Town have confirmed that manager Paul Hurst has been sacked, owner Marcus Evans believing that it “is in the best interests of the club” to appoint a new boss with ex-Norwich manager Paul Lambert set to be his successor. Assistant manager Chris Doig, fitness coach Nathan Winder and physio Chris Skitt have also left the Blues, while academy head of coaching and development Bryan Klug will take caretaker charge for Saturday’s game at Millwall.

“I have decided that it is in the best interests of the football club that we appoint a new manager to take us forward,” Evans told the club site.

“I would like to thank Paul and Chris for their efforts and we wish them well for the future but after 14 matches we find ourselves bottom of the Championship and with only one win this season.

“Paul’s arrival here in the summer was welcomed by us all and we worked tirelessly to support him fully with his plans for player recruitment, training methodology and backroom staff.

“But unfortunately those plans haven’t turned into positive results, which is why I have had to take this decision today.

“The core of our club remains strong and it is that which has helped us create a highly competitive team in the Championship over the last five or six years.

“This group of experienced players along with the additions we made to the squad this summer of younger developing talent, plus the ongoing progression of players from our academy means the new manager will have a solid group to work with and build for the future.

“I am determined that we develop a team to play attractive and exciting football. We have a stable and talented coaching team in place at Ipswich and Bryan Klug will step up and take temporary charge of the first team for Saturday’s trip to Millwall.

“I am actively looking to appoint a new manager as soon as possible with experience, who will embrace the long term vision we all have for the club and who can deliver the success that every Ipswich Town supporter craves.”

Photo: TWTD

ldnj added 18:01 - Oct 25 Does Gary White have a probation period with Hong Kong ... ?! His record and learning looks impressive to me. I'd love to see someone like that given a chance.
1

Pip50 added 18:03 - Oct 25 We could appoint Muhammad I'm hard Bruce Lee, won't make any difference until the club invest in the squad to keep pace with the top half of the Championship. Won't happen!
1

Super_Cooper added 18:04 - Oct 25 Terry Butcher.
-2

planetblue_2011 added 18:05 - Oct 25 Feel sorry for Hurst. Evans shouldn't of appointed him as manager in the first place. Not sure if Lambert is a good thing or not. Done well at Norwich but not much else after that. Give Klug full time job he done ok after Mick left. Whoever comes in just keep us up!!
-2

norfstanda added 18:11 - Oct 25 Never like to see someone get sacked but this was ultimately the correct decision. Appears that this job came too soon for hursts career as manager and he was out of his depth. However an equally large part of the blame has to be with the players as well who have simply not been good enough. Makes me laugh that a manager can get the sack but the players who are equally not performing will stay at the club and will be given a second chance by the new manager?! If Evans is looking for championship experience I would go for Steve Bruce. Although will Evans fork out money on Bruce's wages......? Interesting January window coming up as town need to invest. Will Evans splash the cash.......doubtful

0

Europablue added 18:13 - Oct 25 I really would have liked to see him stay for the next three games. It seems a bit hasty when 2 wins out of 3 would have totally changed the look of the table. I don't know what is going on behind the scenes though, and maybe I'm too optimistic. I just really hate the idea of getting managers in, letting them sell most of our players then sacking them when they fail. We need to stick to the Ipswich way of playing, that way we won't have to change the whole team every time we change managers

0

BigStu added 18:13 - Oct 25 Nash and Hogg should take over with Klug helping in the background. Don't want to see us go down but don't want another ‘Safety First' managerial merry go round appointment either. Let's use our talented youth, let them play without fear with team mates they know. Immediate success? Probably not. Continuous improvement, with entertaining attractive football? Oh yes. Don't mess it up this time Marcus.

2

itfcsince1974 added 18:14 - Oct 25 I don't fancy lambert at all. I would like to see Gary White. Wanted him first time around. Check out his managerial stats. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_White_(football)
1

StowTractorBoy added 18:16 - Oct 25 Planetblue2011 I don't think that Klug would want the job as he is truly dedicated to the academy and it would be a shame to lose him from that role. Nash is obviously a good man and may do the job for us but as Hurst found out Championship football is a chasm from under 23s and 18s football. Like many others Lambert is not my first choice but lets be realistic here whoever takes this on has got one helluva job to keep us up. I myself would prefer Warburton as he salvaged Forests season a year or so back and plays football the way Ipswich used to play. Whoever it is we have to go with it and support the new man.

5

chepstowblue added 18:24 - Oct 25 Saddened but not surprised. The appointment of a young hungry manager and the recruitment of young hungry lower league players was the way to go.But its not worked. I was also one of thousands that predicted certain relegation the season after MM was released. Even my mate from Glasgow(a 72yr old clyde fan) had watched us numerous times last season and told me he thought we were 'f@@king sh@te' even by Scottish 2nd division standards,and that we were 'relegation fodder'. There's an inevitability about this situation. Im also worried about our away following at Millwall this Saturday,as there's a growing number of delinquents who for about 24months have only attended games to get pleasure out of singing " you're getting sacked in the morning". How ever will they pass their time? Well you've got your wish now. Perhaps its time to start supporting your beloved club and showing the passion that you laughingly claim to have. It'll take a very clever man to keep us up this season. I'm currently numb and have no ideas as to who !!

2

bluedickie added 18:27 - Oct 25 I agree with plenty of you , feel sorry for PH but he really was out of his depth and it is the right decision for him to leave , he gave his best but it just wasn't good enough, I would like to see Burley back in charge which looks unlikely so maybe Carvahal , good luck to whoever comes in COYB
2

Daddio added 18:28 - Oct 25 Would also like Gary White, but not sure this is the right time for another manager that is new to the Championship. Klug has made it clear that he doesn't want the job full time. Lets recall ALL our loaned out players and give them the experience they need, Woolfie and Pennington in the middle, they can't do any worse. Bring in Bent, a free agent that has stated he would love the chance, could be on a game by game contract.

1

itfchorry added 18:38 - Oct 25 Just do one SW98 -Stop winding people up You are a bore
5

chopra777 added 18:40 - Oct 25 GOODY GOODY GUM DROPS. Now we can plan the Great Escape.
0

karl1426 added 18:43 - Oct 25 We need someone who is connected to this Club to bring us forward. Someone who is blue blooded. I would love to see Burley and Butcher back here. Let's hope someone who is connected to this club takes over!
-2

Surco72 added 18:47 - Oct 25 Personally thought we should have payed the money and got Lampard in the summer look at the young players he attracted on loan ripping up the championship . Don't think Lambert would be the right appointment due to his recent record and his past loyalties . The club needs a lift badly with a marquee manager and signings , a statement of intent is badly needed now from Evans

-1

ShropshireBluenago09 added 18:49 - Oct 25 Social media meltdown here in Shrewsbury, they are loving this!
1

andygizmo added 18:53 - Oct 25 Remember when MCCarthy came in with the offer of a £1m bonus if he kept us up? Bruce would seem a good bet on that basis. Outsider - Burley and Holland. Remember Kevin's Drive past The ground tomorrow at 2.30.
2

Edmundo added 18:53 - Oct 25 What's happening to our club? This is a slow death by 1000 cuts.
0

dugoutdave added 18:56 - Oct 25 Time was right. Like him or not ME did what we wanted, brought in a new young manager with a strong reputation and an announced support on a youth policy. . If PH hadn't have been so hell bent on clearing out MM players and stamping his own authority, he might have seen he would have been better taking stock of what we already had since most agree that some of our younger players are way better than those he's brought in. It's like he wanted to disinherit everyone. Evans has to have some credit for calling time on him since it will cost him, but now he is between a rock and a hard place. If we go down the loss of revenue would be massive and we could easily spiral out of control with a final result that none of us would want. He could choose another young up and coming manager who could see what he could do on the basis that lightning doesnt strike twice, with the end result as above Or he could go for experience but knowing it will cost in managers wages and that certainly the manager is going to demand that in the January window he's going to have to spend big in order to get players who can bring about the turnaround. It's all so easy when it's not your money to be critical and I know hes worth a fortune but your don't make it by wasting it. Certainly this is costing his company more in lost reputation as well as the finances of continually putting money into Ipswich. Glad its not mine or my decision to make.

6

Bluefox added 19:00 - Oct 25 Condemned almost from the start by his disastrous transfer dealings. Hard to believe Hurst didn't help ease Waghorn, Garner and Webster out the door thinking he could do better recruiting from the lower divisions. Turns out he was way out of his depth. Players brought for £6 million are not 'young' talent from the lower leagues. Most of them are well into their careers and will now be worth only a fraction of what we paid. Can't say I am delighted by the prospect of Lambert (have any other manager been in charge of Norwich Colchester and Ipswich?) but it is going to need someone tough and experienced to give us even a glimmer of a chance of survival now. And someone tough enough to deal with a disgruntled dressing room of players who are mostly not good enough. Sadly I fear that in a few short months Hurst has set the club back years.

1

drewcudders1963 added 19:08 - Oct 25 Why fans keep wanting Burley.... done nothing after leaving Ipswich and out of management for too long and Butcher (?)... why a joke he has failed everywhere he has managed !! Lambert will be a good manager for us, played good football and can organise a team !
3

runaround added 19:09 - Oct 25 Sad to see Hurst go but 100% the correct decision as it wasn't working & was getting worse. It does look as though he has gone about the role in totally the wrong way despite on paper seeming to be the perfect candidate. Every managerial appointment is a gamble though, some work some don't. Be it Lambert or whoever, they will have a tough job ahead
7

LWNR2013 added 19:09 - Oct 25 Blue fox. .. I don't think it's that bad. Young and up and coming are still here, some out on loan will come back. Edwards, Donacien, Jackson could be ok/maybe. All is not desperate IMO but it's very close.
1

Davidwb20 added 19:14 - Oct 25 What amazes me is all of the negative comments towards Paul Lambert-At the end of the day if does become the next manager, we will all need to get behind the team! After all whoever takes over will have a thankless task ahead of them.
7

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls