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Cook: Less Talking, More Action - Ipswich Town News

Boss Paul Cook says he’s not taking the Blues’ next three opponents - his old club Wigan Athletic, who Town visit on Saturday, Bristol Rovers, who are at Portman Road on Good Friday and Rochdale, who host the Blues the following Monday - lightly despite the trio sitting in 22nd, 21st and 24th in League One respectively.

Town, 10th and two points off the top six following last night’s fixtures, have 11 games left with their run-in looking benign when compared to some of their rivals for play-off places with Charlton (seventh) the only side they have to face who are currently above them.

In addition to the next three games, they host the MK Dons (13th), before three away trips to AFC Wimbledon (23rd), Charlton and Northampton (20th), before the home fixture against the Dons.

Two more back-to-back away games at Swindon (19th) and Shrewsbury (17th) are followed by a final day home game against Fleetwood (15th).

But Cook rebuffed the suggestion that the upcoming three-game run might be seen as easy: "One of the good things, as you guys know, on paper we have a fantastic run-in. Unfortunately, we don’t play on paper, we play on pitches.

"You will get to know me over a period of time. I have the utmost respect for every team we play. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing, everyone wants to beat Ipswich Town.

"If you look at Fleetwood last week for an example, Fleetwood were magnificent against us on Tuesday night and they never offered much of a leg on the Saturday against Swindon at home [when they lost 2-0]. That’s what can happen with clubs with not as much stature as us.

"For us, the demands on us are set every week, every Tuesday, every Saturday, we’ve got to hit those heights.

"From there we will concentrate on the Wigan game and if we can beat Wigan on Saturday, it will put us in a great place going towards Bristol Rovers on the Friday.”

Asked how important mental strength is when it comes to putting in the run of sustained form the Blues need, he said: "It’s one of the things with you [the media], I’m sure over the years you get tired of asking me the same questions or whoever’s been in my position, we go from game to game and depending on the results it’s how the mood can change.

"I think people know, we are massively a work in progress as a club now. We are what we consider a giant in this division that doesn’t want to be in the league.

"To get out of the league, you can’t keep talking about it every week and keep coming up with stupid statements. Less talking and more action.”

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