In these dark times of being an Ipswich Town supporter there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

For me, I can see Alan Curbishley, Chris Hughton, Chris Coleman, but others may see other managers they would like to see as the new Town boss.

Now, it may seem as if I am one of these so-called ‘Keane haters’ but I am far from that. When Keano first signed for Town, I was thrilled and I'm sure I wasn’t the only one. The prospect of a world-class player becoming our manager with the belief and promise of playing premiership football within the next two years was something to be very excited about.

Let's just put it this way, boy were we in for a shock. Poor signings, unattractive football and stupid tactics have been the downfall of our once hailed manager.

A lot of you now want Keano out and I for one agree. We have waited patiently for something like 18 months for other Championship teams to tremble with fear at the mighty Town and we are the ones that are laughed at and ridiculed.

When I watched the Norwich match, it seemed to me that Keane didn’t give a rats a** about the supporters or the occasion. He just sat in his chair, chewing his gum without a care in the world.

If we had had Magilton in charge, he would have been jumping around, defending his players from the referee and really being enthusiastic because he knows how important the local derby is.

I personally believe that Keane’s time is up. Either he suffers the embarrassment of being sacked, or resigns with his dignity. In fact, all I can see if he stays is the Town fighting for relegation rather than promotion. He’s had his chance, and he wasted it.

Some of you may say, “he got promoted with Sunderland, so we should give him more time”. That is a valid point but you must remember, Sunderland had a much stronger side than we do at the moment, they also had more money.

People could argue the case for Hughton to become the new gaffer but again he would not be the ideal man for the job. Yes, he got Newcastle promoted and yes, he took them to mid-table in the Premiership but I don’t think he could do the same for Town. Newcastle have a much stronger squad than us, as we all remember from the 4-0 home defeat to them.

If I could choose one manager to become our new gaffer, it would have to be Alan Curbishley. He knows how to win in this league and he has good Premier League experience, guiding West Spam to a top ten finish without their key players. I have only touched on some of the things that Curbishley would bring to the club. This is my opinion, feel free to express yours. COYB!

jpr_23 added 18:37 - Dec 12 I would love to see us go for an up-and-coming young manager such as Exeter's Paul Tisdale or Bournemouth's Eddie Howe, who have done well with their current clubs and are ready for a step up. However, Marcus Evans has been very clear in his wish for us to see premiership football, and I think he will want a bigger name. The challenge is that I can't see us attracting a huge name like O'Neill or Jol (although Keane was a bigger name than most when appointed) and almost all of the big names we might attract have got blemishes where they have been sacked and gone doing the managerial roundabout... I'm pretty sure that Butcher, Curbishley, Hughton etc, will all do better than Keane's current performance, and that the club needs to act decisively to stop the losses, falling gates and bad atmosphere around the club.

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andy_itfc added 18:56 - Dec 12 Sean O'Driscoll for me - he's a manager of true Ipswich style. Curbishley is an out dated manager from a previous era - there is a reason no other clubs have appointed him since West Ham. It all depends on what ambition Evans realistically has for the club. If it remains high he has to seriously look at being bold again and try to get O'Neill - true he may not come but it's worth a try. I know one thing, if somebody with proven managerial ability had been given the money Keane has spent, we'd be in the Premiership by now.

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MVBlue added 19:04 - Dec 12 Its been a pretty obvious mistake not getting in Alan Curbishley when he was available at the tim we got Keane. He plays attractive football but he has the cutting edge as hiss sides so often proved against us. Curbishley is a cast iron guarentee of good football and to be challenging at the top, promotion or no promotion.
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alfromcol added 19:25 - Dec 12 I suspect that we will soon hear who the new manager is. The owner and CEO are no doubt working on it already. They aren't stupid as many people seem to think. ME runs a successful company if he had a manager who was damaging his product and customers were unhappy he would replace the manager. Paying RK off is small beer compared to the size of the business.
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MarkITFC added 19:26 - Dec 12 Keanos gotta go , i agree with ur blog .. we need a manager like Curbs . If keano anit gone by tomorrow i will be very annoyed , and worried that we will be in a relegation battle . ! My first choice would be O Neil which is very unrelistic .. but would be great . second choice would be Curbs
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captain_fantastic added 19:35 - Dec 12 I couldn't agree more with this blog if I wanted to. Keane was and still is, a perfect PR and marketing tool for Evans empire. The one thing that grinds my gears is being referred to as "Roy Keane's Ipswich", it was to be expected with the man's huge profile and media pull, which I'm sure played a big factor in Evans's decision to bring the Irish man. here. Great advertising when you see Keane rant on SSN with Evans name boldly showing behind Keane. The Sunderland arguement also has been done to death. Yes he got them promoted, but any manager worth their salt would've got that squad promoted in my opinion. Was I excited when Keane was appointed? You bet I was! But there was always something at the back of my mind thinking "this could go horribly wrong" and I'm saying it because of where we are. As for future managerial possibilites. I'd love to think we could attract a O'Neil, but lets be realistic. We were once a well respected football club throughout the country and Europe. That respect has sadly gone, is it since Keane's arrival? It hasn't helped in my opinion. My personal managerial choices are simple. We require experience at this level but also experience of getting out of the league, understands the ideals of producing via academy, always try to play attractive football. Who else than Curblishley!!

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Manic_Blue added 20:28 - Dec 12 I'm still not sure where I stand on the Keane in/out debate, but looking at it hypothetically I would say anyone but Curbishley! I don't know where the idea he could be our saviour has come from, the thought of him taking over worries me more than the prospect of another 10 years of Keane. Yes, he eventually got Charlton promoted (and relegated and promoted again), but people have very short memories. The first of those promotions, they beat us in the play-offs and, despite Town going down 1-0 at PR, there was only one team trying to play football that day. Little hint, it wasn't Charlton. There's also the question of why he hasn't returned to management since leaving West Ham. 2 1/2 years he's been available - surely any half-decent club would have taken him on by now. I know he's been doing some media work, but that length of time out does pose a number of questions. I don't want this to be a completely negative post, so I'm going to put forward my own suggestion - Poyet & Taricco from Brighton. Poyet is a reasonably big name, which should appeal to Evans (OK, not as big as Keane, but not many are) while Taricco can do no wrong in the eyes of many Town fans, so will help get dissenters back on-side. They've got Brighton to the top of League One playing good attacking football without spending a lot of money. Sounds like the ideal combination to me!

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PimsNumber1 added 21:56 - Dec 12 Curbishley had to wait most of the time he was "unemployed" for the outcome of a constructive dismissal case against west Ham , which he won and which toook ages to be heard. Not sure I want him here , but he would be in my top 3
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gambo added 23:03 - Dec 12 I think what Terry Butcher has and is doing with Invernes Caledonian Thistle demonstrates that a small budget but motivated players and good tactics can work. Roy Keane seams to lack the skills to sort out the defence too. Get Terry in!
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dirtydingusmagee added 07:47 - Dec 13 priskinftw, glad you noticed how motivated Keane was at Norwich game,that has been the case on many occasions,sitting on his a;se playing pocket billiards,chewing gum,rarely standing up let alone getting team ''up''.As you rightly pointed out ANYONE else would have been giving all to get team going.Which also shows that for all people who thought he learned a lot from Fergie,he has actually learned little if anything.

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Calmingwind added 08:06 - Dec 13 coleman? - please god no! Hughton for me would be a good choice, i think he would be perfect remedy for the players and who could get the best from them. coached at the highest level and did a good job at the toon when they were expected to do a leeds and drop another division. would not mind Curbs at all, solid manager with a good record. nice blog mate.
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Priskinftw added 09:46 - Dec 13 this was my first blog and i thought i was going to get alot of stick for it. calminwind, i see what your saying about hughton, but he hasnt had enough experience being a manager in this league or the premier league, he might be a good motivator etc. but we need someone with the experience of this league and the premiership
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WeWereZombies added 12:08 - Dec 13 Ray Wilkins was up the crowd at Fulham vs. Everton yesterday, was it just because it was a game local to him and he doesn't fancy going to Chelsea at the moment or are either Mark Hughes or David Moyes under threat? Moyes would certainly sort out and then set out his stall, and I think to most supporters satisfaction.
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Counagofactor added 14:12 - Dec 13 Currently going for someone young and enthusiastic hasn't been successful (Roy Keane) might not be regarded as the best move. But i think this is what is needed at the club, maybe age isn't important but someone who is a motivator and enthusiastic and wants to prove themselves in the game and most importantly put the club first In an ideal situation we could get Oneil but its not going to happen, he's obviously happy to wait for a big job in the Prem and sit on the MOTD sofa for a little extra dosh till then. More likely the club should go for Poyet & Tarrico, Poyets record is brilliant in my opinion he has a clear style in which he wants his teams to play (much like the Ipswich of Old), i know he is keen to stay at Brighton but i believe Tarrico could play a big factor!

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Joe01 added 23:12 - Dec 13 Keane won't walk, he knows this is last chance saloon for his league managment career.
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JayT added 14:47 - Dec 14 Theres either two things happening now at PMR and one is which clegg and evans arent going to sack RK but ride out the storm and end up in league 1 or they are simply keeping him until the replacement is sorted and im sure most of us are hoping for the latter. the manager and ass. i would like to see is... Curbishley and holland (or another through itfc man) Poyet and Tarricco O'Driscoll and an ITFC man Hughton and someone experienced O'Neill or Wilkins would be nice but weather they would want to drop down to championship level is yet to be seen.. The ideal for me though is Curbishley as the manager and his asisstant being Hughton but then i would have Holland somewhere in the club aswell but hopefully if keane does get the boot we will get someone who plays good football instead of the negative hoofball we play at the moment

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JayT added 14:49 - Dec 14 i should have probably put the manager and his asisstant instead of abbreviating it ...
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Back_The_Boss added 12:08 - Dec 18 Good blog. I would like to Curbishley given a chance.
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