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My thoughts on the state of ITFC 13:59 - Jan 19 with 357 viewsclive_baker

Firstly apologies for the lunchtime rant. Feel free to click back and ignore me, but I've got to get some things off my chest.

It's easy to overreact at times like this and convince yourself that we're in the worst state we've ever known in our time supporting our beautiful club, but I'm not sure we are. We've got a good keeper at this level, some promising young defenders in Webster, Kenlock and Emmanuel. Promising midfielders in Grant (admittedly been hit and miss this season), Bishop (when fit) and Dozzell, and talent up front in McGoldrick and Pitman. We've got a few of 'our own' who, and call me old fashioned, I do enjoy watching. Hyam, Smith, Bishop and Dozzell come to mind. Ipswich boys in 2 instances and long term academy grads the other 2. I can't see us going away to Peterborough any time soon and losing 7-1. Nor can I imagine us shipping 5 goals to our fiercest rivals, on our own patch. Or losing 4-1 away to them with a side including Colin Healy, Darren O'Dea and Rory Fallon. I know a number of people at the club and when I look back at that Keane era I imagine a dark cloud sitting firmly over Portman Road while it pisses with rain. From my understanding that transcended far beyond the 11 on the field. I don't see that currently, I just see moderate cloud cover with little forecast of any sunshine breaking through for the foreseeable. I think it's important to keep perspective.

That said, being in a better place than we were when we outrageously sh!t doesn't mean it's acceptable, and a lot of the criticism towards McCarthy is justified IMO. I'll give him some credit, he saved us from relegation when he came in, and turned the morale around almost overnight. That spirited win at Birmingham epitomizes Mick and what he brought into this club. A lack of quality is defendable given the budget, but a lack of effort isn't and I don't think that's a criticism you can throw at us too often under Mick. He gave us great days and great moments (fulham, charlton, watford, playoffs etc) and he hasn't got a pot to piss in relative to other clubs. He's professional at protecting Evans and towing the party line, but he must be frustrated at the lack of funds available to him. There's a level of expectation, partly brought on by the club itself through CEO soundbites and 'operation Premier League' marketing in a desperate attempt to shift season tickets, and partly from a fan base with higher expectations. McCarthy's found himself in a position where he's expected to deliver Champagne football on a Lambrini budget, and he's taking the flack.

My frustration is more around what he has done with what he's got available to him. His obsession with Douglas is staggering, and I'm still not sure whether his inclusion is purely due to Mick's stubbornness, knowing the vast majority of fans don't want him in our side, or if he genuinely feels he's adding value in there. I'm not sure which would be more concerning. He continues to persist with Jonas Knudsen at left back, a player who looks desperately out of his depth at championship level. He's been far too hesitant in blooding our young players in favour of short term plugs a la Douglas, Tabb and Varney - rewarding each with sympathy contracts along the way. I don't rate Cole Skuse either, I think he occupies such a fundamental role in our side but I don't think he executes it well enough or consistently enough to dictate games. He seems to evade any criticism from our fan base and goes as under the radar as he does in games. Mick's installed a culture in the side and a direct style of football that arguably doesn't suit Skuse, but even in recent weeks when there's been a notable deviation from that model, Skuse has fallen short for me and not shown enough ability to influence games and look after the ball. This misconception that he's a poor mans Michael Carrick is laughable. He wouldn't get in any of the sides above us in the table.

Tuesday was the straw that broke the camels back for me. We looked like a team bereft of confidence and lacking in ability. We didn't even have a plan A, never mind a plan B and could've been out there all night and not scored. That really was an utter disgrace.

Stubbornness and arrogance aside I don't mind Mick as a bloke, and appreciate what he's done for us, but I can't see us progressing as a club with him here anymore. We need a change, a fresh approach with an emphasis on developing our young talent and offering a less direct and more expansive brand of football. We need a strategy and a long term vision. I hope we can part ways at the end of this season in a dignified manner.



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