| Cook’s nightmare 09:09 - Mar 21 with 3436 views | PositivelyPortman |
When Paul Cook wakes up this morning, will he regret waiting around, and passing up other clubs, for the Town job?
Did he seriously misjudge the enormity of the task at hand?
Did he realise what a dire bunch of lazy, incompetents - with one or two exceptions- that he’d inherited?
I can’t imagine that he hadn’t done at least some homework on the squad’s lack of ability and their frailties. [Post edited 21 Mar 2021 9:46]
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| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 with 2835 views | townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |  | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:30 - Mar 21 with 2806 views | Cheltenham_Blue |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 by townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |
Yep. The footballing reputation of the squad and the actual ability they display are two entirely different and separate things.
Something is horribly wrong at ITFC. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 10:00 - Mar 21 with 2671 views | ArnieM |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:30 - Mar 21 by Cheltenham_Blue |
Yep. The footballing reputation of the squad and the actual ability they display are two entirely different and separate things.
Something is horribly wrong at ITFC. |
Yip, It’s called Marcus Evans ! |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 10:04 - Mar 21 with 2663 views | Radlett_blue |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 by townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |
It's not the ability of the squad, it's the mentality. Town have been mediocre to poor for over 5 years now & that won't change at a drop of a hat. Anything Cook achieves this season is a bonus & 4 points from 5 games is clear evidence of that. When he took the job, he knew there were umpteen players out of contract in the summer & he would have a 2 year project to get Town promoted, of which he would appear fully capable, given his record in Divs 3 & 4.
There's no doubt the current squad is underachieving, but that's more down to the previous incumbent. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 10:26 - Mar 21 with 2603 views | Romeo4 |
Our current squad are many things but I honestly don’t think “lazy” is one of them. Something is missing in regard to mentality and I definitely think that some are simply not as good as we, or perhaps they, think they are. But I would stop short of questioning their effort.
It’s a bloated squad which lacks balance and is mentally frail at the moment. Years of poor man-management and ineffective coaching has done a lot of damage.
I expect Cook has been slightly surprised at seeing first hand just how bad things have got. He would’ve been genuinely hopeful of making a quick impact in terms of results by instilling a more positive environment. However I expect he’s looking forward to the challenge ahead and I have no doubt he’s the right man to have a go at it. |  | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:29 - Mar 21 with 2576 views | wkj |
Nah, any professional manager won't think like that. I am sure he is frustrated, but he knows his real job begins this summer. How well Evans backs him will determine if he starts feeling regret |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 10:34 - Mar 21 with 2567 views | azuremerlangus |
No, like us watching from the sidelines he knew exactly what he was getting into.
I'm sure his well above average salary for this level helped his decision too but I think he enjoys the challenge of it all - which is just as well!
If anyone can turn it around he can. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 11:03 - Mar 21 with 2491 views | Radlett_blue |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:34 - Mar 21 by azuremerlangus |
No, like us watching from the sidelines he knew exactly what he was getting into.
I'm sure his well above average salary for this level helped his decision too but I think he enjoys the challenge of it all - which is just as well!
If anyone can turn it around he can. |
In terms of fan base, town are similar to Portsmouth & bigger than Wigan. What I found surprising was that Cook apparently turned down jobs at some Championship clubs, although one of them was Sheffield Wednesday, which was understandable. | |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 13:14 - Mar 21 with 2318 views | Churchman |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:29 - Mar 21 by wkj |
Nah, any professional manager won't think like that. I am sure he is frustrated, but he knows his real job begins this summer. How well Evans backs him will determine if he starts feeling regret |
Spot on. He will have known all about the mess the club is in, the legions of so called players on the payroll etc and the job to be done. He is not daft.
It’s how well Evans supports him in the summer that will determine if he has any regrets. And if ‘our saviour’ doesn’t support him, he has enough credibility to be off as soon as something better comes up. Unlike Lambert, he has been successful with clubs in the recent past, not ten years ago followed by a track record of failure and will get offers, I’m sure. [Post edited 21 Mar 2021 13:28]
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| Cook’s nightmare on 13:36 - Mar 21 with 2251 views | HARRY10 |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 by townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |
That was the odd thing, fans blinding themselves to the squad's inadequacies so as to blame Lambert.
It is only now that the Emperor's clothes is not an observation by one child. The current talk is suddenly how bad the players are, and so who is responsible for recruiting them, The former being both obvious, on the pitch and off in the league table.
How is it that successive managers have been dragging in freebies and has beens who at best last a season... or two ?
Is it bad management, or them having o work with little money. |  | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 13:37 - Mar 21 with 2237 views | J2BLUE |
Clearly not. He knew coming in that managers get time. He wouldn't have been expecting to get us playing like Man City after one training session. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 14:05 - Mar 21 with 2193 views | PositivelyPortman |
| Cook’s nightmare on 13:37 - Mar 21 by J2BLUE |
Clearly not. He knew coming in that managers get time. He wouldn't have been expecting to get us playing like Man City after one training session. |
Playing like York City would be an improvement.  | |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 14:26 - Mar 21 with 2106 views | Vic |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 by townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |
It is down to Lambert though isn’t it. The fact that the squad is still poor is his fault - he had long enough to change it. All he did was brought in more mediocrity.
What is undeniable in my book is that most of us thought the our youngsters were better than they have proven to be. We all wanted them to be brought in and the team built around them - well it’s been done and they have come up short. Is it coaching or just that they are not as good as we hoped? I’m still not sure tbh. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 14:57 - Mar 21 with 2045 views | daisyisabaddog |
| Cook’s nightmare on 14:26 - Mar 21 by Vic |
It is down to Lambert though isn’t it. The fact that the squad is still poor is his fault - he had long enough to change it. All he did was brought in more mediocrity.
What is undeniable in my book is that most of us thought the our youngsters were better than they have proven to be. We all wanted them to be brought in and the team built around them - well it’s been done and they have come up short. Is it coaching or just that they are not as good as we hoped? I’m still not sure tbh. |
This forum is divided between people who think we've had good players and poor coaching and those who think this is the worst set of players ever. I fall into the latter category. If by chance we get promoted it won't make pretty viewing. | | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 15:00 - Mar 21 with 2040 views | HARRY10 |
| Cook’s nightmare on 14:26 - Mar 21 by Vic |
It is down to Lambert though isn’t it. The fact that the squad is still poor is his fault - he had long enough to change it. All he did was brought in more mediocrity.
What is undeniable in my book is that most of us thought the our youngsters were better than they have proven to be. We all wanted them to be brought in and the team built around them - well it’s been done and they have come up short. Is it coaching or just that they are not as good as we hoped? I’m still not sure tbh. |
Lambert, as with others, could only work with the resources given.
And his comment about all parties at the club needing to get round the table to sort things out does not smack of harmony at the club, nor all parties being focussed on the same plan.
I think Lambert raised that particular problem as loud as he could, given the undoubted confidentiality clauses managers will have.
It will take more than a change of manager, I fear | | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 15:06 - Mar 21 with 2012 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Cook’s nightmare on 09:26 - Mar 21 by townblue |
The thing is all the talk about Ipswich the last season and a half has been how good out squad is and that any decent manager could get us promoted.
I think everyone assumed a lot of this was down to Lambert and hadn't realised quite how bad things had got with the squad. |
The last 2 years should have been a clue. We've got a defence who can't pass water, a midfield who are technically pretty but lacking fight, and embarrassingly goal shy wingers and strikers, bar Norwood. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 16:00 - Mar 21 with 1939 views | Steve_M |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:04 - Mar 21 by Radlett_blue |
It's not the ability of the squad, it's the mentality. Town have been mediocre to poor for over 5 years now & that won't change at a drop of a hat. Anything Cook achieves this season is a bonus & 4 points from 5 games is clear evidence of that. When he took the job, he knew there were umpteen players out of contract in the summer & he would have a 2 year project to get Town promoted, of which he would appear fully capable, given his record in Divs 3 & 4.
There's no doubt the current squad is underachieving, but that's more down to the previous incumbent. |
Indeed, it’s possible to read across to the squad that McCarthy inherited, plenty of ability but a similar mentality to that we see at present. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 16:21 - Mar 21 with 1886 views | mrshallisfit |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:29 - Mar 21 by wkj |
Nah, any professional manager won't think like that. I am sure he is frustrated, but he knows his real job begins this summer. How well Evans backs him will determine if he starts feeling regret |
Get ready for regret then. | | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 16:27 - Mar 21 with 1873 views | rgp1 |
| Cook’s nightmare on 10:26 - Mar 21 by Romeo4 |
Our current squad are many things but I honestly don’t think “lazy” is one of them. Something is missing in regard to mentality and I definitely think that some are simply not as good as we, or perhaps they, think they are. But I would stop short of questioning their effort.
It’s a bloated squad which lacks balance and is mentally frail at the moment. Years of poor man-management and ineffective coaching has done a lot of damage.
I expect Cook has been slightly surprised at seeing first hand just how bad things have got. He would’ve been genuinely hopeful of making a quick impact in terms of results by instilling a more positive environment. However I expect he’s looking forward to the challenge ahead and I have no doubt he’s the right man to have a go at it. |
It's worth remembering though that for those who blame Lambert and Evan's for our bloated squad should remember one thing. For what seems like eternity our treatment room resembled a field hospital , therefore without additional players we might have been further down the league than we are now. | | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 17:37 - Mar 21 with 1789 views | chrismakin |
| Cook’s nightmare on 13:36 - Mar 21 by HARRY10 |
That was the odd thing, fans blinding themselves to the squad's inadequacies so as to blame Lambert.
It is only now that the Emperor's clothes is not an observation by one child. The current talk is suddenly how bad the players are, and so who is responsible for recruiting them, The former being both obvious, on the pitch and off in the league table.
How is it that successive managers have been dragging in freebies and has beens who at best last a season... or two ?
Is it bad management, or them having o work with little money. |
Do you can look to sign 4 quality additions, or you can use the funds to bring in 10 players,
which do you do, the finances are the same.............
This is the situation Hurst and Lambert found themselves in. BOTH failed and chose the wrong options. |  |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 18:18 - Mar 21 with 1755 views | J2BLUE |
| Cook’s nightmare on 17:37 - Mar 21 by chrismakin |
Do you can look to sign 4 quality additions, or you can use the funds to bring in 10 players,
which do you do, the finances are the same.............
This is the situation Hurst and Lambert found themselves in. BOTH failed and chose the wrong options. |
This is such a stupid question, no offence.
You bring in the 4 quality players. Having a large squad of average players helps no one. | |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 18:20 - Mar 21 with 1748 views | chrismakin |
| Cook’s nightmare on 18:18 - Mar 21 by J2BLUE |
This is such a stupid question, no offence.
You bring in the 4 quality players. Having a large squad of average players helps no one. |
Seems a stupid question
But clearly one that is difficult for some managers to get right ;) | |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 18:27 - Mar 21 with 1722 views | Dennyx4 |
| Cook’s nightmare on 18:20 - Mar 21 by chrismakin |
Seems a stupid question
But clearly one that is difficult for some managers to get right ;) |
I think the scattergun approach, is down to not scouting well enough or not paying the right wages to attract the quality players, hence the Managers (even MM) recruited more players, hoping to find a gem. |  | | |
| Cook’s nightmare on 18:48 - Mar 21 with 1684 views | J2BLUE |
| Cook’s nightmare on 18:27 - Mar 21 by Dennyx4 |
I think the scattergun approach, is down to not scouting well enough or not paying the right wages to attract the quality players, hence the Managers (even MM) recruited more players, hoping to find a gem. |
Precisely. Do we really think MM wanted the likes of Best, Coke, Bru, Bajner etc etc? It's utter nonsense. | |
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| Cook’s nightmare on 18:51 - Mar 21 with 1676 views | chrismakin |
| Cook’s nightmare on 18:48 - Mar 21 by J2BLUE |
Precisely. Do we really think MM wanted the likes of Best, Coke, Bru, Bajner etc etc? It's utter nonsense. |
Did someone put a gun to his head and say sign them? [Post edited 21 Mar 2021 18:53]
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