Mick McCarthy has insisted he is still ‘doing his part of the bargain’ as manager of Ipswich Town but believes he is getting the ‘thin end of the wedge’ from sections of club’s support.
The Blues boss is out of contract at the end of the season, with no decision made or announced on whether he is staying or going, with many supporters making their feelings clear during Tuesday night’s home loss to Hull City. After the game, McCarthy called a group huddle in the middle of the Portman Road pitch where he apologised that his presence had led them to play in such an atmosphere.
McCarthy insisted he will not be walking away from the club before his contract expires and that he is happy to take the criticism from supporters given his role as the club’s figurehead. He stressed, though, that he still believes he is doing his job well given the financial restrictions imposed on him.
During a wide-ranging press conference in which he discussed his relationship with the club’s supporters, his future and owner Marcus Evans, McCarthy was engaging, forthright and passionate as he fought his corner.
“I have taken it, always, that if you are inside this building you are inside peeing out whether you are top of the league, bottom of the league or wherever,” McCarthy said when it was put to him that there was a siege mentality within him and his squad.
“If you’re outside you’re peeing in because that’s the way it is.
“Nothing’s changed with me, nothing at all, the only thing that has changed is the amount of aggro I’m getting personally because we’ve been in the league for so many years, the pitch isn’t great and people think my football isn’t great. They thought it was brilliant when I got them out of the dirt when they were seven points adrift and they thought it was brilliant when we made the top six.
“I haven’t changed. The only people who have changed are the people who are watching and if they are getting bored of everything and I’m getting the flack then so be it because I am the figurehead and I’m quite happy to take it.
“When I came to the club it was my message, that we haven’t got the biggest budget, we’ve got these players and, by the way, we’re going to go out and give everything and do the best we can. I haven’t changed.
“That was accepted then when we finished 14th, it was accepted when we finished ninth and it was really accepted and I was D*** S*** all of a sudden when we finished sixth.
“I haven’t changed and I would love the fans to be onside but how can I do that? We went away and got two great wins and we should have beaten Norwich, that would have been fabulous.
“I’m still doing my part of the bargain. I’m still 100 per cent doing my part of the bargain, and if I can’t get them (the fans) to buy into the way I do it and my part of the bargain then you will have tolerate me for nine games, at least, unless Marcus asks me to stay.”
When asked if he cared about what supporters think of him, McCarthy said: “Of course I care what fans think but when I say I don’t care, I mean I don’t go home and lose sleep, I don’t cry myself to sleep and I don’t lose sleep over it.
“I want to be with the fans, of course I do, wherever I am it’s about the fans because they will be here when me and the players are long gone. I would love the fans to be back on side because I’ve enjoyed my relationship with them, but wow. I think I’m pretty much getting the thin end of the wedge at the minute, I have to be honest.”
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