| Academy issues? 12:54 - May 27 with 12470 views | portmanking |
Tweet by the ITKer/sh*t stirrer on X 'misssuffolkblue':
"Suffolk lad and ex ITFC coach. Interesting appointment, but bigger news on the horizon when one of our greatest coaches is set to join them as well to work in their academy after numerous fall outs with Ashton over the lack of funding into our academy".
Lack of funding into academy? How does that compute with a Category 1 bid? And who is the 'greatest coach'?!
EDIT: Initial sentence is talking about Manning to the scum. [Post edited 27 May 12:57]
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| The most infuritaitng thing about MEG era ITFC on 09:54 - May 28 with 1547 views | Dyland |
| Academy issues? on 09:42 - May 28 by itfc_statman |
Agree very little out of it, but a bit chicken-and-egg isn't it? The Academy has been demonstrably ignored and under-funded for so long, putting us behind local rivals and other clubs at Championship level. That then takes time just to catch-up let alone overtake any of them.
I suspect the likes of Klug and co have then seen us spend circa £130 million on players and are wondering why £4 or £5 million can't come in the way of the academy to really enable them to move forwards. |
Schools and youth clubs in IPSWICH ffs, being tapped by them up the rud.
Proper piss boiling bollix, that. |  |
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| Academy issues? on 10:32 - May 28 with 1424 views | SuffolkPunchFC |
| Academy issues? on 09:42 - May 28 by itfc_statman |
Agree very little out of it, but a bit chicken-and-egg isn't it? The Academy has been demonstrably ignored and under-funded for so long, putting us behind local rivals and other clubs at Championship level. That then takes time just to catch-up let alone overtake any of them.
I suspect the likes of Klug and co have then seen us spend circa £130 million on players and are wondering why £4 or £5 million can't come in the way of the academy to really enable them to move forwards. |
...are wondering why £4 or £5 million can't come in the way of the academy...
But that's close to what they are investing in the academy right now - £3.2M in 22/23 and £3.8M in 23/24. I suspect that will be ~£5M for 24/25, and more going forward.
Side comment following something Churchy said - they should put George Burley in charge of the academy... | | | |
| Academy issues? on 10:55 - May 28 with 1352 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Academy issues? on 09:46 - May 28 by itfcjoe |
The academy was cut back a few years back and whilst funding has returned there’s not really seemingly any coherence to it currently.
All the Ipswich lot at top of academy have been pushed out - Nash, Atay, Hogg, Dyer, etc. Faces didn’t fit in new regime and they knew never would - it happens
Then Dean Wright has come into run the academy, from Norwich. Brought a load of his staff with him especially on scouting and tried to rip it up and start again but by basically discarding the whole of Suffolk and looking for big bruising 14 year olds from London when recruitment relaxes distance wise
He then left
We’ve now got Hlajko, he’s got his own ideas - from what I gather it’s tapping into the areas Col U were strong in - Brentwood, Billericay etc and going toe to toe with West Ham, or trying and failing too…but from what I gather he isn’t going to be long for this role here so we’ll need someone else in to come in with their own ideas
It’s a pretty haphazard way to run things, so think new owners take some criticism there.
At younger levels where I know parents of boys in it, or in local football, Norwich are still absolutely streets ahead, Col U still dominate in that fertile South Essex and London area and we just go backwards in recruitment and losing staff at key lower levels who aren’t happy |
Strange that as you’d have imagined the club would have a clear vision in terms of direction rather than letting somebody in the role decide it, which is obviously then highly prone to change.
What’s your view on the quality coming out of it, and how we measure that? | | | |
| Academy issues? on 11:04 - May 28 with 1313 views | HighgateBlue |
| Academy issues? on 08:38 - May 28 by MattinLondon |
This thread is quite odd with some posters getting a massive hard-on with every supposed slice of negativity which appears - usually by someone ITK who probably isn’t.
The owners and MA have repeatedly stated that they want the club to have Cat 1 status - that’s the aim and that’s what they are going for.
If BK leaves then he leaves. |
To be fair, this person does turn out to have been ITK, otherwise it is doubtful that Phil would have run the story subsequently.
I am certainly pleased at the Cat 1 U-turn (because that's very definitely what it was). Let's hope for Cat 1 ASAP, and then a period of success for the academy and the first team.
No man or woman is bigger than the Club (including both Klug and Ashton). |  | | |
| Academy issues? on 11:07 - May 28 with 1291 views | Nutkins_Return |
| Academy issues? on 11:04 - May 28 by HighgateBlue |
To be fair, this person does turn out to have been ITK, otherwise it is doubtful that Phil would have run the story subsequently.
I am certainly pleased at the Cat 1 U-turn (because that's very definitely what it was). Let's hope for Cat 1 ASAP, and then a period of success for the academy and the first team.
No man or woman is bigger than the Club (including both Klug and Ashton). |
It will be a shame if Klug moves to Norwich. I do think fresh blood won't be a bad thing for us and I'm sure there is a lot of change that has been difficult for Klug personally. I just hate the thought of Klug going to them as a legend of our club really.
But to be honest he has enough credit to say fair enough if he wants to keep working and isn't really part of our future. At his age he's unlikely to want to relocate and at the end of the day if he wants to work then it's a job. Just a shame that he'll lose his status amongst our fans doing that. | |
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| Academy issues? on 11:08 - May 28 with 1274 views | HighgateBlue |
| Academy issues? on 21:25 - May 27 by itfc_statman |
Just to backup a few who have friends / family working within the academy setup, there is a wide dislike for Ashton.
Which shouldn't be surprising by the way. Anyone who's worked with him in a professional capacity will echo the sentiment that his bullish approach is great for a short term kick but it never works over a longer term.
It wouldn't surprise me if Klug, who by the way has been and spoken to those lot at least twice down at Colney, is half willing to go to them to make a point.
The academy is an expensive side hustle for our new ownership. Not interested in the long term potential gain as it's very hard to solidify. |
I have no personal knowledge of whether Ashton is as you say he is. But one safeguard that should be in place for anyone in the CEO role, to curb their excesses, or the effects of their excesses, is a Chairman.
And ideally it wouldn't be the same person as the CEO, because, y'know, that's kinda pointless. For me, that change was a modest-sized alarm bell, even when we still had hopes of a successful season on the pitch. | | | |
| Academy issues? on 11:27 - May 28 with 1203 views | bluesbrothers |
| Academy issues? on 09:46 - May 28 by itfcjoe |
The academy was cut back a few years back and whilst funding has returned there’s not really seemingly any coherence to it currently.
All the Ipswich lot at top of academy have been pushed out - Nash, Atay, Hogg, Dyer, etc. Faces didn’t fit in new regime and they knew never would - it happens
Then Dean Wright has come into run the academy, from Norwich. Brought a load of his staff with him especially on scouting and tried to rip it up and start again but by basically discarding the whole of Suffolk and looking for big bruising 14 year olds from London when recruitment relaxes distance wise
He then left
We’ve now got Hlajko, he’s got his own ideas - from what I gather it’s tapping into the areas Col U were strong in - Brentwood, Billericay etc and going toe to toe with West Ham, or trying and failing too…but from what I gather he isn’t going to be long for this role here so we’ll need someone else in to come in with their own ideas
It’s a pretty haphazard way to run things, so think new owners take some criticism there.
At younger levels where I know parents of boys in it, or in local football, Norwich are still absolutely streets ahead, Col U still dominate in that fertile South Essex and London area and we just go backwards in recruitment and losing staff at key lower levels who aren’t happy |
Why would the owners be to blame over Ashton? | | | |
| Academy issues? on 11:59 - May 28 with 1117 views | Churchman |
| Academy issues? on 11:27 - May 28 by bluesbrothers |
Why would the owners be to blame over Ashton? |
It’s not a question of blame. There are different operating areas of the club and I am guessing Ashton has to report to the owners on performance against target, where the money is going and what we get back for it.
Joe’s post is interesting and he is closer to what’s happening there than most. From what he’s said and the feel I get from it and other posts, the ‘policy’ on yoof looks confused - and that’s being kind. I’m still not convinced they are serious about it and tbh I’ll believe Cat A when I see it. And if they achieve it, are they going to do anything with it?
We ought to have advantage of a one club dominant area - N Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire yet let’s face it, they’re ‘owned’ by all the clubs around, not us. Yoof systems, scouting, infrastructure? Allowed to rot. It’ll take years to recover it, if at at all.
Is it productive for Norwich, WHam, Col U to take the best that ought to be with us? I don’t know. Certainly is for Sunderland whose team has I believe a good number of quality players it’s developed.
Klug? Sad if he goes to Norwich, but if what is being said is correct, he’s making the right move and I wish him well. It’s a job when alls said and done.
Sadly, fans forums seemed to have been binned because the policy around Academies, finding our own players is something to challenge Ashton on. |  | | |
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| Academy issues? on 12:04 - May 28 with 1096 views | textbackup |
| Academy issues? on 11:59 - May 28 by Churchman |
It’s not a question of blame. There are different operating areas of the club and I am guessing Ashton has to report to the owners on performance against target, where the money is going and what we get back for it.
Joe’s post is interesting and he is closer to what’s happening there than most. From what he’s said and the feel I get from it and other posts, the ‘policy’ on yoof looks confused - and that’s being kind. I’m still not convinced they are serious about it and tbh I’ll believe Cat A when I see it. And if they achieve it, are they going to do anything with it?
We ought to have advantage of a one club dominant area - N Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire yet let’s face it, they’re ‘owned’ by all the clubs around, not us. Yoof systems, scouting, infrastructure? Allowed to rot. It’ll take years to recover it, if at at all.
Is it productive for Norwich, WHam, Col U to take the best that ought to be with us? I don’t know. Certainly is for Sunderland whose team has I believe a good number of quality players it’s developed.
Klug? Sad if he goes to Norwich, but if what is being said is correct, he’s making the right move and I wish him well. It’s a job when alls said and done.
Sadly, fans forums seemed to have been binned because the policy around Academies, finding our own players is something to challenge Ashton on. |
I’m not how fussed he’d be about it if challenged.
I have no inside info on this, and not anti him at all… but I just don’t think he’d care that much.
As said earlier, we can take £1m £2m projects on these days, and if they work out happy days, if they don’t we sell for £500/750k and its still a saving on the £3 or £4m needed a year on the academy. |  |
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| Academy issues? on 12:04 - May 28 with 1097 views | itfcjoe |
| Academy issues? on 11:27 - May 28 by bluesbrothers |
Why would the owners be to blame over Ashton? |
I don’t know exact structure so just talking generally about things since takeover |  |
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| Academy issues? on 12:14 - May 28 with 1049 views | Zx1988 |
| Academy issues? on 11:59 - May 28 by Churchman |
It’s not a question of blame. There are different operating areas of the club and I am guessing Ashton has to report to the owners on performance against target, where the money is going and what we get back for it.
Joe’s post is interesting and he is closer to what’s happening there than most. From what he’s said and the feel I get from it and other posts, the ‘policy’ on yoof looks confused - and that’s being kind. I’m still not convinced they are serious about it and tbh I’ll believe Cat A when I see it. And if they achieve it, are they going to do anything with it?
We ought to have advantage of a one club dominant area - N Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire yet let’s face it, they’re ‘owned’ by all the clubs around, not us. Yoof systems, scouting, infrastructure? Allowed to rot. It’ll take years to recover it, if at at all.
Is it productive for Norwich, WHam, Col U to take the best that ought to be with us? I don’t know. Certainly is for Sunderland whose team has I believe a good number of quality players it’s developed.
Klug? Sad if he goes to Norwich, but if what is being said is correct, he’s making the right move and I wish him well. It’s a job when alls said and done.
Sadly, fans forums seemed to have been binned because the policy around Academies, finding our own players is something to challenge Ashton on. |
The Fans' Forums haven't been scrapped, I just think they've been scaled back to the league-mandated minimum following the original euphoria of the takeover/success, and since the club has started making difficult/unpopular/wrong decisions (ST moves, Norwich tickets etc.,).
I think there's definitely an argument that MA doesn't want to face too many difficult questions. There seemed to be far too many powder puff questions at the last forum, along with the usual 'why are you so amazing?' ones, and I understand that a Q&A on Radio Suffolk ended up scrapped/severely amended (can't remember which now) as they refused MA's request to vet the questions. | |
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| Academy issues? on 12:30 - May 28 with 987 views | textbackup |
| Academy issues? on 12:14 - May 28 by Zx1988 |
The Fans' Forums haven't been scrapped, I just think they've been scaled back to the league-mandated minimum following the original euphoria of the takeover/success, and since the club has started making difficult/unpopular/wrong decisions (ST moves, Norwich tickets etc.,).
I think there's definitely an argument that MA doesn't want to face too many difficult questions. There seemed to be far too many powder puff questions at the last forum, along with the usual 'why are you so amazing?' ones, and I understand that a Q&A on Radio Suffolk ended up scrapped/severely amended (can't remember which now) as they refused MA's request to vet the questions. |
The walk in life a WWF wrestler was the thing that got me 😂 | |
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| Academy issues? on 07:22 - May 29 with 683 views | PioneerBlue |
I am least surprised that the academy isn’t delivering first Championship, then L1, then Championship, then PL, now Championship talent. That trajectory has changed everything each year for several at the very moment a player might be ready to take a step towards first team squad. Into that add the lack of Cat1 status and clubs fishing our pool, add to that the earlier collapse under ME. It is a bit strange we’ve not been able to stabilise the leadership level over the last 4 years when we have elite level coaches in the building. KMck and the first team coaches should be a draw for younger coaches but they’ve had their focus on promotion after promotion then attempting to mitigate relegation.
Cat1 must come with a strategy, plan and existing environment to execute from and all of this recent change must linked to getting everything in place with the right people for a longer term view. | |
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| Academy issues? on 07:59 - May 29 with 553 views | Churchman |
| Academy issues? on 12:14 - May 28 by Zx1988 |
The Fans' Forums haven't been scrapped, I just think they've been scaled back to the league-mandated minimum following the original euphoria of the takeover/success, and since the club has started making difficult/unpopular/wrong decisions (ST moves, Norwich tickets etc.,).
I think there's definitely an argument that MA doesn't want to face too many difficult questions. There seemed to be far too many powder puff questions at the last forum, along with the usual 'why are you so amazing?' ones, and I understand that a Q&A on Radio Suffolk ended up scrapped/severely amended (can't remember which now) as they refused MA's request to vet the questions. |
If communication has been scaled back to the bare minimum, that is not acceptable as far as I’m concerned. It’s easy to sit there with your bottled water, crisp white shirt and contented smile when things are going well. Anyone can do that. But it’s far more important to communicate and show leadership when things are more challenging.
I agree with you re powder puff questions and, with regard to radio he should not be vetting questions. Ashton gets plenty of chances to do his thing, including blowing smoke up a boxer’s rear end at every opportunity, but should be prepared to engage on tougher stuff too.
It is noticeable to me how quiet they’ve been following let’s face it a debacle of a season. That cannot be the right way to go. Is it that the owners want out? Are they unhappy with Ashton? Have they blown the budget? Is the club riven with unhappiness and dispute. Are they clear and happy with the direction of such things as academies and community or have they left all that to Norwich City? Has it all unravelled?
All rubbish, stupid questions with no foundation whatsoever. Like nonsense transfer rumours, the CEO and the owners will get speculation, most of it daft, if they choose to hide. That’s why good, honest communication is important, even if it’s uncomfortable. | | | |
| Academy issues? on 08:08 - May 29 with 524 views | sjg |
| Academy issues? on 07:59 - May 29 by Churchman |
If communication has been scaled back to the bare minimum, that is not acceptable as far as I’m concerned. It’s easy to sit there with your bottled water, crisp white shirt and contented smile when things are going well. Anyone can do that. But it’s far more important to communicate and show leadership when things are more challenging.
I agree with you re powder puff questions and, with regard to radio he should not be vetting questions. Ashton gets plenty of chances to do his thing, including blowing smoke up a boxer’s rear end at every opportunity, but should be prepared to engage on tougher stuff too.
It is noticeable to me how quiet they’ve been following let’s face it a debacle of a season. That cannot be the right way to go. Is it that the owners want out? Are they unhappy with Ashton? Have they blown the budget? Is the club riven with unhappiness and dispute. Are they clear and happy with the direction of such things as academies and community or have they left all that to Norwich City? Has it all unravelled?
All rubbish, stupid questions with no foundation whatsoever. Like nonsense transfer rumours, the CEO and the owners will get speculation, most of it daft, if they choose to hide. That’s why good, honest communication is important, even if it’s uncomfortable. |
53 down votes when i raised this
Lol | | | |
| Academy issues? on 08:29 - May 29 with 458 views | Churchman |
| Academy issues? on 08:08 - May 29 by sjg |
53 down votes when i raised this
Lol |
It’s a question of time and place. February wasn’t either in my view. They didn’t communicate during the previous season either, apart from KMs press conferences. That was the time for McKenna and his team to do their thing.
The season is done now and there will be a lot of uncertainty, speculation and rumour. Not least around priorities and aspects of the club like Academy.
I am really asking questions, not intending to make a judgement or criticism as such. Poor writing on my part as it reads that way. I have less idea than just about anybody how a football club operates, what ITFCs situation and plans are, what the CEO or anyone else does day to day. [Post edited 29 May 8:34]
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| Academy issues? on 08:56 - May 29 with 388 views | Bobbychase |
| Academy issues? on 12:14 - May 28 by Zx1988 |
The Fans' Forums haven't been scrapped, I just think they've been scaled back to the league-mandated minimum following the original euphoria of the takeover/success, and since the club has started making difficult/unpopular/wrong decisions (ST moves, Norwich tickets etc.,).
I think there's definitely an argument that MA doesn't want to face too many difficult questions. There seemed to be far too many powder puff questions at the last forum, along with the usual 'why are you so amazing?' ones, and I understand that a Q&A on Radio Suffolk ended up scrapped/severely amended (can't remember which now) as they refused MA's request to vet the questions. |
I think perhaps as a wider fanbase we didn't help ourselves with those forums. The questions certainly weren't vetted there, you could just stick your hand up and a lad with a microphone would come scurrying over. But a lot of the time was taken up with "questions" that weren't questions at all but rather pre-prepared speeches, or stuff about parking tickets and people having to walk a bit further on a matchday due to stadium footprint changes. |  |
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| Academy issues? on 09:01 - May 29 with 358 views | Zx1988 |
| Academy issues? on 08:56 - May 29 by Bobbychase |
I think perhaps as a wider fanbase we didn't help ourselves with those forums. The questions certainly weren't vetted there, you could just stick your hand up and a lad with a microphone would come scurrying over. But a lot of the time was taken up with "questions" that weren't questions at all but rather pre-prepared speeches, or stuff about parking tickets and people having to walk a bit further on a matchday due to stadium footprint changes. |
I'm not sure that the club would have had any issue with those questions.
For every five minutes wasted complaining about not being able to take bottle caps into the stadium, or having a ramble about how much you love McKenna, it's five minutes where a more probing question cannot be asked.
Based on other little bits and pieces of evidence here and there, that's exactly how Ashton likes it. | |
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| Academy issues? on 09:27 - May 29 with 288 views | Pinewoodblue |
Doesn’t seem unreasonable to suggest that the Academy is our Achilles heel.
We have taken big strides in every other area, infrastructure, federation, first team, women’s team but the academy and to certain extent the U21’ team, have lagged behind.
Achieving Cat1 status will help but it is only part of the solution. Whichever way you look at it the academy is under achieving and that has to change. It seems, from this thread, that those within the academy structure put the blame on those above them. All too easy to do.
Would the guy, mentioned earlier, who has left have produced better results if he was paid more? I very much doubt it.
We need to have someone leading the Academy taking full responsibility, someone fully focused.
We also have a first team coach vacancy thst needs to be addressed at the earliest opportunity. |  |
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| Academy issues? on 09:29 - May 29 with 284 views | Bobbychase |
| Academy issues? on 09:01 - May 29 by Zx1988 |
I'm not sure that the club would have had any issue with those questions.
For every five minutes wasted complaining about not being able to take bottle caps into the stadium, or having a ramble about how much you love McKenna, it's five minutes where a more probing question cannot be asked.
Based on other little bits and pieces of evidence here and there, that's exactly how Ashton likes it. |
It's not the club's fault if people wasted the chance to ask more serious questions.
And given that most clubs would never let their CEO answer unvetted questions from fans in public and live stream it, I don't think this is the cover up people think it is. | |
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