A stronger squad, with several consistent performers, has been a crucial factor in Ipswich’s success this season. If we remain a Championship club next season, however, we are likely to see exits. The idea that Mick McCarthy’s holistic strategy, planning for the long-term future of the club, may fall apart because of the magnified finances and stature of Premiership is an unfortunate but very real possibility.

Time is against Championship clubs, particularly those who are not owned by billionaires. If a Championship team has put together a promotion challenge, it is likely they have done so due to having a few players of Premiership potential. So it makes sense that these are the clubs the Premiership teams will pay attention to.

And when it comes down to it, the rewards of being in the most lucrative league in the world means that if a Premiership club wants a Championship player, they customarily get that Championship player. The Championship offers its clubs the dream of the best league in the world, but also offers the Premier League a pool of cheap talent. Vital Championship stars become Premiership squad men. The conspicuous position of Championship clubs is revealed. The world spins.

Which basically means, if you’re having a successful season, you need to go up, or factor in rebuilding your squad for the following season. Rather than planning to build a squad from year to year, you need to plan to replan, and build while rebuilding. Mick McCarthy seems to have worked a miracle with the players he has brought in for free this season, but without promotion, he may have to repeat this miracle again.

It’s an irony that McCarthy and Terry Connor’s effective man management will have played a big part in any summer exits we do see to bigger clubs: Good man management leads to good performances which leads to Premiership interest which leads to players leaving which leads to an uncertain future.

If Ipswich are not promoted this year, key figures could go, as McCarthy has acknowledged. Aaron Cresswell seems most likely, with the amount of Premiership interest already shown in him. But David McGoldrick, Christophe Berra and Tommy Smith are also likely to have garnered Premier League attention on the back of their performances this season.

Our team could have the backbone ripped out of it a season after it had the backbone injected into it. The unstable and cut throat nature of the game dictates that a seemingly strong and solid squad could come apart with ease. There’s no doubt that McCarthy will fight to keep our best players, but as we all know, the fight is not fair when it comes to the big boys.

When I was a kid, I would buy a big bag of Pick 'n Mix once a week. I’d always save the best ones for last, and have cola bottles first, because that’s what worked best for me. But when the big bastards came and snatched the bag, and clipped me round the ear, there wasn’t much I could do.

Let’s hope that Ipswich avoid that torment, and that our success is the big success. The onus is on.

COYB.

NoCanariesAllowed added 17:08 - Apr 14 I understand your point, though I do think this is all a bit too bleak. You're suggesting that if we don't go up this year, we'll struggle to do so next year because the backbone of the squad will have been ripped out. Admittedly Cresswell and McGoldrick may be targeted, but even if they do go - which I doubt both would - they don't exactly count as the entire backbone of this team. Mick's clearly got a very tight unit working here, and as the Player Of The Year vote showed, and I can't see the likes of Berra, Smith, Chambers, Murphy etc. going anywhere.

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tractordownsouth added 17:20 - Apr 14 I agree to a certain extent, although I feel you are exaggerating slightly , in our case at least.). I cannot see many of our players leaving because they all seem to appreciate McCarthy's management and philosophy at the club. Cresswell, for instance, has signed until 2017. In the worst case scenario, this could result in him leaving but with a few million to rebuild and fine tune areas of the squad. Also, of all the football league strikers, I seriously doubt McGoldrick would be the first on Premier League shopping lists ( Ings, Rhodes, McCormack etc.), and as highlighted in the football league best players in FourFourTwo, he did not come close to the top fifty, which perhaps shows he is not getting the recognition he arguably deserves. Despite this, I can think of transfers which have fitted in with players becoming squad men - Beckford at Everton, Becchio at Norwich, Scott Sinclair at Manchester City ( although they were in the top flight at the time, he is of a similar calibre- perhaps this highlights an even more frightening prospect!). I think that this is a good blog although my slight disagreement may be due to the negativity as this is the first exciting time to be a town fan in many years. COYB!

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samblueips added 18:38 - Apr 14 Yeah, in hindsight, this is a bit bleak. I think amidst all the excitement there is a lot of anxiety as well, and that may have got the better of me this morning. And I think if we do lose Cressy then Mings is a decent replacement!
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michaeldownunder added 22:10 - Apr 14 Good read Of all the players talked about Tommy Smith is the one I feel could make it in a prem team instead of just a squad player, West Ham or the like. Berra is a better player at the moment but I think a manager would hope Smith could push on to greater things. Cresswell, Villa still looks a good bet as Lambert does like young players. Not sure we will get big money for him, teams only pay big for strikers coming from our league. As for the others, if they go at all, maybe to relegated clubs or teams with a bit more money ( or overdraft) than us.

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itfcjoe added 09:27 - Apr 15 Interesting piece, but I think the key thing you miss is the importance of keeping players tied down to contracts, which we have. This means that if a Cresswell, McGoldrick or Smith is to leave then we will be suitably recompensed....and then it allows us to have a bit of freedom in the transfer market and add some wages to the wage budget to become more competitive. ITFC fans have seen this can work well (Dyer) or badly (Wickham), but I'd trust MM to use any funds available well.

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tractorfact added 13:57 - Apr 15 good points cressy is gone if we dont go up thats a cert mings isnt a bad replacement by what ive seen of him think we can hold onto the rest and build lets hope the big boys dont take all the sweets just the one eh need to go up to wipe the debts dont care if we come straight back just balance the books
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blueherts added 14:14 - Apr 16 Yep - Cressy will be the one off , I am sure if we do not go and I am happy with Mings The rest I don not see The teams going up have plenty in their armouries at both ends of the pitch so do not see that Dids is not playing and sometimes that can hinder a move - good for us Probably see players going to promoted clubs from those going the other way I do not think we will lose many and with Marriott coming back to us and with Cresswell money we can strengthen Still think Jennings at Barnsley could be decent if he can stay fit

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Blue041273 added 18:18 - Apr 16 We're coming to the time of year when ALL teams will review their squads with a view to strengthening for the new season. Outside the Premiership this is never easy as your better players are always going to be coveted by other clubs and keeping them is as much a challenge as attracting new players who might improve the overall quality of the squad. We are currently in that dichotomy which dictates that the season could well end up as a success with promotion to the Premiership or in disappointment that we were not quite good enough this year. Either way there is little chance of keeping the existing squad together. MM understands this and will be looking to add quality whichever league we are in. Players come and players go; but the show goes on.

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