Neil Warnock is again being linked with the Town manager's job with the Blues claimed to be close to ending current boss Paul Lambert’s time in charge, however, we understand that as yet there has been no contact between the club and the veteran boss.

According to various reports, owner Marcus Evans’s patience is running out following last night’s 1-0 defeat to Fleetwood with Warnock said to be the man being lined up to take over, as was also speculated at the weekend.

However, TWTD understands there have so far been no talks between Town and Warnock despite the former Cardiff City and Sheffield United boss knowing Evans well.

Rumours that Warnock, who has previously said he plans to retire this summer, would be a target should the Blues look for a new boss previously circulated just after Christmas prior to Lambert signing a four-year extension to his contract, which runs to 2025, on New Year’s Day.

Warnock has been spoken to about taking over at Town in the past, most notably after Roy Keane’s departure in 2012, and we understand is interested in the role should it become available.

Quizzed on the links with Town job in December, he told The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT: “I think I get linked to everything, all managers do, don’t they? I think that’s how it is at the minute, they’re all talk and everything and you just don’t know.

“But, like I say, if the right thing comes up, I’m not really bothered what it is, I just want to enjoy myself to the end of the season really.”

While Lambert's contract, signed only two months ago, has five years left to run, break clauses were included in the deal, one of which states that the Blues boss would receive a greatly reduced settlement if he were to be fired at the end of the season with Town having failed to make the top six.

Photo: TWTD

Saxonblue74 added 19:36 - Mar 4 I'm no Evan's sympathiser, I'll make that clear first! He's made some real howlers during his tenure. I do feel confident though that he's far too shrewd to offer a five year contract to a manager who has only been here a short time, and with little success.
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DerbyBlue76 added 19:38 - Mar 4 This season has gone - we won't go up or down, so it is about looking to the future. Why make the change? I think the core of the issue is about the culture of the club. If you look back over the last few years one of the core issues is that things are very comfortable. Stuart Watson made some very good points here https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/the-verdict-blackpool-2-ipswich-town-1-1-6539568 basically saying that things are too comfortable - "David McGoldrick, reflecting on his final few years under Mick McCarthy's management at Portman Road after joining Sheffield United, said: "I maybe got a bit too comfortable at Ipswich, although I loved my time there. But we were mid-table every week and there was no big expectations to go out there and win every game." This is what Hurst tried to fix, but did it in a bad way. My point is that bringing in someone like Warnock could do a key role, shake the club up a bit, set some standards and expectations and begin to shape the culture of the club. A manager like Warnock can do this in a short-term, knowing that they will not have to see the players the next season, so they don't need to have to worry about upsetting people. Doing this could set things up for the next season helping a new manager with the long-term transition

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legoman added 19:52 - Mar 4 Derbyblue76, I love your brain.
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itfchorry added 19:57 - Mar 4 Second time under the Evans reign - We were top. Failed again to invest in players to take us over the line. Cue programme notes spouting usual .......
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dugoutdave added 20:00 - Mar 4 I don't like him but hiw about Warnock until the end of the season. Then bring in a younger manager with Warnock staying and guiding him from behind the scenes. Youth plus experience
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ITFCsince73 added 20:00 - Mar 4 Saxon. And I would imagine Lambos to shrewd to commit to an extension without the financial security that would give him. A manager with a long contract would put off bigger clubs who might be interested for starters. If this season would have turned round.... Saxon go back to stories when extension was signed. It's all clear this was an extension, with long term commitment from both club and manager. To suggest this long term commitment could be broken by either club or manager after a matter of weeks or at anytime soon is absurd. Football don't forget is unlike any other business. As Evans keeps finding out.

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ArnieM added 20:02 - Mar 4 bobbyramsey: I do apologise. I went to up arrow you on my phone, but sausage finger actually hit the down arrow, sincere apologies and I do Hope you're right 😁👍
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LWNR2013 added 20:04 - Mar 4 That last paragraph seems to square away the contract issue, or am I missing something?
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Lathers added 20:07 - Mar 4 Blues1 - how the feck do you know the clubs intimate financials? You don't, you are quoting wildly. I'm pretty sure that in this day and age the powers that be makes sure an Owner has a legally binding duty of care and Evans also has his business rep to consider. I can't stand all those on here that constantly claim Evans is the messiah who saved us and we should all be eternally grateful for his money without which we would be the next Bury. That's BS. He had had his time at playing Champ Manager and it's failed fecking miserably. He needs to cut his losses and sell to someone who will take on debt yes, but if managed properly could make himself a few quid and dare I say it... actually make it fun for the fans!

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BobbyPetta11 added 20:20 - Mar 4 Some fans on here no happy with Warnock potentially taking the reigns? I'm honestly one that would be over the moon, look at he's track record he is a winner. What coup that would be to have him in! What else are we going to attract & who else is available to be able to manage the size of our clubs expectations.
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bluesince76 added 20:24 - Mar 4 Doesn't burley live in Ipswich didn't he get us back into Europe playing great football isn't it obvious.
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marco5113 added 20:32 - Mar 4 We need a manager now who will assess the current situation and to analyse the best way to move forward. For Instance, assess the playing staff, coaches etc and get rid of the 'dead wood'. The youngsters will need to be kept at the club, if that is at all possible with Ipswich's policy on selling our best assets. Injury prone and players with a track record of fitness problems need to be properly risk assessed and decide if they merit a contract. Skuse, Chambers, Judge etc even struggling in Div 1 now are not players who will add anything to the club now and should be given free transfers. A proven goalscorer to help Jackson Norwood and Sears(possible albeit injury / age risk). The other striker his name escapes me because he never scores should be shown the door. We need a manager with experience in the lower divisions possibly or championship with a proven winning record. Yes Warnock might be a quick fix but not long term. Evans also now needs to decide if he wants to INVEST BIG in the club to move it forward OR just about keep it afloat financially and let it die.

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DerbyBlue76 added 20:35 - Mar 4 Thank you legoman!
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anditractor added 20:39 - Mar 4 I'm wondering after all this talk of bringing in Warnock short term until the end of the season, if we can persuade him not to retire and carry on next season to get us into the promised land. We need to do something quick as it looks now we are going to be in league 1 again next season. Warnock says he could do a good job and maybe he will like it enough to stay. Just a thought

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runningout added 20:39 - Mar 4 Things moving in usual recent direction at ITFC. Reverse!
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monkeymagic added 20:52 - Mar 4 Warnock has an impressive track record but I doubt any manager could get 7 wins from this squad. Also, why would the players step up for someone who evidently wouldn't even be around for 20/21. Personally, I think there's been issues behind the scenes for several months, with rotation and tactics being a probable reason for unrest. I suspect PL's contract extension was an effort to reign in players who thought they could unseat PL : sure enough, a settled team and formation was implemented and results improved for a bit before normal service was resumed. Whatever happens now, Evans will look a complete Bell End. He either sticks with a manager who has failed abjectly or fires someone he's only recently given an extension to. Any shred of credibility he had left will be gone. I'd be amazed if it happens but I think a good realistic appointment would be Nigel Clough.

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ringwoodblue added 21:02 - Mar 4 Would be happy to see the back of Lambo but I'm not sure the old goat is the answer (no disrespect to goats of course). We need to start afresh with a manager who can put a long-term recovery plan into action, clear out all the deadwood, those who can't play for the full 90mins and build a new team around our most talented academy players who play attractive entertaining football. Ipswich have been too soft and a push-over for far too long now, we need to be more physical, more resilient, a team that other clubs fear.

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ITFCsince73 added 21:09 - Mar 4 All sounds very similar to the Hurst reign Monkey Magic. Or that's just been the club in general since MM left??
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monkeymagic added 21:15 - Mar 4 I think you're right ITFCsince73, and I have a hunch that numbers 4&8 might just feature....If PL goes I wouldn't rule those two out from being appointed. So long as they promised not to register as players, I could just about stomach that!
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Chris_Knights added 21:15 - Mar 4 We don't need warnock ... we need Jesus Christ to get us out this mess maybe with the odd miracle for good measure turning chambers in butcher ; Jackson into Brazil and miracles upon miracles bless skuse with some ability
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ITFCsince73 added 21:22 - Mar 4 More than happy to see Chambo and Skusey take the reigns. If it ends there time on the pitch it's a no brainer. And a better bet than Butcher, Burley imo. Of course a lot dependent on their choice of coaches, but a good fit. And best buds after all.
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dieselmorris added 21:25 - Mar 4 do not want warnock here i have sat in alf ramsey upper for the last few years, remember watching ipswich against cardiff few years 0.0 watching the buddlia grow in the guttering was more entertaining than what was going on the pitch dished up by the two stuck in the past coaches, that were supposed to be giving us something to be worth paying money to watch. i for one feel sorry for lambert , as you all know how to manage a football club try running it with virtually the same players that he inherited apart from about four no money given to him to improve it on the pitch, been unlucky with injuries to ones he did bring in,norwood unfit when he arrived key unfit when he arrived here. tel us on here what did evans do for him sweet fa.sixteen players let go or sent back from loans last season must have saved a small fortune on wages alone.

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Umros added 21:25 - Mar 4 Not a fan really BUT we have become a soft touch and he wouldn't put up with all this tippy tappy fancy football that goes knowhere. We are in afraid a stereo typical soft southerners, we need physicality in this league and it might not be pretty but gains results.
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ITFCsince73 added 21:31 - Mar 4 Can't disagree with any of that Dieselmorris.
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dieselmorris added 21:40 - Mar 4 and I'm doing a john lennon had enough of the drug I'm going cold turkey
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