to Portman Road as a visiting manager or otherwise.
and I'll say it again...Mick walks off with near £6M before taxes and didn't really achieve that much whilst here other than save us from a certain relegation (like some on here will tell you) and make the owner some money from players and gave us 2/3 years of some of the dullest football I can remember as a supporter of this club. So no thanks from me, right decision to leave now!
I think the decision for Mick's contract not to be extended was the right one both for club and manager, Mick had taken us as far as he could on the very limited pickings he had been given.
I have enormous respect for the job Mick and Terry did here and I know most fans did too, however the small but very vocal section of fans that got on Micks back are not in my opinion proper supporters, to use foul and abusive language in front of women and kids is shameful, no matter what your thoughts are. I have just watched Mick's exit interview on here and he was the perfect gent, I would like to wish him and Terry all the best for the future and thank them for all their hard work.
Some on here need to grow up and start to give the club it's good reputation back.
I hope the next appointment is a good one and that the owner backs the manager, we shall see, no matter what you thought of Mick and his football at least respect the work and commitment he and TC have put in.
Was at the press conference tonight for the final petulant display of a man who has shown his true colours in recent times. I have formed the view that he is actually a very bitter, egotistical man who lacks any grace , dignity or humility to handle things that don't go his way. He has shown complete disdain for ALL supporters , not just a tiny minority who use abusive behaviour , through telling us consistently over two years that we are ignorant for not realising how great his team is playing and how wonderful a manager he is. What really I think gets to him is the realisation that he has failed. He has had a long time here, has been given more resources than many other clubs now above us yet has not taken us forward and has actually stagnated. The script is that we are all mean to marvel at his brilliance but instead he has been forced out through failure. Tonight's last f*** off to everyone was breathtaking even by his own unique standards. Cotter - who lets face it would be nowhere near this team if it wasn't for injury - has an OUTSTANDING 45 minutes and then gets hauled off. Can you think in the circumstances of a more self centred bit of egotism than that. he was making a statement, make no mistake. He and his mate Terry have made so many judgements about players either kept or let go that have turned out to be the wrong ones and that means he has failed and should be held accountable. Marriotts fat, Moore's rubbish. Hmmm. Oh yes and Iorfa is great but Cotter's nowhere near a proper bloke. And lets not even talk Douglas. To take the credit for Cotter's wonderful breath-of-fresh-air performance tonight is the most wondrous bit of self delusion imaginable. The only credit he and his mate Terry should take for all that wonderful work he does with strikers is to ruin Freddy and give us fewer shots over a season than everyone bar Burton! I don't want to say anything abusive and I don't wish them ill, but they have failed and deserve no appreciation at all for their boorish arrogance and disrespect to people like you me and thousands of other fair minded , loyal, long standing supporters who believe that this club is even bigger than his planetary ego. I pray that we do better without him.
Wondered y I got marked down by poldark. So out of curiosity read his previous posts. I am not a MM fan but respect what he previously did for Ipswich and happy for him to go now. But good god poldark you are a very very bitter miserable person! Ha ha it's being so happy that keeps u going 😂
I think a lot of fans should be ashamed of themselves! MM came in and saved us from relegation and stabilised is! Not he leaves with no respect and just narrow minded fans giving him grief. I'm Happy for pastures new, but this isn't the Ipswich town I thought it was.
What a load of *ick heads most of our supporters are to want to get rid of a manager who only lost 4 games in a season which had we won we would be in the playoffs. You IDIOTS WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PICK UP ANOTHER GEM LIKE MM AGAIN. not for along time, you are like children! I want I want. Rattle out of pram.
Brilliant WashbrookBlue, you have hit the nail right on the head. I draw a parallel with the scum up the road, they may be in the same position as us at the moment but at least the last few seasons have been exciting. I just wonder how long McCarthy would have lasted there
Thanks for what you did for us Mick and Terry - good luck in the future. This is the correct decision and went out on a high. Great match tonight, very entertaining, and very impressed with Cotter.
The topic of MM has long created a divide between ITFC fans. The man should be acknowledged for what he did, hindsight says two/three years max would have been his sell by date. There were so many factors, lack of money, not playing youngsters, disrespecting fans, boring football, the list goes on yes but that water has long passed under the bridge. We must unite and move on.
My wishlist;
1) ME nails this appointment- critical 2) 20000 + crowds become the norm again 3) PR is somewhere to enjoy going again 4) This bitterness and angst towards fellow fans stops 5) We witness some of our own coming into and making an impact in the first team 6) If it isn't too much more to ask a win against that mob 40 miles north is long overdue
This is the most important few months for the club in recent times. COYB
Am not going to get drawn into an argument. Manager's like MM are marmite, they can start fights in empty rooms and he - like Keane, his old nemesis - has certainly done that here. I'm not bitter at all, I'm a supporter of this club and am sad to see us in such a desperate place. I will be here before and after the time of any single manager. I have seen many over my time and only Keane comes close to the type of boorish I know better than anyone type arrogance of MM. Maybe you can live with that if you succeed, but when you fail - and I call endless fa cup failure, Lincoln humiliation, lowest league position for 50 years, lowest grounds in a generation, boring turgid football for 2-3 years failure on any objective level - don't expect people to think you are wonderful. He has failed. The new manager is lucky because he has rich talent at his disposal that has been suffocated behind proper blokes and favourites who can do more than stop people playing. How anyone can be sorry to say goodbye to the last 2years plus is simply beyond me. It has been the most miserable turgid boring crap and to be prisoner to an argument that to change would be "careful what you wish for" - well, I just don't get it. people don't expect miracles, they just want a bit of positivity. They got that for 45 against Millwall and again tonight, and look how they responded. We are truly better off without him.
Those boos at the substitution I feel showed a complete lack of respect to MM & TC and were, I think, shameful. Shoot me down in flames and call me naïve, if you wish, but I genuinely turned to the supporter next to me to ask why are people booing? And Grant Ward when he came on played a bit of blinder IMO! Enough said.
Nice for him to go out on a win;but it was a very strange situation that he was left in by Marcus,and one which both he and most supporters were not really happy with.
I never wanted him here in the first place;but would have to admit that he saved the club from relegation in that first year.His record in the first three years,as evidenced by the League positions was pretty good;but the last two have not.
I will not i'm afraid be all misty eyed at his departure,because I feel,despite what has been said;that Town fans are a pretty good bunch who give their Managers a fair bit of slack.Those that are now feeling sorry for him,and the abuse he has suffered;must remember that most of this was triggered by his attitude to us fans,as well as the cautious approach in most games,even at home.Losing in total almost as many as he won
It would however be churlish of me not to wish him and Terry Connor all the best in the future
Washbrook Blue - "I pray that we do better without him". No wonder you're pleased he's gone if you're THAT confident for the future! At least you've brought all fans together - I'm sure we all pray we do better.
Thanks Mick and Terry for your efforts and service. There have been some good times, you have done very well with a limited budget and made some good signings. It is now time for a change and to get the supporters and former/potential season ticket holders back Thank you for recognising that. I apologise for the supporters who went too far. Good luck to you both....I wish you every success .except when you play against us!
Watching tonight it just looked like the boys were playing with the shackles off and playing for the shirt rather than under the direction of the manager, moving the ball firward, running the ball, switching the play, playing out of trouble , truth be told better finishing and we had a 4-0 on our hands hopefully a playing style we all used to take for granted on the horizon and a football game gone to for enjoyment rather than just the obligation of being a fan. The futures bright the future blue!!! COYB
Judging by this lot - are you sure he shouldn't have had a Civic Reception .... ??? send off.
There is an element of support at this Club of today that amazes me - What has he done other than predominately keep us mid table Championship ? - NOTHING more - other than to bore many people so much that + /- 6k supporters have drifted away from Portman Road. How can that be acceptable to a Club with such pedigree of playing attractive and entertaining football .... ??
Why does that have to be so acceptable, and applaudable ?
People won't like this - BUT - Suffolk people expect little - and are far too soft in many ways. Man up people - expect more, and move on.
Just a reminder - he has been paid extremely well for MEDIOCRITY - and never had an ounce of respect for the Supporters of our Club. Whatever he now says.
Cue the down clicks - and in doing so prove the above...... !! ......... is correct.
Rather than be obsessed with the moronic behaviour of a handful (which I completely disagree with), the fans we should be talking about are the 10,000+ who simply could not bear not having a shot against Burton and Rotherham any longer and quietly walked away. Voting with your feet is what they call it. Or are they numbskulls too? Yes Bravo Dave, I agree, lets all unite around hope for better times ahead.
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