MICK McCarthy has revealed that he won’t stand in Terry Connor’s way if the Town number two wants to return to management.

Connor took over from McCarthy at Wolves in February but was unable to keep the Molineux club in the Premier League after failing to win a single game in his 13 matches in charge.

Despite the unhappy four months at the helm, it appears the experience has not diminished Connor’s appetite for a number one job – if the right opportunity came along.

McCarthy said: “I know he enjoyed his stint as the manager, making the decisions and planning everything but he was involved in all of that anyway when I was the manager.

“We have a really good working relationship there is no difficulty at all. I had spoken to him and asked if he fancied a manager’s job himself and I guess if the opportunity arises at some stage he would – and he should – because I think he would be very good.”

McCarthy and Connor have overseen a dramatic change in Town’s fortunes after taking over from Paul Jewell last month following a run of just seven points from 12 games.

It has been a remarkable turnaround with Ipswich gaining 13 points from McCarthy’s first seven matches as the Blues show signs of moving away from the bottom three.

Connor has received rich praise from a host of current first-team players since his arrival as assistant manager was confirmed just hours after McCarthy officially got the Town job.

And the manager has been equally magnanimous in his praise for his number two, who is certainly in no hurry to leave Suffolk.

McCarthy said: “I am sure some people think that me and Terry didn’t talk when he was manager (at Wolves), but we had five years of real close friendship, so of course we talked.

“He inherited my job at Wolves because of circumstances, but that was a tough job when the two of us were there and it just made it even tougher when I left.”