Is McCarthy The Right Man For The Job?

When I set that poll for our readers at the back end of last season there was a clear majority who felt that Mick McCarthy days were numbered and he should leave before he is pushed.

Looking once again at the poll today we can clearly see that things have changed. Fifty percent of you now think that he has what it takes to take us up and I can only assume that this is because a lot of you have had a change of heart!

The question that I posed was whether or not you thought that Mick Mccarthy should face the firing squad and after the disappointment of failing to make the play-off places, as much as 75% thought he should go but once the dust had settled on a season of underachievement, the general consensus seems to be that we should leave things be and 7% think we should wait and see?

I too am of that particular school of thought. It was a poor season last term but we still managed to finish in seventh place and this was after Teddy Bishop, Ryan Fraser and of course David McGoldrick were out of action for the bulk of the time.

McCarthy sometimes seems to be a bit of a slow learner and some might argue he never really learned at all and his old habits are the cause of our woes but is this really so?

We have been collectively begging him to give youth a chance and it appears that this time around he will do exactly that. He blooded a few of the youngsters at the back end of last season and they will be all the better for it and he knows it.

Wing backs Josh Emanuel and Myles Kenlock will be pushing for first team action this term and so too will Andre Dozzell. Then we have Irishman Adam Mcdonnell and New Zealander Monty Patterson and central midfielder James Blanchfield also on the up and up and getting closer to first team involvement.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but it does look as if Mr.Mick is prepared sometimes to forgive and forget and long time transfer listed Cameron Stewart is a good example of this.

The 25-year-old joined the Blues on a three-year deal in the summer of 2014 after he was released by Hull City but after breaking his jaw he disappeared off the scene and the next thing we know was that he was available for loan and he could leave.

Now it seems McCarthy has had a bit of a change of heart. Asked whether he was still certain to move on our manager said, ‘If he`s of that mind and he wants to work hard and be involved in the squad and be fit then I`ll take him to Ireland and we`ll see because he`s got ability. But there has been a bit of interest in him – so we will have to wait and see.”

Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks afterall?


Frank Weston – editor of Vital Ipswich