MICK McCarthy has called on his new players to prove to him that he doesn’t have to make wholesale changes.

Speaking on his first day in charge at Portman Road, the new Ipswich Town boss insisted he wouldn’t be making snap judgements – but warned that results had to quickly change with the side four points adrift at the bottom of the Championship.

McCarthy met the players this morning before taking training for the first time this afternoon as he prepares for Saturday’s difficult trip to Birmingham City and then Crystal Palace away on Tuesday night.

He revealed: “I said to the players this morning ‘you will all point fingers at everyone else’, but they all have to look at themselves.

“Maybe (they need) a fresh voice, a different way of doing things. I am hoping that is going to be the case in two tough away games.

“I have just walked in the door today. It would be wrong of me to judge people after one training session. I am hopeful I can turn it round with the players that I have got.”

In addition to the dismal league position, one area of concern for the new manager is the eight loanees currently at the club.

He explained: “There is a problem with the loan players - that is an issue. It is not perfect to have so many loans.

“But the squad has some good players. I know the history. Whenever I have been here, I have always been impressed by the club. Everything about this place is really good – except the team! That’s my job.

McCarthy admitted he could change “a fair bit” straight away as he looks to build from the back and get the club’s first clean sheet since their 1-0 win at Watford on August 21 – ironically, their last win.

“I have to look at the personnel to try and find some formula to keep a clean sheet and be hard to beat,” he said. “I haven’t got any time. If I try and change everything they have been doing, that will just confuse them.

“They have conceded more goals than anyone else and that is where the problem is. It is a collective thing, I don’t know the root cause.

“I just have to inflict my beliefs and personality on them. It is any way to get a result at this moment in time.

“The training session (this afternoon) was pretty good. You get one opportunity to make a first impression and there were a lot of voices, shouting, which might not have been the case in recent weeks.”

McCarthy, who confessed to being surprised by loan player Richie Wellens’ comments this week about the attitude of Town stars, paid tribute to the long-suffering supporters who have stayed with their team through recent tough times.