Mick McCarthy has claimed he isn't concerned about being sacked despite Ipswich having gone five games without a win.

Whilst he may claim not to feel under pressure, the Ipswich manager will need his side to improve very quickly if he wants to avoid the sack.

Ipswich currently sit at 17th in the Championship, a severe drop from last season's 7th placed finish.

The side has had difficulty finding the net, only scoring four times in 11 league games and are without a goal in five games.

The reason Ipswich are not lower in the division is primarily due to the side's impressive defensive record, which is the joint-best within the Championship.

McCarthy is currently the longest-serving manager in the Championship but this may change if The Tractor Boys don't turn their season round as soon as possible.

If McCarthy's four-year reign at Portman Road is over, here are THREE potential replacements for the Yorkshireman....

 

Billy Davies

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A two-year absence from football management has perhaps been good for Billy Davies, allowing the dust to settle after his last managerial outing.

Having gone into his second spell at Nottingham Forest a well-respected and highly regarded manager, his reputation post-Forest is associated with phrases like 'paranoid' and 'self-destructive'.

However, you cannot deny that Davies' track record in the Championship is impressive.

Between 2005 and 2011, he reached the Play-Offs 5 times with 3 different clubs and achieved promotion with Derby County in 2007.

Ipswich Town also seems to fit the profile of his former clubs, a side with a glittering history, Premier League ambitions and a healthy (if slightly disillusioned) fan-base.

Tony Mowbray

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Despite only resigning from Coventry City at the end of September, Tony Mowbray could be a solid option for Ipswich if McCarthy is let go.

The former West Brom manager may also see Ipswich Town as the perfect club to reaffirm his managerial qualities after disappointing spells at Middlesborough and Coventry.

If Mowbray did take the Ipswich job, he would hope to repeat the success he had at West Brom, when the West Midlands club won the Championship in 2008.

Mowbray also has an established connection with The Tractor Boys, as he made over 100 appearances for the club between 1995-2000 and also began his coaching career at Portman Road under George Burley.

Tim Sherwood

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At 47, Sherwood is still early in his managerial career and may now want to step away from the intense pressure of Premier League management, with Ipswich Town seeming like a perfect fit.

He has also been out of management for a year and will surely be keen to return to coaching.

Given that Sherwood's stints at Tottenham and Villa both lasted under 12 months, it could be appealing to him to join a club with a good track record of giving new managers time to establish themselves.

The fact that Ipswich have only had 6 managers in 20 years seems a minor miracle in the modern footballing climate, especially given that Sherwood's former club Villa have been through 6 in the last 4 years.