I have worked in the NHS for 22 years and on at least eight occasions, I have experienced a change in contractual arrangements with each change of government and/or provider my employment has been responsible to. The latest change occurred this month to a new provider called Anglian Community Enterprise (ACE). I have been a Town fan for 32 years and in this time, I again have experienced many changes with the coming and goings of chairmen, chief executives, managers and players.

Whilst the ACE brand will look to bring a better NHS to us all than what PCTs probably managed, the Marcus Evans brand once arrived at Portman Road looking equally to provide a better service and to push the club forward in good health.

To front the service, Marcus Evans installed Simon Clegg in a consultant-like capacity with Roy Keane as the ‘top surgeon’ to initially give the brand greater global recognition and secondly to make better the ailments left behind by a certain Jim Magilton.

ACE of course will encounter everyday symptoms of a wide range of patients among its 1.7 million users in Essex, but it was pounds rather than patients that Keane struggled with early on when ‘big’ signings Martin and Priskin did not live up to their billing.

When Keane arrived, his ‘operating theatre’ known as Portman Road was full of excited and expectant patients hoping for a positive diagnosis on the almost ‘terminal’ illness that Magilton had left on the table in the shape of the playing staff.

Failure to win the first 14 games of last season confirmed the worst for us all that a serious prognosis of failing organs were hampering a healthy body on which a rebuild was required in the ensuing months. The heart of the beast was absent, energetic performances were sporadic and barring the odd moments of false signs of improved conditions, the conclusion has now been that an operation is required to overhaul a potentially fatal consequence.

I had backed Keane all the way in his efforts to heal the patient that is Ipswich Town Football Club, but so often could not understand and was indeed frustrated at much of his diagnostic abilities and like Burley, Royle and Magilton before him, the illness was too great in the end for him to cure and so it goes on.

None of us who visit GPs and hospitals when ill or have health problems like the thought of an outcome that requires surgery, but the surgery that is required at Portman Road now is very much required and the next man through the hypothetical ‘surgeon's’ door has a major operation to carry out.

My own fear is that Royle, Magilton and Keane could not bring healthier times back and I wonder if in two years' time, we will be going through these symptoms again or worse still, the club will be in an even unhealthier position. A new opinion will not guarantee a healthier position, just like we hoped for at the start of the tenure of the three aforementioned men. But needless to say, the new man, whoever he is, will have my full backing.

But what I will conclude with is whilst the Marcus Evans brand no doubt continues to thrive off the field of play, I am sure that the appointment of Roy Keane was ACE for the brand globally, but not for us locally and the patience of Portman Road.

Illinoisblue added 02:06 - Jan 10 I've overdosed on Karl's metaphors. Someone call 999.
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MBG added 06:27 - Jan 10 The analogies with medical conditions were a bit much for me. This was really painful reading.
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JayITFC added 08:39 - Jan 10 Really annoys me when I read Magilton left a 'decimated' squad behind. They finished in the top 10 of this league 2 years running, challenging for the playoffs until near the end of both seasons. I'd have taken that last year or this year over what we got/are getting!!!
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Parisblue72 added 09:16 - Jan 10 I'm lost. Next time I have a bad back do i need to see Paul Jewell or my GP?
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groovyASH added 09:44 - Jan 10 I agree with you JayITFC. 8th and 9th under Magilton and much better football. But I think you need to back Jewell too, he'll bring the experience we have needed since Royle's days.
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sonian_blue added 09:49 - Jan 10 Having served a full career in the military I believe the whole regime needs shooting.
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Strikes added 12:49 - Jan 10 I'm worried that 999 could be what we concede in the next three games, if yesterday is anything to go by.
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tractorboy2434 added 14:27 - Jan 10 I will go further, this malaise has been with the club a long time, I think both Magilton and Keane were a disaster and we are now left with a sub standard squad full of journeyman players with below par ability. The CLUB and SQUAD needs an overhaul, that includes our inept coaching staff.
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claaarky added 15:37 - Jan 10 Money was Magilton's downfall. Before he had any to play with he had to work with the players to get the best out of them and build team spirit. Once the money arrived we saw the 'real' Magilton we were all expecting, the 'do what I say or you're out' approach. Keane came along with the same approach, blew some more money, alienated the players. I think we have a weaker squad than when Magilton left - that was actually a team capable of being promoted under the right manager.

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bluebrit added 19:32 - Jan 10 Keane has allowed a lot of experienced players leave the club and with a few exceptions, generally wasted the money that was available to him. The squad consists of too many young, inexperienced players. Jewell's target for this season must be to move the club away from relegation whilst starting to build a better squad for next year. We obviously hope that he can achieve this but I'm surely not alone in feeling a sense of deja vu about all of this. If Keane was a surgeon then I sure that even the notoriously closed shop BMA might have investigate the number of 'deaths' that he has been responsible for. Poltical point - ACE is about creating the opportunity for private healthcare to prosper - It is not about improving the NHS!

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TractorRoyNo1 added 13:00 - Jan 11 given the state of the nhs you would be better spending more time on that
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imalwayswrong added 15:19 - Jan 12 How can you have go at royle! Geez the chap had no money to use, made best use of what he had with youth etc ... Maybe royle should be running the nhs!
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Back_The_Boss added 06:11 - Jan 13 Couldn't help but laugh at the amount of metaphors you used! Decent blog, I still can't believe that we are going to the emirates with a lead though!
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tractored added 10:15 - Jan 21 Unreadable
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