Town boss Mick McCarthy says he rates keeper Bartosz Bialkowski as the best in the Championship, the 29-year-old having put in another impressive performance as the Blues beat Wigan 3-2 at the DW Stadium on Saturday.

Bialkowski had been the Blues’ standout performer throughout 2016, carrying off virtually all of the 2015/16 player of the year awards in May and continuing that form this season.

Having made a rare error which led to Cardiff’s goal in the recent 1-1 draw with the Bluebirds at Portman Road, the former Southampton and Notts County man was back to his best at the weekend.

“We all make mistakes,” McCarthy reflected when quizzed about Bialkowski’s consistent 2016 form following Saturday’s match.

“I’ll put him up there, get him on the selling list by rating him, shall I?” he joked.

“You know my thoughts on him, I think he’s the best one in the league. If there’s a better one I haven’t seen him.

“Lots of people require different things out of their goalkeepers. Some like it so they can have it at their feet and be almost like a sweeper and pass it out and be clipping balls here, there and everywhere.

“That wouldn’t suit him, but he catches it and keeps it out of his net, which is a particularly good quality for his goalkeeper. He’s different class, he really is, he’s a top-class goalie.”

Photo: TWTD

BlueMachines added 08:25 - Dec 20 He has really painted himself into a corner with this one. Whilst he is right about Bart, he can no longer play Dean Gerkin and justify it unless Bart is injured. I understand he wants to give Bart a boost following an error but I do find this comment very odd.
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BanksterDebtSlave added 08:31 - Dec 20 It's getting to where you have to wonder who is going to be most stubborn.... Mccarthy or those that have decided he can do nothing right !! To use this article to try and highlight his stubbornness is laughable and this is coming from someone who fully accepts that he has exhibited this fault in spades previously.
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flyingdutchman added 09:05 - Dec 20 Strange that everybody new this last season except the idiot manager try and keep up next wil he see the chambers factor
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weevil added 09:13 - Dec 20 Terry, the fans were calling for Bart to go back into the team before his family tragedy. He was starting to cement a place in the first 11 when his dad passed away.
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Jimmy86 added 09:18 - Dec 20 I was also somewhat surprised when I read this story, as he stuck with pickle for so long after Bart, who is head and shoulders above Pickle and always has been, came back from his compassionate leave. Mick then claimed they were on par with each other, which in my eyes was always wrong. Then when Bart did get back in and proved he is the stand out keeper Mick could never praise Bart without also mentioning pickle. Now it is refreshing that there is no reference to pickle at all...

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BrettenhamBlue added 09:22 - Dec 20 God I hope this isn't a shop-window situation. We would concede so many goals without him. Undoubtedly will be player of the season, if he stays.
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RegencyBlue added 09:29 - Dec 20 I'd say we have only three saleable assets left - Bart, Webster and possibly Dozzell. The way the first two are being 'bigged up' by MM at the moment makes me wonder if the club are almost inviting bids on them in the January window.
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Guthrum added 09:41 - Dec 20 Two things: Bialkowski has missed just one League match since February 2nd. That's some considerable time ago. Can't claim the manager hasn't shown faith in him. Secondly, I think he has grown and developed in that time, becoming even better now than he was eighteen months ago. And for those having a gratuitous go at Gerken, he wasn't so bad during November and December 2015, was he?

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midastouch added 09:45 - Dec 20 They said on the last Naked Podcast that there are rumours of our great keeper Mr B going to Germany in Jan. I really hope they are false rumours! And he was linked with China before. Given the money in China now, who wouldn't be tempted. Read least night that Tevez is off to China and is going to be paid £615k a week! How crazy is that! Footy going even more mad by the day!

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midastouch added 09:49 - Dec 20 Personally I think Bart is a far superior goalkeeper to Richard Wright! Goal keeping has moved on. Look at footage of a lot of old goalkeepers that were well thought of in the day and they look pretty poor by the standards of today. Gary Bailey is a shocker. Yes he saved 3 penalties against us, but if you watch footage most other footage of him he was so bad! Especially at crosses! If Utd had of had a decent goal keeper they would of won the league well before Fergie. And yet when I was a kid I thought he was good, but having watched a lot of old YouTube footage I can say he's one of the worst goal keepers I've ever seen. Bryan Gunn is high up that list too, he was awful!!! And I'm not just saying that as an Ipswich fan. The season Norwich had a big lead Gunn cost them the title. He kept running off his line doing kamikaze runs and getting done time and time again. I loved every second of it! :-)

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brittaniaman added 09:53 - Dec 20 If it wasn't for Bart last saturday we would have been hammered by a team in the bottom 3, 9 out of 10 he got does not say much for our defenders does it ????
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BobbyBell added 10:08 - Dec 20 This headline annoys me so much. The transfer window opens in less than two weeks and our manager wants to tell the world how good his keeper is?? There can only be one reason for this statement and that's to encourage offers and cash in. Then he gets to play Gerks again. Transfer windows have become a dread for me now as we will end up worse off squad wise by the end of Jan. The money we get in? Well who knows where that will go as it won't buy quality replacements based on the last few windows.

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Brownie added 10:14 - Dec 20 Bart is a very good keeper - he is better than Gerkin but that doesn't mean that Gerkin is useless does it? I thought he played ok in the games he played but I agree with MM he is about the best around in this division. I want a change of manager but can't get behind those who want to shoot down MM overtime he opens his mouth. Some of what he says is true and positive and this is an example of that. Re the best every keeper I would say Wright edges Cooper but it is close! 72' was my first game with David Best in goal so plenty of here will disagree!! Happy Xmas to you all..

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muccletonjoe added 10:15 - Dec 20 An area where we used to have problems- not anymore
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Brownie added 10:15 - Dec 20 I hate predictive text..
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geminimustang added 10:22 - Dec 20 Unlike others,i think this statement from MM should make it impossible for ITFC to sell him.Could it be that MM suspects ME would accept an offer and MM is distancing himself from any deal?A case of,don't blame me,blame him because you know how highly i rated him and would never have accepted an offer.Personally,i believe everybody has a sale price but the fee should be reinvested in players and not put in the bank vault to gather dust.

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prebsa added 10:24 - Dec 20 Yes we know, still didn't stop you seeping your mate Geken in all that time though. Surprised he is not mentioned as one of the best here too! Mick Out
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LondonBlue73 added 10:33 - Dec 20 I don't like MM in terms of football tactics entertainment etc......BUT I do rate him as a man manager fans should use some common sense at times and just stick to facts. MM purchased Bart from the lower leagues, great business. He was in the team till his father died, I sadly know from experience it can effect your work for a long time even if you do not realise it yourself. MM had to then get the best out of Gerken. Much of what he says to the press I am certain is to get the best out of his players, keep all the squad motivated and there is undoubtedly a togetherness and team spirit which is down to MM. For xmas I want some skill better quality and entertainment.

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Cheshire_Blue added 10:41 - Dec 20 Calling someone a 'prat' is offensive and inappropriate in my book. Time to call a halt.
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brazilblue added 11:51 - Dec 20 De Ja Vu? Mick does this every time ..... http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/27313/mccarthy-mings-now-best-left-back- http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/23719/mccarthy-cressys-getting-even-bett
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Barty added 12:26 - Dec 20 I have supported the Town for 45 years and in that time we have had many excellent keepers and on his day I would rate Paul Cooper [ certainly not the tallest ] as probably the best [ he also had an incredible record for saving penalties ] Bart is a very good keeper and I would say one of the best in the championship Lets hope we can have much needed back to back wins with a victory on Boxing day

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Marcus added 12:29 - Dec 20 While I agree with him about Bart, he does tend to say every player is the best in the Championship - this is self defeating for him as it means he claims to have the best squad, but results suggest not the best team. This would point fault at the training and team selection. Of course he could just be talking up his players, his nature isn't to publically criticise anyone, which is a good thing as it maintains some changing room atmosphere, which can be bad when results go awry. It's much better than the blamestorming attitude some in the game have.

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Len_Brennan added 12:47 - Dec 20 I fear that midas, bobbybell & brazilblue are on to something here. Mick always comes out with these sort of comments when n there is already established interest in one of his players. There is much speculation of Jordan Pickford moving to a top 6 Premiership team in January, so Sunderland are likely to be in the market for a decent replacement & Bart might fit the profile. This could be Mick's way of setting out his stall to justify a high transfer fee. The context is important & it does seem like he was responding to a question Bart bouncing back from the mistake, but he is canny enough to take advantage of such situations. Hopefully not the case.

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mikeybloo88 added 13:03 - Dec 20 According to Mick, at some point over the years we've had the best player in every position....shame we've never had the best manager.
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woohoo added 13:33 - Dec 20 Hope that there are no plans to sell Bart. I particularly like him and his attitude. When he does make a mistake, he seems to recover quickly - not easy for a goalie (especially with our defense).
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