Legend Matt Holland has expressed his concerns regarding the current situation at Town with the Blues sitting at the foot of the Championship with only one win all season under boss Paul Hurst and says he has heard that owner Marcus Evans has been sounding out potential new managers.

“It’s a horrible situation that’s panning out at Portman Road at the moment. Bottom of the table and not playing particularly well,” former skipper Holland, 44, said on talkSPORT.

“Crowds have held up pretty well, to be honest, there was 18,000 there against QPR at the weekend.

“But speaking to lots of friends and people that go to the games, they said that was probably the lowest they’ve been watching it.

“A close friend of mine left at half-time, he said it was that bad. He said it was the worst he’d seen as an Ipswich Town supporter. It’s really worrying what’s happening to the club at the moment.”

Holland says the club’s summer business is a big factor behind the present predicament.

“The recruitment has not been good enough, simple as that,” he said. “You look at the players who have gone. Martyn Waghorn, £5 million to Derby, Adam Webster to Bristol City, Joe Garner to Wigan, David McGoldrick on a free to Sheffield United. That’s four quality players that you’ve lost.

“In have come a number of players from League One and League Two. Now, I’m not saying that players in League One and League Two can’t make the step up to the Championship, but to ask, say, eight or nine of them to do it at the same time is asking an awful lot of those players.”

😢 “I’m so upset. It’s really worrying what’s happening at the club.”

🗣 “I’ve heard Marcus Evans is talking to other managers about the job.”

Ipswich hero @MattHolland8 opens up on problems at his old club. #ITFC pic.twitter.com/Ex5CORH3S6– talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 22, 2018

Evans was widely believed to have been considering whether to change manager going into the international break and Holland says he had heard that other potential bosses had been talked to.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen and whether a change is going to be made,” he added. “You hear one or two things when you’re involved and you’re close to the club. I’ve heard that Marcus Evans has spoken to other managers and there’s a possibility that something might change.

“I don’t know whether that will change or not. That was a couple of weeks ago I heard that, that he had spoken to other managers. That will be interesting to see.

“You also hear about what’s going on on the training ground and things and by all accounts perhaps man-management has been lacking.

“I’m at a loss really because I’m so upset, a club that I’m so close to. I still live down the road, I go as much as I can, I work on Saturday generally so it’s difficult to go and see the on a weekend, but I go to midweek games.

“I saw them in the first game of the season against Blackburn when they were probably a bit fortunate to get a draw that day as well. It’s a tough right now.”

Very sensible comments by @mattholland8 got his point over very well. A Manager’s job is hard these days, there’s more emphasis on man management skills than on coaching, that’s why you need a good ‘man manager’ and a good ‘coach’ to work in partnership! Hard to learn on the job! https://t.co/DLwSRIQeR7

— Russell Osman (@RussellOs5) October 22, 2018

Photo: Action Images

Northstandveteran added 11:20 - Oct 23 With all due respect Swn, Those professionals were not having to watch it week in and week out. Having said that, Mick is looking a tactical genius compared to this bloke 😂
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naa added 11:25 - Oct 23 Swn98, I agree that MM did a good job on the budget and is respected within the football world. However, those people look at budget and results. They aren't interested in the entertainment on offer as it isn't relevant to the issue they are considering. However, as fans entertainment is the only reason to go and on that front MM largely failed. He did a great job steadying the ship and building a squad on a budget (which PH then dismantled because he's an idiot, and I don't just mean the sales, because some were out of his hands I expect), but after 4 years of boring football I think it's OK to want a change. Sadly we seem to be getting even worse football currently. But that isn't relevant to the issue of whether it was right to get rid of Mccarthy.

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barrystedmunds added 11:31 - Oct 23 We are without doubt in a precarious situation although I would suggest we haven't yet been cast adrift at the foot of the table so remaining in this league is certainly “do able”. However what we've seen so far doesn't exactly fill you with too much optimism in pure footballing terms, but, all those calling for “an experienced championship manager”; someone who knows the club; level headed individual”, name names!! It's too easy to sit there and slate PH, and believe me it's probably due, but who are you all talking about? Most on here wanted change, MM out and a young up and coming manager in which we got,but we all knew there was a risk, a huge risk which seems to be unraveling before our eyes. If PH is punted that risk doesn't lessen whoever we're talking about in replacing him.

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pops added 11:50 - Oct 23 Having been a supporter and ST holder for about 35 years last Saturday has made me feel for the first time to voice my concerns. the players looked unrelated, nervous, lacking in confidence and clueless of formation they were being asked to play in. How many more times do we have to see square pegs in round holes and players, recruited by PH, looking completely out of their depth like I feel he and CD are. No man management in evidence only fear. Why play one up front when you do not have a player to do it. I feel sorry for FS having to run around for scraps. Change is needed now, some previous ITFC connection would help with supporters and let the experienced players , who must be despairing, have an input.

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Sourdough added 11:55 - Oct 23 Ipswich Town legends, people who shaped the Club and brought it to the world's attention: - The Cobbolds - Sir Alf Ramsey - Ray Crawford - Ted Phillips - Sir Bobby Robson - Kevin Beattie - Arnold Muhren - Johnny Wark Ipswich Town Giants: - impressive players, too numerous to mention Ipswich Town fine players: - too numerous to mention; Holland in here, despite the annoying happy clappy routine When there are gods and demi-gods, there will be a Satan, a Beelzebub, a devil who drags the good name of the Club through the mud, who threatens the very existence of ITFC: - the present owner, beneath contempt.

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Northstandveteran added 12:23 - Oct 23 Excellent post sourdough. The word legend is bandied about far too easily.
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stringtheory added 14:11 - Oct 23 As mentioned in a previous post, I've been told some worrying things about the current state of morale in the dressing room. Why should I believe it? Well, it comes from the heart of the dressing room. Admittedly it was second-hand by the time it got to me and I know all about Chinese whispers but if even if only half of it remained accurate by the time I got to hear I think we all have reason to be concerned. Overall, PH and CD have lost the respect of at least some of the players. Over-emphasis on fitness fitness fitness. Manager and assistants 'superiority' has been established (and maintained I guess) by belligerence and lack of respect for some senior pros. Inability to motivate. Some other weird stuff that won't get a mention today. Just look at how we're playing, the seeming lack of will, and consider if any of the above would influence at least some of the players and what they're prepared to give. Add some of the second-rate signings PH has made and what do you get?

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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:21 - Oct 23 Ive got to say I heard more passion in that interview than ANY of our players showed on the pitch Saturday. I do wish some people would take their blinkers off when it comes to ME. Yes he saved us but now what? Part of his plan is introducing the kids from the academy well that cannot happen when he sells the silver every year, 4 good potential prospects sold the past 2 years from the youth team so how can we do that? Our debt has gone from 30 million when he took over to nearly 100 million and that STILL with 50 million recouped in transfer fees in that time if you took the 50 million we made in transfers away weve actually somehow lost 120 million in his ten years!? How when we have one of the lowest budgets in the league!? One of the reasons was Clegg (Hired by ME) who let players we bought in for millions leave for nothing and I thought ME was a successful businessman I bet this doesnt happen with his other parts of the PLC! Gibson at Boro is worth between 90-100 million but still makes them competitive every year ours is worth 900 million and we have to shop at Oxfam still! Yes crowds make a difference but if we are competing we know crowds go up thats been shown in the past and we do have the fan base just not the team or owner our once great club deserves anymore. Lets start putting the blame where it deserves to be because we could have Guardiola at our club and he'd struggle!

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warktheline added 18:58 - Oct 23 @swn, if McCarthy is such a ‘legend' within circles of ‘football' why hasn't he got another club to manage? 😂
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Swn98 added 20:39 - Oct 23 Warktheline when a club is far enough in the mire come Nov-Dec someone will go calling. Incidentally i have found myself agreeing with most of your posts this season.
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Carberry added 21:05 - Oct 23 Whoever thought that signing a dozen players most of them League 1 or 2 could ever work? Jamie Vardys only come along once in a generation. Delusional. We lost 45 goals out of last season's team with players that departed and we now rely on Freddie who managed 2. Are we surprised we are in the deep stuff?
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armchaircritic59 added 22:12 - Oct 23 For me the issue is simple. The buck stops firmly at the top (as it does/should with all businesses). We have an owner who has appointed (either off his own bat, or by listening to the wrong people) a string of inept managers (JM and initially, MM aside) and PH is merely a symptom of the disease, not the disease itself. If he gives PH the "chop", i'd be really worried about what comes next, mind you, i'm fairly worried now! I think, maybe it's time for ME to do the honourable thing. He's gone on record as saying he's not expecting any monies owed to him to be repaid. If there's any really wealthy local businessmen or maybe a consortium, that cares as much about the club as several thousand supporters do, it would be great to hear from them! I don't believe it's too strong a word to say the club is very close to entering "crisis" mode. For the record, my idea of manager was always a choice between Maurice Stjein ( i see VVV.Venlo are currently ticking along nicely in fifth place in the Dutch Premier League, early days, i know) or Gary White, recently employed by Hong Kong (!) to work his particular brand of international minnow magic! Of course ME, would probably have had to shell out more to entice either of those gentlemen to PR. So, we continue to do things on the cheap. Caveat Emptor!

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