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Updated - Marcus Evans Interview Wednesday, 25th Apr 2018 12:03
Town owner Marcus Evans has given his first ever on-camera interview to iFollow Ipswich, watch it here on TWTD.
Among many topics covered in the near-half-hour interview, Evans talks about the appointment of the new manager - “It’s a big challenge and it’s a big issue for me, to find the right person” - and says he has an open mind regarding the new boss’s profile.
“I’m going to look for a manager who ticks [various] boxes and through a process of interviewing and speaking with those that know and have worked with the applicants I can get down to my final options,” he said.
“I’m not going to prejudge a manager, they could be young, they could be older, they could be experienced at winning promotion to the Premier League or not, but overall I want to find someone that buys into the club’s plans.
“To be clear on that, that’s based on the Five-Point Plan which I announced a while ago and that I feel brings Ipswich the best opportunity for promotion.
“it includes bringing players through from the academy, developing a team to play attractive and exciting football and achieving this within a competitive wage budget which is going to be below many of the parachute clubs in our division.
“It’s going to take some time and I expect to make an appointment towards the end of May or early in June, I would have thought, something like that.”
He added: “There are a lot of names in there and it’s a lot to go through. I think another couple of important factors in the appointment not being rushed are that a lot’s going to happen at the end of the season and management changes anyway are going to take place at the end of the season and we want to see what those changes are because there may be others that come on the list that aren’t currently on the list.”
Regarding out of contract players such as Luke Hyam and Teddy Bishop, who we understand is already in talks regarding a new deal, Evans said: “There are a few players, not that many, that we need to make imminent decisions on and the senior football staff will make the decisions on that.
“They will let me know what they think and then if it’s appropriate for negotiations to take place to renew contacts or do whatever we need to do, they will take place. They don’t need to wait for the new manager to be in place.”
Evans makes reference to the Five-Point Plan outlined in December 2016 on several occasions and says that remains the thinking with the new manager having to work within the same financial constraints as previous boss Mick McCarthy.
“I’m going to give the same answer to the new manager as I have to all the other managers in terms of being up front and honest about the budgets that are available and the way that we’re going to go forwards,” the owner said.
“I will continue to give the manager all the support I can within the sort of budgets that I’ve made available over the last few years.
“But let’s look at the squad we’ve got, it is competitive, it’s a great mix of youth and experience, we’ve got good cover across all positions.
“We’ve got players to come back from injury, Emyr’s going to come back, Adeyemi, Dozzell, and even the players who have been round this season, we’ve had so many who have had stop-start seasons.
“So once we get everyone fit, make a few select additions, I think we can be in the mix next year.
“And it is worth noting, despite what anybody thinks, our spend on the squad in terms of transfer fees and wages has been increasing each year.”
Evans admits he got it wrong when he increased season ticket prices last summer: “When I raised the season ticket prices last year that we clearly a mistake, I shouldn’t have done that.
“The reason behind it was that we needed more revenue to compete, we still need more revenue to compete, but that clearly wasn’t the way to do it and that’s why I’ve dropped the season ticket price this year by 10 per cent.”
The Blues owner has no immediate plans to sell the club but says he would be willing to listen to offers if someone was in a better position to fund a promotion push.
“If I didn’t feel we had a chance [of winning promotion], then, yes, it would be time for me to move on,” he admitted.
“But I’ve got no desire to sell, I think the plan that I’ve got in place has a chance of success and I want to be here to carry out that plan.
“But money is always going to make a difference and more money in this league would give us a better chance, particularly if it’s spent wisely and particularly if someone came along who could do a better job, had the personal and financial credentials to do a better job, I’d always do what’s right for the club.
“I suppose I’m in the fortunate personal position where I don’t have to recoup the investment I’ve made in the club.
“So, I suppose, yes, if the right person came along, offered the right prospect for the club, it would be wrong for me to stand in their way and I’d have to look at that very seriously.
“But I have to be honest with you, I’m not too sure why, but I haven’t seen too many Chinese or Russian oligarchs racing up the A12 in the last few years.”
On why he has chosen now to speak publicly on camera for the first time, he said: “I always thought it was really important that my being involved was certainly not about me in any way, it’s about the football side of the club and I’ve always tried to leave it like that, that the managers do the talking.
“But over this season, I think the circumstances have become different and it’s become clear to me that the fans really want to know where their club was going and I just felt the time was right now for me to have this interview.”
Photo: ITFC
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I can't see the resemblance to Paul Danaiels but I do hope he can spread a bit of magic around the club... Its good to hear his thoughts and actually see the owner, I respect the fact that he likes his privacy but that goes out of the window when you buy a football club, the fans need to see and hear the owners views and perhaps there would be a lot less animosity towards him if he had done it sooner. We really must hope he gets the decision on the manager right this time. Does a proven manger with a track record of getting clubs prompted have any better chance of doing it again - well we've been there and done that. Some might say we've heard it all before, but a successful business man doesn't change his tack at the drop of a hat.
Some incredulous short-sightedness (and short memories) from a lot of posters on here. Guy gives one interview in eleven years and is all of a sudden a real stand-up guy with a passion and a vision for the club. Laughable.
Nevermind liking Marcus Evans, from this interview my new heroes are his kids! Keep the pressure on your dad, kids! Keep nagging his ears off at breakfast, lunch and dinner! If they're anything like my three, they'll get him parting with more money in no time, just to shut them up!
Seemed a very open, honest man, and I am very encouraged by what I've heard today. I'll go,so far as to say my opinion of Marcus Evans has now changed and I actually believe he does have the Clubs interest at heart, and for what it's worth I actually now trust him.
..He came on and told us at long last pretty much what we'd already worked out. Oh yes, he's smooth ok.. 10 years late but a hint that he would communicate 'face to face' more in future. In that we may be grateful for a very small mercy..
I'm just glad to hear his children support the Town even if the rumours were correct that Evans was a supporter of Chelsea...can you imagine the flack he must of got over the last couple of seasons from them!?!...daddy if we can just buy so and so for £3M and him for this much, daddy if we can just get Wenger in!
Respect Mr Evans but all that was so wrong with our club,exciting football long gone,mixture of youth and experience gone, only in the last meaningless games does this happen we off load our youth we hear that they are doing great and not see them again but bring in loanee youth from prem clubs who are rapped in cotton wool.No disrespect sir but its about time you got out of your comfort zone been happy with the dross that been served up to your customers we all make mistakes but your has lasted far to long.In my view a manager with something to prove and believes in playing the game right win,lose,or draw.PS take more interest in the club 10 years far to long to address issues that have crippled the club best of luck getting our new man huge job for anyone.
Impressive. The guy has a much more detailed understanding of what had gone wrong at the club and what was right at the club than I ever gave him credit for. The names of the players, who was injured, contracts etc. how certain clubs were doing in the Championship and lots of other detailed stuff all tripped off the tongue and indicated he was closer to the club than many of us thought. I just wish he had spoken several months ago, but it is understandable that he couldn't while MM was in post. They speak different languages.
Now needs to find the right person for the job. Good luck Marcus.
Ipswich has never been a club which spent a lot of money, Bobby Robson was renowned for spending money like it was his own and only when he needed to. Getting the right manager in is far more important. I'm impressed by ME's interview and optimistic for the future. There are so many awful owners around (Sunderland, Coventry and Charlton to name but three), one needs to grateful sometimes for what you have.
Step 1. Win lotto Step 2. Buy club Step3. Move those damn seats by the walkway behind him, to the left!! OCD on overload!! Talks sense tho, brings stability, seems human... Would like to hear more from him tbh.
Very pleased he has done this interview, I think it's a very important step in getting the football club - everyone concerned - back together. I'll be honest, I'm still not a fan and am not entirely convinced with every thing he says. But, nonetheless full credit for finally facing the cameras.
This was an impressive performance. Marcus Evans clearly seems tuned in to what fans want to see - more entertaining football and our academy talent coming through to become first team regulars. He rightly thanked McCarthy for sorting out the mess left by his predecessors, but is now looking for someone more progressive with a plan B or C. All good stuff, but having said that and admitting that he was never going to offer Mick a new deal, we seem to have a long wait for the next manager. At least he has a lot of faith in Klug and the other backroom staff, so we will have some stability going forwards, and I bet those guys will sleep well tonight after getting the owners public support.
A lot of encouraging stuff. Still some points of concern. He clearly does understand the importance of the academy and has done the right things there after the Keane demolition derby. He's right the club is in better shape structurally and I'm glad there is knowledge on how it needs to develop further. But his reference to Ian Milne saying things to the media on the non playing side was a throw-away remark and on the face of it shows complete misunderstanding of what a modern football club CEO needs to be capable of. That side of the club concerns me greatly and will hamper a new manager / head coach. I love the commitment to playing attractive football taking it from the back, and of course we've seen that with the caretakers ... it remains to be seen how much the Mick and TC ethos has embedded itself in the squad but he's confident enough about the future which is great.
i think only positives can come out of this interview,i would have liked the interviewer to ask marcus questions about initiatives to fill the empty spaces in the ground next season,if it means more reduced tkts for kids,free tkts for schools,unemployed, underpriveleged etc,that surely has to be an important thing going forward,that would do wonders for the image of the club and would also give a feel good factor in the suffolk community,yes fans with a few bob can fork out for season tkts but to recreate the newcastle atmosphere last season the ground needs to be full or nearly full,how are empty seats creating revenue? lets be forward thinking and consider some options,lets fill the old portman rd like the old days!we all know times have changed, its tough out there for a lot of folk,but overall a good interview.
At the end of the day its the mans money!! Some fans think money grows on trees. How abot the fans got behind the team and supported them the proper way instead of turning home games into away games getting on players and coaches backs. The fans are supposed to be the 12th man. But there are some fans out there with such a negative opinion. People are not realistic enough im afraid and being a thorn in the cubs back with there constant moaning. It was a fair and honest interview and fair play to him and i think the fans need to show some gratitude. To be honest most of the negative comment come from young immature fans or older ones that do not have a clue. So shut up and support your team!! ITFC through thick and thin I will always support the rite way!!!!
Got to admit impressed with the whole interview and it seems strange to hear him so open and tell us exactly what we want to hear. Let's all decide once the new manager is in place now COYB!!
Piers Morgan would have given him a harder time if he had been paid to interview ME but this guy gave him an easy ride and I'm sure the interview would have been edited and approved by ME before it was released to the public.
The reason ME has been perceived by some as being a bad owner is because he has been so aloof and distant from the club. He has also used puppets - Clegg and Milne (and the other one) who also came across as being inept, clueless and unable to say anything without getting it cleared by ME first and as having zero knowledge of football whatsoever.
This interview is long overdue, addresses many issues fans have been concerned about, acknowledges mistakes and is a step in the right direction and that IS what it is - a step - a journey of a thousand miles will always start with just one step.
IF this is the beginning of improvements in communication between the club and fans then great - but as he doesn't seem too keen to repeat future interviews again I fear it will be same old same old.
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