Friday 26 September 2014 19:52, UK
Mick McCarthy has revealed that Ipswich Town were never in contention to sign Paul Green and Frazer Richardson in the summer.
Both players spent time on loan at Portman Road during the second half of last season, with Green coming in from Leeds United and Richardson from Middlesbrough.
Green and Richardson joined Rotherham United on permanent deals in the summer but it has been suggested that, had geography allowed it, Ipswich would have had the financial strength to snap them up.
However, McCarthy has insisted that he did not consider bringing in either man on full-time contracts, despite being impressed by both last season.
McCarthy says he has enough options in their positions, while he could understand why Green and Richardson would want to play for a club more local to them.
“I would sign them both on loan, but I was not going to sign them (permanently),” he said in the Ipswich Star.
“They had a really good offer (from Rotherham), the location does suit and I was not going to get involved with that or even try (to sign them).
“They are really good signings but as it happens we have got Elliott Hewitt (at right-back) and, as for Greeny, we have Teddy Bishop, Cole Skuse and Luke Hyam in midfield, so we have got bodies.
“It never really got that far with them both and they had a really good offer from Steve Evans.”
