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

eddiespearitt03 added 23:48 - Apr 1 So Paul Cook does not understand " sometimes " the criticism leveled at Marcus Evans. The emphasis is on the word " sometimes ". If you consider how long Paul Cook has been at the club then it may be difficult for Paul Cook to comprehend. His own admission that the level of performances have not been good in his very short time here is just a small indicator. Maybe, Paul Cook should consider what the supporters have had to watch and take in most of the 13 years Marcus Evans has been in control. It has been a total shambles with at least 2 managers losing the supporters, possibly 3. The standard of football is at an all time low. The respect for the owner, likewise, most supporters have a poor opinion of the club owner .

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madmouse1959 added 00:11 - Apr 2 Get it wrong this time round Mr Evans and you can kiss goodbye to "break even" attendances. The supporters are genuinely sick and tired of Marcus Evans lack of football expertise, neglect , annual PR spin, really poor decisions and ultimately..... failure.
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StavangerBlue added 02:17 - Apr 2 Don't tell me, let me guess, it's going to be big, unexpected, thrilling, I'm going to be running waving my arms in the air screaming in delight. We've swapped Norwood for Lionel Messi? Marcus bought bitcoin at $200 and the debt has vanished? The club crest has been redesigned, they swapped the horse for a budgie? I'm guessing new contracts to players who don't want to play or even win. Free transfers in - from lower leagues. Skuse and Chambers get new jobs and are staying...YES! Electric shock pads on every seat so when we score you get a jolt. Don't worry we will never score with Jackson up front on his own so Grandma will still be here at Christmas. Don't believe the hype. You cannot polish a turd. If anyone else says “using statistical analysis” is an improvement remember it is called “Championship Manager”. Training ground improvements will mean they fixed the boiler so the players now have hot showers or they bought a new fridge.

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bluearmy81 added 05:42 - Apr 2 Can't wait. All of the out of contract players are being taken by Colchester Utd. Also the Council are taking back the land and building social housing for the gypsies that are engulfing our town.
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Linkboy13 added 09:16 - Apr 2 Yes it's just a ploy to sell season tickets, but people will fall for it. Im waiting to see what players we bring in before making any decisions.
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Cloddyseedbed added 10:23 - Apr 2 Signing the right players that fit the positions and the club is paramount. Huge sums of money don't need to change hands. Look at signings by clubs like Peterborough, they find players, develop them and when the sell, sell them well. Some managers have contacts and have the knack, many don't. Bobby Robson most certainly did. Hurst was just out of his depth and damaged this club beyond repair and lost us several seasons. Lambert thought he was a good manager because he'd played for some big clubs but was a very poor player/man manager with a big ego. Good managers have a happy squad and get the best out of every individual. Players they know they can't work with are soon off loaded. Paul Cook is an exceptional manager with an amazing personality, we are lucky to have him but like others have said, I too fear he we be let down badly by the promises once again given by Evans just before season ticket prices are to be released. Don't forget we are where we are not by bad supporters but by a bad owner, bad decisions and lies fed to supporters every bl**dy year just before season tickets prices are announced.

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Marinersnose added 10:43 - Apr 2 I like Cook as a person as he comes across as honest and positive in his media interviews. There's a but coming because I'm not convinced that the noises that are being made are any different to previous noises. Is this just the start of the media circus to sell more tickets. I think so.
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dirtydingusmagee added 10:44 - Apr 2 Yes Evans will be crawling out of his hideaway again now acting like he cares . Talking it all up ,just as he has done year on year, and year on year things have got worse, and sadly year on year he manages to convince enough people to renew their support. If only people would stand up and call him out, instead of swallowing his bullsh#t. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, ITS PROVING DIFFICULT TO EVEN GET BACK TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP NOW , IF THINGS GET ANY WORSE THE CLUB WILL DRIFT ITO OBSCURITY. EVANS OUT.

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Marinersnose added 10:59 - Apr 2 I like Cook as a person as he comes across as honest and positive in his media interviews. There's a but coming because I'm not convinced that the noises that are being made are any different to previous noises. Is this just the start of the media circus to sell more tickets. I think so.
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Razor added 11:10 - Apr 2 Crikey they talk a good game when they need to (season ticket time). It would be nice if we had the early discount cut off point AFTER whatever is being planneed so we can see exactly what we are buying------but that wont happen obviously.
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raycrawfordswig added 11:31 - Apr 2 Evans is a 🤡 . Don't believe the B/S
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:56 - Apr 2 Evans will be touring the town soon on his sleigh with ''Come all ye faithful '' blaring out of the speakers .Hope people have learned that he is just a schemer , and thinks everyone is gullible.
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SickParrot added 19:36 - Apr 2 PC is entitled to be excited by the changes that he has proposed and believes will be implemented. Whether they are is beyond his control. Let's hope ME is hoping that this story will give season ticket sales a boost as a bargaining tool to get a bit more cash when he sells.
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