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Cook: Gary's Disappointed With the Quality of Player We Have in the Building
Friday, 16th Apr 2021 10:13

Boss Paul Cook listed the aspects of Town’s play that he and assistant Gary Roberts have found frustrating in their first six weeks at Portman Road, and it was a pretty damning assessment.

Cook has made no secret that he has been less than impressed with what the squad he inherited from Paul Lambert have shown since he took charge with the Blues’ play-off push faltering having won just two of his 10 games in charge, while losing four and drawing four.

Asked how Roberts, who is in his first coaching position having still been a player at Accrington when Cook brought him to Portman Road, is settling into his new role, the Blues manager said: “He’s not very happy. He’s not very pleased. He’s very disappointed with the quality of player we have in the building.

“What we’re saying to our lads now is ‘someone please step up to the plate, anyone, whoever wants to step up to the plate to be here and stay with us in the future, for years or months or days that we’re here’.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be Ipswich manager. I don’t know how long the new owners will trust me for.

“For me to renew players’ contracts and keep people at the club, I’ve got to trust them. At all my teams historically I have had 10, 12, 15 players at every club that I trust. I don’t have that at Ipswich Town and I think Gary’s found that really frustrating.

“That we don’t put crosses in the box, we don’t create chances, we don’t defend well, we don’t defend set pieces well, we don’t retain possession of the ball, we’re not very fit, we’re not very athletic. You can write a list of what we’re not really good at.

“So to say Gary’s not really happy, you can imagine it’s quite similar to the mood I’m in today. It’s a lovely day in Suffolk and by the time I’ve finished with you [the media] I will smile, I will be a happy manager and I will travel to Charlton with all the enthusiasm in the world.

“But we’re not going to start putting on faces now for people and say everything’s rosy in our camp. Everything is not rosy in this camp.”


Photos: Matchday Images



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bluerico added 10:21 - Apr 16
At last, a manager that says it as it is. Feel there is now some light at the end of a long tunnel. Awaiting the many changes in the summer with much interest.
34

floridaboy added 10:21 - Apr 16
Not very fit, not very athletic. What on earth was Lambert and Taylor doing with these players. Didnt they train at all!!
27

MrJase_79 added 10:23 - Apr 16
Absolutely savage.

Bang on.
25

DutchTractorboy added 10:25 - Apr 16
I don't know if I should smile or shed a tear after reading this. So I'll do both. The tear is for the sorry state our beloved club is in. The smile is for hope. Hope because now that someone finally tells it like it is and speaks about that bar that needs to be raised, and a lot too for that matter. Cue a couple of painful weeks and an interesting summer...
24

shefki86 added 10:27 - Apr 16
Almost a shame we didn't sign GR as a player coach till the end of the season!! Guarantee he would offer more quality going forward than any of our other ‘attacking' players!
10

FrankMarshall added 10:29 - Apr 16
Starting to really warm up to Paul Cook. Exactly the kind of manager we need right now.
15

blues1 added 10:32 - Apr 16
Shefki. Robert's couldnt sign on as a player. Hes already played for 3 clubs this season. So not allowed to play here.
5

Bert added 10:32 - Apr 16
If there is training today, unlikely, the mood will feel like the last supper. Not a happy place is an understatement but after the Wimbledon game something immense had to happen and it looks like it will. Fans must now trust Cook to make the right decisions and return to PR next season.
13

tractorlad01 added 10:36 - Apr 16
Thank you for your Honesty Mr Cook. Looking forward to seeing the team you build her for next season.
19

Marinersnose added 10:51 - Apr 16
How refreshing was that. I would say exactly the same . You don't need to have extensive football knowledge to identify that this group of players is inept and lacking fitness. We know those whose lifestyle Is contradicting their so called professional athlete status and this is why we have had so many injuries at the club. Lack of discipline by management and players. Young PL players who I personally know are so disciplined in their lifestyle management and that's how it has to be in today's game. Roberts has decent technical ability and he has clearly witnessed poor quality players on the training ground. It's exciting that Cook and Roberts are both thinking and working in tandem for the greater good of Ipswich Town FC. Role on next season.
18

bluelodgeblue added 10:53 - Apr 16
Exactly the way forward however, I feel it will be a stronger management setup with Leam Richardson around the place?
6

bluewarrior added 10:55 - Apr 16
To be fair to Lambert, with practically nothing spent on new talent since Keane was in charge, this is what you end up with. It started as a gradual decline that's gathered momentum since Hurst. The stupidity/naivety of Evans is that when you stop investing this is what you end up with - a crap squad in a decrepit stadium that will cost an awful lot of money to repair.
15

floridaboy added 10:55 - Apr 16
Lets hope Roberts is not in a 5 a side game! Would be very interesting!

Seriously though can see where he is coming from. Many go on about how good Dozzell is yet he cannot even deliver a decent corner or free kick.Personally if an offer came in for him I would not be unhappy if he goes even if he is one of our own!!!
7

dirtydingusmagee added 10:58 - Apr 16
the day just keeps getting better, Thank God Paul Cook has come out and said it as it is ,a far cry from previous assessment by Lambert .At the end of the day Cooks job is on the line the minute he took over, he cant afford to have a team of wasters, I dont think many will shed tears as he decimates this present squad, i just hope he isnt swayed by bootlickers.GOOD FOR YOU PAUL.
13

itfcserbia added 11:02 - Apr 16
Usually I don't support manager taking this kind of words into public but to be fair to PC - he came in and at first tried to protect the players but they let him down completely. Just as they let down Hurst and Lambert before him so now let's see who can take a punch a fight for the club and who will walk away.
13

Marinersnose added 11:06 - Apr 16
How refreshing was that. I would say exactly the same . You don't need to have extensive football knowledge to identify that this group of players is inept and lacking fitness. We know those whose lifestyle Is contradicting their so called professional athlete status and this is why we have had so many injuries at the club. Lack of discipline by management and players. Young PL players who I personally know are so disciplined in their lifestyle management and that's how it has to be in today's game. Roberts has decent technical ability and he has clearly witnessed poor quality players on the training ground. It's exciting that Cook and Roberts are both thinking and working in tandem for the greater good of Ipswich Town FC. Role on next season.
1

StavangerBlue added 11:07 - Apr 16
@floridaboy there is nobody in this squad worth keeping. Dozzell has had several seasons to prove himself and one good pass a game does not make a player.

Fitness is something I've moaned about for a while. Good players/athletes are lean, fit and quick. We look like a pub side in comparison although most pub sides at least play with passion and we don't even have that.
3

WonTheCupin78 added 11:17 - Apr 16
Days of laughing and joking after defeat are over.

Many of these players will find it tough getting new contracts and may have to drop down a league or two.
8

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 11:17 - Apr 16
It's been a long while since I've seen such brutal honesty from a manager. No smoke going up our lads a## anymore! Keep it up PC, then clean house. COYB.
14

PortmanTerrorist added 11:19 - Apr 16
Boom
2

arc added 11:20 - Apr 16
I hope this is the start of a thing from Cook–whenever he wants to voice a controversial opinion he prefaces it with "Gary thinks..." "Gary thinks the referee didn't have a good game..." "Gary thinks that we need to sign another striker..." "Gary thinks that Flynn should have let Andre raise the Champions League trophy" etc.
2

BildestonBlue added 11:27 - Apr 16
I'm glad someone finally said it however its a fine line to tread as a manager, I'm confident in Cook changing what needs to changed but it can be easy to fall into the hole of creating an US and THEM atmosphere which can spill over into next season!

YES the team isn't good enough and NO its not his fault but you're a part of the team now so do all you can and also perhaps take a little more accountability, however poor the players are the poor performances cant be on just them as they have won at times this season.

I believe Cook will fix things but lets not just point the finger, you coach them, you prep them for games and so you must also be accountable.

Onwards and upwards PC!
4

BlueNomad added 11:33 - Apr 16
It is interesting that the fittest player, with the best attitude, is Chambers. Rarely misses a game and applies himself. That is not the same as talking about his quality - he is clearly on the wane - but think how well a Chambo ten years younger would impress Cook. The same could be said of Skuse (apart from this season). Apart from Downes (and there were question marks about his attitude early in the season) I can't think of any younger players I would put in that category.
1

shakytown added 11:39 - Apr 16
just whats needed is a ruthless cull of the lazy deadwood and who cares if the are from our academy or not. how the heck can well paid professional footballers be allowed to play for the club and not even be fit let alone have a proper attitude. Cant see more than 4-5 of the squad still here next season. massive attitude fix is needed and that will not happen with Chambers in the way as well so thanks and goodbye.
3

BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 11:52 - Apr 16
I trust in Cook but don't trust in our team. Expect a few more defeats between now and the end of the season. Then this abysmal decline will be finally over. I have no doubt that Cook will bring in players who exude passion. Love to see McGreal back at PR in some role, exactly the kind of person we need at the club.
4


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