I'm still livid. About the result and performance, and general on-field demise of course, but more so about how far this club has fallen in terms of it's moral compass, its role in the community and the recent treatment of a long standing and well respected member of the local media. I've sent my email, I don't expect it'll make the slightest bit of difference but it was cathartic nonetheless.
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To whom it may concern,
I'm moved to write to you in relation to the state of Ipswich Town Football Club - please do keep reading. Born and bred in Ipswich, I've grown up as an Ipswich Town supporter, following the club through the good times of Premier League and European football, and the less good times of administration and 3rd tier mediocrity. You might think such an upbringing would lead to a biased and unbalanced opinion on such emotive matters as football, as I sit here after heavy back to back home defeats, typing through my metaphorical blue tinted spectacles, and of course you might be right.
However I would like to think I take a fairly objective approach to the goings on a Portman Road. I've spent my life in and around football, including 6 years in the academy as a kid, a subsequent semi professional career, badges, and coaching roles at 2 current league 1 clubs, including our opponents yesterday. That of course doesn't qualify me to offer my opinion any more so that anyone else, and I certainly don't speak for all Ipswich Town supporters. However, I strongly believe that everyone, as supporters and stakeholders, is entitled to a voice, and I can only speak for myself and how I see things. As I've got older and followed my career outside of football, I take as much interest in the commercial viability and financial performance of the the club now as I do the 90 minutes on a Saturday afternoon, and I'm greatly sympathetic to the challenges we face in that respect. That said, I do believe there's currently a disconnect between the squad that we have available to us, and how that is translating into performances, results, and ultimately our league position in the 3rd tier.
This time last year you might remember our captain spoke to the press and declared that 'anything less than promotion is failure', before we ultimately slumped to our 11th place finish and lowest league position for 60 years. I think most would have agreed with the sentiment of those comments, which were certainly aligned with the communications coming out of the club with regards to the promotion ambitions and expectations for the 2019 / 2020 season. Despite such a failure, we've gone into another season of arguably greater importance with the same management team in charge. A senior member of the coaching staff recently tweeted (perhaps unwisely) that we're operating in a 'distinctly average league' and anything less than top 4 and we might as well call it a day. Leaving aside the sense in such public opinions from someone employed in that capacity, its worryingly that such top 4 ambitions feel entirely unrealistic for a side with a demonstrable incapability of beating top 8 sides at this level. Frankly, there doesn't appear to be any strong reasons to believe we are in much of a position to improve on last seasons failure, which has been evidence with the recent results. It's increasingly clear to me that Paul Lambert isn't the man to take the club forward, and I would be keen to hear the clubs reasoning for keeping this management team in role off the back of last seasons failure, and the performances so far this season?
Finally, I would like to offer my thoughts on the recent ban issued to Phil of TWTD, that I became aware of yesterday. All of the on-field frustrations are of course disappointing, and frustrating, but it's rare that the club that is so close to my heart saddens me, as this news certainly has. It worries me greatly that the club can allow such a Draconian course of action towards someone who has done so much for Ipswich Town and its supporters. Specifically with regards to the issue at hand of the leaked lineup on the TWTD website, it feels to me that it's akin to telling off at a wall for graffiti. If I might be so bold as to suggest it it's perhaps more prudent in this instance to establish who is selling the spray cans?
As football supporters we can't be expectant of results on the pitch, they will always remain out of our control to some degree, but I do believe we can expect certain standards off the field that we can ensure. I won't romanticise about the Cobbold days and red wine in the boardroom, as frankly its of little relevance today, but the extent to which the moral compass of ITFC is increasingly 'off point' is disturbing. Mr Lambert's recent aggressive treatment of the press is not in keeping with the standards I would have come to expect of this club, nor are they fair towards loyal and hardworking independent journalists who have found themselves in this position through no fault of their own. I would hope that common sense will prevail in this instance and you, in your capacity, will endeavour to ensure better standards towards local and national press.
I hope you take my note with the good intentions that were meant, and I would be delighted to chat with you further should you so wish.
Kind regards,
C_B
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Phil I don't believe I've ever met you personally but I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you're being put through this. The wider Ipswich Town community has your back and I hope you realise what a well respected and appreciated role you play. Keep up the good work, as others have said you were here long before Lambert and you sure as hell will be long after he's fecked off. |  |
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