Janoi Donacien is not surprised by Town's positive start to the season which sees them sitting at the top of the Championship table on goal difference from Leicester, the only other side with a 100 per record from the new season’s first two rounds of fixtures.

The experienced right-back, who has also demonstrated his versatility with appearances in the middle of the backline, said: “I’m not surprised because we know how hard we work, both on and off the pitch. We look at everything.

“We had a really good pre-season where we knuckled down and said we were going to put in the hard work. We won’t just try to outrun and outwork teams; we’ll also be looking to put them under real pressure from the start of games right through to the end.”

With only two sides on a maximum six points just two games into the campaign, it looks being a typically tight second tier in the months ahead and Donacien echoed the thoughts of manager Kieran McKenna and his teammates that Town sit at the summit.

He added: “We’re not really looking at that right now, to be honest. We’re only looking at the next game, QPR away on Saturday. That’s as far ahead as we are prepared to look.

“QPR are the home side so we’re expecting them to have the crowd behind them and pushing to stick one on us. We’ll be looking to adapt, get the ball down and play our game.

“Even if we hadn’t won our first two league games the pressure would still be on us because it’s us who put the pressure on ourselves.

“We strive from one day to the next to improve and we want to be a team that people want to come and see play, so the pressure will always be on us. The gaffer puts pressure on us, so do the fans, but the main pressure comes from what we put on ourselves.”

Asked for his thoughts on the Championship, he continued: “It’s tough and every game is tough. Wherever you look you see teams that are loaded with quality players, like Stoke and Sunderland to be honest, our first two opponents. It’s a different challenge to League One and it’s up to us to deal with it.

“We need to match sides in terms of quality and show what else we can do. In the games we have played so far this season I would say opponents have been sharper and a lot more switched on, plus the ball stays in play a lot longer.

“I also feel the rotations are different at this level. We’re finding we have to stay up a bit more so we have to be more aggressive instead of maybe at certain times last season when teams wouldn’t have played as much football as the teams we are up against this time.

“Maybe they would kick it up, and we’d nod it down and get playing again, whereas this season we are finding we need to be more aggressive in our pressure and to squeeze up a bit more. That’s probably the only difference that we’ve seen so far.”

Donacien is clearly delighted to be such an integral part of manager McKenna’s plans after he had two spells on loan during the earlier part of his time here, with former club Accrington Stanley and then Fleetwood, before becoming a regular in the starting line-up.

He said: “In the back of my mind I always hoped that I would come back to Ipswich and play. When you’re in that situation you want to be thoroughly professional and give your all for your loan club. That’s what I did, I always gave my best, because I wanted to come back to Ipswich and be looked at in a different way.”

Donacien knows not to take anything for granted and added: “Football’s a crazy game, you know. You never really know what might happen in the future or even just in a few months’ time. At certain times you are up, at other times you are down, and I’ve experienced a lot in my time.

“I’m not really sure if I thought about moving elsewhere, to be honest. Football is obviously physically demanding, but it can be just as mentally demanding. As players we just put in the hard work in training and we all want to play in the games, which is the most important thing. We just have to get our heads down and hopefully, if things aren’t going our way, someone will see it.

“I’m competing for a place in the first team, just like everyone else. Harry Clarke and Dom Ball could play in my position and they are both great players. We’re all pushing each other for a place in the first team. It’s the same for any position in the side, there are players challenging for a place.

“We’re a squad and we’ll always be there for each other, but we’re also pushing each other to get in the manager’s team. We’re as competitive as we can be with each other. Dom is someone who can play virtually anywhere in the side; he’s a quality player and I love watching him play when he’s on the ball. He’s a great guy as well and I’m happy for him that he’s fully fit again.

“We have a really good group of top-quality players at the club. We’re very welcoming and I think the new players that have come in would tell you that. There haven’t been times when they have felt a bit isolated because we have made sure they are made welcome. In turn they have moulded into the group and settled in really well.”

Donacien has made 106 league appearances for the Blues and a further 17 in other competitions, while his career tally stands at 326 games, and in the summer, he became an international footballer when he was called up by St Lucia, where he was born before moving with his family to England when he was eight.

He played against Martinique in June in a 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification first preliminary match, which was staged in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and even though St Lucia were beaten 3-1, he added: “It was a good experience in the summer and I’m hoping it will happen again. It was a bit different for me because I played in midfield but playing for St Lucia was a great opportunity.

“With football in the Caribbean, the set-up has to be right and when they reached out to me, I felt the time was right to represent them.

“Previously, I didn’t think that was the case. But when I met the coach and some of their officials at a meeting, they sold me on what they were trying to do. I told them I would love to be involved. I think they have games in December but I don’t know all the details yet.”

Asked if he fancied himself as a midfielder, not just for St Lucia, he laughed: “I don’t know about that. It’s not really in my mind to play in midfield for Ipswich!”

Finally, Donacien said he was looking forward to meeting up again with his former Town teammate, Andre Dozzell, who is now at QPR. He said: “Doz is a great guy but I haven’t spoken to him in a while. It will be good to see him. Doz is a quality player, as everyone around here knows well.”

Photo: TWTD

pegasus added 19:03 - Aug 17 These guys are 'on message', sure, but they are so ARTICULATE with it! I learn a little bit more about the player each time one of them speaks, about the club and about the type of football that's being played. I've followed the Town since the early 1950s, and they're now giving me the joy that I experienced when they were being managed by Alf Ramsey and Bobby Robson. What joy that is.

2

WoodfordTim added 19:24 - Aug 17 I'm really pleased for him. What a thoroughly nice and honest bloke. I remember Paul Hurst sticking him in at left back. Just did not look comfortable at all and must have knocked his confidence. Thank goodness for where we are now though. Fairyland compared to what we have had to endure for the last twenty years. Wonderful times to be following the Town. And our owners are really on the ball. Focused and thoroughly committed. Proper business people with a professional structure in place. Wonderful!

2

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls