Vice-captain Cole Skuse has paid tribute to departing manager Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor. In the absence of injured skipper Luke Chambers, Skuse, 32, wore the armband during last night’s 1-0 victory over Barnsley which turned out to be the duo’s final game in charge of the Blues after five and a half years.

“It was a shock to the system, definitely,” Cole told the club site. “From a personal point of view I cannot thank him enough — he’s the one that brought me here and signed me.

""“I’ve played a lot of games under him and earned a couple of new contracts under him and I cannot speak highly enough of the pair of them.

“It might sound like a scratched record but it’s true. The way they conduct themselves as gentlemen, not just a manager and a coach, they are a true credit to themselves.

“I know I speak on behalf of the whole dressing room when I say a big thank-you. A thank-you for their efforts, even after the announcement that they were leaving the way they came in and conducted themselves was admirable.""

“Mick is a credit to himself and I’m sure he’s not going to be out of work long. It would be great to go up against a team managed by him in the future but it also wouldn’t be good because it would be such a hard test!

""“It would definitely be a challenge and I don’t know whether it would be nice or heated but it would certainly be a challenge.”

Caretaker-boss Bryan Klug will speak to the media for the first time tomorrow lunchtime ahead of Saturday's game at Nottingham Forest, however, the club have said none of his press conferences will be shown live on Facebook via TWTV or anywhere else.

Photo: TWTD

dunkleberrydog added 18:22 - Apr 11 The real truth comes from the players in the changing room. I don't doubt McCarthys personality, only his attritional style of football which has been brought about due to lack of budget. I have no doubt if he had the funds we would be in the Prem now.
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bluebudgie added 18:34 - Apr 11 “It might sound like a scratched record but it's true. The way they conduct themselves as gentlemen, not just a manager and a coach, they are a true credit to themselves,,,,,,,,,.Is Skuse talking about the same"gentleman" who told ITFC fans to F**K OFF?, a great way to conduct himself I must say, and not at all gentlemanly
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jas0999 added 18:34 - Apr 11 Entirely right the players still support him and pass on their thanks. However, the likes of Skuse and Chambers night find it difficult to nail down a starting place under the new man. Particularly Skuse - as hopefully the new manager will be more attack minded and Skuse may not fit that style.
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TheTrueBlue1878 added 18:38 - Apr 11 Some people may not like to hear it, but we are not the same team without skuse. The job he does at sweeping up is superb, played in a three with either Huws and then Bishop/Dozzell next year is lovely triangle.
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mo_itfc added 18:45 - Apr 11 Skuse is a very good player... for those who can't see it, you probably don't know much about football.
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Garv added 18:47 - Apr 11 Let's hope we don't come up against a side managed by Mick again as it sounds we will just roll over and be happy to have our bellies tickled!
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bedsitfc added 18:52 - Apr 11 But having said that It's time for a change!
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muccletonjoe added 18:56 - Apr 11 Should have been given more of a transfer pot by Evans. This situation should never have been able to develop. Hung out to dry by an owner he never let down. Sincerely hope we don't regret today's parting of the waves but I fear to some extent we will.
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Skuse4ballondor added 18:56 - Apr 11 Skuse is a great player and his experience and reliability will be very helpful to a young manager. A young team with him keeping things ticking over is a very exciting prospect. He has a great pass and reads the game very well.
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blue75 added 18:58 - Apr 11 Skuse is a better player than he's been allowed to be under Mick he's played the holding role well. When he arrived he could ping the ball anywhere on the pitch let's hope he can still do it. Would be interesting to hear from the ex players especially the ones that mentioned style of play when they moved on.
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Bluebell added 19:03 - Apr 11 Skuse is a great player and we play much better when he is fit and in the team. He now needs to persuade Bart and Knudsen to stay as they are the ones who are likely to leave. I know there is another year for both of them if required by the club and I am hoping the club take it up.
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braveblue added 19:04 - Apr 11 Skuse has scored 2 goals in over 200 games from central midfield. Useless. Talk of him being a very good player is nonsense. He will replaced quickly when a proper manager takes over.
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britbiker added 19:04 - Apr 11 Thought Skuse was one of the best players on the pitch last night. Some of his passes were excellent .
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Fress added 19:11 - Apr 11 Since when does 2 goals in 200 games make him useless. He is a valuable member of the team, he keeps us ticking over and he tracks back and does the unglamorous jobs. We're definitely a better team with him than without him
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Bigboyblue added 19:13 - Apr 11 @TheTrueBlue1878 Spot on. Need at least one midfielder who does the dirty work well. Even in an attacking team.
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dukey44 added 19:18 - Apr 11 I wouldn't go as far as saying he's a great payer? Let's see what he does with a different game plan than hoof and run? Hoping that the team show what they are really like now...
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Taricco_Fan added 19:28 - Apr 11 Skuse does a job and does it well. He's a limited footballer so I would never describe him as a great player but that's fine; he's there to play the water-carrier role, breaking up play, protecting the back four and keeping possession. A valuable but unglamorous job and he's very good at it and I absolutely agree that we are a worse team without him. That said, I'm not sure he would be an automatic starter in many teams in this division. A player that can be easily under-appreciated. He may find a new manager will look at him differently.

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CornardBlue added 19:53 - Apr 11 Skuse is a good player doing what he does a holding midfielder, the problem we have had for the last 2 seasons is MM always had to play with 2 or even 3 holding players. I am fed up about no money to spend, Millwall have not spent any money but they are doing well playing attacking football with a bright young manager.
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Brownie added 20:04 - Apr 11 Lots of talk re MM going but IMO time to go was 12 months ago. Good start but negative tactics & relationship with fans mean the end should have been well before last night. You can't swear at fans live on TV, then deny the obvious & then expect everything to be fine and dandy. ME & the board need to get a positive manager in and given their previous record I'm not confident. BUT Skuse is a good player in his role. He is a good player at this level.The problem is constantly picking similar players like Douglas & even defenders playing out of position to partner him. Keep him and add young creative players - if they stay fit! - and maybe the outlook will look better. Either way I hope we can change the outlook for the club as I'm worried the future is very uncertain at the moment.

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grumpyoldman added 20:06 - Apr 11 Can we all please move on, football supporting is all about opinions, some think Scuse is good others may not agree, just because people don't like him does not mean they nothing about football. We can all give our honest thoughts on who the new manager should be or who should be in the team, can we agree to disagree without making personal childish comments about each other.

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grumpyoldman added 20:06 - Apr 11 Can we all please move on, football supporting is all about opinions, some think Scuse is good others may not agree, just because people don't like him does not mean they nothing about football. We can all give our honest thoughts on who the new manager should be or who should be in the team, can we agree to disagree without making personal childish comments about each other.

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FreddySteady added 20:16 - Apr 11 Skuse plus creative midfielders (that we've missed) would be half decent at our level.
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Karlosfandangal added 20:44 - Apr 11 Wonder if the new managers does pick them if the fans get off their back or will they still be the new managers mates It was the same with Leadbetter yet he not doing to bad at Middlesbrough or Delaney at Palace or etc etc
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Surco72 added 20:56 - Apr 11 For me Skuse is all that is wrong with the club at present, a very very average holding midfielder who never dominates or controls games at low championship level. We seem to have drifted in to acceptance that his standard of player and low mid table is all we can hope for? We need a proper dominant ball winner to allow others to play. A question for all those raving about how great a player he is, why did MM have to play two defensive midfielders for the majority of his time here if Skuse is so good?

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Carberry added 21:19 - Apr 11 There are no 'great' players in our squad, none even close. You have to look in the history books to see who had the sign of greatness over them. Crawford, Mills, Muhren, Wark, Butcher, Beattie, , Thijssen, these are the players who have shone a wonderful light on our club. When you lead your club to the league title, captain your country, play an inch perfect pass for your striker to score the winner in the European Championships, scored hatfulls of goals from midfield, been Super human defenders and been recognised as the best in the league, that is what greatness is about. And by the way, while we feel a little sorry for ourselves don't forget that 40 miles up the road they have never seen anything remotely close to footballers of this status, just average journeymen.

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