Mick McCarthy is currently the longest serving manager in the Sky Bet Championship and his impact at Portman Road has gone somewhat unnoticed for a while.

If McCarthy is still in charge of the club at the end of the season, he will have been in charge of the club for 4 and a half seasons with the club achieving top 10 finishes in three of his full seasons.

The 57-year-old has had a shoestring budget while his better players, such as Aaron Cresswell and Tyrone Mings, have been sold on to top flight clubs.

As a result of the tight budget at the club following years of big spending under Paul Jewell and Roy Keane, the former Wolves and Sunderland boss has very much relied on free transfers, loan deals and gambles from the bargain basket.

That makes McCarthy's achievements even more admirable when you consider the budget of his side compared to others.

Here are THREE things to expect from Mick McCarthy's Ipswich this season...

A hard-working unit

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Mick McCarthy's teams are known for their high work rate and willingness to fight for every ball in order to get the result for their team and the supporters.

Ipswich are synonymous for their hard work and it was one of the first things that McCarthy implemented when he replaced Paul Jewell's hapless Tractor Boys in 2012.

If there's one things that supporters can be certain of this season, its that their team is going to work hard whether they win, lose or draw.

Improvement from the strikers

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As well as having a keen eye for a player, McCarthy is also renowned for his man management skills and his ability to get the best out of his players.

Supporters were disappointed that forwards David McGoldrick and Daryl Murphy didn't live up to their full potential last season with Murphy managing 11 after hitting 27 the season before.

Fans and the manager will be expecting more from the club's star strikers, although Brett Pitman is more than a suitable back up.

Over achievement

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On paper, Ipswich have overachieved massively since Mick McCarthy took as manager and thats not likely to stop this season.

They don't the strength in depth that some of the favourites for promotion have, but that's not going to stop Ipswich from chasing them all the way and don't be surprised to see the Tractor Boys in and around the top six.

Actually going all the way is a huge ask for Mick McCarthy and his team, but that's not going to stop them them from giving it a go and overachieving as they have for the previous two seasons.

Ipswich fans, what do you think? Do you agree? What are you expecting from your side this season? Let us know what you think in the comments below!