Ipswich Town have opened the process of sourcing Mick McCarthy’s permanent replacement at Portman Road.
It was announced last week, after a 1-0 victory over Barnsley in the Sky Bet Championship, that McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor would be leaving Portman Road with immediate effect.
It was planned that McCarthy would take charge until the end of the season, but the 59-year-old opted to depart four games early as Ipswich drift towards a mid-table finish in the Championship.
Sky Sports have now confirmed that Ipswich have opened the process of finding McCarthy’s replacement, but understand that they are not yet close to deciding who will take over at Portman Road.
Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have been linked with the role, whilst Mark Warburton and Steve McClaren were mentioned as possible replacements earlier in the month.
However, Bryan Klug will remain in temporary charge of Ipswich between now and the end of the Championship season, as Ipswich mull over the decision on who to replace McCarthy with.
Klug oversaw a 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, which left Ipswich in 12thahead of the final three fixtures of the season.
Ipswich welcome promotion-chasing Aston Villa to Portman Road on Saturday, before heading to the Madejski Stadium to face Reading in the penultimate game of the season.
Middlesbrough then visit Portman Road on May 6th, as Ipswich’s season comes to an end.
The Verdict
McCarthy’s time with Ipswich did end sourly, but it is hard not to praise him for the job he did at Portman Road, particularly when you consider the circumstances he found himself in.
Replacing the 59-year-old will be difficult, which makes it no surprise that Ipswich will bide their time to find the right man.
Ipswich’s season is only heading in one direction, which leaves the board in a luxurious position whilst finding McCarthy’s successor.
Ipswich fans… Who do you want to see replace McCarthy? Let us know your thoughts!