Town boss Mick McCarthy felt all three penalties were questionable during the Blues’ 2-1 defeat at Reading, the third of the three spotkicks having come deep in injury time to condemn his side to what he believed was an undeserved defeat.

Asked whether he had spoken to referee Jeremy Simpson about the third penalty, which was netted by Danny Williams after Joey van den Berg had gone to ground under the attention of Jonas Knudsen, he said: “I’m not going to.”

Pressed on his interpretation of the decision, he added: “I’m not going to speak about it because if I do I’ll only get myself in trouble because it’s best that I leave it alone.”

Was he more aggrieved by the first or second penalty? “I have to say, I think all three. I wouldn’t imagine Jaap was too pleased with the one they’ve given away. I think all of them.

“The guy’s run into Jonas, they are grappling but the pair of them are doing it. We’ve all had the warnings, he’s booked somebody in the box and he could have done it in either box on a number of occasions. He chose to do it in the 90-whatever minute it was.”

Did he feel the decision wasn’t too much a surprise given what had happened immediately beforehand? “They were shouting for it every time and I think he’s just tried to run into Jonas and I don’t know what you do if somebody runs into you.

“Well, I do, you try and stand your ground, of course. Not really a surprise, no. A huge disappointment, but not really a surprise.”

Clubs have been warned by the PGMOL, the referees’ association, that grappling at corners will be punished.

Asked how he feels about that as a central defender during his playing days, McCarthy said: “I wonder whatever happened about just standing your ground and going and heading the ball out. That was my modus operandi generally, just go and head the bleeding thing, not having to stop them running around and blocking people.

“But it happens in both boxes and, of course, the rule will affect some of us on some days and I’m sure we’ll get one.

“Well, I hope we do because we’ve had two goals disallowed that were goals at Wolves and against Norwich, we’ve had two penalties given against us today, so things are going particularly well with me and the PGMOL.”

He added: “What happens if he’d have given it the other way and he’d said he was barging into Jonas, I wonder what would have happened then. That is the real crux of it, you can give it either way.

“I’m told that there was a bad tackle by George Evans [on Grant Ward]. Somebody’s just said it should have been a red card, which I haven’t seen. I’ll have a look at that when we watch it and I can have a whinge about that as well, there’s something else.

“I’ve come in here talking about that and I think we played really well today, the second half was a really good performance. In the second half I thought we were the better team.

“I would actually prefer never, ever to talk about referees [in post-match press conferences]. I show them a huge respect by going into see them before the game, not many managers do, they send the assistant in or the physio. I’d like a bit of that back at some stage during the season.”

McCarthy rushed off down the tunnel after the final whistle but says he returned to complete his customary round of handshakes.

“I wanted to go and see the decision,” he said. “I came back and shook everybody’s hand.

“I don’t blank people. I had to apologise to Reidy [Reading coach Steven Reid] because I think he stuck his hand out as I was marching down the tunnel, but I came back and shook his hand and everybody else’s.”

Going back to his side’s performance, McCarthy was pleased with the second half display when they had more of the ball, although not unhappy with his team before the break when they limited the home side to few chances, despite the Royals dominating possession.

“That’s the way they play, it’s possession-based football,” he reflected. “They’ve probably come in here and said they deserved to win it because they had 500 or 600 passes, but I don’t think that’s the case.

“I think we were the better team in the second half and I think it was us that looked like winning it. And unfortunately one of our results has been based, again, on a referee’s decision.”

Reading manager Jaap Stam said: “I think in the first half we were the better team in how we played and the chances that we created. I think we could have scored a couple in the first half.

“In the second half, I think they started off better than in the first half in the sense that they were pressuring us quite high, there wasn’t enough space for us to play or to pass the ball through.”

Regarding the three penalty decisions, he added: “The first one, I think you can give it because it is a handball.

"He’s not deliberately going towards the ball with his hand but if the ball passes that player maybe it gets to a player from us within the box and maybe he can score, so that’s why probably he made the decision to give it.

“I think the second one, their equaliser, wasn’t a penalty at all. But because of maybe the situation of how everything went and the comments towards the referee he made the decision to give it.

“I think our second penalty was a penalty because they just held Joey and that’s why he went down.”

Photo: Action Images

vanmunt added 09:43 - Sep 10 Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooring, booooooooooooooring.. Mick.. sick of the same drivel out of your mouth every week..
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runaround added 10:00 - Sep 10 Have calmed down a bit since last night to be able to look more objectively. All 3 penalties were soft but probably correct. Should have been a fourth for the forearm smash on Bishop! We all know shirtpulling goes on at every set piece & despite the change in rules penalties are not going to be given most of the time. Pity they won't otherwise it might stop it, however after seeing the ref was watching for it Knudsen was brainless to pull the shirt. Mick said Van Den Burg bumped him first? Then Knudsen should have gone down, 9 times out of 10 refs will then give a defensive free kick! Even Stevenage showed us how to do that every set piece we had in the earlier league cup tie. Once again I feel a winnable game has not been won due to over negative tactics & team selection by Mick. At one all Reading were there for the taking but we left the attacking options on the bench, allowed our impetus to subside & eventually paid the price. Will Mick ever learn or change? I doubt it

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patthegimp added 10:04 - Sep 10 Listened to it on BBC Suffolk. After the first few minutes when we seemed to be on top they appeared to dominate and ( as it sounded) apart from a few excellent saves by Bart we could have gone in 3 down. Sounded like our defense was easily cut open- no change there then. Really cannot understand why MM sticks with this defense
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Brownie added 10:16 - Sep 10 Sohoblue - had to give you a plus tick as love your optimism! Agree with comments on game and hope you are right re Derby! Can't say I would be putting too much cash on it though.. COYB!
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Dissboyitfc added 10:22 - Sep 10 I just dont enjoy watching us any more. Of that starting line up only Bart, Ward would start in any other championship side. Poor team selection, players out of form playing out of position. I was really annoyed, when asked, what match summarises thought of the town one of them said, " a typical town performance", Wrong! a typical MM performance. still think ITFC are better than that. A disgrace to the proud football team we once were. I think Another manager would improve us immensely with the squad we have. MM needs to go!

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braveblue added 10:42 - Sep 10 Clear penalty by Knudsen after being warned. Idiot. Dreadful first half and McCarthy says we played well. Idiot. Chambers - words fail me. Taking off Ward and bringing on Varney. Typical.
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NoelTheDub added 11:10 - Sep 10 Please everybody forget the penalties this is only hiding the huge problems we have with this man.How can anyone look at our team play with so many point blank issues we all can see except him.1 Chambo. 2 Sears. 3 The poorest 3 midfield players in any league.4 Pitman up top on his own.5 Hoofball.6 Justify leaving new signings on the bench.7 Playing for a bloody draw against a very poor Reading side to keep us all happy for another week will I go on.That so called football this man teaches has to be banned from all stadiums for the sake of football or sky will put us on the Horror channel because thats were it belongs.

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ArnieM added 11:13 - Sep 10 Mick Out. There, I've finally said. Soooo pissed off this mornin. more because we should have won so comfortably and with different tactics would have done so. Mick out. There, I've said it again.
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Razor added 12:08 - Sep 10 Sorry Mick----it is your management that is questionable. We survived the first half and actually played well for the first 20 of the second half and wore them down and they were then ready for the taking. This is when we should have pushed on for the win (oops sorry a phrase our manager does not recocognise) by introducing Lawrence and Best (where were they!!??). Knudsen was a knut and deserves a big slap, si immature and unprofessional. Do we have 3 more years of ths rubbish-----heaven forbid. MID TABLE MEDIOCRITY-----AGAIN!!

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Blue_Moses added 12:13 - Sep 10 I was hoping to see he had resigned.
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blueboy1981 added 12:48 - Sep 10 ArnieM ........totally admire your past loyalty to MM - but you just had to see the light. I've never actually said it before, but have been critical of him for ages. Always hoped he'd change - but he won't. This Manager HAS TO GO - before he takes us any further down the slope, that we continue to descend. IPSWICH TOWN is a proud name - it deserves far better.
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jollyroger added 12:54 - Sep 10 Reading where there for the taking IF we would of won we would be second this morning but there was no passion no high tempo to our play and keeping Best and lawrance on the bench just baffles me mock sort it out NOW or go
5

jollyroger added 12:59 - Sep 10 Should read mick
0

corfu72 added 13:25 - Sep 10 I don't like to be too critical,but the third pen was a bit harsh to take as this goes on all the time in most games and ref's turn a blind eye(but it was a pen however you look at it).we still don't seem to be able to close a game down which is a shame as I thought we played some good football in patches.Do we miss Murphy,on last nights showing,Yes we do.IS Chambers still struggling as well as Douglas,YES they are.IS Sears out of position,YES he is.IS pitman the answer,not sure. Why leave the new lads on the bench!!! IS MM still the best man for the job,not sure,the jury is still out.The question is,just who would want the job without funds available,but I think the squad we have at present is the best we have had for a long time and with Williams and McG back we just could turn things round,but MM needs to sort his head out quick and I don't mean this in a horrible way as he has done a reasonably good job over the years,I think we need to look further than just MM.Roll on Tuesday and let's hope we can put this game well behind us.

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TimmyH added 13:48 - Sep 10 Bloody hell @ArnieM - you'll make your mind up! one moment pro Mick/Town/performances the next moment the opposite. Sadly it's all too obvious we're a slightly better than an average Championship side playing sterile football under a manager who knows how to grind out points over a season to make the owner relatively happy so he gets a fairly lucrative contract extension (last season). Even my 82 year old dad who like me has supported the club since the mid-70's winces every time we play live on the box!...you can understand why.

4

Blue_Meanie added 14:22 - Sep 10 We will finish mid table at very best. McCarthys' happy he'll pick up his salary and no-doubt some sort of bonus. Evans is happy, spent zilch, side still in championship. Nothing will happen whilst the current regime is in place, nothing. McCarthy has us all as yokel mugs, wake up people, it's time we made our voices heard. Are we the minority or the silent majority? MM OUT. ME SELL UP.

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Penguinblue added 15:10 - Sep 10 Well well. I always said you would come round to Penguineblue's point of view.
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Cheshire_Blue added 15:51 - Sep 10 Penguin Blue OUT. Thank goodness MM is manager and not the handful of clowns who wage a vendetta against him here. There were 1,000 + SUPPORTERS at Reading last night and the chant was SUPER MICK McCARTHY. I rest my case.
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Seasider added 16:21 - Sep 10 Think ours was the weakest of the pens given;but think Bish should have won one too. By berating the ref does not win McCarthy any brownie points, especially after saying that he has huge respect for referees and prefers never to talk about them.Practise what you preach Mick.
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Spanishblueblood added 17:14 - Sep 10 Cheshire blue, that's makes one thousand idiots that can't see the glaringly obvious!! It's the idiots that continue to back the current regime that will help add to the demise of our club, the fans should be trying to force ME's hand by being vocal or by voting with their feet. Those that back the manager etc, no matter what, are actually do more harm than good because whilst they show their support, nothing will change!! A change is what is needed and it's already a year too late!

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blueboy1981 added 17:28 - Sep 10 Cheshire Blue ........... What are ya .... ???????
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Miles added 18:01 - Sep 10 Getting rid of Mick would be the worst idea ever! Who would we replace him with? Would he be able to get us with the league finished Mick has with the current squad? I'm as frustrated as the rest with last night and it was pure stupidity at the end which has cost us. Be careful what you wish for!
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TimmyH added 18:11 - Sep 10 aahhh!....the classic line 'Be careful what you wish for'
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Penguinblue added 19:39 - Sep 10 Cheshire Blue. You are either generous or deluded. McCarthy is an awful manager, he just happened to follow two other poor ones and take the credit for an improvement in the first year that any half decent manager could have achieved. McCarthy out. The sooner the better
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RoyalAscotBlue added 21:51 - Sep 10 Just seen the "highlights" again on CH5. Mick says "The guy's run into Jonas". I say "you're full of ..it Mick". The guy hasn't run into him at all, Jonas has just grappled him to the floor. Football has come a long way since Mick guided Ireland to the knockout stages of the World Cup in 2002. New tactics, formations and ideologies have developed and new types of players have evolved. Mick, on the other hand, has not changed his style of management or his approach at all. Defend first and go from there. It doesn't work. The time has come for his tenure at the club to end. The style of football he brings is simply dreadful to watch. Football is supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable to watch, but anybody who sat through that game last night will know that they were not entertained. This is why the attendances have dropped and they will continue to do so until there is a change. It is true that Mick saved us when he first came to the club, and he has subsequently stabilised things and repaired all of the damage done by the previous two managers. A pretty decent squad has been assembled, on a shoestring budget, and all the foundations are in place for a successful team... But Mick does not posses the skills, or the attitude, to take us any further. Thank-you Mick, you have done a good job, but now it is time for a change.

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