Stevenson: I'll Be Fitter and Better Next Season
Wednesday, 2nd May 2012 06:00

Ryan Stevenson is confident that he will benefit greatly from his first pre-season training programme as an Ipswich player.

The attacking midfielder, who cost £50,000 from Hearts in January, has clocked up 11 appearances and one spectacular goal so far but believes that next term will provide him with the opportunity to show what he can really do.

Eight of his outings have been as a substitute and his start at Doncaster on Saturday, which yielded that goal, was only his third since crossing the border into the English game.

Stevenson, 27, says he’d benefit from a run of matches but with the season ending last Saturday has now run out of time: “I would need five or six games because it’s been a long time since I played consecutive games.

“Unfortunately for me it is probably coming at the wrong time, at the end of the season. It’s been good, obviously, to get a couple of games and now I’m looking forward to having a rest and then returning for pre-season training. I want to get a good pre-season under my belt and then kick on from there.”

Stevenson turned his back on Hearts after the Edinburgh club failed to pay their players’ wages on time, basically going on strike in protest at something that was a regular occurrence during his time at Tynecastle.

His firm stance meant solo training sessions at his home town of Troon in Ayrshire and he makes no attempt to deny that he is still playing catch-up in the fitness stakes.

He added: “When you haven’t played for so long you can come in and train as much as you want but nothing really sets you up for games.

“It’s effectively five and a half to six months that I haven’t played. When you come back in you are trying to get up to speed but it can take four or five games to get back into the swing of things.

“It’s disappointing from that point of view but since I came here we have been on such a good run. I’ve managed to be part of that, even from the bench, and that’s been nice.

“It’s the sharpness and the confidence in my touch that have been missing. Usually, you do things naturally but when you haven’t played for a while you tend to over-think things.

“I’ve been out injured before and come back from a lengthy absence. Now it’s about getting back in July and getting games under my belt in pre-season and then trying to force my way into the team.”

Photo: Action Images

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Mark added 06:06 - May 2 It must have been difficult joining a new club in a new league in January when so unfit, but with a full pre-season behind him I am hopeful that the player who cost 50 times less than Leadbitter can go onto be a good player for us and maybe he can break back into the Scotland squad if he does.
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Sindre94 added 06:15 - May 2 Sounds good, Im sure he will become a good player for us.. Watched the action replay highlights on Ipawich player and some of his involvements at donny were great. Looked like he put some decent tackles in :) and his goal was a screamer.
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Len_Brennan added 06:22 - May 2

He seems to be a reasonable player & well worth taking a chance on for that money, but I think there is a reason why is valued so much less than Leadbitter despite being of a similar age. Leadbitter is of a quality (when motivated properly at least) that puts him as a first XI regular in a lower half Premiership / top half Championship side; Stevenson looks to be a squad player in an average Championship side type, in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that, but if you are making the comparison Mark, it should be recognised we still need more players of Leadbitters class to be in the squad, along with the Stevensons, if we are to realise the aspirations that most fans have.

bontcho added 07:19 - May 2 Looks a good value-for-money signing to me.
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chorltonskylineblue added 07:45 - May 2 For £50K this guy looks like a snip. Great goal on Sat and the highlights of him in Scotland look good. We haven't got enough goals from midfield in recent years (Keith Andrews excepted). I hope Ryan can prove a bargain replacement for Grant Leadbitter. Not Grant's fault, but his transfer fee was vastly over inflated, as was Norris before him.
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Surco72 added 08:01 - May 2 Over 3 seasons Stevenson will prove himself to be a lot better player for this club than Leadbitter . And he wasnt valued less than Leadbitter he was on strike and could be signed for a nominal fee ,Leadbitter will cost his next club nothing and we didnt have many offers for his signature in the last three years
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alex12345 added 08:48 - May 2 I couldnt speak highly enough of him at Doncaster. He was absolutely brilliant. Commanded the midfield, demanded the ball, scored a fantastic goal and made some wonderful tackles, some being very important too. Think Ryan could be a big player for us next season.
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MickMillsTash added 08:51 - May 2 Unfair to judge him until next year, He has ceratinly seemed to lack an egde to his play since singning. Looked more comfortable in a midfiled 4 on staurday than playing off the striker. Who knows? My gut feel tells me that a midfield including Stevenson will not get in the top 6
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ArnieMsBigToe added 09:00 - May 2

I'm sorry to disagree with you Len B, but Leadbitter is not lower premier/ upper Championship quality. Not unless there's a few bob in it for him!! Admittedly, he has scored 1 good long range goal (away to Hull) , but normally, it's just wide . . . or very wide.

Do like the look of Stephenson though.

On another subject: what about the Watford keeper Scott Loach? I really think PJ needs to get a good GK signed up as quick as possible.

beerhelps added 09:48 - May 2

len_brennen - which Ledbitter are we comparing him with, the one that played really well for the last two months of his contract, or the one who pocketed the wage and seemed to do the bare minimum for the previous thirty months?

While I take the point your making, I want Stephenson (and Hyam, Drury etc) to contrubute far more during his time with us than Leadbitter did. For me he joins the 'Pablo club', a quality player who ultimately short changed the club, and lets face it, we have had far too many of those in recent years.

Lets hope Jimmy, Chops, JET don't join him.....

Wickets added 09:58 - May 2 Yes call it the Pablo or the Sito club or several others we could all name, it has happend too often of late.The trick is hungry motivated players on decent contracts but easier said then done.On the Goalie debate Me, i dont rate Loach prefer Lewis.
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Wickets added 10:01 - May 2 Yes call it the Pablo or the Sito club or several others we could all name, it has happend too often of late.The trick is hungry motivated players on decent contracts but easier said then done.On the Goalie debate Me, i dont rate Loach prefer Lewis.
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walberswick added 10:01 - May 2 “It's been disappointing since I came here, I've even been on a run to get fit. I've managed to be part of the bench, and that's been nice."
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jas0999 added 10:32 - May 2 Am looking forward to watching him play more next season. Clearly wasn't fit on arrival - but clearly was a better option to Lee Bowyer. Great final day goal, shows he has promise.
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sirbenofmorlingshire added 11:52 - May 2

In regards to the comment about Scott Loach. My best mate is a Watford Season Ticket holder of 10+ years and says we're welcome to him, does not rate him highly at all, from what I hear he's a good sub goalie (of which we have ALB) and probably not a player we should hold in such high asteem just because he's from the area etc, if he was that good there would be a lot of others sniffing about and WFC would not be looking for loan goalies just like we've had to do this season. As I say, thats the opinion of a WFC Season ticket holder who's seen Loach week in week out I think there is potentially better out there, whether we can get them remains to be seen.

afrodids added 11:55 - May 2 Give the man a chance I think he will benefit from a pre-season and come back stronger and fitter. maybe he could also give us the low down on zander diamond a centre half just released by oldham as they can't afford his wages. he is an ex-aberdeen player. Just a thought! coyb
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Len_Brennan added 13:49 - May 2

Arnie & Beerhelps: Fair points about Leadbitter, and certainly over his time here he was not worth the fee or wages he picked up. I wasn't trying to hold him up as a shining example of everything we we want/need in a player. I do however consider him to be a good player who, when he wants or tries - last 2 months, can mix it with players of top sides or those pushing for promotion. We need players with that ability in the side if we are finish the season in the top 6, or even the top 2.
His attitude and application over his time with Ipswich, for whatever reasons, was poor for long spells and for this reason he is not the loss he should be.
I don't see a midfield partnership of 2 from Drury, Hyam & Stevenson (despite the fact that I think they are all decent players who are assets to the squad, with good attitudes) as being a good enough pairing to dominate opponents week in - week out over the full season and so feel we'll need to add a player of Leadbitter's ability and age (but not his attitude) if we are to be in contention. Bullard will have to get his act together too.

beerhelps added 16:00 - May 2

steady Len_B, we are on the verge of having a sencable reasoned debate here, something rarely seen on twtd of late!

I have a feeling that transfer money is going to be lacking this summer, and most of the incomers will be frees, therefore I'm hoping that the current squad players will respond will 'step up' when given the chance, as Hyam and Dury did for a while after xmas.

Hopefully they will be joining the 'Tarico club', players who arrived without much fanfare or cost but developed and served our club well!