FORMER IRELAND BOSS Mick McCarthy has defended his Ipswich players and insisted he would not leave the club before the end of the season.
The 3-0 loss to Hull left the embattled side 12th, nine points off the play-off places with nine games remaining in the Championship.
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McCarthy acknowledged that it was “probably” his presence that created a “difficult atmosphere” at Portman Road last night.
The former Sunderland boss’ supporters will argue he has done a good job at a club with limited resources, improving results under previous management and guiding them to the play-offs in the 2014-15 campaign, before being beaten 4-2 on aggregate by local rivals Norwich in the semi-finals.
The club have not built on that achievement though, finishing seventh in 2015-16 before a disappointing 16th-place finish last season.
And another campaign where they look set to miss out on the play-offs has led to growing supporter unrest.
This atmosphere has seemingly affected the players at the club, with the Tractor Boys going five games without a goal on home soil.
McCarthy has rejected suggestions he will leave before the end of the season, however, adding: ”I apologised to my players because it’s probably my presence that’s created that atmosphere.
It was difficult and to the eternal credit of my players, they kept going and kept trying to get back in the game.
“I’ve never lost a dressing room and I haven’t lost one now. They have my support and I know I have theirs.”
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'I apologised to my players because it's probably my presence that's created that atmosphere'
FORMER IRELAND BOSS Mick McCarthy has defended his Ipswich players and insisted he would not leave the club before the end of the season.
The 3-0 loss to Hull left the embattled side 12th, nine points off the play-off places with nine games remaining in the Championship.
McCarthy acknowledged that it was “probably” his presence that created a “difficult atmosphere” at Portman Road last night.
The former Sunderland boss’ supporters will argue he has done a good job at a club with limited resources, improving results under previous management and guiding them to the play-offs in the 2014-15 campaign, before being beaten 4-2 on aggregate by local rivals Norwich in the semi-finals.
The club have not built on that achievement though, finishing seventh in 2015-16 before a disappointing 16th-place finish last season.
And another campaign where they look set to miss out on the play-offs has led to growing supporter unrest.
This atmosphere has seemingly affected the players at the club, with the Tractor Boys going five games without a goal on home soil.
McCarthy has rejected suggestions he will leave before the end of the season, however, adding: ”I apologised to my players because it’s probably my presence that’s created that atmosphere.
“I’ve never lost a dressing room and I haven’t lost one now. They have my support and I know I have theirs.”
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