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Sears: We Can Still Make the Play-Offs
Monday, 21st Mar 2016 06:00

Striker Freddie Sears says the Town squad still believe they can make the play-offs, despite Saturday’s dismal 1-0 home defeat to Rotherham United.

Leon Best netted the only goal of the game as the Millers climbed out of the relegation zone, while the Blues remain eighth, but now four points - plus goal difference - from the top six.

“We didn’t do enough to get something from the game,” Sears admitted. “Rotherham have a good manager and they have picked up some points of late so their confidence is high.

“Even so, these are the games we should be winning at home. It is a big blow, especially as the teams around us won. We have to keep going and coming back strong.

“The gaffer will get us working as we have a tough run of games coming up. We have to stick together as a club and come out firing. We believe we can still get in the play-offs.

“We looked better in the second half when we played with a bit more width. The first half was a bit tight. We played down the middle, which suited Rotherham.

“They played Greg Halford just in front of the defence and it suited them, we couldn’t break them down.

“Goals change games and once Rotherham got in front it was hard for us. We made changes at the break and came out better in the second but couldn’t break them down.

“We had a couple of chances but we need to create more chances for the frontmen. We need to get more balls in the box for the strikers. But there is no point in pointing fingers, we need to stick together.”

There were boos and chants of ‘What a load of rubbish’ at the final whistle, but the 26-year-old hopes the fans will be back on side when the Blues get back to action at Wolves after the international break and in the back-to-back home games against Charlton and Brentford which follow the visit to Molineux.

“As a player you hear the fans and it is not nice but you have to get on with it,” the former Colchester and West Ham man continued.

“The fans have been brilliant so for them to give us a bit of stick now is probably fair enough.

“Hopefully they will be supporting us next time round. The fans are disappointed but we are too — we have not come off laughing and joking, everyone is down in the dressing room. “

Rotherham captain Kirk Broadfoot said: “Mick McCarthy’s sides are always difficult to beat. We had a good structure, we contained them for most of the game and we looked dangerous. We were comfortable and overall we deserved the points.”

Town’s U21s are in action at home to Nottingham Forest at Portman Road this evening with David McGoldrick and trialist Keiran Morphew both expected to play (KO 7pm).

Meanwhile, former Town skipper Jon Walters was named Senior International Player of the Year at the FAI Soccer Awards last night.

Elsewhere, Ipswich Town Ladies beat AFC Sudbury Ladies 1-0 in the Suffolk Womens' Cup semi-final after extra-time at Greens Meadow, Stowmarket.


Photo: Action Images



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flyingdutchman added 06:19 - Mar 21
not with the idiot we got in charge
2

LimitlessBlue added 06:25 - Mar 21
No we can't Freddie. Let's not have all the players come out and say 'Hey we can do this' etc. etc. Yes mathmatically we can do it but we are not good enough and do not have the players to mount a serious play-off challenge. What next McGoldrick coming out saying 'I can still get 20 goals this season'.
18

Dissboyitfc added 06:35 - Mar 21
possible, freddie just not probable.
10

john151 added 06:36 - Mar 21
1 point from Bolton and Rotherham!! No Freddie we won't make the playoffs!
6

Woodbridgian added 06:39 - Mar 21
A very clever PR trick to put pun Freddie one of the few players that came off the pitch with any credibility after that performance on Saturday up for this morning player comments! Frankly after that gutless, clueless , disorganised shambles on Saturday I can't believe anybody would believe we stand any chance of reaching the playoffs. Freddie I will however be there supporting the team to the end which quite probably means I'm madder than you! As for a season ticket next year forget it while that dinosaur in change.
16

Popeye added 07:26 - Mar 21
MM starts with three defensive midfield players and leaves all the creative ones on the bench. When playing at home, we should put out a team to go and win the match and entertain the fans but MM puts out a side to defend and nick a goal and gets played at his own game by Neil Warnock!! I'm a big supporter of MM and how he has turned the club from relegation fodder to promotion chasers on a budget but somethings gotta change if town are to get out of this division, either a bit more investment by ME so town can go out and buy a bit of quality or MM has to change his philosophy but tbh i cant see either happening so where do town go from here?
9

Steelmonkey added 07:28 - Mar 21
Well I got my renewal for my season ticket through and I'm thinking after watching that on Saturday, should I bother. We have had several games like that at PR this season guess it took this one for the fans to voice their opinion. But what the f%#k would we know about football.
If the lad Feeney isn't offered terms it will show what we have here in charge at PR.
Whether he wants to play for us after Saturday is up to him, I'm sure he will catch the eye of many a championship manager who will be able to offer him far better terms than we are prepared to.
3

groovyASH added 07:31 - Mar 21
It is becoming a little bit tiresome hearing players saying this who then fail to deliver the goods on the pitch. You should all button up and actually start to demonstrate how we can make the play offs Freddie
7

essex57 added 07:48 - Mar 21
Well said Freddie, keep on believing that's the % games out of the way now MM has got to go for all out attack and win 5 of the last 8 I think we will see a completely different approach to these last 8 games that's what MM is all about if he doesn't change his approach then even I might lose faith.
COYB
1

evansblue added 07:49 - Mar 21
Sears is one of the few current Ipswich players who could play in the Premier league but the truth is we have not got a hope of making the play offs. The last few home games, apart from Forest, have been awful. Villa can mathematically stay in the premier league but we all know they won't.

Worrying for me is the number of fans who are genuinely thinking of not renewing. These are proper hard core fans for whom going to Portman road has turned in to a chore due to the poor entertainment. They would rather cherry pick 10-12 games and who can blame them. If things go well they can always get a half season ticket.
11

hogster1970 added 07:52 - Mar 21
well i think 16k out of the 20k when they saw the team sheet knew we would struggle with the combo of hyam scuse and douglas in the middle of the park, play any one of them yes, well personally either hyam or skuse, then with foley pringle and feeny, thats prob are best midfield 4 combo we have with murphy and sears upfront.
if we had played that then we would have stood a good chance of all 3 points. and like has said on here and facebook, why are we setting up to stop the visiting team playing, we are at home ffs, we set our stool out and let them worry about us for once, in the long term we will benifit, although MM has came out and said he was wrong, i should coco you was wrong, if it was the first time you tried it then fair enough but he tried it against blackburn and it failed until he changed it and then we got the points, wasnt pretty but atleast we had one well worked goal, how many have we had like murphy second goal this season, yep i think thats prob it, we need killer balls from midfield on the deck to split defences esp if they park the bus which rotherham did. but no one in the midfield could supply that.

so MM that is a wake up call mate, get your head out of your butt play the best 11 in there best postions and atleast end the season all guns blazing, if it works fantastic, more people just may renew there season tickets if it dont well atleast you tried from here on in. if you dont how ever we will end up in the middle of the table with low renewals and even less at portman road next year.

we had a good chance this year with some good players, unforchantly to many times we have never played our best available 11 with some sat on the bench, yes we have had injures esp to fraser disdy and the bish, but alot of times we have set up to negative and to many round pegs in square holes.
8

3stars added 07:56 - Mar 21
What is the point of all of this? Assemble a group of poor players on a shoestring and use the ability of our manager to massively overachieve with them but still fall short (because they're so bad and no one could get this bunch promoted) and play such utterly unwatchable football in the process.

It's clear now that season ticket numbers will fall - and who would blame anyone for deciding that they can't watch football so devoid of any quality, skill, ability, competence, that the whole thing becomes completely pointless?
10

blueherts added 08:12 - Mar 21
I think we had enough players capable of beating Rotherham on Saturday . But the way micks sets them up and sends them out was totally negative from the off
He admits it so what you gonna do ME ? Nothing I expect MM has his new contract and pipe and slippers on maybe crazy idea but I would have said we will give you a contract with big bonus in may if we go up .
Who knows ? But what I do know players like Freddie who actually play football won't be hanging about as long as we have 'Hoof the magic dragon' in charge
6

commuterblue added 08:25 - Mar 21
Of course we can, we are 4 points away with 8 games to play including one game against a direct rival. But there are 4 teams going for one place, so it is unlikely.
1

ArnieM added 08:26 - Mar 21
Love the team's optimising. But frankly not a hope;, as long as Mick persists with these negative, predictable and so fluckin boring tactics.

Mick, WISE UP FFS!!
5

blues1 added 08:35 - Mar 21
Essex 57. There's more chance of hell freezing over than McCarthy going for all out attack for the last 8 games. It's not in his make up. It'll just be more of the same boring rubbish. Oh, there'll be the odd tweak of the team, but tactics won't change.
4

parkinshair added 08:51 - Mar 21
We looked better in the second half because of different players!! Douglas ahead of Feeney REALLY!! along with two goals in two games Pringle who must wonder what he had done.
2

1RWR added 08:52 - Mar 21
So what do we do?
Change manager? Just sit (or stand where I am) & take this utter dross?
I missed Rotherham on purpose, I couldn't give a flying flick & that is dreadful for a season ticket holder of 20 odd years or any fan to be honest, but that's because of the utter $hite being dished up at Portman Road.
I saw the "highlights" Douglas at fault for their goal I think & Bera too friggin slow, apalling!
I for one would ask for a change, sorry but that's how bad I feel.

Love the "Hoof the Magic Dragon" from a previous post, best part of the weekend.
9

essex57 added 08:53 - Mar 21
Let's wait and see eh
-3

Pilgrimblue added 08:55 - Mar 21
Sears has done his best but sadly MM has played him out of position for so many matches and as a result isnt any where near the 20 goals he should have this season. But then MM has played pllenty out of position and stuck with his old favourites!
PLaying 7 at the back may have worked on tuesday but it was still a very poor game. MM doesnt like change but unless he frshens up the team he's going to lose the fans trust.
6

prebbs007 added 08:55 - Mar 21
You in the same deluded world as the dinosaur??

We have no hope if we play like that !!

Dream on Freddie
3

essex57 added 09:01 - Mar 21
Sears a premiership player? there weren't to many bidders when he was at Colchester there weren't any bidders in any of the windows so just a good Championship player.
MM is a percentage manager we know he fc##d up sat as does he now he only has one option whether the players are good enough to attack attack attack is another matter I hope they are I somehow doubt they are perhaps that's why he sets the team up as he does time will tell .
3

CornardBlue added 09:03 - Mar 21
Sorry Freddie but you must know something we don't and we are getting a new manager before our next game.
I have been going to Portman road for over 50 years and I can say the team Mick has put out for the last 2 games is the worst balanced teams I have ever seen.
Problem with Mick he always puts a team out not to get beaten and worries how the other team will set there team up.
For gods sake we are going for a play off place you put a team out to win the game. We sign a new winger he does not bring him on till half-time, Pringle has scored winners in 2 recent games he does not start, Foley has looked good he does not even get on field. Bru scores great goal at Bolton keep on bench until 10 minutes from time.
I suggest MICK walks around Stadium and looks at Statues of Sir Alf and Sir Bobby and asks himself why they are there.
The answer Mick is they played bloody good football and won the hearts of Town fans, they put a smile on our faces made us proud of this great club, they always played to entertain the fans.
14

1RWR added 09:15 - Mar 21
Good point Cornard Blue re-statues.
Sounds slightly childish, but how about yelling "HOOOOOOOF" every time the ball is errr, hoofed? Surely "Hoof the Magic Dragon" would get the message eventually.......or would he?
5

ITFCGloryDays added 09:19 - Mar 21
Living in dreamland
1


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