When the likes of a very average Cardiff City team wins the Championship with consummate ease it must raise the hopes of clubs such as ours that the promised land of the Premiership can be a reality.

It proves that an average side amongst 23 other very average sides can win the league with the right manager, a good team spirit and a big dollop of luck.

At a time when relegated clubs leave the Premiership with a barrow load of parachute cash one is forced to ask how Wolves can be relegated and Bolton and Blackburn struggle to aspire to mid-table mediocrity.

It seems such a fine line between the correct investment to maintain Premiership status or being too frugal and coming straight back down.

We have all seen how big spending to stay in the Premiership does not always work and without a rich benefactor it can push a club to the brink of meltdown and back to back relegations.

Do ITFC fans realise just how close we were to becoming another Sheffield United or Wednesday this season? It seems implausible to think that Sheffield United could not turn over Yeovil in a two-legged semi-final to climb out of League One, it must be galling for Blunts' fans, but this is reality and could easily have been ourselves if MM had not rescued us when he did.

I have to agree wholeheartedly with the players MM is shedding and feel that the likes of Lee Martin and Michael Chopra in particular are symbolic of the Keane/Jewell shambles that was Ipswich Town.

MM and TC will produce a well-organised, hardworking, if not flamboyant brand of football. Put this together with a strong team spirit and the slice of luck that has been missing for the last few years (something MM seems to have brought with him) and we will have a very real chance this coming season. It’s going to be tough, but if Cardiff can do it then why can't we?

BillBlue added 15:20 - May 25 and?
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theobald1985 added 18:23 - May 25 mick didant really shed martin he offered him a new contract which he turned down as it was not good enough. martin was a regular for most games during the mcarthy era and has always given 100 percent. I agree that we can push on this year without too many changes to the group and mick calling the shots, im optimistic but then i am every pre season
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IamSpartacus added 18:26 - May 25 Not entirely sure what BillBlue wants to hear... and we have reasons to be positive, perhaps? Does he/she need to be spoon fed specific statements? Regardless, I concur MarkFish, I think we have definite reasons to be cheerful. We have a solid defence, we (after a few years of moronic managers getting expensive failures in, and then contracts running down) have a few youngsters that have value, we have a manager that is frank, honest and a good communicator & we have a few certain players coming in. Others may disagree- and they are welcome, it is only an opinion- but I am going to be putting cash on our promotion next season. Not because I just support ITFC, but also because I honestly believe in what MM is doing and that we will be in the Play Offs at least. The consistency MM showed with players that Jewell failed with was nothing short of miraculous. I think we are 2 wide men, a striker and at least 1 Magiltonesque type central midfielder away... unlike Jewell, I don't think MM will struggle to encourage players to come to Ipswich...

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Blue041273 added 20:47 - May 25 The right manager, good team spirit and luck are necessary ingredients in creating a successful team, but are not the only ones. It could be said that Hull, Brighton, Crystal Palace and Watford all had the manager, team spirit and luck but two of those teams will rank as 'also rans' in the annals of history. No, more qualities are required; firstly consistency, a consistent level of performance, not just match after match, but throughout the 90 minutes plus is desirable. No-one could claim that we have been anything like consistent, other than bad, in recent seasons. Next, confidence; the players need to be imbued with a winning mentality born out of a confidence that nothing is impossible. Finally, a winning team needs an attitude. An attitude that tells the rest of the league that whatever setbacks have to be faced, the togetherness of the team, the fight and resilience displayed time and again, and the sheer bloodymindedness of a group of players, will overcome the odds, not just once but time and time again. ITFC were starting to show signs of all of these qualities in the latter part of the season but for us to emulate Cardiff we need to put all together in the majority of games next season. It will be tough but there is indeed cause for optimism. Anyway, thanks for the blog - most enjoyable reading it and also adding to the discussion.

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BillBlue added 21:17 - May 25 Sparticus. No I am not the sort of person who needs to be spoon fed information, just the opposite. The reason for my "and?" was simply asking what Mark was trying to say other than stating the obvious but, reading your comment, that is probably the only type of information you can assimilate - the obvious.
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IamSpartacus added 22:40 - May 25 @BillBlue: Super.
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Wickets added 09:57 - May 26 If Mick had wanted to keep Lee Martin, you can be sure he would have done.I think he saw Lee as little more than a squad player with a lot to learn but does he have the attitude to learn? Time will tell but i think he will always struggle.
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Nthsuffolkblue added 18:02 - May 26 Not sure I agree with your opening premise. Cardiff have spent the past three seasons missing out on promotion through the play-offs having narrowly missed out on reaching them the year before. That, to me, is far from a very average Championship side. Adding Bellamy should have made them win the league at least as easily as they did. We are starting from a much lower position and I doubt we will add a player of Bellamy's quality. I trust Mick McCarthy entirely and think we will continue to move in the right direction but believe strongly we won't be finishing as champions of the league with just a little luck.

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MarkFish added 21:06 - May 26 If you beleive a team that contains mcnaughton and a craig bellamy that no other premiership team wanted is not average then thats up to you. I would think they will be back down next season with a record low points total unless they spend big time. Average is the only word for them im afraid, unfortunatley the rest of the league (bar watford after jan) were bang mediocre.

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Nthsuffolkblue added 22:16 - May 26 You happen not to rate one player (McNaughton) and Bellamy went back to Cardiff for geographical reasons. If he hadn't he would have been a squad player at the team that finished 2nd in the Prem. Besides that you have not answered how you think they finished 7th followed by play-off finalists and semi-finalists (twice) in the previous four seasons. I get you don't like them (and understand that too), but your logic is lacking.

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theobald1985 added 09:06 - May 27 Wickets surely if he didant want to keep him he would not have offered a contract. it comes down to finance . im sure there is loads of players mick would love to sign but does not have the funds so does not bother trying. that does not mean he does not want them. also martin has been far more than a squad player under mick he has been a first team regular. I dont see him struggling i see somebody having faith in him playing him in his proper position and him doing really well. he was unfortunate at town to be picked by a minority of small minded fans to be the player to pick on. i think before him it was leadbitter.....boro player of the season no less. or you could take delaney who fans called a donkey but then he is at wembely today. before that remember dan harding who went on to win promotion with the saints. a new approach is needed by some fans as they appear to be getting it wrong time after time.

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DanLyles added 22:31 - May 27 4 point plan for sucess: 1) Keep the solid defensive side of January onwards (add Stearman and Broadfoot), 2) introduce Wordsworth and Taylor, 3) raid Posh for Lee Tomlin and Tommy Rowe, then 4) add Ebanks Blake to partner McGoldrick :)
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MCGOODERZ added 13:05 - Jun 12 seems like a grudge on Cardiff to me
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GeorgiDoundarov added 14:04 - Jun 12 I can't agree more! Through the whole last season I was thinking: "What if we were just a bit stronger and haven't had these dreadful PJ games up front. Currently the Championship is very weak and it has been like that for a while. Very average teams go up just because there aren't stronger teams around. And the funny thing is - no matter how average they are most of them manage to stay up at least for a season?! Next season I believe we will have a very strong QPR site with Harry leading them but the other two promotion spots are up for grabs and as MarkFish says we have a strong management team in MM and TC, good team spirit and if we just have some luck we don't need big names in our team to get promoted. I am really hopefull this season and I only fear about MM leaving as some articles are pushing for. I honestly can't think he will do that as a professional but who knows... COYB !!!

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