Opinion
North Stander: I’m convinced Mick McCarthy will leave Ipswich Town in the summer
Fulham fans celebrate their team's third goal whilst Bartosz Bialkowski is left demoralised on Saturday
Our Ipswich Town fan North Stander addresses the key question - will Mick McCarthy leave in the summer?
Five games and four weeks left of this dreadful season. Nothing to play for except pride. The big questions will be answered after the final game has been played.
The biggest of them all, of course, is about Mick McCarthy’s future. Will the longest-serving manager in the Championship decide that his time at Town has come to a natural conclusion?
Or will he stubbornly tough it out, despite all the calls from the fans for him to go? For my money, I think he will leave. As my colleague Stuart Watson sagely says today, too much water has flowed under the bridge now.
The on-pitch malaise has gone on for too long, there have been too many deadly dull games, too many negative tactical and selection decisions, too much worrying about the opposition, however poor they have been.
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In particular, McCarthy has far too often said daft things which have simply poured petrol on the fire.
If he does go, which I’m convinced he will, then we should remember the great job he did in his first two years. He rescued us from relegation and built a team which made the play-offs, playing some attractive football.
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The problems started – and I will be convinced of this until my dying day – when we didn’t kick on from a great position at the end of 2014.
The necessary investment didn’t happen, and we limped into the play-offs, as opposed to having a real crack at automatic promotion. From that moment, in the transfer window in January 2015, we’ve been sliding backwards.
So, if McCarthy does depart, we should recognise the contribution he made in the first half of his tenure. Inevitably, though, because we all have short memories, the last two years of tedium will always loom large in future pub chat about the Mick McCarthy years, and that’s only 50pc fair.
Meanwhile, we have an emotional afternoon to look forward to – Sir Bobby Robson Day next Monday, when we entertain Newcastle. Among all of Ipswich Town’s managers, there is no doubt that Sir Bobby is the most loved and revered.
The Newcastle fans adore him as well. Let’s join with the travelling Toon fans to pay homage to the great Sir Bobby.
