Ipswich Town exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle for the eighth successive season, losing 1-0 at home to Championship rivals Sheffield United this afternoon. Here’s what Blues boss Mick McCarthy had to say in his post-match press conference.

What’s your assessment of that?

“My assessment is I thought we played well up until the goal. I’m not unhappy with the performance. I’ve just been asked if I’m really unhappy – no, I’m not. I’m not unhappy with the performance, but I’m unhappy wit the result

“It probably sums this moment in time for us up when we have an appeal for a penalty which could have been given. But I’ve no idea what a penalty is now having seen them all this week. It did hit his hand and could have been given.

“Then they put one in the top corner and that was the difference in the first half.”

Are you disappointed at the lack of chances created in the second half?

“It was just the final pass, the final cross which wasn’t good, but I thought they defended well. They sat back in and made it difficult for us to break them down.

The crowd started to get on your back towards the end…

“Yeah, well that’s only been waiting, that’s only been in the background, it’s never gone away.”

Is it understandable given your side didn’t produce a single shot on target?

“I can’t really control peoples’ emotions or reactions can I? I can only do my best to try and get the team to win games. If we do, I guess we get cheered. If we don’t, I guess we get jeered.

“People are wanting change and I can’t help that.”

What’s the situation with Tommy Smith?

“He’s poorly today.”

There’s been speculation about Colorado Rapids…

“Apparently so. I’ve just been told that, but I haven’t seen any pictures tweeted from the First Class lounge at Heathrow just yet.

“I’m hoping he’s still poorly. Well, not really, but you know what I mean.”

So not aware of anything there?

“I’ve not spoken to Colorado Rapids, no.”

That’s another potential player exit we are talking about. Yesterday we were talking about David McGoldrick, Bart (Bialkowski), Kieffer Moore…. You are out the FA Cup, in mid-table, there’s talk of players leaving, only loans and frees coming in, can you see why fans are feeling there is not a huge amount to look forward to?

“Well, I go back to what I said originally, I can only try and make sure the players I have at my disposal play as well as they can. What they always do is give everything, to be fair.

“We need to get a result asap.”

Early Cup exits have been a recurring theme. It just adds to a sense of ‘same old’ about the club at the moment, and I think that’s where that feeling from the stands is coming from...

“I think so. I think they are a bit sick of the same old and they want a change don’t they? I guess that’s understandable, but, for the moment, that’s not happening.”

Are the club looking to sell players?

“I’m not looking to get shot of players.”

Is the owner?

“No, we’ve got to have a team that competes. We were on the back of the top six four weeks ago. I’d like to be tagging on the back of that again. I don’t want to be getting shot of players, no.”

Seven points off the play-offs, do you feel there is something still in this season?

“We need to get a win. Let’s just start turning it around. We’ve got Leeds coming here next week. It’s not going to be easy, but we need a win really.”