Blues skipper Luke Chambers says there have been no talks about his future, with his contract up at the end of the season, but is in no doubt he wants to be a member of what's likely to be a much-changed Town squad under new boss Paul Cook next season.

Asked whether he wants to be part of Cook’s plans for the Blues’ future, the 35-year-old said: “Absolutely I do, yes. My ambition for the football club to be successful and be where they need to be has not changed.

“I’ve played virtually every game this season again, but we’ll just see what happens. I’m just trying to do my bit for the team and try and play as well as I can and I’m enjoying being back at centre-half.”

Has there been any hint about his future? “No, we’re not even talking about it. I don’t think anyone really is talking about it at the minute.

“At the end of the day, we’ve had two years of mediocrity at the football club so what can you say? You have to try and take your opportunities when they come and I think the lads tried to do that against Bristol Rovers and we’ll just keep focusing on every game as it comes. Yes, it’s uneasy for some players to go through but you have to handle that.”

Chambers admits that it would hurt if he left the club without having helped the Blues back into the Championship.

“Yes, absolutely and it’s never going be an easy conversation to have,” he said.

“But I’m fully behind what the gaffer’s trying to do, what the football club’s trying to do and I just think that as soon as we get everyone back in this place and see what the gaffer wants to do and if he’s allowed to do it, that’s something I really want to be a part of.”

Chambers, who has been at Town since joining on a free transfer from Nottingham Forest under Paul Jewell in the summer of 2012, says there are players worrying about their futures with 26 members of the squad out of contract come the end of the campaign.

“I think they definitely do, why maybe it’s gone this long,” he said. “It’s not the first time it’s happened at the football club, players have always found themselves in tricky situations with contracts. But if that’s the way it is, that’s the way it is. You have to handle it.

“It’s been a tough year for everyone. The football environment has changed massively. The landscape for players coming out of contract is not what you want to have but we find ourselves where we are and we just have to handle it game by game.

“We’ve got nine games to go and we’ll be looking to crack on on Monday and be really positive and try and take the game to Rochdale.”

Asked what manager Cook has tried to change since he took charge at the start of last month, Chambers said: “He’s just tried to free the lads’ mindset really and just try and believe in themselves a little bit more, take people on, get crosses in, have shots.

“Just try and be more effective, more productive, if you have to play in to the strikers early [do so], he played two up front against Bristol Rovers and we started the game brilliantly.

“As long as that quality’s in to the front we can play off that. We’ve got willing runners from midfield, we’ve got players that can cause damage, Teddy Bishop’s had one of is best games for a while, especially in the first half, he had the freedom to take people on and he’s a tremendous footballer. If we can get him in the right positions on the football pitch, he’ll make things happen for us.”

He says he and Cook have spoken extensively over the last few weeks.

“We’ve had loads of chats so far, he’s been great with me, another manager I’ve played under and I just want to keep repaying the faith that he’s showing in me," he said.

“He’s been brilliant from day one, we’ve had chats and he just tries to let me manage the group as much as possible and that’s great when you’ve got that trust from the manager.”
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Photo: Matchday Images

90z added 13:55 - Apr 4 Suffolkboy thats stating the obvious aint it? Every captain should have these skills? But Chambers has now run his cause. You mentioned everything good about Chambers apart from how good his been on the pitch.
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dirtydingusmagee added 14:02 - Apr 4 he was a decent player, never exceptional, same as his role as captain,BUT those days are long gone, Loyalty or desperation to remain at ITFC i dont know, but he is way out of his depth now,and offers nothing that is needed if we are to progress .Sorry Luke but its game over at town ,.IMO
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dirtydingusmagee added 14:05 - Apr 4 Victory you got inside knowledge like some others on here ? Presume Marcus has phoned you .
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positivity added 14:11 - Apr 4 two years of mediocrity?! more like at least four years of unprecedented failure. we haven't been mediocre since mccarthy's 2nd full season...
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Wishing4arightback added 14:12 - Apr 4 There is no coincidence that Chambers has been ever present over the past few years and we get gradually worse. He makes more costly mistakes than most but his role as Captain keeps him in the team. If he stays we will not be making the changes needed to take us back up the football pyramid. Genuine thanks for your efforts, but time to part ways.....
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BangaloreBlues added 14:15 - Apr 4 Luke has been a loyal servant, a good leader, and brings that experience for the younger players. But, sorry Luke, your time is up here. Hopefully you'll be remembered for the good things, but if you stay on & keep making errors you'll not find yourself in that hall of fame. Rebuilding is required with fresher legs.
7

jas0999 added 14:20 - Apr 4 Chambers, like Skuse are well past their best. The club needs a significant change of direction and despite some excellent years of service, it's time for both to find new challenges and us to find better players.
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tractorlad01 added 14:20 - Apr 4 Two years of mediocrity? Try 15 years Mr Chambers. The last two years have been far, far below mediocre.
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wedgieblue added 14:24 - Apr 4 There have been 2 constants throughout the last 5 years of troubles. One is the owner, the other is the captain..... what you see on the pitch will be different from those behind the scenes conversations. I sense that Chambers is part of the problem. I think it's time for a change.
13

AlanG296 added 14:31 - Apr 4 People post about things that illustrate the decline of ITFC, such as who has beaten us or who is above us in the table but there is no greater illustration than that Luke Chambers is do revered by so many, people actually say he is a club legend! Have to pity them in that they have not seen or have forgotten the genuine "legends" of the past.
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Oldozblue added 14:33 - Apr 4 I find it really difficult to judge how good or bad individual players in the current squad are, including Chambers, given recent performances. How many would commend any sort of fee in the transfer market - Downes - probably; not sure Jackson has increased his value recently; in my view Dozzell has been poor this season ; Bishop is thousands rather than millions; Norwood again not millions and a potential injury risk and probably not Championship standard. Toto, despite his snaps, is probably worth a few hundred thousand to a League One side. Wolfy had potential but seems to have been recently out of favour. Who have I missed? To think it is not so long ago that several of the squad under Mick were worth millions? Let us hope the academy has a few gems.

1

GTRKing added 14:42 - Apr 4 Chambers has been a great servant to the club done the best he can with his time Ipswich, Was rubbish at RB (Done his best) I think he should be offered a 1 year Player/Coach contract then extended it to 3 year coaching contract, He is 35/36 next year. He should be no where near the 1st team but backup at best, we need to invest in the future of the club,
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AlanG296 added 14:56 - Apr 4 Has LC got any coaching qualifications yet? Any experience of coaching kids or youth teams, Sunday league teams? Players of his age seriously looking to be a pro coach have usually started on these by now.
1

Pencilpete added 14:56 - Apr 4 I think a new contract as a player/ coach would be the way to go, off the pitch he has alot to offer the club with his leadership and how he conducts himself ETC so I'd say to him he can take his badges and train one of the youth teams and stay registered as a player, be named as a sub so hes on the bench learning that side of it and if we are in a situation with an injury or we are holding on to a narrow lead with a few minutes to go he can go on and help see the game out but I'd make it clear to him his playing role would be limited to that from now on

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TimmyH added 15:00 - Apr 4 In a number of games time he would have made his 400th appearance for the club, in my opinion probably near 50 too many. If he gets a one year contract which I think will be a shoo-in it just shows what's wrong with the club . Chambers was continually making mistakes the season we got relegated and the second half of last season and at times this season (more than Wilson/Nsiala/McG/Woolfie), the end to Captain fist pumper's playing days here? I doubt it.

0

Taricco_Fan added 15:12 - Apr 4 A loyal servant to the club but, in my view, the facts remain that he is 35, a fairly limited player and not a particularly great captain in my opinion. I like Chambers - his passion for the club isn't in doubt - but we need a clean slate.
4

Ipswichbusiness added 15:29 - Apr 4 I do not regard him as being good enough on the pitch, nor am I impressed by his alleged leadership skills; he appears for the media when we have won and sends others out when we have had a poor result. He and several others (e.g. Skuse) have been here for the last three or four years whilst we have been in steep decline. They need to go as part of a fresh start. We must stop being “nice” and start demanding success and being ruthless about it.

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grow_our_own added 15:43 - Apr 4 Chambers started the season well, but back to the player we've seen the last 2-3 years now. Decent in the air, but like Ward, has zero pace. You can cover one slow defender, but not two. I think full-backs are our big problem at the moment. Create nothing in attack and Ward and Chambers together on the left side is an invitation to oppo managers: play pace down that side. We desperately Downes and Kenlock back. Bennetts or Dobra in for Judge. Can one of our 82 players be improvised as a right-back? Option on recalling Donacien? Interesting caller on R Suffolk yesterday thinks Woolfenden would make an excellent def-mid and Drinan a right wing-back. You can see why. Woolf has great composure, passing and defensive instincts, Dozzell is great with the ball at his feet (despite yesterdays mistake), but not so great without it in that position, better to play him further forward. Drinan is an athlete with pace, can get up and down, would be tough to beat and we need to try something with the lack of right-backs.

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mike added 15:49 - Apr 4 Victory will happen. Who says the takeover is going to happen this week?
1

Sindre94 added 15:50 - Apr 4 Cant wait for us to go up next season with him as our Captain. Prove all of you wrong.
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Sindre94 added 15:53 - Apr 4 Ipswichbusiness: Strange thing to say. He spoke with the media after the defeat against Posh and Gills this year.
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Sindre94 added 15:56 - Apr 4 If Cook renews his contract I genuinly hope that most of you will admit than his football knowledge is superior to yourself. All we have to do is trust the manager and maybe drop this ‘I know best' attitude. If he gets a new contract theres a bloody good reason for it. But I will not be surprised to see people on this forum still claiming to know more about the players and the game of football than Cook.

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therein61 added 15:58 - Apr 4 Thanks but no thanks Luke your time is up(and your best mate) i will never fault your effort and commitment but i'm afraid your best has not been good enough for the last 3 seasons and this club than you try and run needs a clear out and fresh start.
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Michael101 added 16:11 - Apr 4 To late mate ,shou!d have come out with this on thurs(1st april).just like one of your tackles way to late.
2

bushhillblue added 16:13 - Apr 4 I've said for ages put woolfy in cm can tackle got a bit of muscle and no mug with ball at his feet just try something to stop us getting outmusled in every game
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