I'm still the man, insists Jim

DEFIANT Jim Magilton insisted he was still the right man to manage Ipswich Town and doesn't accept the play-offs are beyond them.

Derek Davis

DEFIANT Jim Magilton insisted he was still the right man to manage Ipswich Town and doesn't accept the play-offs are beyond them.

The 3-0 defeat at promotion rivals Swansea, watched by owner Marcus Evans - who left before the third goal went in - leaves the Blues in 11th place and seven points from the top six.

But Magilton believes with a third of the season left that Town can still make the play-offs. He said: “I don't think we're out of the promotion race. There are still 15 games left and I still believe we can get somewhere. We're not out of it, not at all.”

Asked if he felt he was the person to take them up Magilton said: “Absolutely. I believe I'm the right man for the job, definitely. You might not think I am but I do.”

It is understood Magilton has been given until at least the end of the season but with the prospects of poor season ticket take-up and promotion considered unlikely, Evans may reconsider.

Magilton also denied claims from Dan Harding that he never picked him because he had a personal problem with the defender he bought from Leeds but is now on loan at Reading.

Magilton said: “No, I didn't leave Dan out because of something

personal. I left him out because there was someone else I wanted to play.”

Town's run of three successive away wins came to a shuddering halt at the Liberty Stadium with two goals from Trinidad & Tobago international Jason Scotland and a late free-kick from Jordi Gomez.

Magilton said: “We knew it was going to be a difficult game but we got off to a poor start.

“After winning our last three away games I expected a lot more from my side. The second goal was a really poor goal to give away. It was pretty horrendous.

“We conceded the second at a time when we needed to stand up and be counted.

“At 1-0 the next goal was going to be important. They got it, we

didn't.”

Magilton shared the blame around but was less than impressed by poor finishing and errors at the back.

He said: “Considering the way they've been playing in recent games, my defenders had a bad day, without a shadow of a doubt.

“They've defended well in the last few games but they defended badly at times today.

“The second goal was really poor. I've got to sit down and analyse what went wrong.”

Alan Quinn was booked for a fifth time this season and will miss the home match with Blackpool on Saturday through suspension.