Editing Mick McCarthy (section)

==Managerial career==
===Millwall===
McCarthy became player-manager at [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] in March 1992, succeeding [[Bruce Rioch]]. In his first full season (1992–93), he was still registered as a player, but made only one further appearance (in the [[Anglo-Italian Cup]]), before he became solely a manager.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

He took the club to the play-offs in 1993–94 after a strong third-place finish, but they lost out to [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] in the semi-finals. During the 1995–96 season, McCarthy became the prime candidate for the vacant [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] manager's job, after the resignation of [[Jack Charlton]]. After a protracted period of speculation, McCarthy was officially appointed on 5 February 1996, two days after his resignation at the club. Despite sitting a comfortable 14 points clear from the relegation zone at the time of his departure, Millwall would go on to suffer the drop (by virtue of goals scored) after McCarthy's departure.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

His loan signings of the underachieving [[Russia]]n internationals [[Sergei Yuran]] and [[Vassili Kulkov]] from [[FC Spartak Moscow|Spartak Moscow]], who each received a £150,000 signing-on fee and were being paid five times the wage of the rest of the first team, would later be cited {{by whom|date=November 2018}} as one of the main reasons Millwall were eventually relegated under [[Jimmy Nicholl]], although it cannot be proven.<ref name="Bethel">Bethel, Chris; ''Millwall Football Club 1940–2001'' Tempus Publishing Ltd, 2001, p.122; {{ISBN|0-7524-2187-5}}</ref>

===Republic of Ireland===
In February 1996, McCarthy became the new manager of the Republic of Ireland football team following the resignation of [[Jack Charlton]]. His first game in charge was a friendly international against [[Russia national football team|Russia]] on 27 March which finished in a 0–2 defeat.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wright|first=Rob|date=19 March 2019|title=Where are they now? Mick McCarthy's first Ireland XI|website=[[RTÉ.ie]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2019/0319/1037350-where-are-they-now-mick-mccarthys-first-ireland-xi/|access-date=28 January 2020}}</ref>

After two narrow failures to qualify for the [[1998 FIFA World Cup|1998 World Cup]] and [[UEFA Euro 2000|Euro 2000]], McCarthy took the nation to the [[2002 FIFA World Cup|2002 World Cup]] held in South Korea and Japan after a 2–1 [[2002 FIFA World Cup qualification|play-off]] aggregate win against [[Iran national football team|Iran]].<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/nov/15/minutebyminute.sport|title= Iran 1 – 0 Ireland (agg: 1 – 2)|date=15 November 2001|work=The Guardian |access-date=18 October 2013}}</ref> Before the tournament, McCarthy was involved in a very public and bitter [[Saipan incident|spat]] with star player [[Roy Keane]], who was sent home the day before it began. The conflict occurred after Keane had questioned the quality of the preparations and facilities the team were using.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/rep_of_ireland/newsid_2012000/2012137.stm |title=Keane v McCarthy: blow-by-blow|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date= 28 May 2002 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref>

Despite this furore, McCarthy's team reached the second round but were eliminated by [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] in a [[kicks from the penalty mark|penalty shoot-out]] (after having already missed and scored a penalty in normal time). In spite of this, the Keane issue remained, with the proportion of blame undecided. Many in Ireland sided with Keane – particularly following a televised interview in which details of poor preparation were revealed – and demanded McCarthy's resignation both during and after the tournament. An independent inquiry into the organisation's handling of the squad's preparation later commissioned by the [[Football Association of Ireland]] created a damning report, leading to general secretary Brendan Menton tendering his resignation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2002/1112/fai.html |title=Menton quits following damning FAI report| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209003252/http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2002/1112/fai.html |archive-date=9 December 2008 |work=[[RTÉ]].ie|date= 12 November 2002 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref>

Criticism of McCarthy in the media became increasingly intense after a poor start to Ireland's [[UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying Group 10|qualifying]] campaign for [[2004 UEFA European Football Championship|Euro 2004]]. In particular, his persistence with several players and tactics that some perceived to be inadequate did him damage, as did a 4–2 away defeat to [[Russia national football team|Russia]] and a 2–1 home defeat to [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]]. Under mounting pressure, McCarthy resigned from the post on 5 November 2002.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/republic_of_ireland/2406549.stm |title=McCarthy quits Republic|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date= 6 November 2002 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref> During his 68 games in charge, the Republic of Ireland won 29, drew 20 and lost 19.<ref name="ROI">{{cite web|url = http://www.soccer-ireland.com/irish-soccer-managers/mick-mccarthy.htm|title=Mick McCarthy – Irish Soccer Manager|publisher=Soccer Ireland|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>

===Sunderland===
On 12 March 2003, McCarthy was appointed manager of struggling [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]] as an immediate replacement for [[Howard Wilkinson]], who was sacked after six successive [[Premier League|Premiership]] defeats left the club facing near-certain relegation.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/2838747.stm |title=McCarthy unveiled as Sunderland boss |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date= 12 March 2003 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref> The following season, after relegation, he took Sunderland to the [[Football League First Division|First Division]] promotion play-offs, but lost in a penalty shoot-out to [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] after Palace had scored a stoppage-time equaliser.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sunderland 2–1 C Palace |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/3710227.stm |access-date=22 November 2021 |date=17 May 2004}}</ref>

McCarthy completed the turnaround of the club in the [[2004–05 in English football|2004–05]] season. The Black Cats returned to the Premier League as Football League Championship champions, amassing 94 points.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/mick-out-1-1106073|title=MICK OUT|date=6 March 2006|work=[[Sunderland Echo]]|access-date=29 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629074257/https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/mick-out-1-1106073|archive-date=29 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> After a poor season and with the club 16 points from safety with only 10 games remaining, he was dismissed on 6 March 2006.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/4778496.stm |title=Sunderland sack manager McCarthy |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date= 6 March 2006 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref>

===Wolverhampton Wanderers===
[[File:Mick McCarthy Wolverhampton Wanderers Manager.jpg|thumb|right|McCarthy as [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolves]] manager in 2011]]
On 21 July 2006, McCarthy was appointed manager at Championship side [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]], replacing [[Glenn Hoddle]] who had resigned a fortnight earlier. He signed a 12-month rolling contract<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/5202552.stm |title=McCarthy named new Wolves manager|work=[[BBC Sport]]|date= 21 July 2006 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref> The team managed to make the promotion play-offs in his first season, where they lost out to local rivals [[West Bromwich Albion]] over two legs, losing 3–2 at [[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]] and 1–0 at [[The Hawthorns]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=McNulty |first1=Phil |title=West Brom 1–0 Wolves |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6649727.stm |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=BBC Sport |date=16 May 2007}}</ref>

In the [[2007–08 in English football|2007–08 season]] he took the club to within a single placing of a successive play-off finish, ending seventh, losing the coveted sixth place to [[Watford F.C.|Watford]] by a goal difference of only one.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jolly |first1=Richard |title=Blackpool 1–1 Watford |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/may/04/blackpool.watford |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=4 May 2008}}</ref> The campaign had also seen him linked with the international positions of [[Korea Republic National Football Team|South Korea]] and his previous post as Republic of Ireland manager.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7128801.stm |title=McCarthy rules out Korea position |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=5 December 2007 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref>

The [[2008-09 in English football|2008–09 season]] started well for McCarthy as he won the August [[Football League Championship Manager of the Month|Championship Manager of the Month Award]], after seeing his side reach the top of the table,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/7598391.stm |title=Wolves boss scoops monthly award |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=4 September 2008 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref> eventually going on to match Wolves' record start to a season (equaling the 1949–50 season). Wolves maintained their position at the top of the table over the following months, and McCarthy again won the Manager of the Month Award for November.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/7765134.stm |title=McCarthy is top Championship boss |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=4 December 2008 |access-date= 19 August 2009}}</ref> After maintaining top spot since October, McCarthy's Wolves secured promotion to the Premier League by beating [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|QPR]] 1–0 on 18 April 2009. The following week McCarthy clinched his second Championship as a manager after a 1–1 draw at his hometown club [[Barnsley F.C.|Barnsley]]. He won the Championship Manager of the Season Award at the conclusion of the campaign, his side having led the table for 42 of 46 games.

The following season, McCarthy kept Wolves in the Premier League, his first success at this level in three attempts. The club assured safety with two games to spare, eventually finishing 15th, their best league finish since 1979–80, and their first ever survival in the modern Premier League. However, in the process of keeping the team in the top division, Wolves and McCarthy were fined £25,000 for fielding a weakened team for a fixture at [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] and thus breaking the Premier League rule E20. The Premier League also stated that the club had failed to fulfil its obligations to the league and other clubs in the utmost good faith and was therefore in breach of Rule B13.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wolves fined £25,000 over Old Trafford team selection |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/8521603.stm |access-date=1 September 2020 |work=BBC Sport |date=18 February 2010}}</ref>

The team spent the majority of the 2010–11 campaign mired in the relegation zone, yet managed to defeat the likes of [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9135951.stm|title=Wolverhampton 2–1 Man City| date=30 October 2010|work=BBC Sport|access-date=12 April 2012}}</ref> [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9384148.stm|title= Wolverhampton 2–1 Man Utd| date=5 February 2011|work=BBC Sport|access-date=13 February 2012}}</ref> [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9308904.stm|title= Liverpool 0–1 Wolverhampton| date=29 December 2010|work=BBC Sport|access-date=13 February 2012}}</ref> and [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9334680.stm|title=Wolverhampton 0–1 Chelsea| date=5 January 2011|work=BBC Sport|access-date=13 February 2012}}</ref> A final day loss to Blackburn put them in danger of relegation, but results elsewhere meant they narrowly survived in 17th place, one point ahead of relegated [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham]] and [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9492248.stm|title=Premier League D-Day as it happened| date=22 May 2011|work=BBC Sport|first=Sam|last=Lyon|access-date=13 February 2012}}</ref> This gave McCarthy the distinction of being the first Wolves manager in thirty years to maintain the club's top flight position for two successive seasons.

The 2011–12 season began well for McCarthy and, after three games, his team topped the Premier League with 7 points.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/14520311.stm|title=Wolverhampton 2–0 Fulham| date=21 August 2011|work=BBC Sport|access-date=13 February 2012}}</ref> However, results tailed off and by January they had once again entered the relegation zone after nine games without victory. That same season Wolves sold £15&nbsp;million worth of players and with the board allowing McCarthy to spend just £12&nbsp;million it seemed inevitable when McCarthy was sacked as Wolves manager on 13 February 2012<ref name="BBC 17012933">{{cite news|title=Wolves sack manager Mick McCarthy|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17012933|access-date=13 February 2012|work=BBC News|date=13 February 2012}}</ref> after a run of poor results, culminating in a 5–1 home defeat to [[Black Country derby|local rivals]] [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29539124/the_province/ |title=Wolves fire coach |work=[[The Province]] |date=14 February 2012 |page=31 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=15 March 2019}}{{free access}}</ref> The club was relegated at the end of the season with three games to spare.

===Ipswich Town===
[[File:Mick McCarthy.jpg|thumb|right|McCarthy managing [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] in 2016]]
On 1 November 2012, McCarthy was appointed manager at [[Football League Championship|Championship]] side [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]]<ref name="Mick McCarthy: Ipswich Town appoint ex-Wolves boss"/> on a two-and-a-half-year contract.<ref name="Mick McCarthy: Ipswich Town appoint ex-Wolves boss">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/20153642 |title=Mick McCarthy: Ipswich Town appoint ex-Wolves boss|work= BBC Sport|date= 1 November 2012|access-date= 22 January 2016}}</ref> McCarthy's appointment came in the wake of [[Paul Jewell]]'s departure by mutual consent. McCarthy won his first match in charge as Ipswich manager on 3 November 2012, away at Birmingham, 0–1. This broke a 12 match winless run<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espnfc.com/soccer/report?gameId=344027|title=Birmingham City vs. Ipswich Town – Football Match Report – November 3, 2012 |work= ESPN|date=3 November 2012|access-date=3 November 2012}}</ref> in the league, 13 matches in all competitions. McCarthy guided Ipswich past Burnley on 10 November – the first home win since March after a late [[DJ Campbell]] winner. The match ended 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/21844/town-2-1-burnley|title=Town 2–1 Burnley – Ipswich Town News|access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref> With a win against Nottingham Forest in late November, his sixth game in charge, McCarthy had successfully guided Ipswich out of the relegation zone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/21976/mccarthy-out-of-bottom-three-but-job-still-tough|title=McCarthy: Out of Bottom Three But Job Still Tough – Ipswich Town News|access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref> McCarthy's Ipswich stopped Millwall's 13-match unbeaten run with a 3–0 home win on 8 December. On 2 February 2013, McCarthy's assistant [[Terry Connor]] took charge of a 4–0 rout of [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]] while McCarthy was ill. McCarthy then guided Ipswich to safety, finally finishing in 14th place. Prior to the 2013–14 season, McCarthy had signed 10 new players. McCarthy's first full season in charge of Ipswich ended with the club finishing in 9th place.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

On 30 June 2014, McCarthy and Terry Connor agreed a new three-year deal with Ipswich.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itfc.co.uk/news/article/boss-signs-new-deal-1706714.aspx|title=Boss signs new deal|first=Steve|last=Pearce|access-date=30 June 2014}}</ref> The following season he led the club to their first appearance in the Championship playoffs in ten years with a sixth-placed finish, before losing out to rivals [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] in the semi-finals.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}} During the 2015–16 season McCarthy and assistant Terry Connor renewed their contracts for a further two seasons, with the option to extend until 2020. McCarthy led Ipswich to a 7th-place finish in his third full season at Portman Road.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2016/january/contract-extensions-for-mick-and-tc/|title=CONTRACT EXTENSIONS FOR MICK AND TC|last=Pearce|first=Steve|date=22 January 2016|publisher=Ipswich Town|access-date=19 August 2017}}</ref> McCarthy's fourth full season in charge ended in a 16th-place finish.

On 29 March 2018, Ipswich Town announced that McCarthy would be leaving the club at the end of the 2017–18 season on the expiry of his contract, along with assistant manager Terry Connor, after talks with owner Marcus Evans.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.itfc.co.uk/news/2018/march/mick-mccarthy-to-depart-ipswich-town-at-the-end-of-his-contract/|title=Mick McCarthy to Depart Ipswich Town at the End of his Contract|publisher=Ipswich Town Football Club|date=29 March 2018|access-date=29 March 2018}}</ref> His final season with the club was marred by a fractured relationship between him and the club's supporters, with many supporters voicing their dissatisfaction with McCarthy's defensive style of play and McCarthy branding them as "numbskulls".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43466145|title=McCarthy to leave Ipswich in summer|work=BBC Sport }}</ref> He left the club earlier than expected on 10 April 2018, shortly after a 1–0 home win over Barnsley.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/mar/29/mick-mccarthy-leave-ipswich-manager-end-of-season|title=Mick McCarthy and Ipswich call it a day – to the relief of all concerned |date=29 March 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43624045 |title=Ipswich Town 1–0 Barnsley |work=BBC Sport |date=10 April 2018 |access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>

===Return to the Republic of Ireland===
On 25 November 2018, McCarthy was appointed manager of [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] for the second time in his career, replacing [[Martin O'Neill]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/1124/1013087-stephen-kenny-to-replace-mccarthy-after-2020-finals/|title=Stephen Kenny to replace McCarthy after 2020 finals|date=24 November 2018|work=RTE.ie|access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/soccer/fai-on-verge-of-agreement-for-both-mick-mccarthy-and-stephen-kenny-to-manage-ireland-887588.html|title=FAI on verge of agreement for BOTH Mick McCarthy and Stephen Kenny to manage Ireland|date=24 November 2018|access-date=24 November 2018}}</ref><ref name=roireturn>{{cite web|url=https://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/republic-of-ireland-under-21-managers-announced|title=Republic of Ireland & Under-21 Managers Announced – Football Association of Ireland|website=www.fai.ie|access-date=17 March 2019}}</ref> [[Robbie Keane]], a legend for the national team, was appointed as one of McCarthy's assistant coaches, alongside [[Terry Connor]], who had previously assisted McCarthy at both [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] and [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]].<ref name=roireturn/>

In March 2019, McCarthy won his first two games in charge, by defeating both [[Gibraltar national football team|Gibraltar]] and [[Georgia national football team|Georgia]], in the [[UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group D|UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers in Group D]], by 1–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the42.ie/republic-of-ireland-gibraltar-4557466-Mar2019/ |title =Misfiring Ireland shake off Gibraltar and tough conditions to start Euro campaign with a win|date=23 March 2019|work=The 42|access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.the42.ie/ireland-v-georgia-report-euro-2020-4561527-Mar2019/|title =Conor Hourihane's ace ensures a happy homecoming for Mick McCarthy|date=26 March 2019|work=The 42|access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref>
In June 2019, the national team drew 1–1 away to [[Denmark national football team|Denmark]], before defeating Gibraltar once again, this time by 2–0, at the [[Aviva Stadium]]; four days later, McCarthy guided them to the top the Group D table, having taken ten points after four games.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.the42.ie/ireland-gibraltar-report-june-2019-4676366-Jun2019/|title =Brady's late header adds gloss to uninspiring Ireland win over Gibraltar|date=10 June 2019|work=The 42|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.the42.ie/mick-mccarthy-tv-reaction-copenhagen-4673182-Jun2019/|title =McCarthy pays tribute to 'fabulous' Duffy as Ireland snatch a point in Copenhagen|date=7 June 2019|work=The 42|access-date=11 June 2019}}</ref>

On 5 September 2019, McCarthy's side once again came from behind to draw 1–1 with [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]], which enabled them to remain at the top of their qualifying group, with three matches to play remaining.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.the42.ie/ireland-switzerland-report-september-2019-4797524-Sep2019/|title =McGoldrick's late leveller rescues Ireland against superior Swiss|date=5 September 2019|work=The 42|access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref> However, a 0–0 draw in [[Georgia national football team|Georgia]], followed by defeat in Switzerland, left Ireland needing a win at home to Denmark to secure a top two spot. A 1–1 draw saw the Irish needing to win the play-offs to qualify. On 4 April 2020, amid the global [[COVID-19 pandemic|coronavirus pandemic]], McCarthy stood down as manager and was immediately replaced by [[Stephen Kenny (football manager)|Stephen Kenny]], who had been in charge of the nation's [[Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team|under-21s]], for the play-offs.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52168274|title=Republic of Ireland: Stephen Kenny to replace Mick McCarthy as manager|work=BBC Sport |access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>

===APOEL===
McCarthy joined [[Cypriot First Division]] club [[APOEL FC|APOEL]] as manager on 2 November 2020; he signed a contract until 2022.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12121707/mick-mccarthy-apoel-nicosia-hire-former-republic-of-ireland-and-ipswich-manager |title=Mick McCarthy: APOEL Nicosia hire former Republic of Ireland and Ipswich manager |website=Sky Sports |date=2 November 2020 |access-date=2 November 2020}}</ref> He was sacked by the club on 5 January 2021 following a run of 2 wins, 1 draw and 5 defeats in his 8 games in charge.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mick McCarthy sacked by Cypriot club after just two months in charge |url=https://www.the42.ie/mick-mccarthy-sacked-by-apoel-5317222-Jan2021/ |work=The 42 |date=6 January 2021}}</ref>

===Cardiff City===
On 22 January 2021, McCarthy was appointed as manager of [[Cardiff City F.C.|Cardiff City]], following the sacking of [[Neil Harris (footballer, born 1977)|Neil Harris]]. He signed a contract until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/breaking-cardiff-manager-mick-mccarthy-19683218 |title=Cardiff City confirm Mick McCarthy as new manager until the end of the season |work=WalesOnline |publisher=Media Wales |last=Williams |first=Glen |date=22 January 2021 |access-date=23 January 2021}}</ref> His reign started with games against two of his former teams from his playing-days; Barnsley and Millwall – both of which ended as draws. His first win as Cardiff manager came in the following game, a 2–0 win against [[Bristol City]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55866863|title=Bristol City 0–2 Cardiff City|work=BBC Sport }}</ref> After making an unbeaten start to his reign at the club, a run that included a six-game winning streak, McCarthy signed a new two-year deal with the club on 4 March 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/mick-mccarthy-signs-new-city-deal|title=Mick McCarthy signs new City deal! &#124; Cardiff|website=www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk}}</ref> Cardiff finished the season in 8th place.

Despite losing just one of their opening six matches at the start of the following season, a poor run of results followed which saw Cardiff drop as low as 21st in the table. On 23 October 2021, after suffering a club-record eighth successive loss of the season at the hands of [[Middlesbrough F.C.|Middlesbrough]], McCarthy left the club by mutual consent.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58946947|title=McCarthy leaves Cardiff after Boro loss|work=BBC Sport }}</ref>

===Blackpool===
On 19 January 2023, McCarthy was appointed head coach of the Championship's second-bottom placed club [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] on a short-term contract until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2023/january/19/blackpool-football-club-appoint-mick-mccarthy-as-head-coach/|title=Blackpool Football Club appoint Mick McCarthy as Head Coach|website=www.blackpoolfc.co.uk|date=19 January 2023|accessdate=19 January 2023}}</ref> On 8 April 2023, McCarthy left Blackpool by mutual consent, following a 3–1 home defeat to Cardiff the previous day. He achieved two wins in his 14 games in charge, losing nine of them, which left the club in 23rd. "With results on the pitch not improving in recent weeks, the decision has been agreed by both parties that a change is needed," the club said in a statement.<ref>{{cite web |last=FC |first=Blackpool |title=Club Statement {{!}} Mick McCarthy |url=https://blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/2023/april/08/club-statement---mick-mccarthy/ |access-date=8 April 2023 |website=Blackpool FC |date=8 April 2023 }}</ref>