Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich maintained their recent run of good form beating Nottingham Forest 4-2 at the weekend to move to within one place of the Championship play-off places.
For many managers, a relaxing post-match glass of Rioja or other red of choice would be the preferred way of reflect and enjoy the occasion.
Not for our Mick.
The former Republic of Ireland captain and manager decided to use the victory to remind those closest to him about certain exchanges that have, evidently, been ringing in McCarthy’s ears for some time, awaiting the opportune moment to recite and respond.
"Always remember… ‘Mick McCarthy your football is s***e’", exclaimed McCarthy at the end of his post-match press conference on Saturday.
The Ipswich Town gaffer was, of course, reminding his own fans about the things that they have been saying about him over a prolonged period throughout his five-year tenure at the club.
"‘Mick McCarthy get out of our club’, ‘Mick McCarthy you’re a boring b*****d’", continued McCarthy.
"Always remember… because I do."
McCarthy’s relationship with sections of his own fans has been fractious, to say the least, over the past five seasons, where mixed fortunes at the East Anglian club have seen his side flirt with relegation to League 1, while also making it through to the play-offs at the end of the 2014- 15 season.
It proved pretty apt that it was arch rivals Norwich who knocked the Tractor Boys out of Premier League contention, the Canaries then reaching the promised land with victory in the final.
But McCarthy’s mouth has long been in the rants business and as recently as October of this year, the manager again failed to endear himself to the travelling contingent, who had made a near-500km round trip to support their team.
Again, the tirade arrived on a day when McCarthy’s side were actual winners, coming from behind to beat Burton Albion 2-1, thanks to a late goal from substitute Bersant Celina.
Those travelling fans had been calling for the on-loan Manchester City midfielder to be introduced as Ipswich trailed 1-0 early in the second half.
After the match, the manager had ample opportunity to build some bridges with the Portman Road faithful, yet, the Yorkshire native chose to leave the filter in default mode, as expected, sticking to his principles and saying exactly what he was thinking.
"I don’t give a s***e about that, by the way," said McCarthy, when asked whether the fans influenced his decision to bring on the substitute.
"He didn’t go on because of that, let me just clear that up.
"In fact, there’s more chance of him not going on when they start telling me what to do.
"And yes, I am a belligerent f**k. Let’s just clear that up."
Belligerent is just one of the catalogue or words used to describe McCarthy over the years and the vitriolic abuse of the Ipswich manager really kicked into life throughout the 2016-17 season when Ipswich were unable to repeat their heroics from the previous seasons, finishing a lowly 16th, their lowest placing in almost 60 years.
The home fans had been on McCarthy’s back since the start of that season and those vocal views lit the touchpaper in another high-profile East Anglian derby.
"I get sick to death," said McCarthy after the match. "We play one bad half and we’re all s*** and we can’t play. The manager doesn’t care. Get somebody who cares.
"I’m a boring c***, somebody called me last week. I wish they would call it to my face on my own because his pint of lager, he would have been wearing it.
"I heard the comments and let me tell you if that’s what they think about me and my team then they are sadly mistaken. I’m not having that."
McCarthy has hinted that this season might be his last at Ipswich, however, in the meantime, the fans are just going to have to put up with the straight-talking gaffer.
"Listen, unless somebody decides otherwise, you’ve got me, boring old big nose f***ing fart with s***e football until May. Unless somebody decides different."
On the pitch, McCarthy was able to allow his feet to express himself, and many have the scars to prove that he was quite the "talker".
But since hanging up his boots, McCarthy entered the Lions den of football management – literally, his first job being Millwall – and has learned to fight his battles with his very sharp tongue.
Press conferences at Wolves, where McCarthy managed for almost six years, were always a lively affair with one particular match bringing out the best and the worst of the former Celtic centre-half.
McCarthy’s men were leading the Championship back in 2009 but lost a top of the table clash against Reading, thanks to an opening-minute own goal by Neal Collins.
McCarthy did not hold back when asked for his post-match reaction.
"F**king abysmal, that was what I f**king thought of it.
"Come on, let's get to it, I'm trying my best here. What did I make of it? I thought it was the best bit of f**king football I've seen in a long time. Do me a favour. It was a crap start to a game.
"There you have it, can you print all that? F**king rubbish, absolute tosh. Drivel. Shite. Bullshit.
"That's what I thought of it. Did that help? I'm quite pleased, apart from the fact that's given them the poxy result, I'm f**king livid about it – of course I am. So there you have it."
But perhaps the most famous of all Mick McCarthy-related rants was the one where he was actually on the receiving end of the firing line.
"'Why the f*** are you asking me a question? Who the f*** are you? You were a s**t player and you're a worse manager.
"You're a w***** as a man, you're a w***** as a manager and you shouldn't be managing my country. F*** you, and you can f***ing stick your World Cup'."
Those quotes come courtesy of former Ireland keeper Shay Given’s recent autobiography, Shay – Any Given Saturday.
No prizes for guessing the who, what and where?
Mick McCarthy’s Words of Wisdom
McCarthy on Joey Barton: "Opinions are like backsides, we've all got them but it's not wise to air them in public."
What’s in a Name: "At the moment we've got 16 first team players.My initials, MM, stand for Mick McCarthy, not Merlin the Magician."
On being quintessential: "Anyone who uses the word 'quintessentially' in a half-time talk is talking crap."
On Albert Square: "I had a nice time over Christmas. I watched EastEnders - blimey, that makes my job look easy!"
Learning from Big Jack: "What I learned from Jack [Charlton] - ensure that you're all inside the tent pissing out and get rid of any fellow who's outside the tent pissing in."
On drawing 1-1 at Leeds: "Some people might be frustrated with that result? Some people can f*ck off."
On no yellow cards in a match: "No and I asked all the lads to go out there and knock seven bells out of everybody as well like I normally do. Shame that isn't it? They went out there and played free-flowing football and were rampant for 45 minutes. What were they playing at?"
