Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy believes the Championship is even stronger than in previous years
Saturday 12 December 2015 12:50, UK
Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy believes that the Championship is stronger this year than it was last season.
The former Republic of Ireland boss picked up the Manager of the Month award after guiding Ipswich to three wins and a draw in November.
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Defeat last time out to Middlesbrough means that the Suffolk side are currently ninth, albeit just a point off the play-off places, ahead of their 10 in 10 clash with MK Dons on Saturday lunchtime, live on Sky Sports 1.
The Dons have been struggling of late and only goal difference is keeping them out of the relegation zone but McCarthy insists life in the Championship is hard for any newly promoted side.
"I think that's natural, that's the norm," he told Sky Sports. "Some come in and rip it up but that's very rare.
"It's like teams getting promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, there's a difference in standard, a difference in style.
"Bournemouth, I know they had a great result last week at Chelsea, they were the best team in our division last season by a mile but they've found it tough. Watford are doing great, Norwich have had ups and downs.
"By the way, this league's harder this year, there's a lot of money being spent at the top end of this league. I think about Derby and Hull, the players they have coming down from the Premier League, the investment Middlesbrough have made.
"It's a tougher league, it really is an unforgiving, relentless, uncompromising league but now, I think, with better players and better teams in it so for MK Dons, Preston and Bristol City it's tough, anyone who gets promoted it's always a tough old time."
While McCarthy was given the manager's award, Ipswich striker Daryl Murphy was named Player of the Month and he echoed his coach's remarks on the gruelling nature of the league.
"It's such a tough league, anyone that comes into it will see for themselves that it's hard, it's demanding, it's physical, it's draining," he said.
"You need a big squad, you need a squad of players that you can rotate during the season because you never know when you're going to pick up injuries.
"Last season we were lucky, we had a small squad but we stayed mainly injury-free and that's why we did so well.
"This year we've added to the squad, we've got more players and better players so the gaffer has had a few different selections and he can do that because we have the players to do that now."
