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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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Most amazing thing about this post is hearing Our owner talk properly and I've always given BillyBaxterwasbest an up mark.... see miracles do happen in twos!! What next.......?
Credit to ITFC for a great PR move for what I believe is a massive step towards building bridge's with the wider community. It's a shame it's taken so long for the extremely likeable M.E to front up, as if he'd done so previously it would of created far more positivity towards him and the bad feelings would have been minimised. There is however something good to be said about an owner who does not crave the limelight and lets the manager get on with things. M.E is clearing managing the finances well, and a lot of credit should be given for the stability of the club, so fair play to him on that one also, even if he is offsetting that huge debt against his more profitable empire, after all he's a ‘top' businessman first and foremost. Let's hope we don't have to wait another 10 years for the next instalment, although once a season ‘live' would be adequate.
On the face of it a highly informative, open and self effacing assessment of where we are and where we need to go. I was pleasantly surprised by the willingness - albeit a little unpolished - of Steve Pearce to confront the difficult issues. A spin doctored pile of nothing this was not...thankfully.
That said, was I convinced by some of the mea culpa...probably not. He talks about the fact that the club is nothing without fans and that the club is so important to the “community” but in his actions (not his words) over the last 11 years , he has treated both with considerable disdain. We can talk about the flawed judgements of managerial appointments but his selection of that odious corporate slime ball Clegg and the empty suit Milne to deal with both fans and community has been disastrous and smacks of him not wanting to have anything to do with either. Let's face it, he has only done this after 11 years because he is desperate, season tickets and crowds at a generation low, income falling out of the bottom of the balance sheet, oh alright then, if I really must.....
But this said, we have no choice but to recognise his measured and considered approach to running an average club in the basket case madness that is football. No wonder he would sell given half the chance. He has no emotional commitment here only rational / financial commitment and that is nowhere near as powerful when the going gets tough. His claim that it would be “right for the club” for him to sell was probably the most disengenuous bit.
All in all, it s a positive . If The Master of the Art of Management could have talked to everyone like this instead of swearing at them and calling them ignorant for not loving his proper blokes, we would probably not be in this place. Never a man inclined for self reflection, I am pretty sure that will be lost on the Great Ego.
Time as we have all said to come together and unite. COYB.
That wasn't an interview, it was a PR exercise. Didn't look to me like someone talking freely, he knew the questions, had written answers himself previously and was reading them from an autocue imo. Only a few of you weren't taken in. And he's said nothing new, so likely nothing will change. Yet all of a sudden he's a stand up guy and the last 10 years are forgotten. Unbelievable!
@toxtethblue, I'm far from 'content' with Evans, and undoubtedly many of your points are valid! He's a capitalist that's for sure, but at this present time, what's the alternatives ? He's 'servicing' the club's debt! There are of course differing view points on why! Unloading an 'owner' is nowt like 'removing' a manager. The 'majority' ended McCarthy's tedious tenure, thus a potential 'new era' has evolved, an opportunity for all concerned to respond positively and see from there what unfolds! I'm really looking forward to 'returning' to Portman Road with a 'cautious optimism'.....it's a 'massive challenge' for a manager, but with supporters 'onside' at least we can all 'row' in the same direction !!!
Not pessimistic just realistic. No money in this league equals no progress. You might be happy Town stagnating in the championship till you die but I'm not...
If the new manager is a decent appointment, and we start the season with a fit Dozzel, Adeyemi, Huws and Webster, things could take a turn for the better.
If the new manager doesn't capture the imagination, and attritional football is still to the fore, I see darker times ahead.
The club still lacks imagination - there's nothing to set us apart from so many other clubs. I note for example that Aston Villa's kit will be supplied by a local company from next season, giving a link back to the community. It might work, it might go horribly wrong, but this is the sort of thing we lack. Where was the ‘different' we were promised yesterday?
Warktheline, agree we need to pull together and when I go to a game I will support the team. Just can't believe how one staged and pre prepared interview which essentially brought nothing new has left so many fans convinced and has instilled so much new found faith in this guy. It's actually ridiculous.
The interview told us nothing we didn't already know....and is a tad disappointing. No stadium paint job. No serious push for promotion. No sacking of the catering management. It's just business as usual on a shoestring. I had a dream overnight that the no.1 bloke of blokes, Dougie was our new manager, with the polish fella his sidekick/tea boy. So was expecting not a lot. That's what we got....
We have finally heard from the owner who has admitted to making mistakes. We have a new manager coming in let's be positive now. There are a few people still not happy and calling out some fans for saying they were happy with what they heard in the interview and their excited, well good on them I'm excited maybe you lot about stop moaning and just give the owner another chance and see who he brings in before you judge..... did you really expect the owner was going to say that he is going to pile loads of cash into transfers, come on
Some may well be surprised that I am as upbeat as I am after ME fronting up at last - I am unashamedly pleased with how he spoke, and indeed what he actually said.
He obviously has more idea of the state of play than most people would have given him credit for, myself included - it's painfully obvious though, by certain posts, that some will never be satisfied unless we had the spending of millions at our disposal. That in all probability, and reality, is not going to happen for obvious reasons - we are never going to compete financially with the likes of Clubs attracting and able to accomodate 40k plus gates. However, that doesn't mean we cannot seriously improve on where we are right now.
Optimistic that things have already taken a huge turn for the better - lets continue to move forward.
Cut the negativity people - we still have a great Club - after a pretty dire period of time.
Fairs fair, I think it was a genuine attempt to try to address the decline of the past two or three years. He came across well I thought. It is a chance for a new beginning and I hope he gives a few more interviews now the ice has broken. He is certainly better to listen to than Thunderbird puppet Milne.
I thought it was a very genuine and detailed interview. Marcus came across very well and he clearly wants the best for the club. Good to hear that his kids are Town supporters - hope they keep up the investment conversations over the dinner table! Looking forward to the new season - COYB!!
A thought or two from someone who hasn't been to Portman road for some time, (if i may be permitted them) but did so for decades, seeing both the ups and downs.
First of all it seems plain to me that Marcus has made a few public speeches in his career, very polished and professional. In general, i look favourably upon the interview. As some have said, there wasn't a lot in there that we didn't already know, but i actually took some comfort in that. I'd have been worried if he came on camera spouting things that were completely different from what we'd heard from him off camera, so to speak. He clearly believes in what he's doing for the club is the right thing, though i suspect most supporters would like to see a time limit on things like "The Five Point Plan". I take his comment of "will be trying something different, calculated but different" to mean that it is very unlikely that the new manager/coach, will be a name from the old managerial merry go round, for which, i for one, would be delighted! I can well imagine there have already been plenty of applicants, and there's probably more to come at seasons end! I think we still retain just enough of a standing as a club to attract decent/ good names, and of course it helps that we have a reputation in general, of giving managers time, (unless it becomes clear that it's a total disaster, quite quickly!), Who wants to apply for any job (football or otherwise), where on the basis of two or three bad results, you know you're going to be out on your ear! It even took PG a whole season to turn Man City around!
On the subject of spending on new players, i have posted on here once or twice in the past about the need for a bit less tightening of the wallet, but i certainly wasn't talking about untold millions spent on one player. It can work (ask Wolves!) but there's no guarantees, and we need to remember that, as wealthy as Marcus is by all general reckoning, he can't compete on even terms with the very high rollers that abound in the game these days. So hopefully 2/3 clever additions to the squad, and certain injury prone/plagued! players getting and staying fit for a season, along with some of the younger players given a chance to show what they can do, will see a definite upturn in performances!
May i be permitted to ask that all of you who spend your hard earned on regularly supporting the club as i once did, (and still care deeply for), be prepared to draw a line under the last ten years, and look forward with some optimism to the future, (both near and further). We may all be delighted or deflated again, but as the saying goes, "hope springs eternal"!
Great to hear from the top. ME comes over as an owner and supporter of the Club. Puts his money in to run the Club, while some supporters are not prepared to do the same? His money needs to be spent on The Academy, Brian Clug as the mastermind. The new Manager needs to be aware of these facts, have a few major players to bring in, and Town Supporters to start doing their bit...support the team.
A fairly timid, scripted in-house interview. Would have preferred Phil Ham or Stuart Watson to ask some tougher questions.
Whilst it's good to see Evans go public, not much to be gleaned from this other than little will change. Those getting excited about this are perhaps too easily pleased.
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