Mick Still Here Next Season?

[Tangfastic]

I think MM is holding Evans to his contract. why would anyone walk away from a cushy job that pays a cool £1m? Of course he's going to stay.....unless Evans decides to sack him, or sell up.


Evans has to calculate what's more expensive. Pay off MM, or suffer the effects of significantly lower ST sales?


I personally think there is something in this Dutch consortium / manager rumour, which might explain MM's defiant. "I won't be forced out of this Club"....(by Evans?), you ll have to pay me off!

I'm wondering if he's trying to stir up something to get a reaction from the fans ( "WE WILL NOT RENEW TICKETS IF HES STILL THERE" ) so that pushes ME to pay him off.

Just find the timing of this weird - why do it a couple of days before a match where a win would guarantee us safety? Get the job done - and then fire off a salvo at the fans if he wishes.

You know whats it going to be like next year if he's still here - he knows it too. If he wants to spend all his time fending of the fans and defending himself, instead of trying of focusing on footballing matters, then he must like this job .... or be on serious money.

Seeing out the last year of the contract - where would his priorities be ? Concentrating on a young squad and leaving a team for the future ... or trying to squeeze out more from his old faithfuls to get that better league position which looks better on his CV?

[charlton837]

I think MM is holding Evans to his contract. why would anyone walk away from a cushy job that pays a cool £1m? Of course he's going to stay.....unless Evans decides to sack him, or sell up.


Evans has to calculate what's more expensive. Pay off MM, or suffer the effects of significantly lower ST sales?


I personally think there is something in this Dutch consortium / manager rumour, which might explain MM's defiant. "I won't be forced out of this Club"....(by Evans?), you ll have to pay me off!

I'm wondering if he's trying to stir up something to get a reaction from the fans ( "WE WILL NOT RENEW TICKETS IF HES STILL THERE" ) so that pushes ME to pay him off.

Just find the timing of this weird - why do it a couple of days before a match where a win would guarantee us safety? Get the job done - and then fire off a salvo at the fans if he wishes.

You know whats it going to be like next year if he's still here - he knows it too. If he wants to spend all his time fending of the fans and defending himself, instead of trying of focusing on footballing matters, then he must like this job .... or be on serious money.

Seeing out the last year of the contract - where would his priorities be ? Concentrating on a young squad and leaving a team for the future ... or trying to squeeze out more from his old faithfuls to get that better league position which looks better on his CV?

Also would show Mick McCarthy has a huge lack of ambition himself. If hes willing to sit there for another year taking abuse and causing a stir with the only fans that are left rather than getting another job and showing himself in a better light that than shows all you need to know

It wasn't so long ago he was telling us all that he wants a job where he has lots of money and is told its promotion or the sack. Well quite obviously none of these clubs want him, but he could go and save another club like he did us and build his stock that way. I think he would get another championship job without too much bother, he just isn't actually that ambitious. His ambition matches his style of play, predictable, boring and damn right pragmatic. With what he is doing now he is showing himself in a bad light, if he has a problem with the club and owner then fine, but don't drag the fans into it. We have been a club on the down since ME took over with a couple of good seasons thrown in, and when I say good I don't mean great. We finished 6th and given our resources that was impressive, but after the rest of the sh*t the fans have put up with since ME took over isn't that the least they owed us? And by the way even in that season from the half way point onwards we have been on a downward slide, last season we finished 7th but were in reality miles away from top 6, huge warning signs were there and the fans were not happy with our style of play, the only thing that saved Mick was we finished 7th. This season has been a repeat in many ways but worse results and this has released the bourne frustrations we all have.

Take a look at Coventry City at the bottom of league 1, if we don't sort ourselves out this could well be us in the next 5 years.....

[barmy billy]

I think MM's comments in the EADT today expose him as the big-headed, pig-headed that he is. His tactics and type of play are out of date and even if he were given more money by ME I feel we would still see the 'dornt get beat' attitude and tactcs on the field. MM is yesterdays man and incapable of change.

ME needs to be decisive and pepaed to invest sensibly in the club undr a new young forward thinking manager.

If MM is here next season, smaller crowds wii be able to witness the continued decline into Div 1.

MM must go.

[arana peligrosa]

In full agreement that McCarthy alone is not the sole root of the problem but it's he who selects the starting XI and deploys formation. Said before that Evans could supply the entire content of the Federal Reserve for team improvement and McCarthy would still play tentative bullshit mindsets and forward the ball high in the air for the majority of duration.

The manager will depart before the owner, that we can ascertain, and sincerely at times this season you felt any damn name would be an improvement on what we possess (it had reached intolerable proportions) but as before, we wait with a level of expectation on what news McCarthy has to disclose this summer regards his immediate future.

On the chance he decides (or has decided) to stay on for another year then you're only going to see fewer crowds in attendance and even less enthusiasm with club prosperity than is already existent.

(This was saved from last night incidentally, the website went down at time of post submission, technical people seem to have rectified the issue)

[goldandblack]

I think after all said and done, whatever way our clubs go either up... down.... or just stay here for eternity, we will all still follow them, just at times you just have to grit yer teeth for a while. because we all know the glory days are just around that corner,

Rudyard Kipling didn't just make exceedingly good cakes, he also wrote very good poems.

"....NOW this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky,
And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back;
For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack. ..."

this goes for the white horses as well.

[marko69]

That ^ is an exceedingly good post there, Wolfie......., had a bakewell slice whilst reading it. That's bakewell, ......, not Sandwell!

[Dubai Blue]

Well I just couldn't resist the temptation to chip in. I'll be honest I really find it hard to criticise MM in general. Obviously we all have our favourites and players that we would prefer not to see pulling on the shirt but honestly on our budgets MM does a fantastic job. Let's just remind ourselves that 'our budgets' means that we are paying transfer fees and salaries to players that match the better of the bottom half (financially) of the teams in our division. This year we will finish in the bottom half and that's about what you might expect with our resources.

MM has done his best to collect together a decent squad of players (by bottom half standards) and perhaps hasn't got any more out of them than average this season. In previous seasons he has done much better. Why is this season different? Hard to say, maybe after a few years of finding ways to motivate average players to give a bit extra it becomes hard to repeat the trick and a clearout and freshen up is required. MM seems to have implied this with recent comments. In my personal opinion we play very well as a team unit and are hard to break down. This is about the best we can hope for without the quality of players that even our local rivals have at their disposal. Maybe there is a secret formula or formation that can surprise everyone and work miracles but I doubt it.

Timing of his comments isn't a great mystery, he was asked the question (unsurprisingly) and gave an honest answer and one which I greatly respect. As an employer myself I would expect my contractors and staff to work out their contracts and would be very unhappy to hear that they were thinking (out loud in the press!) about whether or not they were going to deign to honour the contract that they had signed. I would be equally unhappy knowing that even 12 months before the end of their contract they have no clue about how they are going to go about their job. Stop the conspiracy theories guys, Micks an straightforward guy, we at least all know that.

I appreciate that I don't pay any of my hard earned cash to go to games and even this forum is thankfully free, and that some of you spend thousands every season on this passion that we all share but I think a reality check might be needed. In my opinion nothing will be different next season, but there is reason to be optimistic about it nonetheless:

a. We have discovered a new formation this season 5-3-2 which has the promise to produce exciting football. At present we have two young wing backs who are making it work. They still look a bit raw and maybe naive defensively but they have the energy and pace required to bomb up and down the wings, young Kenlock is starting to rack up a number of assists as testament to that. They will get improve. In the centre we have players who will also improve into the system (as Knudsen has improved into the left CB position) and Chambers gets to play in the centre at last. Maybe we are looking for another right CB?
b. Diagouraga is looking like a good attack minded alternative to Cole Skuse. Will we try and sign him in the Summer? Might not be a bad call, or maybe there are others out there like him? Skuse is getting older and maybe he will be kept only for ultra defensive setups next season.
c. Huws looks like the best forward thinking midfielder that we have had for some time (not counting players who spend long spells injured). Will we try to sign him? We will see.
d. Grant Ward is starting to look like the player that we all hoped he would be and is maybe benefitting from regular starts.

For me the recovery of Bishop & Hyam is pretty irrelevant. The quality improvement in the Champ makes them squad players at best.

The biggest problem is who to replace Tom Lawrence with and we will probably have to make do with another Prem player that won't be identified until the season is under way - that's life for us I'm afraid.
Also maybe it's time for a change of personnel up front. We definitely need a 'bruiser' up top since all of our forwards are lightweight. Someone to give a physical presence. Murphy was clearly just as good as we all thought and is scoring regularly at Newcastle too. We never did replace him and that's the challenge, unfortunately we won't be able to afford a known player and will have to rely on TC to bring through someone from the lower leagues which will not happen overnight.

To finish, I think that MMs work at present is highly under appreciated. I don't give a t*ss about his sideswipes at fans since sometimes IMO they deserve them. With Mick you have to take the rough with the smooth. If ME decides to listen to the fans and bring in a new young manager with a mandate to play entertaining, attacking football, but continues to invest in the same way as he does now then prepare for League 1 footy in 2018-19

[herforder]

I think after all said and done, whatever way our clubs go either up... down.... or just stay here for eternity, we will all still follow them, just at times you just have to grit yer teeth for a while. because we all know the glory days are just around that corner,

Rudyard Kipling didn't just make exceedingly good cakes, he also wrote very good poems.

"....NOW this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky,
And the wolf that shall keep it may prosper, but the wolf that shall break it must die.

As the creeper that girdles the tree trunk, the law runneth forward and back;
For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack. ..."

this goes for the white horses as well.

Great post! Providing us all with some crumbs of comfort to balance the despair!

[Tangfastic]

Well I just couldn't resist the temptation to chip in. I'll be honest I really find it hard to criticise MM in general. Obviously we all have our favourites and players that we would prefer not to see pulling on the shirt but honestly on our budgets MM does a fantastic job. Let's just remind ourselves that 'our budgets' means that we are paying transfer fees and salaries to players that match the better of the bottom half (financially) of the teams in our division. This year we will finish in the bottom half and that's about what you might expect with our resources.

MM has done his best to collect together a decent squad of players (by bottom half standards) and perhaps hasn't got any more out of them than average this season. In previous seasons he has done much better. Why is this season different? Hard to say, maybe after a few years of finding ways to motivate average players to give a bit extra it becomes hard to repeat the trick and a clearout and freshen up is required. MM seems to have implied this with recent comments. In my personal opinion we play very well as a team unit and are hard to break down. This is about the best we can hope for without the quality of players that even our local rivals have at their disposal. Maybe there is a secret formula or formation that can surprise everyone and work miracles but I doubt it.

Timing of his comments isn't a great mystery, he was asked the question (unsurprisingly) and gave an honest answer and one which I greatly respect. As an employer myself I would expect my contractors and staff to work out their contracts and would be very unhappy to hear that they were thinking (out loud in the press!) about whether or not they were going to deign to honour the contract that they had signed. I would be equally unhappy knowing that even 12 months before the end of their contract they have no clue about how they are going to go about their job. Stop the conspiracy theories guys, Micks an straightforward guy, we at least all know that.



I appreciate that I don't pay any of my hard earned cash to go to games and even this forum is thankfully free, and that some of you spend thousands every season on this passion that we all share but I think a reality check might be needed. In my opinion nothing will be different next season, but there is reason to be optimistic about it nonetheless:

a. We have discovered a new formation this season 5-3-2 which has the promise to produce exciting football. At present we have two young wing backs who are making it work. They still look a bit raw and maybe naive defensively but they have the energy and pace required to bomb up and down the wings, young Kenlock is starting to rack up a number of assists as testament to that. They will get improve. In the centre we have players who will also improve into the system (as Knudsen has improved into the left CB position) and Chambers gets to play in the centre at last. Maybe we are looking for another right CB?
b. Diagouraga is looking like a good attack minded alternative to Cole Skuse. Will we try and sign him in the Summer? Might not be a bad call, or maybe there are others out there like him? Skuse is getting older and maybe he will be kept only for ultra defensive setups next season.
c. Huws looks like the best forward thinking midfielder that we have had for some time (not counting players who spend long spells injured). Will we try to sign him? We will see.
d. Grant Ward is starting to look like the player that we all hoped he would be and is maybe benefitting from regular starts.

For me the recovery of Bishop & Hyam is pretty irrelevant. The quality improvement in the Champ makes them squad players at best.

The biggest problem is who to replace Tom Lawrence with and we will probably have to make do with another Prem player that won't be identified until the season is under way - that's life for us I'm afraid.
Also maybe it's time for a change of personnel up front. We definitely need a 'bruiser' up top since all of our forwards are lightweight. Someone to give a physical presence. Murphy was clearly just as good as we all thought and is scoring regularly at Newcastle too. We never did replace him and that's the challenge, unfortunately we won't be able to afford a known player and will have to rely on TC to bring through someone from the lower leagues which will not happen overnight.

To finish, I think that MMs work at present is highly under appreciated. I don't give a t*ss about his sideswipes at fans since sometimes IMO they deserve them. With Mick you have to take the rough with the smooth. If ME decides to listen to the fans and bring in a new young manager with a mandate to play entertaining, attacking football, but continues to invest in the same way as he does now then prepare for League 1 footy in 2018-19

Just responding to your points.

(a) - if we have found a new system - it was only because of injuries and the need to fit Chambers in the team as a CB. Mick has been resistant to any kind of change and it was forced upon him.
(b) . Not sure Daiagouraga or anyone will be an alternative to Skuse. Skuse when fit will be inked into the side - he received a 3 or 4 year contract a year ago by MM, so he will be first-choice irrespective of form as long as Mick is here.
(c). Huws would be a good buy - but if Cardiff don't want him, we could well be outbid by other clubs. He's put himself in the shop window and I can see other clubs offering much more than us for a decent attack-minded 23 year old.

Tom Lawrence has been a revelation - but we shouldn't have to rely on one player like him to do something outstanding. Just like Fraser last year. If MM is capable of bringing together players to be more forward-thinking as a unit - we would not have to rely on one player - especially a loan player. Give credit where its due - MM has brought in quality in Lawrence and Fraser - but I wouldn't bet on him getting someone similar next season. Its a lottery - and he has to build a team around OUR players - not rely on a season-long loanee to dig himself out of trouble.

Its a no-brainer we need a "Murphy-like" player, especially the style MM plays. He should have known that at the start of last season.

[Bluemike]

Absolutely spot on in most respects Dubai, excellent post. I think I was probably one of the last to turn to the Mick out way of thinking due totally to the fact he has lost a large percentge of our so called fans, when that happens there is no way back in my opinion, yes he plays dull and boring football at times but as i have always maintained when we are winning it matters not to most, a case in point being at villa park when we rode our luck at times in the first half and werent anything special on the day but defended manfully and when we got the winning goal everyone was celebrating and happy like we didn't have a care in the world, fickle. I also agree completely about his swipes at the fans who berate and slag him off because in my book they do deserve it, most are braindead anyway for booing and jeering during games or singing negative songs, it matters not who it is aimed at Evans, Mick, Douglas, Skuse etc etc it is counter productive and has helped us to struggle, if some of our so called fans don't like being tarred with that brush then tough sh*t, yes you have helped to make this a season of struggle, fact, to suggest he has ruined our club is ignornce at it's best, it was keane that nearly did that and to a lesser degree Jewell.

With next season in mind Huws is a must for me, I would not be unhappy with Diagouraga either but not so critical, I also don't get all this Tom Lawrence bullshit, I hate short term loans but when you get a quality player in for a whole season like Lawrence or Fraser (although he missed half the season) from the prem it is a coup for the club and not a problem for me, its knocking Mick and the club for the sake of it if this is not acceptable to people. It is easy for us to make excuses but as a club on very limited resources our injury woes have been vast again this campaign and we have had to adapt and change, ok mick may not have made these changes given the choice but sometimes you stumble across things that work, I think to lose Webster so early in the campaign was a huge blow which has been underestimated by many.

I remember ploughing a lone furrow with my support of Daryl Murphy, not only on here but pretty much everywhere, many fans thought he was a waste of space, not a good signing, never scores enough goals, blah blah blah and all the ususal sh*te cliches that Town fans come out with, most don't understand the game enough to appreciate the workrate the guy put into every game and just how vital he was to our cause, all they see is the goals scored stat, it was only when he had his golden season that most of these fickle geniuses decided he could play a bit and how dare we sell him without a replacement lined up !!! You can't make it up.

Every man and his dog knows things will be no different under another manager, ok the style may change but with the same quality of player we have now because the investment will dictate it, and I know for a fact when we lose a few as we undoubtedly will the new boss will be sh*te and not "my first choice" etc etc, this is normally the way so fans can come back and say well i didn't want him here from the off, just like me with Roy Keane by the way, wasn't overly keen on Mick if I am honest but he worked miracles when he first arrived.

To sum up I do not want to witness another season like this one, it has been boring at times, there are reasons for that which I am sure we all know, I certainly do not want to stand at Portman road for another 23 games with a crap, hostile, sh*t atmosphere as it has been this season, thanks in no small part to our fans as well as Mick, like it or not its 100% true. For this reason alone I think he has to go because the damage is done, a lot will not forgive and it is like a bad apple poisoning the rest, that said I won't be slitting my wrists if he stays as I know we have about the only available manager with his experience that will keep us up again, I am not happy to take a gamble on a new younger model with limited experience doing the same, there is too much at stake, but for what it is worth I think we will have a new man in the hotseat come August.

[Dubai Blue]

It seems we are of the same mind BM but just for the record a couple of points that I'm not sure I agree with:

I don't think that there is no way back and I don't believe you do either. A good start to next season and a successful Summer of decent signings will refresh short memories IMO.
I forgot about Webster which is significant in itself - will be great to have him back since he plays the ball rather than hoofs it. That will suit our 5-3-2 as the ball needs to be moved quickly yo the wings.
I welcomed Roy Keane and while he had to go I don't blame him personally, everything he did was in character. I think that his appointment was a reflection of ME's naivety. ME clearly didn't do his homework (me also it seems). Now we know more about him and have heard from other clubs fans about him, (not to mention numerous books) he looks to have been a misjudgement (yeah I know - master of the understatement).
Like you I'm not sure now is the time to gamble on a new manager and absolutely key will be to see how deeply ME reaches into his pockets this Summer, and by the way don't expect any announcements if he intends to up the ante. At least he has learnt not to announce this any more.

[Bluemike]

It seems we are of the same mind BM but just for the record a couple of points that I'm not sure I agree with:

I don't think that there is no way back and I don't believe you do either. A good start to next season and a successful Summer of decent signings will refresh short memories IMO.
I forgot about Webster which is significant in itself - will be great to have him back since he plays the ball rather than hoofs it. That will suit our 5-3-2 as the ball needs to be moved quickly yo the wings.
I welcomed Roy Keane and while he had to go I don't blame him personally, everything he did was in character. I think that his appointment was a reflection of ME's naivety. ME clearly didn't do his homework (me also it seems). Now we know more about him and have heard from other clubs fans about him, (not to mention numerous books) he looks to have been a misjudgement (yeah I know - master of the understatement).
Like you I'm not sure now is the time to gamble on a new manager and absolutely key will be to see how deeply ME reaches into his pockets this Summer, and by the way don't expect any announcements if he intends to up the ante. At least he has learnt not to announce this any more.

I would like to think there is a way back but speaking to people as I do at pretty much every game they actually hate him now, well a lot do anyway, whether that is hot air I don't know cus a lot of it is often spouted around with no back up to it. There will always be the fickle brigade who see a couple of wins and suddenly are fan of the season again !!!

As for keane, we will have to disagree on that one LOL, I don't like him at all and never did, anyone wanting to change our kit from Blue & White cannot be respected in my book, arsehole.

[derick_ipsw]

http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news ... in-at-town. He is staying I'm afraid.

[charlton837]

Mike when you say "so called fans" and make out that MM is right to criticise him I feel that's unfair. I agree that booing and jeering during games is not helpful at all and I don't do it bit this all stems from the connection between the club and the fans. I think Mick could have kept the fans on side if he layed The blame at the door of Evans for lack of investment but he didn't, he bleated on about this being the best squad he has had here even though almost every fan could see the middle of the park has no creativity. It didn't last season and it doesn't this, namely because he kept it the same as last season. The fans had tried to make their feelings known via local media, via emails/letters to the club but the club ignore them. So please tell me what possible way do the fans have of showing they are unhappy now apart from singing it in games or not turning up. But then you could say why should the fans be forced out of THEIR club by an owner who is a self obsessed pr*ck and a manager who quite blatantly wants to put the fans down all the time. Quote honestly MM should have fallen on his sword after the Lincoln debacle.

I get the restraints and Dubai I understand your points top but no disrespect unless you sit and watch the negative garbage served up week and week it may not effect you so much, I think people are mostly pissed off as the warnings were there for all to see last season but were ignored and we were all told by MM that hes fantastic and does an amazing job, he was spendng too long saying how wonderful he is rather than seeing the obvious faults in the team

[herforder]

As long as MM continues to hold the dressing room - which Freddie Sears states emphatically that he does - then ME will not terminate his current contract. Supporters' angst, even if resulting in a drop in ST sales, won't be a deciding factor; because any hint of improvement/wins will have folk returning - such is the fickle nature of the beast. Both ME and MM, in truth, take little notice of chuntering supporters, who they liken to pub 'experts'. They may do so at their peril, but listen to MM, listen to Ian Milne, listen to players' interviews - they speak volumes about club attitudes and ethos. To achieve most supporters' aspirations and expectations, a root and branch revolution is required, not simply replacing MM. Unlikely?

However, from MM's latest comments (I'm going nowhere) it would appear hat he and ME have agreed a way forward, in terms of overhauling the current squad and the level of investment potentially available to achieve that. Given MM's stubborn streak, and the need to demonstrate that he's as good as his ego frequently tells us, then he will go again next season. That will suit ME just fine!

[charlton837]

Hertforder do you really believe that ME has told MM he will give him investment to overhaul squad? I doubt it considering him and Milne tell us that this current squad is good enough to be in and around top 6. And Milne had said time and time again we will not be going out splashing cash, also if ME did this he may as well rip up his 5 point plan. None of it makes sense.

Milne and Evans have thrown MM under a bus a few times when talking to press, I'm not convinced Evans likes MM as much as some thnk he does. Also if we lost 2-3,000 ST holders it makes this investment way more unlikely. None of it rings true to me

[Charnwood]

As much as I don't like it I quite expect MM to see out his contract to the end of next season, unless at some stage between now and Christmas 2017 we look Certs for relegation when I'd expect him to get sacked, paid up in full and replaced.

If it happens before then I will be very surprised.

[number 9]

I'm happy to be referred to as "a so called fan" if it means a fan not willing to put up with the sh*t MM puts out on the pitch. I think some fans would still be raving about what a fantastic job he's done...even if we got relegated. I think I'm like a lot of disgruntled fans; we're not satisfied with the current style of play, regardless of investment. I'll mention again the quality of football many of the lower league clubs have played, when they've easily knocked us out of cups. How do their budgets compare to ours, I wonder? If we survive relegation this season, we will prepare for our 16th Championship campaign. That's not good enough for many fans. "So called Fans" like me have desire and hope that one day our beloved ITFC will regain premier league status, or at least we hope that one day we'll be recognized for our style of play...much like Fulham has been admired for this season. With this said, I'm not having a dig at Bluemike at all. On the contrary, fans like Bluemike are the pillars of support that our crumbling club now needs. Ultimately, many fans will return one day when things are much better...and they regain that hope that every fan whether fickle or committed should never relinquish.

By the way Wolfie, those 'White Horses' represent the Suffolk Punch Horse.

“In the flamboyant days of the Ancient Pageant, with Kings and Noble Lords in attendance, Knights in shining armour changed and fought in the sporting area on their fiery steeds. And the Suffolk Punch reigned supreme. Its powerful shoulders and broad chest were ideally suited to carry the heavily armoured Knights to victory. King Richard I formed special studs for breeding the Suffolks and they continued to be the most popular sporting horses as late as the reign of Henry VIII who favoured them to carry his 18 stones”.

COYB!

[herforder]

Hertforder do you really believe that ME has told MM he will give him investment to overhaul squad? I doubt it considering him and Milne tell us that this current squad is good enough to be in and around top 6. And Milne had said time and time again we will not be going out splashing cash, also if ME did this he may as well rip up his 5 point plan. None of it makes sense.

Milne and Evans have thrown MM under a bus a few times when talking to press, I'm not convinced Evans likes MM as much as some thnk he does. Also if we lost 2-3,000 ST holders it makes this investment way more unlikely. None of it rings true to me

From a position of 'undecided' in January, to 'I'm going nowhere' and 'changes to the squad are required, which I'm going to deliver' last week, suggests to me that MM has sought and received assurances from ME regarding modest investment. What is clear to all parties, is that the status quo can't be an option. Investment does not detract from ME's long term 5 point plan - they're not mutually exclusive. Milne's comments regarding quality of current squad, formed part of an interview where he also stated that he was not an expert on footballing matters! His comments in other interviews when trying to talk about footballing, as opposed to business and administration issues, suggest the latter to be accurate. There will inevitably be conflicts between owners/CEs/managers - all part of the game - particularly when the going gets tough. But given MM's character, if he believed the level of ME's support was only lukewarm, or was publicly briefing against him, then he would go. They may not be best friends socially, but the professional relationship between ME and MM currently suits both very well. Time of course will tell!

[arana peligrosa]

Doubtless they'll be one or two teams this summer with vacancies for manager and how many would be viewing McCarthy as a potential candidate. By that I mean other championship league clubs or possibly those from League One but can't envisage McCarthy making the step down a division. (In actual fact maybe the Championship league is beyond McCarthy's capabilities and a lower league club is what's required but as before it's highly unlikely he would be prepared to drop lower level)

[Bluemike]

Mike when you say "so called fans" and make out that MM is right to criticise him I feel that's unfair. I agree that booing and jeering during games is not helpful at all and I don't do it bit this all stems from the connection between the club and the fans. I think Mick could have kept the fans on side if he layed The blame at the door of Evans for lack of investment but he didn't, he bleated on about this being the best squad he has had here even though almost every fan could see the middle of the park has no creativity. It didn't last season and it doesn't this, namely because he kept it the same as last season. The fans had tried to make their feelings known via local media, via emails/letters to the club but the club ignore them. So please tell me what possible way do the fans have of showing they are unhappy now apart from singing it in games or not turning up. But then you could say why should the fans be forced out of THEIR club by an owner who is a self obsessed pr*ck and a manager who quite blatantly wants to put the fans down all the time. Quote honestly MM should have fallen on his sword after the Lincoln debacle.

I get the restraints and Dubai I understand your points top but no disrespect unless you sit and watch the negative garbage served up week and week it may not effect you so much, I think people are mostly pissed off as the warnings were there for all to see last season but were ignored and we were all told by MM that hes fantastic and does an amazing job, he was spendng too long saying how wonderful he is rather than seeing the obvious faults in the team

Charlton, I do say "so called fans" cus it's what they are and yes I believe MM does have a right to criticise them, that is my opinion. " So called fans" in my eyes are the ones that spew out venom DURING games, aimed at either MM, ME, JD, CS etc etc, it is ignorant and wrong and not supporting "your team", I am afraid I care not who is offended by it, the truth hurts, all this sh*t about "ive had enough of watching that crap" etc and yet we are told around 24,000 plus could be at PR Monday, that bad isn't it or is it more to do with cheap tickets ? I wonder. For what it's worth it is not aimed at anyone specifically, certainly not on here as I believe most to be genuine in their love of the club, unfortunately there are thousands more who most certainly do not come into that bracket.

[charlton837]

Could well be a number of reasons for lots of fans on Monday. Newcastle will bring a full allocation, its on a bank holiday, its Newcastle and its a game in memory of SBR. Many will want to come and see Newcastle in town.

If we were playing Preston at home in same situation we would have 17,000 at most... £10 tickets help I'm sure

[Charnwood]

25,684 was indeed a great crowd and clearly the team responded.

Take it from me, after that performance you can pretty much guarantee Micks job will be safe at Portman Road at least until Christmas 2017. I just hope Marcus Evans can see the importance of trying to hold onto the likes of Tom Lawrence and Emyr Huws or find equally as good replacements.

Maybe even Mick will see how much more this team can achieve given the freedom to go forward, but don't under estimate how important David McGoldrick is to the team and his return to fitness and form has probably been quite significant. Had we had a fit David McGoldrick all season I think we'd have probably been in a much better position and maybe knocking on the door of the play offs.

[herforder]

2027?! Champions League here we come.

[charlton837]

25,684 was indeed a great crowd and clearly the team responded.

Take it from me, after that performance you can pretty much guarantee Micks job will be safe at Portman Road at least until Christmas 2027. I just hope Marcus Evans can see the importance of trying to hold onto the likes of Tom Lawrence and Emyr Huws or find equally as good replacements.

Maybe even Mick will see how much more this team can achieve given the freedom to go forward, but don't under estimate how important David McGoldrick is to the team and his return to fitness and form has probably been quite significant. Had we had a fit David McGoldrick all season I think we'd have probably been in a much better position and maybe knocking on the door of the play offs.

to be fair Mcgoldrick has played 36 games this season (6 as a sub). Hes hardly been out for the season so I don't think having him playing is the magic key. When on form I agree he is a very good player at this level, but like a lot of the team this year he has been hit and miss at times.

[Tangfastic]

Charnwood makes very good points.

Not sure about Christmas 2027 - could be a fun /sobering comment or a fat finger meaning 2017, but that result / performance should guarantee Mick being here next season.

Its the bit about the comment whether this performance will sink into Mick that if the players are given the freedom to express themselves they can achieve so much more. I don't think Mick will be wanting to give much freedom. A couple of bad results and I think he'll go back to form. He feels far more comfortable grinding out results and negating other teams. The team did the job for us when they needed to in April with the last two performances, but come the stodgy winter months from October onwards I can see the same old, same old 46 game slogfest ,"every points a prisoner" type-performances.

Anyway, that's for next season. Great performance yesterday. Didsy oozed class. Loved Kenlock's performance and how he really tried to get things moving forward. He lost the ball a couple of times, but he did that in the oppositions half. That go-forward attitude is really important - just asking questions of the opposition instead of trying to negate the opposition.I think if Knudsen has any future here then it might be as a converted LCB.

Plenty of positives from yesterday. Two swallows don't make a summer - but a bit of financial assistance from ME could.

[Charnwood]

25,684 was indeed a great crowd and clearly the team responded.

Take it from me, after that performance you can pretty much guarantee Micks job will be safe at Portman Road at least until Christmas 2017. I just hope Marcus Evans can see the importance of trying to hold onto the likes of Tom Lawrence and Emyr Huws or find equally as good replacements.

Maybe even Mick will see how much more this team can achieve given the freedom to go forward, but don't under estimate how important David McGoldrick is to the team and his return to fitness and form has probably been quite significant. Had we had a fit David McGoldrick all season I think we'd have probably been in a much better position and maybe knocking on the door of the play offs.

to be fair Mcgoldrick has played 36 games this season (6 as a sub). Hes hardly been out for the season so I don't think having him playing is the magic key. When on form I agree he is a very good player at this level, but like a lot of the team this year he has been hit and miss at times.

[Charnwood]

25,684 was indeed a great crowd and clearly the team responded.

Take it from me, after that performance you can pretty much guarantee Micks job will be safe at Portman Road at least until Christmas 2017. I just hope Marcus Evans can see the importance of trying to hold onto the likes of Tom Lawrence and Emyr Huws or find equally as good replacements.

Maybe even Mick will see how much more this team can achieve given the freedom to go forward, but don't under estimate how important David McGoldrick is to the team and his return to fitness and form has probably been quite significant. Had we had a fit David McGoldrick all season I think we'd have probably been in a much better position and maybe knocking on the door of the play offs.

to be fair Mcgoldrick has played 36 games this season (6 as a sub). Hes hardly been out for the season so I don't think having him playing is the magic key. When on form I agree he is a very good player at this level, but like a lot of the team this year he has been hit and miss at times.

[Charnwood]

25,684 was indeed a great crowd and clearly the team responded.

Take it from me, after that performance you can pretty much guarantee Micks job will be safe at Portman Road at least until Christmas 2017. I just hope Marcus Evans can see the importance of trying to hold onto the likes of Tom Lawrence and Emyr Huws or find equally as good replacements.

Maybe even Mick will see how much more this team can achieve given the freedom to go forward, but don't under estimate how important David McGoldrick is to the team and his return to fitness and form has probably been quite significant. Had we had a fit David McGoldrick all season I think we'd have probably been in a much better position and maybe knocking on the door of the play offs.

to be fair Mcgoldrick has played 36 games this season (6 as a sub). Hes hardly been out for the season so I don't think having him playing is the magic key. When on form I agree he is a very good player at this level, but like a lot of the team this year he has been hit and miss at times.

[Charnwood]

2027?! Champions League here we come.

Sorry about that... definitely a fat finger!