Town boss Paul Cook believes supporters will be delighted with the changes he, owner Marcus Evans and general manager Lee O’Neill are putting in place for the summer, including the change of approach to recruitment announced this morning, however, he was keen not to go into too much detail with his main focus on the final 10 games of the season.

Quizzed on his thoughts on the announcement that the Blues will be taking a more data and statistics-led approach to recruitment going forward, Cook said: “I just want to concentrate on the present. All I can reiterate to you guys is that when I had my Zoom call with Marcus, when I spoke to Lee, the plans we’ve got or we spoke about for the club are going to be very, very exciting. I think the fans will be absolutely delighted.

“But that must remain for the summer and ongoing. We’re very much in the present now, and I have to concentrate on that.”

Cook says he gained a greater insight into the importance of this approach to recruitment at his previous club.

“It’s something I learnt so much about at Wigan Athletic, I really did,” he reflected. “Jonathan Jackson, our CEO there, was very forward-thinking. I was very much, not negative-thinking, but I wasn’t pro-recruitment rooms.

“But going forward now, recruitment is absolutely huge in football, it really, really is and you’ve got to embrace it.

“As I say, I think, for me, I’ll sit on the fence if I can. I think our supporters, what Marcus and Lee are about to propose doing, the changes that will come in the summer at the training ground and everywhere else, I think our supporters will be delighted.

“But, as I say, I think our supporters will also be more concerned with what’s going on in the next 10 games and we’ve got to concentrate on trying to win some.”

Asked if he’s involved at the heart of the plans, Cook responded: “I’m involved in them. Again, I’ve got to say, I see owners get criticised and I’m not going to go into that, but I don’t understand sometimes the criticism that Marcus has had at the club.

“I just look at the investment he’s put in, continuing even through the pandemic and all the problems.

“The fans are always entitled to their opinion, without a shadow of a doubt, I get that. I’ve only heard so much positivity from Marcus about the club and the plans going forward that I’m actually excited. Let’s put it all together in the future but also let’s also get in these play-offs.”

Cook was asked whether he learns something every day at Town, not just the matches but the training sessions. Does he learn something about the players, the staff, the processes at the club?

“Again, I think what’s come out in the media this morning about the recruitment room,” Cook continued. “You can see in football, the big clubs, the best clubs they function so well. Everything just rolls into one. We've got to make sure we put Ipswich Town on that page.

“When our whole club just flows, our supporters know what goes on, everything about us is not an open book, but we're the best at everything we can be the best at.

“Going forward, that's for tomorrow, a 100 per cent that's for tomorrow. Today we have a squad of players that, over a period of time, a lot has been said about them.

“The new challenge is for them now over the next 10 games and let's wait and see and see what can happen for us in a positive way.”

He added: “It's hard for a manager, especially when you come in. That's the thing for managers and I'm not doing well at the minute with results, I get it.

“I lie awake screaming and searching for the answers, but I also know what the next tomorrow looks like for us as a club.

“And I can guarantee our supporters the summer is going to be exciting and it's going to be vibrant, there are going to be changes at the club where everyone will be like but can we do that as a Championship club that's my challenge.”

Does he feel he has a two-pronged approach at present, on the one hand having to concentrate on the 10 games, but also looking at the longer-term plans?

“I think the big attraction for me when I met Marcus was the longer-term approach that we're looking at,” he said.

“I've got to say that it wasn't a case of ‘we must do this and we must do that’. It was ‘can’t we work together?’, with Lee O'Neill's help and a lot of other people at the club who go unnoticed that people don't really see and work every so hard. Because good clubs have a lot of good people at them. Ipswich Town has that.

“Going forward, my job is to help Marcus and Lee, and their job is to help me. And then together, we can hopefully offer a really bright future for the fans, and that future must be in the play-offs this year. If we don't get in the play-offs, I'll feel like I've failed this season.”

Photo: TWTD

JackSted added 12:12 - Apr 1 If it's not a new owner then I'm not interested (Also how funny is this that they release this just after 12 so we all don't think it's an April Fools joke hahahahaha)
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baldman added 12:13 - Apr 1 Like what your saying pc but I'll be delighted if we win and win well
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buzbyblue added 12:14 - Apr 1 I like Paul Cook, but I don't believe anything to do with the crook in charge, smells of another Evans promise lots but deliver little to boost season ticket sales If we are taken over before the summer though then that's a whole new ball game
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tetchris added 12:17 - Apr 1 If we are taking a statistical based approach to recruitment then how come we are being linked with a wide man who has four assists and one goal this season. Surely those statistics show he isn't much better than what we have already
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WhoisJimmyJuan added 12:20 - Apr 1 PC has completed the Marcus Evans Marketing E-Learning it seems.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 12:22 - Apr 1 Is one of those changes Evans selling the club? If not I fear PC may already be overselling it
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DifferentGravy added 12:23 - Apr 1 Will be delighted if we put in a decent performance and win against Bristol Rovers! Just go and attack, get men in the box, overlapping and make use of the set pieces. Vary the play and the tempo.......not this dross being served up to us.
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Radlett_blue added 12:24 - Apr 1 "the longer term approach" - after 14 years of Evans's ownership, during which Town haven't had anything remotely resembling a plan, beyond appointing managers of varying degrees of incompetence & letting them make a mess of it. I'm not on the edge of my seat.
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Squeezy78 added 12:29 - Apr 1 So either Cook is already a puppet being told what bo**cks to spout out to cover up the impending takeover. Or it isn't happening and this is the reality. More empty promises..
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 12:31 - Apr 1 Are we signing North Macedonia first Team?
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midlandblue54 added 12:36 - Apr 1 Isn't season ticket renewal plans being released next week, funny that ?
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Northstandveteran added 12:44 - Apr 1 It's always about 'next' season isn't it? Talk is cheap, we've heard many promises over the years. Perhaps a good start might be winning some games and joining the play off lottery? Having a chance to mix it with the big boys such as Gillingham and Lincoln for a place in the championship ( add sarcastic comment here ) We're always told its a results business. As we used to say in the building game, " He talks a good job! "

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PositivelyPortman added 12:52 - Apr 1 Who remembers Lambert's “big surprise news” and then absolutely b*gger all materialised. A definite attempt at bumping up season ticket sales - it won't work with me.
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Suffolkboy added 12:57 - Apr 1 Disbelief ,you get what you wish for sometimes : DO let's show a semblance of credence ,there has to be a way and PC definitely sounds determined to find it – despite the uncompromising cynicism and negativity often found on this so called ‘supporters ‘ site ! COYB
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BeattiesBackPocket added 12:59 - Apr 1 Next season will be the first time I wont purchase a season ticket in over 30 years until I see action and not the normal words and statement from our owner. I've had more than enough of promises of promotion, 5 point plans which have never even looked like starting to get going, investment of which he said if ffp wasn't there he would invest more in the team well I'll guess we'll see now that's been abolished, all these promises are nothing when it comes to evans or whichever puppet is working under him at the time. I really hope evans changes his outlook or sells up but I'm doubting either.

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mkbobby added 13:08 - Apr 1 Hopefully the changes they are thinking of is that evans and O'Neil are leaving that would be a good start
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mkbobby added 13:18 - Apr 1 Beattiesbackpocket I hope the majority of season ticket holders have the same thinking of you and don't buy into this sales pitch from the club , because this is all it is wait until the summers business is done then individually each fan can then decide wether it was worth it , ok it might cost a little bit more but surely this is the only way the club will see that the fan base means business

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multiplescoregasms added 13:25 - Apr 1 Personally I will be delighted PC to see half this shower of sh1t gone by June. We clearly have players we should be looking at keeping and sticking with, but there are far too many of them who just aren't up for the fight. Add your own players to the ones we need to keep, and we will be in with a chance. The fans are behind you PC, but not so sure if we are behind the players anymore.

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Bert added 13:34 - Apr 1 New owner or not, it is clear that Cook knows he has to release a shed full of players and get hungry players in. Any manager has to have a degree of loyalty and respect to his paymaster but from what I have seen and heard I think Cook is his own master. If he fails to deliver then he will go the way of all before him but for now we should balance our understandable cynicism with some respect for the guy who has a mountain to climb to get our club to the Championship as an absolute minimum. Whether Evan's stays or we get new investing owners in, I will renew my season ticket because I miss going, it's in my blood ..... and I will get back my pensioner ticket at a considerable reduction. My wife wants her Saturdays back too ! I respect the many and varied reasons why many will not renew.

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RegencyBlue added 13:39 - Apr 1 Frankly the only thing which will delight me is Evans selling up and disappearing into the dustbin of this club's history! This announcement has the usual hallmarks of Evans reign, namely empty vague promises coming out just before season ticket renewal time. The sheep will lap it up but surely anyone with a brain will see it for what it is?
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BeattiesBackPocket added 14:15 - Apr 1 Mkbobby I bought into every season under evans until 3 seasons ago but still continued to buy a season ticket wand watching some absolute dire football in the last 5 years in the process. Watching our best players sold off cheaply, promises from the owner of a promotion push when micks remit was to just survive with the 5th lowest wage budget in the leagues last two seasons and now a team made up of very poor players and our lowest finish in over 60 years has bought me to it. Evans is a liar and I keep asking any supporters of his to tell me why he's good for the club and not one can they just downmark with no comeback. 🤷‍♂️

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BeattiesBackPocket added 14:19 - Apr 1 Bert dont mistake my grievances for evans tenure as a critique of PC he's got the toughest job of any manager under evans and I want him to succeed just sick of the managers coming in and having to work with one hand tied behind his back with the 6th richest owner outside the premier league not backing him. To lose possibly 20 odd players for nothing is a huge rebuilding plan and without investment we will languish one league one or lower for the next couple of seasons as least

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bringmeaKuqi added 15:58 - Apr 1 More Evans spin. I won't be spending a penny on Town until he is gone.
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ringwoodblue added 16:06 - Apr 1 Understandably the majority of comments are saying ‘heard it all before' and ‘believe it when I see it' and I get the cynicism but there's something more believable about Paul Cook, I think he's a man of integrity and honesty and wouldn't say it if it didn't have some truth in it. Of course there have to be changes this summer but whether most fans will think they are exciting changes is another matter. For many, only a new owner will convince them of real change and cause for excitement but I'm still not convinced that will happen.

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tractorboybig added 16:06 - Apr 1 season ticket renewal time again
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