McCARTHY’S PARTING SHOT AT ‘NUMBSKULLS’

MICK McCARTHY’S six-year spell as Ipswich boss will end when his contract expires this summer. McCarthy, 59, is the longestserving manager in the Sky Bet Championship but agreed with owner Marcus Evans to a parting of the ways with the club in 12th place with eight games to go. Asked if he had been shown the respect he deserved from fans, he said: ‘You’ll have to ask the numbskulls who’ve been giving me the abuse. ‘They probably don’t give too many people respect, let alone the manager,’ he added.

MICHY BATSHUAYI responded to UEFA’s decision to drop their investigation into alleged racist chanting by Atalanta fans in a Europa League game by sarcastically tweeting: ‘Must be my imagination.’ The 24-year-old, on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Chelsea, added: ‘It’s just monkey noise, who cares? 2018 guys…’

IT HAS been confirmed that there will be no British referee at the World Cup in Russia. It will be the first time since 1938 there has been no British official at a World Cup finals tournament.

CHRIS COLEMAN says he has no time for ‘mercenaries’. The Sunderland boss was 30 when his career was cut short by a car accident. He survived a crash which shattered his right leg and required emergency surgery but did not play again. ‘I don’t care how much money they’ve got in the bank, they’ll never get this time back. ‘There’s no pride in their job. They’re pretenders and I’ve absolutely no time for them whatsoever,’ he said.