Columnist John Dickerson says Town and fans need to take the longer term view.

Everyone has had a pet one time in their life, haven’t they? Well, a childhood friend of mine once had a monster of a tortoise that lived free-range and carte blanch in the family back garden. Not being content with having the whole outside grass and shrubs at his disposal, he often decided to do a Steve McQueen and pull off daring escapes. OK, there were no motorbikes or wooden vaulting horses involved, he simply burrowed under the panel fences and (in some cases) made it four houses down.

Upon the third ‘prison break’, the family decided drastic action was needed to avoid losing him forever. They took a brush to his shell and painted their full home address for all to see on his back. Now, that might sound cruel to some people, or like myself you could find it very amusing, but upon personalising that tortoise, they made an oath that it was theirs for life - for all to see.

In April, Roy Keane rode into Portman Road with a swagger and a steely stare. Now, whilst not totally enamoured with the abrasive reputation he had built-up for himself, who couldn’t be impressed with his press conference? Amidst the camera shutters and bright flashes was this articulate, softly spoken Irishman. A man only seen by the most of us on Match of the Day, now the manager of ITFC. Surreal.

So, a two-year contract was drawn up. It suited both parties involved. For Roy, a time-scaled challenge too good to turn down. For the board, a high profile, natural winner in tow and the lure of emulating Sunderland’s quick return to grace in ultra-fast time. Marvellous, till the early season results started coming in.

A 2-1 opening day defeat on the telly. A painfully dire 0-0 draw at home, where we really should have lost. Then the 3-1 defeat to Palace, I won’t depress you with reeling off any more.

This wasn’t what we were expecting and it’s puzzling to see what on earth is going on behind the scenes to mark our worst start in more than 40 years. The natives are getting restless. The same mob that fervently hounded out the previous manager demand results now. Daft boasts of walking the league seem ridiculous and further off than ever at the time of writing this. The clever two-year contract that suited both manager and club five months previously, has had a detrimental effect on Roy Keane, the fans and the board (if scurrilous newspaper reports are to be believed).

Instead of buying and reinforcing the current squad with the odd one or two signings, Roy Keane decided to take a wrecking-ball to the team that Jim built. A risky plan, but due to the time-constraints of his contract, he felt he needed to bring eight players in and ship seven out to free up funds. The selling policy of a man rushing headlong, without sensibly assessing the squad thoroughly.

Now, compare that to the work Mick McCarthy did at Wolves, he didn’t just pick up Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Richard Stearman, Michael Kightly or Chris Iwelumo at the same time, they were all brought in gradually to avoid mass disruption to the Wolves team being patiently built around them.

Ipswich fans can see that Roy went for the high-risk, hit the ground running tactic that seems to have spectacularly backfired - but was it really that surprising? Did everyone think Keano could wave his magic wand and suddenly muster up results he had no divine right to get in the first place? Placing all his eggs in one basket was a brave decision. The likes of Colin Healy, Damien Delaney and Lee Martin were never meant to be those marquee summer signings, perhaps that's why the Ipswich faithful felt slightly disappointed and underwhelmed when those players came in.

In those three he's clearly bought squad players, with the view to adding the missing gems in certain areas, either obtaining that quality on loan or waiting patiently for the likes of Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards. These are signings of the calibre we so desperately craved, along with the seemingly inspired capture of kiddy Colback and Liam Rosenior. Positive signs, goals from a striker, injured players coming back, the rumours of Old Trafford loanees, are things finally turning the corner?

Goodness knows what Messrs Evans and Clegg must be thinking at this current moment in time. Is it too early to write off this season? Will Keane be faced with the same ‘time to gel’ problem next season if he spends another £8 million in the summer recruiting? Will the cheque writer even give him anywhere near that wealth to splurge? A businessman needs to be ruthless sometimes, but how can you compare running a football club to an everyday business? We saw the chairman's desire in Roy's appointment, but we know of his other side when things aren't exactly going to plan in the league.

In simple words, we cannot change the manager now. This will only lead us to League One. But I am very worried about the shortness of Roy’s contract. OK, a contract means nothing if a manager simply walks out due to mounting pressure, but maybe a small minority of our fans need re-educating with their short-sighted mentality.

I honestly believe this can be resolved (at least halfway) by showing them Mr Roy Keane is here for the long haul. Quit the bitching, sniping and booing, because he is going nowhere. Let’s share that long-term vision of the future. It won't always be blue skies, but it equally won't always be grey clouds either, sharing the ups with the downs. Natural transgression, compared to wholesale genetic modification.

The future? Now that's a tough one to predict. With the season still under 10 matches played only an idiot could think the entire Championship campaign is dead in the water. Would we be in the same position had Jim Magilton been granted a stay of execution? Possibly not. Would we have cared what brand of football was being played as long as we were 'winning ugly'? Maybe.

The thing about being right down the bottom, is there are very few places to go again apart from up. Roy Keane will make mistakes, we’ve already heard him admit to a few already, but as the bronze statues outside Portman Road remind us every time we walk past there, time is something that’s a very precious and valuable commodity to have.

Let’s get that brush, find some white paint and write ‘PROPERTY OF PORTMAN ROAD’ on Roy Keane’s back. We’re in no rush and neither should he be. He's proved to us in bricks and mortar he's staying in Suffolk, let’s give him the respect and time to prove his worth to the club. Five years Marcus, get that new contract written and give it to the man for heaven's sake, then we can start properly building for the future. Unified. All for the cause.

Photo: Action Images

jonny_wark added 13:00 - Sep 22 Couldn't agree more. Keane has come in and his building his team from the ground up, it would've been great if he got it right straight away but it's not the end of the world that he hasn't. In the last two games there has been some real improvement and things can only get better, a lot better. I still believe that Keane will get us promoted in the end, and in doing so he would've built a quality team that won't need to be rebuilt as soon as we're in the premier league. I'm still looking forward to every game believing it'll be the one were it all comes together and we absolutely spank some one, hopefully it'll be this Saturday evening.

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matt_the_blue added 13:15 - Sep 22 Brilliant article, whilst I've not been happy with results this season so far at all I agree we need to look to the long-term and build a team that's not only just capable of getting up to the Prem, but STAYING in the Prem. Roll on Saturday, I'll be in what will be the Sir Bobby Robson Stand roaring till my throat is sore for the team...COYB!!!
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SouperJim added 13:19 - Sep 22 On paper we have comprehensively beaten the last three sides we've played, more posession, more shots and importantly more shorts on target. That includes Middlesborough away. I think I'm right in saying that we've won the most corners in the division too. Better times are just around the corner.
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Surco72 added 13:20 - Sep 22 I agree RK needs time and support to turn this around but he has to take responsibility for our position ,he has been at the club for five months and his best signings Edwards,Rosienor and Leadbitter have only strengthened the right side and attacking midfield probably our best areas of last year with Wright ,Walters and Peters all able in these positions while we still are crying out for two centre backs (love Bruces commitment but the quality is not there ) and a regular goalscorer which cost us the playoffs last year . He needs to settle down and manage the players to bring the best out of them rather than rubbish them every time they make a mistake ,look how Bent is doing with a manager that believes in him !! We look like a team with no confidence and that is down to the manager and those who compare our start to Sir Bobbys cannot compare the two men as Lineker's euology stated he made players 7ft tall and invincible ,that is the difference .

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DitchMavray added 13:20 - Sep 22 Bang on. Well written and intelligently explained. I only wish you (we) were in the majority. I would genuinely rather be relegated than become one of those teams that goes through managers the way most of us go through toilet paper...
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BrightBlue added 13:20 - Sep 22 Nice piece John. I have every faith in Roy to succeed in the job he has taken on. He will put our beloved Ipswich Town Football Club back on the map and I for one will support him and his team every step of the way. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, I will be there singing my heart out for the lads!
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stiffshorts added 13:22 - Sep 22 Fully agree, Roy will come good! ITFC will be in top of half of table come May. Next season? The sky's the limit!!!!!!!!!!!
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legoman added 13:25 - Sep 22 RK said not long ago that he was offered a longer contract but decided two years is what he would need to prove himself or not. Giving ME the freedom to make a decision about the future thereafter. I think its exciting having an almost brand new team and to watch them develop. Jims old team simply ran out of steam and had to be disbanded which was obvious for (nearly) everyone to see.

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JayITFC added 13:29 - Sep 22 Millions splashed out. Played 8. Won 0. 4 Points. 2nd from bottom. And you want Keano nailed down to a 5 year contract? I'm all for Roy being given time and believe he can turn this around but let's see where we are come the end of the season. Mid-September this is crazy talk! The point you are right on is that everyone needs to get behind the team...
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xrayspecs added 13:31 - Sep 22 I would contend that RK knew when he took over that the squad needed a major overhaul and not the three or four players he originally cited. I would suspect that the "evolution story" was designed to reassure players and fans alike, especially those that were not enamoured by his arrival, that we should look forward with confidence rather anticipate a significant period of disruption. That RK has said that he would consider offerers for any of his players is as much to do with this belief that none are indespensible as it is to the need to wheel and deal in the transfer market. Whether Martin, Delaney and Healey were intended to be squad players or not I do not know. Delaney has improved in recent weeks and Healey may have been a punt to nothing - virtually a free transfer for a former internatinal with top flight experience. However, if you look at the profile of the players RK has reportedly chased - Whitehead, Murphy and Shittu - as well as the recent signings of Rosenior, Ledbitter and Edwards, then it is clear that he is looking to bring in players who have Premiership experience (incidentally all of these players have also been part of teams that have been promoted from the Championship) and are young enough - Edwards possibly the exception here - to be part of a Town team if we are promoted. Richard Wright aside, how many of the squad RK inherited have realistic claims for playing in the Premiership? Norris possibly, but it is hard to make the case for anyone else.

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StavangerBlue added 13:56 - Sep 22 I saw Town at Barnsley away last season and we won but how bad were we? We were shocking and it was only the fact that Barnsley were so awful that shadowed the fact we should have won seven or eight nil. We could have been 5-0 up at halftime if we'd taken all our chances. Compare that to Doncaster at the weekend where the team were much improved and playing much better football and against a better team. Give RK his allotted time. I for one would love him to sign a five year deal but I think it is unlikely. RK has always come across as a straight talking, "man of his word" type. Two years will probably be two years but I hope he will stay for longer. After we've won the FA Cup, been promoted, got into Europe again and become a top ten premier team...and Ferguson decides to retire in 2018 we could let him go then?

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pickles110564 added 14:09 - Sep 22 Xray, very well written. I think that was the trouble dim was up against in the fact that most of his players knew that they would not cut it in the premier league. I would rather see Keano build for the future than have kept what he had and then ditch then when we were promoted and have a near impossible task. Looking forward to Sat and being able to remember our great former manager. COYB

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CopfordBlue added 14:18 - Sep 22 Excellent article. Well written and echoes what a lot of of the town fans feel. Whoever was appointed needed to be given time and 2 years isn't long enough. RK didn't help matters by saying 2 years would be long enough to prove himself and compounding it by talking up our promotion chances this season. He'd have been better off signing a longer deal with a view to getting us promoted within 3 years with a team capable of staying there when they get there. I'd love the club to offer him a longer deal now and for him to sign it. It would be the first thing the board had done that was reminiscent of the "Ipswich way" under the Cobbolds and would stop the speculation and hype in the press that seems to be building up with every game that goes by without a win. It says alot that none of the players who left in the summer joined "bigger" clubs, albeit that a couple are still in Championship teams. It also speaks volumes that JM hasn't come back for any of his former players.It's a big job and will take 2-3 years at least to get right. It took George Burley 5 years and even then it was by the skin of our teeth via the play offs.

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OsborneOneNil added 14:34 - Sep 22 Nice piece.
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AJblue added 14:43 - Sep 22 Well written, intelligent and it voices how most true Town fans feel.....what are you doing posting on here, i thought this was the doom and gloom notice board! This team we all admit to loving, is going forward.This is something that all clubs need to do to survive in the modern footballing world, we were a family club,admired by the neutral and envied by our close neighbours. If we can combine these 2 admiral traits, keep moving forward with an imaginitive and thoughtful management team, but try to remember where we came from, i can only see good things for ITFC in the future. Tie RK in for longer if we can, if not lets build upon his view for the future, and get behing him and the team, for what will be a fantastic roller coaster ride. Come on climb on for the ride of your life COYB!!!!!!

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RomeoZondervan added 15:17 - Sep 22 Agree with everything written. Who needs Mouhrino we've got Roy Keanio!
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dobbie73 added 15:27 - Sep 22 A well-written piece. Nice one!
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Eiffel65 added 17:22 - Sep 22 Nail. Head. Hit. Keep The Faith, Eif.
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ipswichoracle added 17:34 - Sep 22 Great article.
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Churchmanschild added 17:45 - Sep 22 Exactly what I said on here last week, Rome was not built in a day. I believe RK will get it right and I'm willing to be patient for the good of the long term goal. Up the TOWN!!!
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obliquewordsmith added 17:46 - Sep 22 Absolutely. Some of the hounding of Mr. Magilton was dire, but with a couple of exceptions, there was little quality in the side; who can honestly say they wanted to go up with any of the squads we've had since Miller/Kuqi/Bent/Davis jumped ship under Royle? My fear's been that we'd make the play-offs and then aim to beat Derby as the worst Premiership side on record. Look at the side that's emerging, but taking a bit of time to gel, with the exception of the long standing issue at centre-half, we're stronger across the board than we have been; and whilst the centre-halves bear criticism, so do the midfield for not backing up in recent years. To my mind, Mr. Keane's on the right track, impose your will early, be honest and build well for the future. These are early days, and much more promising days than for many years at Portman Road.

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Tractor_Boy_002 added 18:38 - Sep 22 good article, glad someone has belief in our manager.
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northernblue added 19:43 - Sep 22 i have to say i agree with jayitfc in that how can we decide to offer a 5 year contract to someone who has had such a poor start. i do agree he should have time but if its too early for fans to decide that this is not the job for roy keane, then surely its too early to decide that he should be given 5 years. i know that this might be a rash thing to say but with the new owner and co, are they really going to want to add 5 more years onto this record spell in the championship for us?

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stringtheory added 19:47 - Sep 22 Intelligent article - let's go for a slow burn. I think a diet consisting predominately of Pot Noodles interspersed with various take-aways has affected the ability of many of our fans to wait for anything more than four and a half minutes, after which time they become raving morons.
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northernblue added 20:11 - Sep 22 I'm not saying whether or not he should be given 5 year contract. its too early to tell. but should we be bottom of the league in march, or we get relegated, then we obviously have to ask ourselves whether he is the man for the job. there's no point waiting, season after season of mediocrity, on the chance that after 4 or 5 he may come good, because if they didn't, then we have wasted another 5 years.

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