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Clegg and Evans Spending Weekend Interviewing Candidates
Clegg and Evans Spending Weekend Interviewing Candidates
Friday, 7th Jan 2011 23:22

Chief executive Simon Clegg and Town owner and chairman Marcus Evans will spend the weekend interviewing potential new bosses. The duo have a number of prospective candidates to speak to with the process already ongoing.

Clegg says he and Evans will spend the next few days working on securing Town’s new manager with an appointment unlikely until Monday at the earliest: “The process is ongoing and we’ll be looking to bring it to a head this weekend. Both Marcus and myself will be involved in the [interview] process. We’ll probably do it separately, then we’ll probably then do it together.”

The Town chiefs know what they are after in a new boss but Clegg was giving little away at Friday’s press conference: “We’ve drawn up a whole list of criteria in terms of what we want for our new manager but I’m not going to put any emphasis on any particular quality.

“We have started the process and we are speaking to a number of people. That process is in train and as soon as I am in a position to announce a new manager I will do so.”

Clegg is well aware that some bookies stopped taking bets on Paul Jewell becoming the Blues boss earlier in the week: “There are a number of names which have been mentioned and I have followed the betting odds with great interest.”

While Jewell is a strong early favourite and Doncaster boss Sean O’Driscoll is another name we understand to be interesting the club, Chris Hughton, Gary Megson, Steve Cotterill, Alan Curbishley, Chris Coleman, Gareth Southgate and Darren Ferguson are all claimed to amongst the other potential candidates.

Jewell's Wigan, Bradford and Derby assistant Chris Hutchings was sacked by Walsall earlier in the week, while one report claims that West Ham coach Wally Downes is being lined up as the Liverpudlian's right-hand man at Town.

The former British Olympic Association chief says he and owner Evans have been assessing Town’s progress, or lack of it, under Roy Keane for a while: “Marcus and I have been discussing the run of form and this has been a fluid and evolving situation. Marcus and I have been discussing the situation for a period of time now and this all came to a head on Thursday.


“Decisions of this nature should not revolve around one particular game. I think we were sixth in the table after we beat Sheffield United at the beginning of November and since then the performance of the team has been very disappointing.

“We’d always said we were going to review the situation at the halfway point of the season. We needed to give the new manager the opportunity to come in and not only have the second half of the season but have the opportunity of the remainder of the transfer window.”

Clegg says he got on well with Keane and dismissed suggestions that the Irishman’s spiky nature led to his exit: “On a personal level, I’ve greatly enjoyed working with him and it’s been a very easy relationship.

“In terms of personality, every manager has their own management style. Having spoken to the players today, a lot of them have benefited from the huge strengths that he brought to the football club.

“This is a hard game and we need to prepare people for the conflict of a football game. Roy has a particular management style. We bought into that, we accepted that, but with the benefit of hindsight it’s not delivered what we hoped it would deliver.”

Clegg refuted accusations that appointing Keane was a mistake: “I certainly don’t accept that it was the wrong decision. With the benefit of hindsight it’s disappointing that he has not been able to achieve the very high standards and the expectations that he demands of himself.

“He’s an awesome individual, someone who I have a huge amount of respect for and have grown to like over the last 20 months. It is disappointing that he wasn’t able to achieve what we set out to achieve.”

Keane regularly bemoaned the lack of support he received in the transfer market, particularly last summer, but Clegg says that with some exceptions deals were done: “He did get the backing of myself and the owner, you only need to look at the track record in terms of the players that were brought in.

“I do accept that there were one or two individuals that we weren’t able to bring in, for whatever reason, primarily driven by the wages they wanted to receive, but that’s history and we move on.”

The 51-year-old promised that the incoming boss would have money to spend: “The new manager will be given assurances that he will have the support and resources to achieve the objectives we have for the club.

“If you look at our track record, every transfer window that Roy’s been here we’ve made some fairly significant signings and we will continue to support the new manager in the way we supported Roy Keane.

“The new manager will face the challenge of getting himself up to speed with the current players and seeing whether he can get more out of the current players than Roy Keane was able to. Look at the squad, identify what the weaknesses are and look to fill those.”

Clegg still sees the play-offs as a realistic target but concedes that the top six is a big ask: “I recognise it’s a huge task and I’m not suggesting that’s an objective we will be setting the new manager, but certainly we need to improve our position in the table and take this club forward. Certainly we should be aspiring for success this season and hoping we can get into the play-offs.”

The chief executive says that unlike when Sir Alex Ferguson recalled his Manchester United players from Preston in the wake of his son Darren’s sacking, Jack Colback’s return to Sunderland was purely down to injuries at the Stadium of Light rather than having anything to do with Keane’s friendship with Steve Bruce: “I spoke to Jack in my office before he got on the road to get back to Sunderland.

“Steve Bruce has called him back and I’m sorry to see him go, I think he’s made a great contribution to this club, both this season and last and he’s the type of player that I’d like to see back here in the future.”

The Harlington-born former Para says that despite the current position and Keane’s sacking, the basis of a decent side is at the club he joined two days before the departed boss: “I’m confident that with the ongoing commitment and support of the owner, the drive and determination of the players and the staff we have the nucleus of a good team and that we can move this club forward.”

Clegg also reaffirmed Evans’s commitment to Town: “He remains absolutely firm behind this football club and will continue to support it.”


Photo: Action Images



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petermorris added 10:20 - Jan 8
bobble - these are not fun times as we have no manager and gawd knows what is in store for us (the supporters).... How will you feel if Megson is appointed?
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brogansnose added 10:23 - Jan 8
Can't believe Megson would even be considered or Fat Sam come to that. Don't mess about, get O'Driscoll.
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oddball added 10:28 - Jan 8
I think they already have a manager, how can u possibly interveiw over one weekend, they must have planned this for a while, they haven't just gone oh friday keane gone now lets interveiw possibles, its a done deal probably Jewel who i think would be a good manager for ipswich.
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Moisha added 10:30 - Jan 8
The problem with some of those names, they are employed already, which means we will have to ask for permission to speak to them. Look out for news on 'Ipswich have approached such and such to fill their managerial vacancy after Keane's sacking'

if we don't here anything, it won't be O'Driscoll, Poyet or Cotterill
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petermorris added 10:33 - Jan 8
I'm sure Cleggie and Mystery Marcus have seen all sorts of hopefuls over the last few weeks. RK was in place well before Magic got the boot.

Houghton is the only manager on record as saying that, as matter of principal, he would never negotiate a managerial contract when the outgoing manager is still in place. He wouldn't have talked to them until late yesterday or today. It might be him they're seeing.

I hope.
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meekreech added 10:34 - Jan 8
Heaven help us if Jewell gets it !

Bobble
You must be ill cos you havent started calling for the manager to go !
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wilnis_barmy_army added 10:34 - Jan 8
From that list i'd like to see Curbs or O'Driscoll! O'Driscoll has always managed to pick talent up on a small budget! He also seems to recognise potential that keane didnt. Whilst keane has gone all over shop to find a decent goalscorer, o'driscoll picked up sharp!
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imalwayswrong added 10:35 - Jan 8
Martin Jol please
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rolly added 11:03 - Jan 8
It has got to be someone like Zola, hughton,curbishly or wilko a decent bloke that people can respect not some dull boring git like megson or jewell!! but whoever it is let's give it till the he end of the season and see how he's done then we can all can start the negativity if needs be!!!
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jas0999 added 11:23 - Jan 8
Looking at the people linked this morning (in Phil's article):

Paul Jewell : By no means my first choice. Record at Derby a real worry.
Sean O'Driscoll : Yes please, but compensation an issue
Chris Hughton : No more experienced that Keane - but offers a different style
Gary Megson : Would test even my comment of 'Will always support the club whoever manager is'!!
Steve Cotterill: Average
Alan Curbishley : My first choice. Will know wbaout club as regularly been watching
Chris Coleman : Not good enough at Coventry
Gareth Southgate : Inexperienced.
Darren Ferguson : Oh dear - what to say!
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NorthblueBen added 11:49 - Jan 8
God alive please will someone explain to me why the names of Megson, coleman, southgate and dowie are being mentioned, we need someone who is capable of doing the job, for f@#ks sake just get keane back if thats the calibre you are going for
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VILJOEN67 added 11:55 - Jan 8
jas0999 Spot on
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northdevonblue added 12:03 - Jan 8
Only 2 names cut it for me and that is Curbishley and O'driscoll the rest are no better then Keane, and if Megson gets it well......
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Lightningboy added 12:20 - Jan 8
It riles me that someone like Clegg is involved in deciding the future of our club..he'd probably never heard of ipswich town 2 years ago.

ME should've hired someone who knew the club & our history.

I've got a terrible feeling we'll end up with another muppet in the manager's chair next week.
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SinaiBlue added 12:24 - Jan 8
Of course Roy Hodgson is now available !

But I would like Curbs or O'Driscoll
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NorthblueBen added 12:25 - Jan 8
I have that terrible feeling like you lightningboy
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Keaneish added 12:30 - Jan 8
Yeah spot on Jas0999 - whoever it is has to be unemployed if they're interviewing cup weekend and will make an announcement on Monday. Praying for Curbs or Martin O Neill but will be surprised if Paddy Power are going to lose money and it not be Paul Jewell.

Scowser in charge of Town? Doesn't feel right regardless of track record.
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stinkiusminkius added 12:55 - Jan 8
Curbs for me all the way. It just seems as though he'd be perfectly suited to us (in the way that keane never felt right from day one).

Otherwise hodgson now available and would be good.

MON will never come (but would be superb).
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Blue_Fred added 13:01 - Jan 8
1st choice for me would be Curbs and Holland, Jewell is not a scary propostition as long as it's the Wigan version
Also feel however it would be good if we could get Butch Wilkins somehow involved as he's a proven quality coach/man manager
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colonel added 13:03 - Jan 8
Sean O'D for me. Dreamland if Wilkins was with him... if only

For Keano to go when he did makes me suspect sounding out conversations re successor(s) been going on for a while & they know who they want. Often the case with senior appointments in many professions with i/v process to complete formalities & finalise terms. We'll see.

Good luck to the new man(men) when appointed........but please we do not want Megson under any circumstances.
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WREXHAM_BLUE added 13:16 - Jan 8
I hope the process involves some face to face consultation unlike the disrespectul ways both Jim and Roy were 'dismissed.'
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Moisha added 13:18 - Jan 8
Keaneish - forgive my ignorance but wasn't BFJ a Mickey Mouser!!
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Berts_chin added 13:19 - Jan 8
Personally I don't believe they are interviewing, I think the decision has been made for a while. It's just that they can't be seen to have someone lined up before deposing Keane.
As to who it is, as long as we see a return of entertaining football after the tedious dross that has been a hallmark of the Marcus Evans era, I'll be happy.
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Blue041273 added 13:21 - Jan 8
At least RK bowed out with a bit of dignity. This deluded fool thinks we are still a play off team. A reality check needed methinks. We need a manager who will save us from relegation; not one planning for the premiership.
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cunning_stunt added 13:36 - Jan 8
How about Kevin Beattie. Club legend, and in contrast to the outgoing manager he will agree with everything everybody ever says.
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