My Best Town XI: Terry Connor Wednesday, 29th Apr 2020 10:02 In part 27 of the series, Kieron Dyer catches up with former Blues assistant manager Terry Connor, who selects the best XI from his time at Town before Dyer assesses his side. Connor, who was Mick McCarthy’s assistant between 2012 and 2018, has picked a team of players who were contracted to the club rather than including any loanees. Goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski - Player of the Year three years on the trot, which says it all. Right-back Luke Chambers - Chambo wasn’t a right-back, we knew that, he knew that, but he gave us great balance because we had so many good, reliable centre-halves. He played there because he knew it was best for the team. He never, ever moaned about it. I’m not saying he’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, but he had good quality and he could handle the ball. Left-back Aaron Cresswell - It could have been between Aaron Cresswell and Tyrone Mings, but I think when Cresswell was at Ipswich he was a more complete player, a more complete full-back than Tyrone was. Tyrone was still very raw, while Cresswell was complete. Centre-half Adam Webster - A top, top player. Very good with the ball and it hasn’t surprised me that he’s now in the Premier League. When we signed him we always knew he was going to be a Premier League player. Centre-half Christophe Berra - For the balance of the team I’ve gone for Christophe Berra because he’s left-footed. He was solid as a rock, I don’t need to say any more than that. BialkowskiChambersBerraWebsterCresswellSkuseBishopTabbWaghornMcGoldrickMurphy
Centre midfield Cole Skuse - Skusey and Teddy Bishop were the best combination in that season or 18 months when they played together. They did the opposite of each other. Teddy had the ability to beat players with passing and running with the ball. Skusey did the opposite of mopping up, sensing danger, doing the dirty work for Teddy to blossom going forward. Centre midfield Teddy Bishop - When he came into the team it wasn’t just about forward play, he improved his game defensively so much and that’s why he made the team. Right wing Martyn Waghorn - Waggy could play anywhere in forward positions, left, right, in a front three, in the centre. He scored on the right when he’d come in on his left foot. Worked very hard without the ball as well and was an absolutely great lad around the place. Left wing Jay Tabb - A selfless player, was never about himself, everything he did was for the team and you need players like that to be successful. I’m playing a 4-4-2 with Tabby on the left and Waggy on the right but this team could easily go to 4-3-3 with Tabby in the middle with Skusey and Bishop and Waggy pushed up with the front two. Striker David McGoldrick - It’s all ifs and buts but if Didzy had stayed fit we would have had a great chance of going all the way and winning the play-offs in 2014/15. He was a centre forward who was so clever with his positions. He got into positions where defenders just couldn’t go into and mark him. Striker Daryl Murphy - Murphy was powerful, quick, strong, good in the air, would run the channels. Ryan Fraser, Bersant Celina, Tom Lawrence and Jonny Williams would all make the team playing on the left ahead of Tabby if I had included any loanees rather than just contracted players. With regards to Williams, Fraser and Lawrence, we tried to make those deals permanent but wage demands and the cost of these players made it impossible. Stephen Henderson in goal, when we first came in he was playing in the team and did very well, but he’s another loan player. Tommy Smith is very unlucky not to make the team but I think Webster and Berra at centre-half speaks for itself. Paul Anderson, I don’t know whether he’s made any other teams, a bit like Tabby he was a winger who wouldn’t take on four players and score wonder goals, but he used to work so hard for the team, pop up with the odd goal, help Chambo out defensively and even cover for the central midfielders sometimes if Skusey or someone else was out of position. He deserves a mention. I’d also like to give a mention to DJ Campbell and Chris Wood. Chris Wood is doing so well, he was as good as Daryl Murphy, it’s no coincidence he’s doing really well at Burnley. And DJ Campbell, if it wasn’t for his goals when we first came in then we could have been relegated. Richard Stearman should get a mention as well because he came in at right-back when we were struggling and did well. Kieron’s View I think Terry’s done my job for me, usually with these teams I’m arguing about the other players he might have picked. I like that he's only picked players who were contracted to Ipswich. I did ask him about Emyr Huws, could he have made his midfield two, because I know that they bought Emyr and were big fans, but he said that they saw the best of him when he was on loan. After they bought him, that’s when he suffered his injury problems, so he thought Teddy and Skusey deserved to be in the team because Emyr’s best football was when he was on loan. I think Terry and Mick’s principles are indicated by Terry selecting only contracted players, those that were there week in, week out every day on the training pitch, in the team. Such as Chambo playing right-back, and I know a lot of people will comment about Tabby playing at left wing. In this team, like all Mick McCarthy teams, everyone has to be willing to put a shift in. Terry’s mentioned people like Paul Anderson, these are the types of player that Mick and Terry love because they know what they’re getting. The players we all love to see are the Bersant Celinas of the world, yes, they’re fantastic going forward but in a Mick team, you’ve got to be able to do it both ways. Even when he’s mentioned Teddy Bishop. Yes, Teddy Bishop was fantastic with the ball when he came into the team, but he wouldn’t have been there if he didn’t work on the other side of the game, closing down and running back. Most of the XI comes from that 2014/15 play-off season, only Adam Webster at the back and Martyn Waghorn, who has forced he was in front of Paul Anderson, weren't from that team. Some people might question Tabby’s selection or Chambo at right-back but he was right-back when we were in the play-offs and doing really well. And Tabby played week in, week out. I like the great detail and the loyalty that Terry has shown. It’s quite interesting when he mentions the loan players that we tried to make permanent, Lawrence, Fraser, Williams, DJ Campbell as well, and that wages or fees prevented them from happening. Terry’s comments also show how significant players' characters were to him and Mick, how Chambo was willing to take on the role at right-back with no complaint and Tabby’s selflessness. That was something which was very important to them.
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