| Expectations 15:14 - May 22 with 5775 views | NeverTellMeTheOdds |
When Mick arrived at PR its safe to say expectations were low, we were in the bottom 3 and looking League one bound.
Following a season of staying up and a 14th placed position, expectations were still fairly low and we started pushing our way up the league slowly but surely, finishing a very respectable 9th.
The play off season that followed was great, Mick had built a team that was built of freebies, small transfers and existing players. It was great to be involved with the play-offs again and for me still slightly unexpected as we had been a mid-table team for so long that it felt unnatural being that high in the table (especially when we went top on Boxing day at Brentford!). Obviously it was a disappointing way to end the season losing to Norwich in the play-offs like that but the team still exceeded my expectations this year.
The season after, expectations grew after our play-off miss. We were expected to reach the play-offs again and came close, finishing a respectable 7th. It was a largely frustrating season but expectations wise we started falling behind were we expected to be IMO.
Which then leads onto this season, expectations were not possibly as high as the previous season but most would say that we expected to at least try and be involved in the play-offs this season or at least push for a top 10 finish. We failed miserably, not being in the top half of the table since last year and finishing in a disappointing 16th position.
Its safe to say expectations have gone down now after a torrid season & are probably as low as when Mick arrived. Most are predicting a relegation/lower table scrap next season. With such low expectations is it possible that this might play in our favour next season? With so little expected of the Mick and the team, they can go out and exceed our expectations which may well get some of the feel good factor that is badly needed back at the club.
I have seen it mentioned that we need to get back to the underdog spirit that we had in the play-off season if we are to achieve anything in this league. I do wonder with lower expectations, Mick wanting to prove his doubters wrong and possibly a much needed overhaul of the squad this summer that we might just surprise a few next season.
Just trying to put a positive spin on it. |  |
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| Expectations on 15:20 - May 22 with 4299 views | kizaitfc |
I think as fans our expectations are always high, however the stats and facts are simple.
We are on a major decline in performance, player quality, attendances and obviously most importantly points.
It is not acceptable to suggest just because he started in this position it is fine that we are now back there. Changes need to be made and the sooner the better |  |
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| Expectations on 15:23 - May 22 with 4283 views | Illinoisblue |
we've made the playoffs once in 12 seasons. Our expectations should be low. Very low. |  |
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| Expectations on 15:25 - May 22 with 4275 views | Heathlander |
| Expectations on 15:23 - May 22 by Illinoisblue |
we've made the playoffs once in 12 seasons. Our expectations should be low. Very low. |
My expectations for next year are as low as a snakes do dahs. With boring old Mick in charge it will be dull as dishwater. Had all my ITFC fun sucked out of me. I wish he would leave. Anything to make it interesting again. |  | | |
| Expectations on 15:27 - May 22 with 4266 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 15:23 - May 22 by Illinoisblue |
we've made the playoffs once in 12 seasons. Our expectations should be low. Very low. |
I think it's strange how fans expectations are so far removed from any measurable metric which generally dictates league performance.
No wonder there are so many sackings these days - if fans expect their team to be one of the 1 or 2 outliers (in a good way) each year then 90%v of fan bases are going to be unhappy |  |
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| Expectations on 15:31 - May 22 with 4252 views | homer_123 |
| Expectations on 15:27 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
I think it's strange how fans expectations are so far removed from any measurable metric which generally dictates league performance.
No wonder there are so many sackings these days - if fans expect their team to be one of the 1 or 2 outliers (in a good way) each year then 90%v of fan bases are going to be unhappy |
Due to the randomness of football though Joe, we could just as well find ourselves pushing for promotion.
Football is a funny old game. |  |
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| Expectations on 15:41 - May 22 with 4212 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 15:31 - May 22 by homer_123 |
Due to the randomness of football though Joe, we could just as well find ourselves pushing for promotion.
Football is a funny old game. |
We could, but chances are we won't - and if we don't that shouldn't be seen as a failure | |
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| Expectations on 15:45 - May 22 with 4191 views | TheBlueBarca |
| Expectations on 15:41 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
We could, but chances are we won't - and if we don't that shouldn't be seen as a failure |
We have just finished one win and a draw away from third tier football. If anyones expecting promotion next season, or even top ten, I wouldn't call that being overly optimistic or having high expectation I would call that total delusion.
Next season will be a relegation scrap, same manager on a decreased budget competing against clubs spending a fortune just to finish 7th. The Championship is now beyond us and the blame lies solely with the administration here for putting us in that position in just 10 years. |  |
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| Expectations on 15:49 - May 22 with 4168 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 15:45 - May 22 by TheBlueBarca |
We have just finished one win and a draw away from third tier football. If anyones expecting promotion next season, or even top ten, I wouldn't call that being overly optimistic or having high expectation I would call that total delusion.
Next season will be a relegation scrap, same manager on a decreased budget competing against clubs spending a fortune just to finish 7th. The Championship is now beyond us and the blame lies solely with the administration here for putting us in that position in just 10 years. |
What was our strength - stability, a good core to the squad, not a particularly transient squad so no high wage earners not contributing etc - has become a bit of a weakness as we now have players that aren't good enough or still contributing to a high enough level which we can't get rid off easily.
It's going to take some brilliant recruitment to turn it round - and whilst Mick has done well with likes of Webster and Ward, there are clubs richer than us looking for the same style of players which we won't be able to compete with financially. We are really going nowhere bar a miracle season. | |
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| Expectations on 15:51 - May 22 with 4153 views | homer_123 |
| Expectations on 15:49 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
What was our strength - stability, a good core to the squad, not a particularly transient squad so no high wage earners not contributing etc - has become a bit of a weakness as we now have players that aren't good enough or still contributing to a high enough level which we can't get rid off easily.
It's going to take some brilliant recruitment to turn it round - and whilst Mick has done well with likes of Webster and Ward, there are clubs richer than us looking for the same style of players which we won't be able to compete with financially. We are really going nowhere bar a miracle season. |
And yet, with football, one or two players can make all the difference.
Berra leaving and Webster being fit along with the move of Chambers to the center of defence could see us come back to the 'hard' to beat that Mick likes and served us well for a couple of seasons.
Small things..... | |
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| Expectations on 16:20 - May 22 with 4082 views | Illinoisblue |
| Expectations on 15:27 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
I think it's strange how fans expectations are so far removed from any measurable metric which generally dictates league performance.
No wonder there are so many sackings these days - if fans expect their team to be one of the 1 or 2 outliers (in a good way) each year then 90%v of fan bases are going to be unhappy |
that's what makes football so addictive and popular; no fan is ever truly satisfied. Man Utd could win two trophies and qualify the champions league and it will be seen as a disappointment. Liverpool finish top four for first time in a while, but it's a failure of a season comparatively. Chelsea could do the double which will keep them happy right up until they get found out in Europe next season. Arsenal could win the FA Cup AGAIN, but nobody really will really care. And on it goes... | |
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| Expectations on 16:44 - May 22 with 4053 views | PhilTWTD |
| Expectations on 15:45 - May 22 by TheBlueBarca |
We have just finished one win and a draw away from third tier football. If anyones expecting promotion next season, or even top ten, I wouldn't call that being overly optimistic or having high expectation I would call that total delusion.
Next season will be a relegation scrap, same manager on a decreased budget competing against clubs spending a fortune just to finish 7th. The Championship is now beyond us and the blame lies solely with the administration here for putting us in that position in just 10 years. |
Agree that the Championship is beyond us but isn't that mainly down to the way the division has changed in a relatively short space of time more than anything else?
Agree that more money needs to be spent to get back to being competitive (and I'd be surprised if the budget was reduced next year, it has increased season on season in the last couple of years albeit not by enough), but think there is a wider context to the position we're in.
This post has been edited by an administrator |  | | |
| Expectations on 16:51 - May 22 with 4031 views | Illinoisblue |
| Expectations on 16:44 - May 22 by PhilTWTD |
Agree that the Championship is beyond us but isn't that mainly down to the way the division has changed in a relatively short space of time more than anything else?
Agree that more money needs to be spent to get back to being competitive (and I'd be surprised if the budget was reduced next year, it has increased season on season in the last couple of years albeit not by enough), but think there is a wider context to the position we're in.
This post has been edited by an administrator |
re your 2nd paragraph, what's Evans' Plan B? He's put his wallet away (relatively speaking) so now what? Continues to lose 5 mill a year to watch us finish midtable? That's surely not sustainable for him. Seems he has these options:
A) Sell the club
B) Hope and pray for a Premier League 2 which will level the playing field
C) Continue as is and hope for a miracle a la 14/15
Assuming A and B are nowhere close, our immediate future doesn't look very rosy at all. | |
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| Expectations on 16:57 - May 22 with 4012 views | Smithy |
| Expectations on 15:45 - May 22 by TheBlueBarca |
We have just finished one win and a draw away from third tier football. If anyones expecting promotion next season, or even top ten, I wouldn't call that being overly optimistic or having high expectation I would call that total delusion.
Next season will be a relegation scrap, same manager on a decreased budget competing against clubs spending a fortune just to finish 7th. The Championship is now beyond us and the blame lies solely with the administration here for putting us in that position in just 10 years. |
It can be done
Championship 2015/16:
Reading 17th
Huddersfield 19th
Fulham 20th
Live in hope!! [Post edited 22 May 2017 16:58]
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| Expectations on 17:01 - May 22 with 4003 views | PhilTWTD |
| Expectations on 16:51 - May 22 by Illinoisblue |
re your 2nd paragraph, what's Evans' Plan B? He's put his wallet away (relatively speaking) so now what? Continues to lose 5 mill a year to watch us finish midtable? That's surely not sustainable for him. Seems he has these options:
A) Sell the club
B) Hope and pray for a Premier League 2 which will level the playing field
C) Continue as is and hope for a miracle a la 14/15
Assuming A and B are nowhere close, our immediate future doesn't look very rosy at all. |
I think probably something which might be viewed as C+. Continue as per the five-point plan - which in principle is pretty much the only way to go if huge sums aren't going to be spent - but probably upping the subsidy somewhat but not to the levels of the division's top spenders.
I think we're going to have to get used to being mid-table - as if we weren't already - as the division has moved away from us. The odd season of overachieving and maybe promotion via the play-offs at some point but I think it needs to be accepted that we're more outsiders in this division than we have ever been. | | | |
| Expectations on 17:10 - May 22 with 3966 views | ClausThomsen |
| Expectations on 16:57 - May 22 by Smithy |
It can be done
Championship 2015/16:
Reading 17th
Huddersfield 19th
Fulham 20th
Live in hope!! [Post edited 22 May 2017 16:58]
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How did they do it?
Reading - changed manager
Huddersfield - changed manager
Fulham - changed manager
#stickwithmick | | | |
| Expectations on 17:17 - May 22 with 3931 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 17:10 - May 22 by ClausThomsen |
How did they do it?
Reading - changed manager
Huddersfield - changed manager
Fulham - changed manager
#stickwithmick |
Both Fulham and Huddersfield changed managers before Christmas | |
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| Expectations on 17:26 - May 22 with 3907 views | ClausThomsen |
| Expectations on 17:17 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
Both Fulham and Huddersfield changed managers before Christmas |
Yeah, and we should have done it in January.
I hate this defeatist attitude which is becoming the norm. There's been 3 teams coming down from the premiership for 15 seasons and there's always been teams getting in the playoffs that shouldn't on paper. As recently as - this season. 3 teams who haven't gone mad have got in there, after changing their managers.
If we're just gonna settle for a manager who's lost his sh*t and hoof our way to 15th every season because that's where we should be on paper then there is no point in an overseas fan following this defeatist drivel. | | | |
| Expectations on 19:17 - May 22 with 3818 views | TractorWood |
My expectations for next season are more of the same chronic underinvestment and a relegation battle from the outset. We are reaping what's been sown.
MM did a very good job until around Feb 16, overachieved on a negligible budget. After this I think he's lost his ability to motivate the group beyond what is reasonable and it's become a bit stale and repitive. Not necessarily his fault, it's a very short shelf life job. To me he's now beginning to tarnish the good job he has done overall by belligerently outstaying his welcome. That said ME has had half a dozen decent opportunities to get rid, it's understandable that a prinicipled and stubborn guy won't resign.
Me personally, I just love following Ipswich. Just my 2 cents. |  |
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| Expectations on 20:06 - May 22 with 3776 views | Illinoisblue |
| Expectations on 17:01 - May 22 by PhilTWTD |
I think probably something which might be viewed as C+. Continue as per the five-point plan - which in principle is pretty much the only way to go if huge sums aren't going to be spent - but probably upping the subsidy somewhat but not to the levels of the division's top spenders.
I think we're going to have to get used to being mid-table - as if we weren't already - as the division has moved away from us. The odd season of overachieving and maybe promotion via the play-offs at some point but I think it needs to be accepted that we're more outsiders in this division than we have ever been. |
as Bunk from The Wire would say, "how far we done fell". Depressing. There's always a cup run to look forward to eh? Oh.... | |
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| Expectations on 08:34 - May 23 with 3674 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 17:26 - May 22 by ClausThomsen |
Yeah, and we should have done it in January.
I hate this defeatist attitude which is becoming the norm. There's been 3 teams coming down from the premiership for 15 seasons and there's always been teams getting in the playoffs that shouldn't on paper. As recently as - this season. 3 teams who haven't gone mad have got in there, after changing their managers.
If we're just gonna settle for a manager who's lost his sh*t and hoof our way to 15th every season because that's where we should be on paper then there is no point in an overseas fan following this defeatist drivel. |
Well don't follow it then.
Until we see a proper bit of investment, finishing in the top 6 is hugely unlikely. Mick did it once on a shoestring and Evans seems to now think it's more likely and possible than it is - it is hard to sustain overperformance, us and Brentford are the only Championship sides who seem to have managed it for a sustained period of time. Admittedly they do it in a more eye catching way with better football, but then they have people who know what they are doing in the boardroom. | |
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| Expectations on 08:37 - May 23 with 3669 views | itfcjoe |
| Expectations on 19:17 - May 22 by TractorWood |
My expectations for next season are more of the same chronic underinvestment and a relegation battle from the outset. We are reaping what's been sown.
MM did a very good job until around Feb 16, overachieved on a negligible budget. After this I think he's lost his ability to motivate the group beyond what is reasonable and it's become a bit stale and repitive. Not necessarily his fault, it's a very short shelf life job. To me he's now beginning to tarnish the good job he has done overall by belligerently outstaying his welcome. That said ME has had half a dozen decent opportunities to get rid, it's understandable that a prinicipled and stubborn guy won't resign.
Me personally, I just love following Ipswich. Just my 2 cents. |
I think that's all pretty fair, it feels as thouigh we need a new voice in there, but can see why Evans sees Mick as the safe choice ......if that is the case, his failure to stump up a bit more money to replace Murphy is even more catastrophic as it now has led to a situation where the only manager to have any success under him has now got into a position where the fan base want him gone and he is on a hiding to nothing.
Mick is going to be here next season, he needs some support from above and below, and needs someone to tell him to stop needling the fans as it doesn't help - a good summer and we'll all go into next year with a bit of hope. But I fear if we don't start well then the atmosphere will be terrible until he goes. | |
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| Expectations on 11:46 - May 23 with 3622 views | TheBlueBarca |
| Expectations on 15:49 - May 22 by itfcjoe |
What was our strength - stability, a good core to the squad, not a particularly transient squad so no high wage earners not contributing etc - has become a bit of a weakness as we now have players that aren't good enough or still contributing to a high enough level which we can't get rid off easily.
It's going to take some brilliant recruitment to turn it round - and whilst Mick has done well with likes of Webster and Ward, there are clubs richer than us looking for the same style of players which we won't be able to compete with financially. We are really going nowhere bar a miracle season. |
Where's the myth that Webster and Ward were excellent recruits coming from?
Webster was absolutely awful after the first month or so here and one of the reasons we were losing games, he was falling over, missing tackles, giving silly balls away, running into Berra and put Bart under pressure. He's so out of his depth in the Championship it's unreal the hype he gets... our backline looked so much better without him and one of the reasons we drew enough games to stay up. Just because they are young doesn't get them a get out of jail free card here.
Ward looked pointless a lot of the time in the midfield because we just don't play a game to suit him. In fact you could see the life being drained from his performances with every game.
Lawrence was really the only decent signing Mick made last season, the rest I wouldn't swap for what we had before. It was some of the worse recruiting the club has ever seen and the league finish reflected that perfectly. | |
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| Expectations on 12:09 - May 23 with 3599 views | LankHenners |
| Expectations on 11:46 - May 23 by TheBlueBarca |
Where's the myth that Webster and Ward were excellent recruits coming from?
Webster was absolutely awful after the first month or so here and one of the reasons we were losing games, he was falling over, missing tackles, giving silly balls away, running into Berra and put Bart under pressure. He's so out of his depth in the Championship it's unreal the hype he gets... our backline looked so much better without him and one of the reasons we drew enough games to stay up. Just because they are young doesn't get them a get out of jail free card here.
Ward looked pointless a lot of the time in the midfield because we just don't play a game to suit him. In fact you could see the life being drained from his performances with every game.
Lawrence was really the only decent signing Mick made last season, the rest I wouldn't swap for what we had before. It was some of the worse recruiting the club has ever seen and the league finish reflected that perfectly. |
Webster "awful"?! There seems to be an inherent need to be super-critical among our fan base which prevents a lot of people from ever being happy about something.
For his first season at this level he could hardly have done much better. He was always going to make the odd mistake, but most sensible people accept that as he continues to develop. His performance at home to Villa was one of the best CB performances by a Town man in years. |  |
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| Expectations on 12:10 - May 23 with 3592 views | SomethingBlue |
| Expectations on 11:46 - May 23 by TheBlueBarca |
Where's the myth that Webster and Ward were excellent recruits coming from?
Webster was absolutely awful after the first month or so here and one of the reasons we were losing games, he was falling over, missing tackles, giving silly balls away, running into Berra and put Bart under pressure. He's so out of his depth in the Championship it's unreal the hype he gets... our backline looked so much better without him and one of the reasons we drew enough games to stay up. Just because they are young doesn't get them a get out of jail free card here.
Ward looked pointless a lot of the time in the midfield because we just don't play a game to suit him. In fact you could see the life being drained from his performances with every game.
Lawrence was really the only decent signing Mick made last season, the rest I wouldn't swap for what we had before. It was some of the worse recruiting the club has ever seen and the league finish reflected that perfectly. |
Webster was what? | |
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| Expectations on 12:15 - May 23 with 3572 views | bluewein |
That's pretty much the point where I stopped reading... |  |
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