WHILE many around him are losing their jobs, Ipswich Town boss Jim Magilton is not fretting about the lack of any contract extension so far.The deal agreed when Magilton took over from Joe Royle in July 2006 expires next summer and he has not yet been offered a new contract.

By Derek Davis

WHILE many around him are losing their jobs, Ipswich Town boss Jim Magilton is not fretting about the lack of any contract extension so far.

The deal agreed when Magilton took over from Joe Royle in July 2006 expires next summer and he has not yet been offered a new contract.

Despite seeing Peter Grant, Willie Donachie and Peter Taylor, shown the door this week Magilton, who has steered Ipswich Town to 10th place in the Championship, has not sought assurances that he is safe.

He said: “They are trying to keep me on my toes.

“It doesn't bother me not being offered a new deal yet because even if I had six years left it would not affect how I do my job on a day-to-day, game-to-game basis.

“As a player I signed 12-month contracts for the last three years and it never bothered me. If the manager felt I could still do a job then that was good enough.

“I felt I knew when it was the right time to leave as a player and I'm sure I will know when it is the right time as a manager.”

Although just 18 months into his first managerial job Magilton is already the seventh-longest-serving manager in the Championship and 30th among the 92 clubs so he appreciates he is working for a traditionally conservative board.

Magilton added: “This club has always had a tradition and a reputation for giving the managers time but I'm under no illusion that if I put together a string of bad results then I will suffer. I will be no different to anyone else, although I would go rather than be pushed.

“If it came to the day when I felt I had lost the confidence of the players, the supporters and the board then the honourable thing is to go but hopefully that won't happen.”

Magilton admitted that he had some concerns about his job last February when the team lost all five games during the month.

He said: “You are always just a couple of defeats away from looking over your shoulder.

“We had a poor February last season when we lost five games and it may have been mentioned by the board behind closed doors but it was not brought to my attention.

“We are always in a precarious position because we are in the business of getting results and if we don't get them then ultimately it will cost your job.”

Magilton admits feeling the pain of his fellow managers who have departed Norwich, Millwall and Crystal Palace.

He said: “I have sympathy for them all. It has been a tough week for managers. Willie has gone, as has Peter Taylor, who is also a nice bloke.

“It is all about instant success now but there are only going to be a certain number of teams who will do well.

“Patience is a virtue that not many boards seem to have any more. Perhaps the powers that be felt that they needed changes because they weren't going to be better under those managers.”

Meanwhile, Neil Warnock, the manager Ipswich Town fans love to hate, is expected to be named the new Crystal Palace boss this morning.

A press conference has been called for 11am for Palace chairman Simon Jordan to announce the successor to Peter Taylor who was sacked on Monday.