Ex-boss Mick McCarthy has expressed his sympathy with his former Town players facing “hefty wage cuts” once relegation to League One is confirmed and insists he doesn’t want to stick two fingers up to his critics at Portman Road following the Blues' disastrous campaign.

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the week in his new role as Republic of Ireland manager McCarthy, who left Town last April after five and a half years at the club, was asked whether the Blues’ season has made him want to give two fingers to his critics in Suffolk.

“Not at all,” he said. “The people who booed I say, well, sometimes you get what you deserve. Be careful what you wish for.

“I still say that the majority of Ipswich Town fans were supportive of me. That’s the biggest part of it.

“I’ve no axe to grind with Marcus Evans or the club. I’ve still got very good relationships with everybody, some really good friends there.

“It summed it up for me when Joe Garner got the equaliser against Wigan and I texted him to say, ‘Well done, bet that pleased you today’ and he came back to me and he said, ‘No gaffer, I was speaking to Chambo [Luke Chambers] today and they all have wage cuts if they go down, and I feel for him’.

“And he is a centre forward who has just scored the equaliser and I get his sentiments. I have got players there who played for me who are going to take hefty wage cuts playing in League One, if that’s where they end up. So, no I don’t want to put two fingers up to them at all.”

Relegation clauses are understood to have been inserted into most if not all of the senior Town players’ contracts with the Blues facing a significant loss of income in League One. TV money will be down by around £6 million while other revenue streams are also likely to be hit.

Reflecting further on Town this season with attendances having been up despite the league position, perhaps a touch ruefully, McCarthy added: “Well, they seem to enjoy it. There were 23,000 there the other night [at the Reading match], singing and dancing, so you know…”

Photo: Action Images

warktheline added 20:28 - Mar 10 Really don't understand the 'praise' Garner is getting via posts! His only ruddy concern is his ex buddies are facing a 'well deserved' pay cut for inept performances time after time!!!!! Poor boys, have more faith in your pathetic rhetoric 'we can see the light at the end of the tunnel' or how about 'we are playing well but not getting the results' or better still, 'the fans will go home happy this evening'🤣.....Skipper Chambers 'proudly' announced after losing yet another home game, this time against WBA!!!!!!!

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OsborneOneNil added 20:29 - Mar 10 Prick.
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dirtydingusmagee added 20:36 - Mar 10 Yorkshire Bitter , noted for have a big head . Lets face it we all expected him to gloat ,remember his statement about teams being relegated when he has left.BUT as much as he gloats he will be finding it hard pill to swallow that support is bigger now than when he was manager. Eat your heart out McCarthy. WE GOT WE WISHED FOR, YOU GOT WHAT YOU DESERVED. The Garner text LOL like a little girl ,THAT was sad . And it summed up why you needed to go.

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blueboy1981 added 20:53 - Mar 10 Let's draw a line under this Guys and Gals - he got what he deserved - we got what we wished for - he went. This amount of interest proves beyond doubt how much respect a huge majority of us had for him - and he did for us. Move on - much better things for us, and our even greater Club, by his absence, to focus on. The future is ours - The future is bright - Let's be having it ..... !! and rub his nose in the increased attendance for the rest of this season, and beyond.

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warktheline added 21:06 - Mar 10 I mentioned about 2 years, maybe more, that I had got chatting to a Stoke City fan, who's best friend was a Wolves fan, anyhow he said that like his best buddy I too would come to truly loathe McCarthy! At the time I thought it more than a tad harsh, but no, he truly was right! Pig ignorant, totally lacking in any class! Good riddance 👍
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:18 - Mar 10 remember ,the players taking the cuts are ''proper blokes'' always in team regardless ,and Bart will probably be gone in summer anyway , and does ANYONE honestly think Mc Carthy give a flying one anyway ? He just had to come out with the bile because he needs to be noticed and thats the only thing he has now to draw attention to himself ..
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MickMillsTash added 21:32 - Mar 10 Despite the results I have been more inclined to go the match this season more than last - Tuesday night will be the 16th game = number of games I went to last year. 'so you know' Mick- you're a c2nt, F Off now and shut up
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gazzer1999 added 21:36 - Mar 10 Well it seems like your senior pro's here are the ones that helped cause our decline this season, just listen to what Hurst said about them. I just hope they see that under Lambert you will have to perform week in and week out just to keep their place's unlike under Mick Mac. I am sure that the ones that survived never thought they would be in quite this position though. Probably unfair to blame all our woes on poor recruitment by Hurst, its still 11 verses 11. At the end of the day this is a very ordinary league we are in when the Budgies that looked absolute crap in 2 games against us are top, you just need a little luck and some consistency. By the start of next season the loanees will be gone along with a few others and we should know more where we are at. No surprise that yesterdays game there was very few loanees and we played quite well.

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Taricco_Fan added 21:39 - Mar 10 Meh.
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AlanG296 added 21:52 - Mar 10 That he was asked about ITFC at a press conference to announce a squad for an international team shows what a tinpot job he has now. Of course he feels for players being paid less than they were, he's in the same situation.
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dirtydingusmagee added 21:53 - Mar 10 he's ,just a Spare mICK at a wedding now ! living in the past .
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herfie added 22:15 - Mar 10 Simple fact is that when he met with ME to discuss the future, he fully expected to be offered a contract extension. The effect on his ego and self-esteem at being told by ME that a change of direction was required is still raw. Given a choice, MM would have wanted - expected - to continue. But he totally failed to understand his relationship and credibility with the majority - not minority - of supporters was totally shot. Any comments he makes should be seen against that background. Bottom line, however, is that MM's history. Look forward, not back.

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Gcon added 23:06 - Mar 10 Personally, I find it quite amusing that Mick McCarthy has national TV as his platform to stick it to the numbskulls. Whilst the numbskulls only have a TWTD forum to stick it back to him. I quite miss winning matches, myself.
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AlanG296 added 23:16 - Mar 10 National TV? The "story" took 3 days to get here!
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Steelmonkey added 23:20 - Mar 10 Still the arrogant, twisted soul that can not realise what he has done to the fabric of this club. I got my wish when you were shown the door. It will take time to rectify the damage you have done to the playing style of this club.
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thundercat600 added 02:15 - Mar 11 If I was MM would I put two fingers up to the so called supporter who got him moved out, a move that has ended us being relegated to league one. Bloody right I would. But then as we know as far as these so called "supporters" are concerned our relegation downwards has nothing to do with them. I now sit back and wait for these armchair managers to respond in the only way they know how, yep attack

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Stewart27 added 08:00 - Mar 11 I think the small minority of fans who agree with Mick and have in turn received down votes speaks volumes. The football on offer and the toxic atmosphere made me feel numb for ITFC. Regardless of our relegation, I am now looking forward to watching my team again since the dinosaur departed. Mick McCarthy only cares about one man only and that is Mick McCarthy.
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kozmik added 08:53 - Mar 11 Mick, just Feck Off
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runningout added 10:24 - Mar 11 Micks time was up. I still respect him, and can't understand need to throw bad comments. Board chose the wrong replacement and we haven't had right recruiting for 10 years
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Jonaldo added 10:27 - Mar 11 Mick, Mick , Mick. I have total respect for the league positions you achieved whilst at Ipswich. I think the style of football was unattractive and based on muscle more than guile and craft. This is why you got fired and your salary was reduced. Whilst I liked your honesty in post match press conferences, your comments about salaries here are tactless, self serving and I am sure an annoyance to PL. Please focus on Ireland. I look forward to seeing them win the Euros and hoofball becoming a new global trend, which will be adopted by Barcel9na and Juventus in 2021!

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OldClactonBlue added 10:38 - Mar 11 Why does anyone care what he thinks? Concentrate on re-connecting the fan base and putting the pride into being an Ipswich fan. He was a big part of the problem.
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Bergholtblue added 14:22 - Mar 11 Since most of the players came were playing in L1/L2 last year, it will be a case of back to normal for them. Those who will feel the cut will be likes of Knudsen, Chambers, Skuse etc. so perhaps they will look to pastures new. (we hope)
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ScottCandage added 17:12 - Mar 11 Mick McCarthy has yet to learn Rule 1 of dealing with the press - you don't have to answer every question that's asked of you. Mick could have said, long ago, 'I won't be answering any questions about Ipswich anymore' and move on. He keeps getting asked questions about Ipswich because he keeps answering them. Time to shut your mouth, Mick. Move on already.
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TractorBeezer added 21:20 - Mar 11 McCarthy with his big mouth is still his own worst enemy. He generally enjoyed a good relationship with players and staff and made several good signings on a limited budget. However, his idea of footy was generally dour and he pissed off the customers. It's actually better to watch now.
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eddiespearitt03 added 00:26 - Mar 12 What did McCarthy achieve in 5.5 years ? We watched boring, low quality football, no cup runs and scraped through to championship survival with a few wonder kids who saved the day. On top of that MM did little to charm the supporters , but saying that Evans has hardly been an inspiration. The only good thing that hopefully CAN come out of this is a massive squad shake up by Paul Lambert. The supporters would rather see a young able, honest squad busting a gut to succeed and footballers with little need to constantly appear in the local newspaper. .

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