Mick McCarthy can understand why Freddie Sears would consider a move away from Ipswich Town but insists the striker’s situation would be very different had he produced the goods on the pitch.

Sears has struggled for minutes this season, starting just 10 Championship games, and has not found the net since last April which has prompted him to suggest he may need to consider his future, if regular football continues to be hard to come by.

“I don’t blame him,” McCarthy said in response to Sears’ comments regarding his future.

“I think he’s got a year to run on his contract and he would be thinking that.

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“But he also knows that, had he scored 15 goals by this stage he wouldn’t be sitting there telling you that because he would be sitting there saying ‘the gaffer’s going to give me a new contract’. You’d be asking me if I’d had any offers for him if that had been the case.

“But he hasn’t and that’s the nuts and bolts of it I’m afraid. He’s so selfless and, as much as I thank him and say ‘well done, keep going’ I don’t want anyone to think I take them for granted because I don’t.

“He’s a very valuable member of the squad but I completely understand his comments.”

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When it was put to McCarthy that Sears may have scored more goals had he been played in his preferred position as a central striker, rather than in the wide role his has occupied over the last two seasons, McCarthy added: “Well my counter argument would have been Santy (Bersant Celina) has scored eight (from wide), Waggy (Martyn Waghorn) has scored how many playing wide right or in the hole (12), Joe (Garner) has scored goals (10), Callum Connolly has scored however many (3)…

“Nobody would ever come to me with that argument and neither would Freddie. He’s had his chances wherever he’s played, whether that’s up front, wide right or wide left.

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“Sometimes it just doesn’t happen. It certainly will again for him. I love him to bits Freddie, he’s terrific.

“He changed the game for us on Tuesday night, definitely. He was a constant pest, he really was a threat.”