| A nice national press article by one of our own 10:06 - Apr 19 with 5001 views | Guthrum |
Sums up a lot of how I feel about the current situation.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/apr/19/ipswich-hope-doomed-premier-lea
The Prem was a bridge too far, putting in a valiant effort, but not quite able to pull it off. Defeated by limited resources and unexpectedly - to some of us, despite being warned - strong and resiliant opposition (e.g. the charge by Wolves and Everton after changing managers).
However, despite falling short and having to retreat, there is a feeling that we are in a good position to regroup and give it another go next year, establishing a secure lodgement at the second attempt. |  |
| |  |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 with 3848 views | vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |  |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:38 - Apr 19 with 3757 views | Guthrum |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |
I'm sure there will be a intensive post-mortem (in the sense of dissection and analysis, not wailing and gnashing of teeth). Has probably started already. Not sure an article like this, chiefly dealing with fan morale and atmosphere, is the place for that - nor would the general readership be interested.
For me, the season's failings are relatively limited. We didn't get recruitment absolutely right (some signings have disappointed or taken a while to get up to speed, cover missing in a couple of areas, thank goodness Delap turned out to be a gem) and a plague of significant injuries (robbing us of any team continuity) being the main ones. I don't think a change of approach (to ultra-defensive, for example) was ever really feasible in one summer window, given we played nothing like that previously. Other teams have the power and personnel to punish what would normally be minor tactical errors. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:49 - Apr 19 with 3674 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |
Did you even read the article? It is not an article that goes on about things such as bad luck, injuries, poor decisions etc which - if it had - could be considered biased. It even touched on negatives, including signings that didn't work out.
However, the focus is the optimism around the club for the future - a club in transformation. Is that wrong or biased? No it isn't.
Quotes that illustrate this include :
"...on the face of things, their first top-flight campaign for more than two decades, has brought unbridled misery.
Yet it does not quite feel like that around Ipswich. There is little of the sullenness or resignation that tars the atmospheres around Leicester and Southampton..."
This is spot on. A well written article looking positively towards the future. Focusing on the foundations that have been built to help build a bright future. |  | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:50 - Apr 19 with 3688 views | SomethingBlue |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |
Understood – if I was guessing, though, I'd hazard that the writer had about 900wd to do a broad vibe check that touched on the major talking points for a national audience. He'd probably agree that a full post-mortem is needed, and is probably sure that will happen with the thoroughness that got us this far. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:54 - Apr 19 with 3641 views | vapour_trail |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:50 - Apr 19 by SomethingBlue |
Understood – if I was guessing, though, I'd hazard that the writer had about 900wd to do a broad vibe check that touched on the major talking points for a national audience. He'd probably agree that a full post-mortem is needed, and is probably sure that will happen with the thoroughness that got us this far. |
Fair play mate! | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:54 - Apr 19 with 3633 views | waveneyblue |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:49 - Apr 19 by SuffolkPunchFC |
Did you even read the article? It is not an article that goes on about things such as bad luck, injuries, poor decisions etc which - if it had - could be considered biased. It even touched on negatives, including signings that didn't work out.
However, the focus is the optimism around the club for the future - a club in transformation. Is that wrong or biased? No it isn't.
Quotes that illustrate this include :
"...on the face of things, their first top-flight campaign for more than two decades, has brought unbridled misery.
Yet it does not quite feel like that around Ipswich. There is little of the sullenness or resignation that tars the atmospheres around Leicester and Southampton..."
This is spot on. A well written article looking positively towards the future. Focusing on the foundations that have been built to help build a bright future. |
But some just want to see the negative in everything. There's plenty of these people posting on here. |  | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:55 - Apr 19 with 3616 views | vapour_trail |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:54 - Apr 19 by waveneyblue |
But some just want to see the negative in everything. There's plenty of these people posting on here. |
Not the case at all. As you were, soldier. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:04 - Apr 19 with 3558 views | waveneyblue |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:55 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
Not the case at all. As you were, soldier. |
I just read the article again.
There's nothing in it that isn't factually accurate and basically says we're still in a good place, which we are.
So, I think anybody criticising your comments are totally justified. Maybe you didn't mean it to come across that way, but it did. | | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:20 - Apr 19 with 3481 views | NthQldITFC |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:38 - Apr 19 by Guthrum |
I'm sure there will be a intensive post-mortem (in the sense of dissection and analysis, not wailing and gnashing of teeth). Has probably started already. Not sure an article like this, chiefly dealing with fan morale and atmosphere, is the place for that - nor would the general readership be interested.
For me, the season's failings are relatively limited. We didn't get recruitment absolutely right (some signings have disappointed or taken a while to get up to speed, cover missing in a couple of areas, thank goodness Delap turned out to be a gem) and a plague of significant injuries (robbing us of any team continuity) being the main ones. I don't think a change of approach (to ultra-defensive, for example) was ever really feasible in one summer window, given we played nothing like that previously. Other teams have the power and personnel to punish what would normally be minor tactical errors. |
Show me a club which has ever got recruitment absolutely right (except ITFC January 2024, obvs, that was awesome). |  |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:23 - Apr 19 with 3463 views | vapour_trail |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:20 - Apr 19 by NthQldITFC |
Show me a club which has ever got recruitment absolutely right (except ITFC January 2024, obvs, that was awesome). |
There isn’t one. So there are degrees of success.
My view is that our recruitment last summer was massively underwhelming if your measure of success is equipping the club to stay in the league. It may prove to be a success longer term, time will tell. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:25 - Apr 19 with 3445 views | Trequartista |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |
I thought it was fair enough, perhaps even a little harsh on Jack Clarke to put him in the same bucket as Philogene as far as impact is concerned.
It does touch briefly on the young English transfer policy and comparatively lightweight players. |  |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:32 - Apr 19 with 3393 views | Keno |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:50 - Apr 19 by SomethingBlue |
Understood – if I was guessing, though, I'd hazard that the writer had about 900wd to do a broad vibe check that touched on the major talking points for a national audience. He'd probably agree that a full post-mortem is needed, and is probably sure that will happen with the thoroughness that got us this far. |
If you meet him can you tell that thanks, that was a good article |  |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:38 - Apr 19 with 3374 views | _clive_baker_ |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:20 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
I like Nick, but that is very clearly written with his blue glasses on.
It doesn’t seriously address any of the failings of this season, of which there are many, and I hope the club and KM, have got a very different perspective if we are to learn from the past twelve months. |
I mean he does state ‘Nonetheless there will surely be an inquest into how Ipswich might have made a closer fist of things’.
As others have said a piece like that for a national audience isn’t the right time to be dissecting in detail where we could’ve done better.
I think it’s a good read that captures the sentiment pretty well. I can only speak for myself but it certainly captures mine. |  | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:53 - Apr 19 with 3313 views | Churchman |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:38 - Apr 19 by _clive_baker_ |
I mean he does state ‘Nonetheless there will surely be an inquest into how Ipswich might have made a closer fist of things’.
As others have said a piece like that for a national audience isn’t the right time to be dissecting in detail where we could’ve done better.
I think it’s a good read that captures the sentiment pretty well. I can only speak for myself but it certainly captures mine. |
I agree Clive. Same here.
The review is for the season’s end. Every element of what the club did well and what it learned and can improve on needs to be looked at - starting with what we did right. I’m sure it will be.
People rarely go out deliberately to make mistakes, but they do happen in all walks of life. It’s always what you do next that counts. |  | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 12:18 - Apr 19 with 3237 views | mellowblue |
Very fairly summed up article to me. Covers most of the excuses I make to non-Ipswich fans on a near-daily basis. With hindsight it is clear that the business player buying plan was to buy young potential, develop and sell on. If they hit the ground running, Delap- style, all good and well. If they didn't and we were relegated, then the development potential is still in place and the players won't be itching to move on. The article possibly could have examined our midfield situation in greater detail, also lack of buying one or two more established prem or ex-prem players with savvy and nous. (Philips excepted) | | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 12:28 - Apr 19 with 3198 views | Guthrum |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:23 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
There isn’t one. So there are degrees of success.
My view is that our recruitment last summer was massively underwhelming if your measure of success is equipping the club to stay in the league. It may prove to be a success longer term, time will tell. |
I certainly think that is fair. Perhaps it was trying to get too many promising young players to make the step up to the Prem at once. Albeit we were limited by budget (to a degree) and attractiveness (many expected us to face relegation from the start). There just isn't time for a slow burn in the modern top tier. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 12:31 - Apr 19 with 3178 views | Ryorry |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 10:50 - Apr 19 by SomethingBlue |
Understood – if I was guessing, though, I'd hazard that the writer had about 900wd to do a broad vibe check that touched on the major talking points for a national audience. He'd probably agree that a full post-mortem is needed, and is probably sure that will happen with the thoroughness that got us this far. |
Admirable fitting of the brief, and this particularly rang true for me -
"More than anything, they have discovered the extent to which things have changed while they were away".
And if I were in contact with the writer, I'd also pass on my admiration of his inventiveness with adjectives and descriptions such as " a buccaneering Liam Delap" which studiously avoided repetition :) Beautiful writing. |  |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:36 - Apr 19 with 2926 views | NthQldITFC |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 11:23 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
There isn’t one. So there are degrees of success.
My view is that our recruitment last summer was massively underwhelming if your measure of success is equipping the club to stay in the league. It may prove to be a success longer term, time will tell. |
But was it massively underwhelming because we missed out on targeting players which were within our capability of recruiting (either through transfer fees, wages, prestige or lack of overseas scouting network), or was it underwhelming because we just didn't have the clout to get them? One within our control, the other not. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:46 - Apr 19 with 2878 views | Ryorry |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:36 - Apr 19 by NthQldITFC |
But was it massively underwhelming because we missed out on targeting players which were within our capability of recruiting (either through transfer fees, wages, prestige or lack of overseas scouting network), or was it underwhelming because we just didn't have the clout to get them? One within our control, the other not. |
Said before that I think many underestimate how hard it was to land the prem-experienced targets we wanted due to them seeing us as likely relegation candidates, other clubs knowing we were desperate & hoicking up their prices accordingly, etc etc.
However hard MA & co were working behind the scenes (and I have no doubt they were on it like swans peddling furiously unseen), you can get horses to water but ... | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:52 - Apr 19 with 2839 views | vapour_trail |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:36 - Apr 19 by NthQldITFC |
But was it massively underwhelming because we missed out on targeting players which were within our capability of recruiting (either through transfer fees, wages, prestige or lack of overseas scouting network), or was it underwhelming because we just didn't have the clout to get them? One within our control, the other not. |
Difficult to day for sure without knowledge of what went on within the club.
It appears the strategy was to focus on what we perceived as the best of the championship with the aim of coaching them into shape as a team capable of staying in the league.
Personally I feel there was too much focus on young second tier talent. However in three years time, it might prove to have been a masterstroke. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 14:04 - Apr 19 with 2772 views | Axeldalai_lama |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:46 - Apr 19 by Ryorry |
Said before that I think many underestimate how hard it was to land the prem-experienced targets we wanted due to them seeing us as likely relegation candidates, other clubs knowing we were desperate & hoicking up their prices accordingly, etc etc.
However hard MA & co were working behind the scenes (and I have no doubt they were on it like swans peddling furiously unseen), you can get horses to water but ... |
Indeed. We also saw with Cajuste and Delap almost going to other prem teams the player power and agent power. Every deal is put across to every possible suitor to bump up the price on every level. Our gain may have been Brentford's and Southampton's losses respectively, but no doubt we lost out on plenty more similar deals that were offered across the entire mid/lower end of the prem. |  | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 14:14 - Apr 19 with 2721 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:52 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
Difficult to day for sure without knowledge of what went on within the club.
It appears the strategy was to focus on what we perceived as the best of the championship with the aim of coaching them into shape as a team capable of staying in the league.
Personally I feel there was too much focus on young second tier talent. However in three years time, it might prove to have been a masterstroke. |
The problem is, although many may argue that recruitment was underwhelming, was there a viable alternative?
Established top-tier players would have been unaffordable, and having a) been out of the top flight for over 2 decades and b) moving so fast from L1 to the EPL, we had no established infrastructure in place to identify and recruit promising talent from outside the UK.
The strategy we have taken is potentially the only one that made sense for a fast progressing club that needed to buy itself time to develop the off-the-field support required for an established EPL team. Given what we started with, that is likely to take 5+ years (but did start 2 years ago - so we're on the 'highway to heaven'  ). | | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 14:47 - Apr 19 with 2632 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 13:46 - Apr 19 by Ryorry |
Said before that I think many underestimate how hard it was to land the prem-experienced targets we wanted due to them seeing us as likely relegation candidates, other clubs knowing we were desperate & hoicking up their prices accordingly, etc etc.
However hard MA & co were working behind the scenes (and I have no doubt they were on it like swans peddling furiously unseen), you can get horses to water but ... |
"And remember, if you want to be like swans peddling furiously unseen, that experience can be yours for the unbeatable price of £995, including delivery!"
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186876905854?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-12763 | | | |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 15:24 - Apr 19 with 2544 views | vapour_trail |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 14:14 - Apr 19 by SuffolkPunchFC |
The problem is, although many may argue that recruitment was underwhelming, was there a viable alternative?
Established top-tier players would have been unaffordable, and having a) been out of the top flight for over 2 decades and b) moving so fast from L1 to the EPL, we had no established infrastructure in place to identify and recruit promising talent from outside the UK.
The strategy we have taken is potentially the only one that made sense for a fast progressing club that needed to buy itself time to develop the off-the-field support required for an established EPL team. Given what we started with, that is likely to take 5+ years (but did start 2 years ago - so we're on the 'highway to heaven' ). |
Of course there are alternatives. We’ve spent nearly 150 million quid. There’s more than one way you can do that. | |
| |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 15:37 - Apr 19 with 2437 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| A nice national press article by one of our own on 15:24 - Apr 19 by vapour_trail |
Of course there are alternatives. We’ve spent nearly 150 million quid. There’s more than one way you can do that. |
That completely misses the point. And it was 130M.
The entire point of my post is that we had a lot of headwinds that prevented us from purchasing from a wider pool. This is not fantasy football management - in the real world you have to work within the constraints of what is available to you. Our shopping for players was inevitable limited. | | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
