Former Blues boss Mick McCarthy has left his role as manager of the Republic of Ireland with immediate effect.

McCarthy’s contract was due to expire on July 31st following Euro 2020 when he was set to be succeeded by U21s coach Stephen Kenny.

However, with Euro 2020 put back to the summer of 2021 and with the play-offs, in which Ireland will face Slovakia, postponed until later in the year, the handover has been brought forward.

McCarthy was assisted by his Town number two Terry Connor, who has also has left his role.

Although frustrated not to get the chance to lead Ireland at the Euros - "hugely disappointing, but I fully understand it" - the 61-year-old backs his earlier than expected departure.

"I fully support the decision," he said. "It's only right and fair that Stephen gets his chance on August 1st."

The one-time Town, Millwall, Sunderland and Wolves boss has no plans to retire insisting he is "back on the market now so I can look for a job with impunity".

Interim FAI CEO Gary Owens said: “This has been a difficult situation for the Association - and for Mick and Stephen in particular - in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effect it has had on the football calendar.

“On behalf of president Gerry McAnaney, the board of the FAI and myself, I want to thank both men for their professionalism and their understanding in their dealings with the Association in these unprecedented circumstances.

“These are exceptional times in Irish life and Mick has taken that into account in agreeing to vacate the post early.

“On behalf of the FAI, I wish to express our gratitude to Mick for his service and commitment to our national team throughout his career and particularly in his second spell as Ireland manager.

“We wish Mick and his staff well and we thank them all for their hard work in this European Championship campaign to date.

“Stephen will now begin his planning for the play-off against Slovakia and everyone at the FAI wishes him well in our bid to qualify for Euro 2020. Football will be back and we have so much to look forward to now in the autumn with the Nations League and the UEFA Euro 2020 play-off, followed by the World Cup qualifiers in early 2021.”

McCarthy returned to the role of Ireland manager - which was previously his between 1996 and 2002 - in November 2018, seven months after leaving Town following a five-and-a-half-year stint in charge.

In addition to Connor, ex-Blues fitness coach Andy Liddell was also on McCarthy's Ireland staff along with Dave Bowman in a part-time role alongside his director of football position at Portman Road.

Photo: Action Images

ITFCsince73 added 20:02 - Apr 4 Terry. I refuse to believe that a manager who has landed his dream job. Made it his 1st task to rid the club of its very best players and all its goals. That's my opinion....it's not me lying or making things up. It's my opinion like it or lump it.
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Bildestoned added 20:24 - Apr 4 Football's coming home!
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TimmyH added 21:04 - Apr 4 Got some crap managers in since MM left and Evans/Hurst with a ridiculous 'try something new' was never going to work and Lambert looks like he's getting another 'get out of jail free' card due to the virus and no doubt wiping the season out when things were going from bad to worse...Evans the finger points at you.
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rugbytomc added 22:10 - Apr 4 Bring him back as Director of football. He has an eye for talent but not good at fan relationships or getting teams playing attractive football
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Michael101 added 22:22 - Apr 4 Rughytomc,what the fu#k are you talking about the man's a useless idiot I never wanted him here in the first place .some idiots think he saved us from the drop but my 91 year old gran who died in 1997 could have done that .good riddance is what I say.
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unstableblue added 00:54 - Apr 5 The comments section of this article kind of sum why Mick HAD to go. Yes Mick did well to keep us up. With some backing from Marcus he got a team together that worried the play-offs, but let's be clear our system and style never really threatened Norwich in that semi, it was all huff and puff with no depth or real craft. When Mick did try to take the shackles off we got found out and we retrenched, players were encouraged to play within themselves (several have now admitted this) and the footballing product just got so woeful. Then it was just poisonous in the stands. Mick should have come in for a short period, then with some good advice Marcus should have got a technical team together - a quality manager/coach and we should have progressed yet he stuck with Mick. There is no way Mick was ever going to progress, so had to be swapped out. His replacement was the issue. Why are we still debating this? Some of you need a time machine to go back to the North Stand and the performance on the pitch in Ickes last game.

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runningout added 01:40 - Apr 5 I understood you Terry.
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tractorboybig added 07:19 - Apr 5 not a mm fan and booring football but in hind site I suppose credit for keeping us up with limited resourses and a tight owner
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brendenward35 added 08:36 - Apr 5 Why don't we get Terry back as he was a brilliant coach definitely better than we have now. Turned average players into good players come on Marcus make that call.
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ThaiBlue added 08:36 - Apr 5 Why do any of us really care whats happend to mick for christs sake move on!
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ArnieM added 09:02 - Apr 5 Yes McCarthy came in a saved us from relegation. But in all honesty from the ronin he did little to take this Club forward. His coaching methods are archaic and utterly soul destroying to watch. Let's be honest any manager adopting his tactics of 10 defensively minded/ drilled outfield players and a GK.... “ hard to beat “, squad of “ real blokes”, not an ounce of attaching flair in them, boring as hell to watch, is likely to not lose a game. But FfS his Game plan was 45 passes in own half before inevitable hoof up to no one, 11 men behind three ball at all times. Get to half time at 0-0, ....” I'll take a point all day long, me”! ....Mind numbingly boring. Oh Yer, wonderful Mick did a great job!! Wiped 4K fans off the attendance in one season , “ great that “👍. Mick McCarthy is and was when he came to Town, a monumental “ has been”, with archaic tactics, boring as f ***** football and an ego the size of Eiffel Tower. He built NOTHING at this Club but he'd make a bloody good wall paperer! I bet the Irish fans are partying right now. Let's see what Club side employs wonderful Mick next. My money will be on a Club struggling, not a Club looking to play expansive , attacking entertaining football. Let's be straight here, McCarthy builds NOTHING!

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bobble added 09:24 - Apr 5 we have had a long run of bad managers, this bloke was our longest bad manager.
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ITFCsince73 added 09:42 - Apr 5 A totally fair assessment/opinion #arnie. #Bobble. That sort of assessment just brings you down votes. I know that bothers you not....great post.
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r2d2 added 09:43 - Apr 5 There are some right idiots on this board even in these times. McCarthy did a great job with what he had at his disposal. Anyone who thinks we are in a better place now really is a fool. As for 73, talk about rewriting history,take a good long look at yourself man.
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ITFCsince73 added 09:50 - Apr 5 Hoping the man like “micks tacticzzzzz aka Hippo” is fit and well. This platform needs his “hard to understand” humorous over view more than ever. Maybe still writing his next overdue post???
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ITFCsince73 added 10:03 - Apr 5 Yes r2d2. Please explain....as many, quick enough to criticise, but fail to explain your reasons. Just like any poster on here. Nobody knows the if,s maybes, rights, wrongs, the real truths, the lies, the 100% fact that surrounds our great club etc etc. So TWTD was created....it provided news. This gave a platform for the supporters of our great club, a way of giving there take on things, involving or linked to our great club. Unfortunately this also allowed people to use this service, to down vote without posting there opinion. Or in not so many words, call others idiots, without explanation. Shame.

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Garv added 10:13 - Apr 5 Sad in a way he didn't get to complete his second stint.
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rugbytomc added 10:44 - Apr 5 Michael 101. Ryan Fraser, Tom Lawrence, Tyrone Mings, Keifer Moore, Carter vickers, Murphy, waghorn, McGoldrick. I'd say he did well to identify those players, bring them in on loan or for very little, improve their form and sell them on for a profit or send them back improved players. So in that sense he'd make a good director of football. What's so hard to understand?

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IpswichT62OldBoy added 11:10 - Apr 5 MacCarthy has an eye for a good player but he never lets them play football. It was horrible stuff to watch, OK when we were fighting relegation , but apart from the playoff year we were never going to be entertaining to watch or particularly successful, he said its all about results "hoofball park the bus, " my view is that entertainment is as important, we want to see football.

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essexccc added 11:54 - Apr 5 Albeit an avid reader of this superb website I seldom post. But when there is “fake news”, or perhaps to be charitable, an ill informed opinion, I felt obliged to do so. I refer to the earlier post which said that Marcus Evans is milking the club and the fans. Consider the following. When Evans took over he bought the club's existing debt, which from memory was about £30m, at a significant discount. But let's ignore the amount he paid. Since then the debt has increased to about £90m, all owed to Evans. So he's put in £60m over that time. Yes, he uses that amount against taxable profits in the rest of his group. But he can only do benefit from that to the amount of corporation tax each year. For ease of numbers, let's say tax since he arrived averages 25%. That looks about right, though his companies I believe are based in Ireland, where the rate is lower. But on my basis he gets relief of £15m, meaning he has lost £45m, with no prospect of getting that back unless someone crazy comes forward with money to burn, or we get into the Prem - an equally crazy idea for the foreseeable. So his own personal fortune has suffered to the tune of £45m. On that basis I'm glad I'm not milking anyone! My own opinion of Evans is neutral. He is so secretive that his motives are really difficult to gauge but if he wanted to milk the club and fans, he's failed miserably.

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Ipswichbusiness added 11:59 - Apr 5 I shall just write two things, both which Inhave done before 1) look at the records of Keane, Jewell, McCarthy, Hurst and Lambert when they were appointed (as opposed to now). In all cases, you can see a good argument for appointing them, but all failed. That suggests something rather deeper than the manager. 2) McCarthy did a good job initially. He saved us from relegation and got us into the play offs. However, the style of play was dreadful and the less said about the Lincoln debacle the better.

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Bluearmy_81 added 13:38 - Apr 5 Essex, as, a fan of ITFC all that should matter to you right now is that town are a joke and an embarassment and that Evans lack of sufficient investment is the cause. All owners invest and most lose money, why are town fans so patient and understanding in the face of such spectacular failure when your club is a laughing stock?!!
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dukey44 added 13:55 - Apr 5 And he's also former Wolves, Sunderland and Millwall boss and they didn't want him back either?
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dukey44 added 13:55 - Apr 5 And he's also former Wolves, Sunderland and Millwall boss and they didn't want him back either?
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essexccc added 13:59 - Apr 5 Blue Army - I have supported ITFC since 1964 and have recently been on the other side of the world, and because of the time difference, was waking in the middle of the night to get Ipswich results - usually to be met with disappointment. I don't need you to tell me how I “should” be supporting our club. Frankly it is condescending of you to do so. I was merely pointing out that someone who has lost £45m is not milking the institution that is responsible for that loss. I expressed no opinion on anything else, solely on correcting something that was wrong. My reluctance to express an opinion is because there are those who will post ad nauseam expressing a contrary opinion and I don't have the time to respond to them. If you come back on this I will not comment further, I promise, but I defy you to say the point I made in my first comment was wrong.

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