Boss Paul Cook pulled no punches in his post-match press conference following Town’s humiliating 3-0 defeat at AFC Wimbledon admitting the Blues are “a million miles from a good team” and added that fans must be “tired and bored of it now”.

Asked how much the defeat, Town’s first ever loss to the Dons under the AFC name, hurt him, Cook said: “I can’t. I just can’t. I’ve watched football for years and years, I’ve been around football. I’ve always put myself in the supporters’ position. Our supporters are tired now, bored of us. Let’s have it right, that’s what they are.

“I lucky enough and privileged enough to probably have a chance hopefully to try and change a lot of what’s gone on. And that’s what’s going to have to happen now.

“There’s no throwing players under the bus, no excuses offered. We’re a million miles from a good team, and that includes myself and the staff tonight.

“You win together, you lose together, we travel away together, we have each other. But, like I say, I have been managing for a long time now.

“The best feeling when you’re a manager when you put a team on the pitch that you trust. I don’t trust our team, I’ve got to be open and say that. That doesn’t mean everyone’s a bad player, it doesn’t mean everyone’s doing something wrong but we’re miles off it. We’re just miles off it for the club.

“And again, I keep going back to our supporters. They’re tired and bored of it now. We have to be better because if we’re not, the changes will keep being repetitive. I’m not so sure that keeping changing gets you to where you want to be because somewhere along the line, the anchor has to go in and the badness has to stop and we have to start taking steps forward.

“We’ve taken a massive step back tonight as a club, and that’s so disappointing for me, for you guys that travel and everybody else.”:

The Blues have won only two of Cook’s first 10 games and he knows that’s far from what was hoped for when he came in just over a month ago.

“Oh come on, as a football manager coming in, two wins out of 10, it is what it is,” he reflected. “I’m big enough and I’ve been around the game well long enough to be able to shoulder criticism. Like I say, when you’re a manager and you stand on the touchline, you are as good as your team.

“So tonight if you’re suggesting that [having won] two out of 10, I’m not a very good manager and I haven’t got a very good team.”

The game hinged on a 10-minute spell in which Wimbledon scored twice and Josh Harrop was sent off. Asked about that period of the match, Cook added: “You’re now going to go into more negative questions about more negativity. I’ve told you, we weren’t very good, it’s not good enough and it has to change. I don’t think I need to add much more.”

What does he say to fans losing heart? “I’ve said enough. I’m surprised we’ve still got any. We are what we are, we flatter to deceive, so the questions you can ask me will continue to be negative, I can’t change my answers. I can’t.

“We’re not good enough, we know that. On a pitch you’re supposed to do the right things, score goals, defend well. We don’t do any of it.”

After the break the Blues briefly showed some threat, however, Cook appeared not overly impressed by that spell: “Well done us. Well done us.”

Asked whether he’s now got a job to lift the players ahead of Saturday, the Blues manager said: “They have to lift themselves now, don’t they? In sport, in general, if you don’t feel pain, you will never do anything about it. We need to feel pain, we to travel home tonight and if it’s doesn’t affect you tomorrow and the next day, there’s something wrong.

“I’m not so sure it affects our players a great deal. The reality for us going forward is things must change.”

Cook has given plenty of different players a chance since coming to the club and has used several different systems.

“You’ve asked me enough,” he added. “Two up front tonight. We tried our best. I’m not going to be drawn into giving players criticism.

“Like I said to them after the game, they’ve been kicked from pillar to post at times and they’re probably now tired of being kicked from pillar to post.

“The reality for us is we had a big week last week, there’s a lot of change going on at the football club and the supporters are the ones that I only feel for. They’re the ones who have supported us for a period of time where they’re not happy and the eventually the sun’s got to start shining on the club. It’s not shining on the club in any shape or form.”

Cook spoke to new chairman Mike O’Leary, who was with Bryan Klug, Lee O’Neill and club secretary Stuart Hayton, after the game. Quizzed on how O’Leary felt, Cook said: “I think Michael’s a very experienced gentleman, isn’t he? I’m sure Michael and the people who are coming in see, I’m sure they’ve been watching lots of Ipswich games and I’m sure they’re well-versed for what’s coming.

“As experienced people, what can we do about it tonight? What can I say to make it better? Absolutely nothing. So let’s take the pain.”

Does he feel under pressure? “I’m a football manager, we feel pressure every single day of our lives, every day. If you’re not winning football matches you’re under pressure, aren’t you. So I feel it, of course I do.”

Can Town still keep talking about the play-offs? “You can always keep talking about them because while there’s life there’s hope. But unfortunately it’s a very tough night for us.

“Let’s lick our wounds, let’s get on the bus back to Ipswich, let’s keep our heads down and let the pain settle in because as a club you’re hurting tonight. I think, as I said answering some of the questions, the questions just continually get more negative. You can’t change that [tonight].”

Photo: TWTD

Bluespeed added 21:36 - Apr 13 Chambo& your gang hang your head in shame !do yo feel pain ? Too many words not enough action ! Go away now !!!
32

itfchorry added 21:39 - Apr 13 Mr Cook - Now you know what we have had to put up with - Please restore this Club to its once great status.
49

Vancouver_Blue added 21:40 - Apr 13 Cook has balls to come and speak to the press after that horror show. Hope there are changes for Charlton. Downes is the only player from tonight I'd start
54

Portman51 added 21:41 - Apr 13 Paul, we've been tired and bored of it since Jim Magilton was sacked.
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TimmyH added 21:42 - Apr 13 Well he certainly talks honestly...I have to say and this is no way judging PC as it's too early but we are playing about as badly as we ever have done at this level under him, some of the selected players in the 352 formation tonight looked a bit bewildering and seems a manager just trying out as many players and formations as possible and none of them are working. Now try a fair chunk of our younger players for the Charlton game to the rest of the season...got nothing to lose we ain't going to make the play-offs.

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martin587 added 21:42 - Apr 13 Honest assessment of an extremely embarrassing team.Nothing more to add.
26

RobITFC added 21:42 - Apr 13 Honest assessment, he knows but won't say it in public. They have all had their chances but failed miserably. Goodbye to most of them. Pathetic.
41

Sixto6 added 21:43 - Apr 13 I'm disappointed there has been no new manager bounce, however this bunch of players are dreadful and Paul Cook will be learning lots about them. Many players will go in the summer and Cook must be given time even if we are a little disappointed ! Rebuilding takes time COYB
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nick8 added 21:45 - Apr 13 Release every single one of those out of contract players, none of them fit enough to wear the shirt
12

carlo88 added 21:45 - Apr 13 If the new owners could do one thing could they please make every effort to get rid of this fecking Tractor Boys nickname. Joke name for a joke club at the moment.
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Pencilpete added 21:49 - Apr 13 I know some will say while the play offs are still possible we should go for it but honestly we will not get in them with these players - they are not good enough and they have thrown the towel in. What we need to do as a club is give up on them like they have given up on us - there are certain players, I will not name names .... but you all watch the games the same as I do ..... who should never disgrace our shirt and our badge again, there are 6 games to go and we would get more out of them by dropping those certain players and at the end of the season releasing them and giving some youngsters some experience. There would only be 4 or 5 out of the entire squad who would still be here if I had anything to do with it

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TimmyH added 21:50 - Apr 13 carlo88 - agreed! I remember Magilton hating it too and was concocted by the media when we were in the Premiership, you don't hear Norwich called the mustard men or Man City the bin dippers do you?
15

arc added 21:50 - Apr 13 "We flatter to deceive." The perfect phrase. Too many players who've been allowed to coast for too long. Enough already.
17

cromwellblue added 21:52 - Apr 13 I suspect there have been some harsh words given to the players by Paul Cook and they have not taken it well. He's challenged them to step up and they have failed. Their comfortable life has been disturbed. Ship them out and start again.
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shakytown added 21:53 - Apr 13 pi.. poor team selections tonight. Same thing as his predecessor with constant changes to the team.
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Drifter3012 added 21:55 - Apr 13 I like his honesty and it does truly seem he feels crap about the situation. However if he plays the vast majority of those who played tonight on Saturday it will be empty words. Don't wait until August make some changes now with those who want to play for you Mr Cook!
22

ringwoodblue added 21:56 - Apr 13 Very honest words Cookie but please do not pick largely the same team again on Sat otherwise it could be even more embarrassing.
15

Help added 22:00 - Apr 13 Let's see some changes on Saturday Mr Cook. Bring in some U23's nothing to lose, and lose some of the elder statesmen
16

Umros added 22:01 - Apr 13 Bet he is regretting taking the job. Players are an utter disgrace to the club.
7

ArnieM added 22:04 - Apr 13 I'm that bloody pissed off with this squad of players , I've blown the roof clean off the house tonight watching that shyte .....probably just like thousands of other Town fans have, and certainly the manager who has more or less said that's it now for this lot . Never in all my born days have I witnessed such a shower of shyte at this Club. Well tonight was their lot . They're finished at this Club now . 7 or 8 games left to suffer . We'll be in league one next season without a doubt and that's their legacy to the fans of this Club. Tossas every last one of them .

30

Gforce added 22:10 - Apr 13 Cookie should set a precedent and release some players NOW starting with ALL the so called senior players. Sears/Chambers/Judge /Skuse /Ward should all go with immediate effect, they are all way past it. Bring in quality new experience in the summer, around the 28-30 mark. As for the other 20 out of contract, they can all do one in June (possibly except Bishop) Start playing the youngsters now, there's nothing to lose and we might just unearth a gem.

10

FrankMarshall added 22:11 - Apr 13 This team could go down in Ipswich Town folklore for all the wrong reasons.
9

itfchorry added 22:13 - Apr 13 Mullins in from Cambridge as soon as -
0

SickParrot added 22:13 - Apr 13 Honest assessment by PC as usual. Can the players really be that poor? It's been clear for a few weeks that PC will not want many of the existing players here next season, so are the players now trying to get him sacked?
4

Cloddyseedbed added 22:20 - Apr 13 Full respect to Paul Cook for being interviewed and speaking the truth. Those of us who watched that tonight, well, it's getting worse. The cull can't come quick enough for me. Shame this wasn't the last game of the season. I personally would only like to keep KVY and Norwood. Remove everybody else from the club and it must include Skuse and chambers to completely rid the club of the old regime. New beginnings and start for the club next year. The new owners must help Paul Cookk as much as possible and given time he will get passion, skill and commitment back to our club. I can't see it being a quick fix though. It might take more than one season. It has been allowed to get this bad through lack of investment and wounds festering for far to long. We need a healing process to start asap with players with the right attitude and commitment.

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