| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? 18:20 - Jan 10 with 2787 views | BlueMoon |
Where do people see the trough of our (2 decade long) decline ending?
A lot of clubs that hit bad times take their medicine & start a rebuilding process. This clearly doesn't guarantee a turnaround - perhaps no improvement whatsoever, but it feels like you have to try something new when what you have isn't working.
The COVID situation & injuries aren't helping but it certainly feels we haven't yet hit the bottom of our decline.
We have what seems to me to be a shell of club; poor ownership; ineffective coaching; pysios that do more harm than good; terrible first-team squad. Limited prospects all round.
Evans has made this and overseen a continued decline that is now 14 years in the making. His formula is broken. It never worked. Where does he take us from here? Stick with the manger for 4 more years? Change manager again? What will they achieve that the last 4-5 haven't? The problems at the club are bigger than the manger and the resulting prospects only suggest one outcome.
People can say without Evans we'd be finished. At this point, would that actually be any worse than what we currently endure? The damage being done to the club at present is immense. A few years of poor stewardship results in the loss of a few fairweather fans, players moving on etc. A decline of 20 years is a step-change to that. People that have supported the club for a lifetime simply don't care any more. We won't get those people back in a hurry. Younger fans don't care - they don't care about history 30-40 years before they were born. Hardly inspiring stuff.
I post this to guage what others feel. Perhaps I'm way off. At the moment it feels like we're witnessing our transition to a nothing club. We need to do something, as fans, to try and stop that before it is too late. [Post edited 10 Jan 2021 18:47]
|  | | |  |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:27 - Jan 10 with 2398 views | jayessess |
I genuinely think that what Lambert is getting out of the club right now is well below what could be achieved by an average League 1 manager with these resources. So, I'd expect his departure to coincide with our nadir and things to pick up somewhat after that, whoever comes next.
That said, if Lambert lasts the season and we remain in L1, then the coming Summer is going to an absolute car crash, after a year of negligible revenues, a further hit to season ticket sales and new rules to come, then things could easily get worse. There's also a not insignificant chance that Evans pulls the plug entirely at some point and we just go bust. |  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:38 - Jan 10 with 2375 views | Radlett_blue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:27 - Jan 10 by jayessess |
I genuinely think that what Lambert is getting out of the club right now is well below what could be achieved by an average League 1 manager with these resources. So, I'd expect his departure to coincide with our nadir and things to pick up somewhat after that, whoever comes next.
That said, if Lambert lasts the season and we remain in L1, then the coming Summer is going to an absolute car crash, after a year of negligible revenues, a further hit to season ticket sales and new rules to come, then things could easily get worse. There's also a not insignificant chance that Evans pulls the plug entirely at some point and we just go bust. |
Unless Marcus Evans is terminally stupid, he will not "pull the plug & let Town go bust". If he does that he will recover nothing from his investment in Town. If he writes off the debt, he can sell a debt-free Town for, say, £10-20m. |  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:47 - Jan 10 with 2344 views | Bluefish |
Somewhere around the time we unfurl an enormous banner and sings songs constantly for a manager that has relegated us in the most pathetic manner ever |  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:48 - Jan 10 with 2339 views | jayessess |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:38 - Jan 10 by Radlett_blue |
Unless Marcus Evans is terminally stupid, he will not "pull the plug & let Town go bust". If he does that he will recover nothing from his investment in Town. If he writes off the debt, he can sell a debt-free Town for, say, £10-20m. |
In League One, post-pandemic, who knows what actual interest there is in Ipswich these days. And, of course, the easiest way to escape an ongoing financial obligation to a rubbish football club is just to sell it to someone even less suitable. That's how lots of football clubs end up in a ditch. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:55 - Jan 10 with 2311 views | SomethingBlue |
Unless we meet the moment and start sorting things out *now*, we are a fair way off the worst. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:05 - Jan 10 with 2247 views | Pilgrimblue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:38 - Jan 10 by Radlett_blue |
Unless Marcus Evans is terminally stupid, he will not "pull the plug & let Town go bust". If he does that he will recover nothing from his investment in Town. If he writes off the debt, he can sell a debt-free Town for, say, £10-20m. |
He'll not walk away and is likely to find a buyer for nominal sum with earn out based on future successes.
I see Town drifting slowly down and ME's hand being forced either by fan pressure or he'll just want out.
Not happy days, probably the worst in my 50 years, so PL going would be first step. |  | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:07 - Jan 10 with 2233 views | WD19 |
The day before Lambert is sacked. |  | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:20 - Jan 10 with 2202 views | TexacoCup |
Apart from Sunderland there is no bigger club below in the football pyramid - there's something sad about how we've drifted into obscurity. |  | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:29 - Jan 10 with 2168 views | BlueMoon |
Do people really believe it is all down to Lambert? Evans has employed a number of previous managers - only 1 has been anything other than a disaster.
He seems like a sensible enough chap but he and his staff know nothing about football. I can’t see us improving until he moves on. Huge gamble it may be but if fans can expedite that then all the better. Do nothing & we continue the terminal decline under his ownership anyway. [Post edited 10 Jan 2021 19:34]
| | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:41 - Jan 10 with 2115 views | Churchman |
My pessimism says Division two, possibly much lower. Once Evans has drained the club completely dry, I suspect the club as we know it will fold after Evans has had enough, flogged off the training ground and crystallised the debt. A bit like Bury Town with less publicity.
My optimism is that a new club will be formed and will rise. Why? Because there is demand there for decent football in Suffolk, just as there was before the club turned professional in the 1930s. |  | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:42 - Jan 10 with 2110 views | jayessess |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:29 - Jan 10 by BlueMoon |
Do people really believe it is all down to Lambert? Evans has employed a number of previous managers - only 1 has been anything other than a disaster.
He seems like a sensible enough chap but he and his staff know nothing about football. I can’t see us improving until he moves on. Huge gamble it may be but if fans can expedite that then all the better. Do nothing & we continue the terminal decline under his ownership anyway. [Post edited 10 Jan 2021 19:34]
|
Yeah, I think it's mainly Lambert right now. Is there a budget for the playing staff to succeed at this level? Yes. Is the academy producing players good enough for the first team? Yes. What other deeper contextual factors are there beyond the the first team's coaching staff? | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:08 - Jan 10 with 2049 views | southnorfolkblue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 19:42 - Jan 10 by jayessess |
Yeah, I think it's mainly Lambert right now. Is there a budget for the playing staff to succeed at this level? Yes. Is the academy producing players good enough for the first team? Yes. What other deeper contextual factors are there beyond the the first team's coaching staff? |
There is a budget to succeed at this level, but there’s a lot of deadwood to be cleared out (ie Chambers, Judge, Sears, Huws, Skuse for starters) before you can really change the squad.
This won’t be popular but the academy is overhyped and overrated imo. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:12 - Jan 10 with 2038 views | Swansea_Blue |
I can't see us having a turnaround under Evans, sadly. So I expect we'll reach rock bottom the day before he finally moves on. Quite what state we'll be in by the god knows; depends on how much longer he has to keep getting things wrong.
Edit - or rock bottom could be after he leaves if he screws up selling us on, which is likely given his efforts so far. [Post edited 10 Jan 2021 20:13]
|  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:19 - Jan 10 with 2011 views | jayessess |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:08 - Jan 10 by southnorfolkblue |
There is a budget to succeed at this level, but there’s a lot of deadwood to be cleared out (ie Chambers, Judge, Sears, Huws, Skuse for starters) before you can really change the squad.
This won’t be popular but the academy is overhyped and overrated imo. |
4 of those 5 wouldn't be here anymore if Lambert hadn't offered them a contract. The academy might well be over-hyped but I still don't think you could claim it's weak for League One. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:23 - Jan 10 with 1994 views | southnorfolkblue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:19 - Jan 10 by jayessess |
4 of those 5 wouldn't be here anymore if Lambert hadn't offered them a contract. The academy might well be over-hyped but I still don't think you could claim it's weak for League One. |
Fair point on the contract extensions.
Who from our Academy is ripping up League 1? No-one, bar possibly Downes. That tells you everything you need to know about our academy | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 21:03 - Jan 10 with 1925 views | stiff_talking |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:23 - Jan 10 by southnorfolkblue |
Fair point on the contract extensions.
Who from our Academy is ripping up League 1? No-one, bar possibly Downes. That tells you everything you need to know about our academy |
But we are bit seeing our best academy players
Evans is selling them prior to making it or 5 minutes after they play well in first team
Don’t be surprised if he has already sold Edwards our highest scorer over 8 games !
Irish ticket tout can’t wait for cash in !
We are never building a team for future success as the team is lowest priority. | | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 21:36 - Jan 10 with 1860 views | southnorfolkblue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 21:03 - Jan 10 by stiff_talking |
But we are bit seeing our best academy players
Evans is selling them prior to making it or 5 minutes after they play well in first team
Don’t be surprised if he has already sold Edwards our highest scorer over 8 games !
Irish ticket tout can’t wait for cash in !
We are never building a team for future success as the team is lowest priority. |
Evans will say that he is building, hence his 5 year contract to Lambert. He may have backed the wrong horse, but that wasn’t a short term decision.
Who has Evans sold from the Academy? You may be right, but I can’t think of anyone. He turned down an offer for Dobra and signed up Dozzell on a long term contract which defeats your argument a bit. As for Edwards, he walks on a free in the Summer, so he may feel it makes sense to get something for him. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 07:32 - Jan 11 with 1683 views | jayessess |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:23 - Jan 10 by southnorfolkblue |
Fair point on the contract extensions.
Who from our Academy is ripping up League 1? No-one, bar possibly Downes. That tells you everything you need to know about our academy |
Bishop, Downes, Dozzell and Woolfenden by themselves are a fairly reasonable output for an academy, really.
The idea that Lambert is especially let down on that front and isn't given the resources to be successful in League One because of it is a big stretch. The team top of the league doesn't have a single academy graduate in it. The team in 2nd has as many of our academy graduates playing for them as they do their own! | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 08:14 - Jan 11 with 1626 views | ArnieM |
OP: whilst I get what you’re trying to say in your post. The comment ...
“ People can say without Evans we'd be finished. At this point, would that actually be any worse than what we currently endure? The damage being done to the club at present is immense. ”
So let’s assume Evans liquidates the Club. ITFC Ltd no longer exists. We would in essence become another Wimbledon. I suspect all the current senior players will be gone, as too any decent academy and U23 players.
If it was going to happen at all, the “ new” Ipswich Town , might be reformed, and begin life in non league. Thereby having to build from the ground up and go through all the divisions again. This will take years, maybe decades!
Ipswich Borough Council undoubtedly would seize their opportunity and sell off the Portman Road ground and cash in on developers interest. The training grounds would belong to Evans Corporation. So the “ new” ITFC would have nowhere to play their games, nowhere to train.
Is this really what fans want? I’d suggest not.
What we do need is for Evans to sell the Club. He was reportedly asking for £35m a while ago ? I’m not sure of the amount but had heard this. He was made offers b6 all accounts but declined them.His problem is now that ITFC are fast approaching the realms of diminishing returns as a third season in League One seems almost inevitable now ( IMO), he won’t get his asking price m and he is left with ongoing cash demands for essentially a fast becoming established League One/ Two? Club. Yes the financial input for him will be reducing due to the wage cap, but so too ( more importantly), will the likelihood of this Club ever getting promotion out of this division.
He frankly needs to consider getting out asap and getting whatever he can for the club. Unless of course he is truly committed to the ITFC cause of gaining promotion, and sticks it out come what may. |  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 08:39 - Jan 11 with 1597 views | Radlett_blue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 20:12 - Jan 10 by Swansea_Blue |
I can't see us having a turnaround under Evans, sadly. So I expect we'll reach rock bottom the day before he finally moves on. Quite what state we'll be in by the god knows; depends on how much longer he has to keep getting things wrong.
Edit - or rock bottom could be after he leaves if he screws up selling us on, which is likely given his efforts so far. [Post edited 10 Jan 2021 20:13]
|
If Evans does sell up, our problems are unlikely to be solved as while a buyer may agree a sum which suits Evans, the buyer may not be as able as Evans to afford to fund Town's annual operating losses. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 09:16 - Jan 11 with 1554 views | bournemouthblue |
It doesn't feel like we can get any lower but then this team dumfounds you with yet more ineptitude |  |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 09:39 - Jan 11 with 1517 views | ArnieM |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 08:39 - Jan 11 by Radlett_blue |
If Evans does sell up, our problems are unlikely to be solved as while a buyer may agree a sum which suits Evans, the buyer may not be as able as Evans to afford to fund Town's annual operating losses. |
Evans has specific ally stated that he would not sell the Club to any buyer who could not at least match ( bit hopefully better), his current level of financing. | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 09:41 - Jan 11 with 1515 views | daisyisabaddog |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 18:38 - Jan 10 by Radlett_blue |
Unless Marcus Evans is terminally stupid, he will not "pull the plug & let Town go bust". If he does that he will recover nothing from his investment in Town. If he writes off the debt, he can sell a debt-free Town for, say, £10-20m. |
Although we can see the accounts only Evans and HMRC know precisely how the loan is structured. Even if it is through an offshore entity we don't know if that entity is a CFC (Controlled Foreign Company). So we can't be certain that Evans won't qualify for tax relief if he folds the club and loses his money.
You may comment that this is nonsense but the simple fact is that none of us knows.
It isn't what you don't know that gets you. It's what you know for certain that just ain't so. | | | |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 09:45 - Jan 11 with 1504 views | Swansea_Blue |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 08:39 - Jan 11 by Radlett_blue |
If Evans does sell up, our problems are unlikely to be solved as while a buyer may agree a sum which suits Evans, the buyer may not be as able as Evans to afford to fund Town's annual operating losses. |
Absolutely. If he sells us to a hedge fund consortium for example, looking to revive our fortunes but with no additional investment to put in each year, we'd be Donald Ducked. Unless they get things right on the footballing side and we can punch well above our weight financially (it can happen, but rarely). | |
| |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 09:48 - Jan 11 with 1492 views | tractorboy1978 |
| When will ITFC hit rock-bottom? on 07:32 - Jan 11 by jayessess |
Bishop, Downes, Dozzell and Woolfenden by themselves are a fairly reasonable output for an academy, really.
The idea that Lambert is especially let down on that front and isn't given the resources to be successful in League One because of it is a big stretch. The team top of the league doesn't have a single academy graduate in it. The team in 2nd has as many of our academy graduates playing for them as they do their own! |
The team top of the league basically changed their whole squad in the summer. They brought in a mixture of fairly cheap average L1 players, a couple that had played in the lower leagues in other countries and youngsters on loan. That team has been quickly molded to play in the manner the coach wants and they look organised and play with proper patterns of play.
On paper our squad is miles ahead of Lincolns. Yet we STILL play with no identity, look totally disorganised and poorly coached. | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
