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Cook: Painful Nights Like These Hurt Me Deeply and I'm Sure They Hurt Our Supporters
Tuesday, 20th Apr 2021 21:52

Town boss Paul Cook admitted the Blues aren’t ready for the play-offs after a 3-0 defeat at Northampton realistically ended their hopes of a top-six place this season.

The defeat sees the Blues drop to 11th, five points off the play-offs with only four to play. They are without a win in five and a goal in 529 minutes of football.

Having lost 3-0 at AFC Wimbledon a week ago, manager Cook admits thoroughly disappointing Tuesday nights are becoming a habit.

“It’s just a normal one, isn’t it?” he said. “Again, there’ll be no criticism of the players from me now, we’re past all that.

“Our supporters don’t need to listen to me, what you’d consider an experienced manager coming in, I think that’s 12 games from me now. I’d have expected myself to do a lot better, irrespective of any player who has going on the pitch.

“The first level of criticism comes to me, to my staff. I don’t want the players getting any criticism. The fans have watched us for long enough now. The pain, the frustration’s been there for a period of time and eventually, after this season ends, hopefully they’ll see some signs in the club, whatever that looks like, of a positive future.”

Asked whether the players’ confidence is low as a result of the recent run, he said: “I just told the lads in there, you get one football career and sometimes when you play for clubs, the bigger clubs in every league, everyone raises their game to play you. That’s part of the good thing of playing for Ipswich, Portsmouth and Sunderland in this division.

“But it’s also a challenge because you become a big scalp and unfortunately for us, and I’m talking about under myself now, I’m not talking about under anyone else, it hasn’t been good enough. And I won’t be criticising the players tonight, I will shoulder that blame for them.”

When it was put to him that Town aren’t going to reach the play-offs this season, he conceded: “No, it’s not. We came away from home tonight and we started the game so, so well. We were bright, we looked effective. But, like I say to them, the first confidence [hit] or disappointment in games, we always get [affected by that] disappointment.

“As a young group of men, disappointment on the pitch is hard because, I’m talking about my time at Ipswich, no one else, you haven’t got many go-to moments where they’ve been in trouble and they’ve got out of it.


“You’ve gone and crossed the ball, we got in great areas tonight and our quality [was lacking]. But I’m not going to get drawn into aspects of the game.

“The plan for going forward is to be a lot better than we are today, and I’m talking about myself and the staff, I’m not talking about the players.”

What do you want to see from the final four games? “Play, just play. I thought we had a couple of great performances. I thought Andre Dozzell was excellent, I thought Gwion Edwards was as well. And that’s what we want to see as well.

“Again, I don’t want to tell you what’s going on in the dressing room, that’s not fair on the players that, but to manage clubs like ours, it’s a privilege, to play for the clubs it’s the same. But the supporters only want to hear that for so long.

“Unfortunately in transfer windows, you know what’s gone on in the last few weeks, it’s been a difficult time for everyone at the club.

“So let’s all, and from myself, let’s have a bit of manners and a bit of respect, let’s not make stupid, rash statements that people want to hear in football because I think as a sportsperson it’s got to hurt.

“And what you do is go away, let the hurt go to the bottom of your shoes and you do something about it.”

Quizzed on whether he might you look at one or two players over the course of the next few weeks who haven’t featured so far, Cook said: “I’m not going to speak like that. They’re painful these nights now, they really are. They hurt me deeply and I’m sure they hurt a lot of our supporters on iFollow and people who are passionately wanting us to make the play-offs.

“We’re not ready for the play-offs, are we? Let’s have the truth sometimes, the truth hurts a little bit.

“We’re going to be a club in massive transition now, and the quicker that transition starts the better.”

On Saturday Cook was pleased with the performance as Town drew 0-0 at Charlton but pointed out that a decent display has usually been followed by a disappointing one, and that proved to be the case.

“There’s not much to add,” he reflected. “Everyone watches everyone nowadays. If you watch us, you’d generally say we’re soft. Unfortunately that’s something I have to shoulder.

“If my team’s soft, if our team’s soft, that’s us. Ipswich Town Football Club’s a collective. When players go on the pitch they represent us all, I represent the town.

“And the fans know I’m hurting. The people who know me know me. People know me and my dressing rooms know I certainly won’t be throwing players under the bus, it’s not my style. What we’ve offered under me, I’m not talking about anyone else, hasn’t been good enough.”

Did Kane Vincent-Young’s miss early in the second half sum up the game? “I think Kane’s a really bright spark for us. The kid’s doing really well, it’s so pleasing to see. We want to have that athleticism in the team.

“At the end I’m thinking about taking him off because he’s played two games in a short space of time and I’m thinking about the bigger picture. But the bigger picture is you have to win football games and if you don’t win it hurts you deeply.

“As I say, I think we’ve said enough tonight in general, on the game. I thank everyone for the support, the support for the club’s constant, it’s there, so we’ve got to be better, myself included.”

Northampton manager Jon Brady was delighted with his side’s victory, which sees them stay 21st in the table.

“It was a good win," Brady told the Northampton Chronicle & Echo. "The two goals came from two set pieces and that was something we worked on in terms of trying to free up Pete [Kioso] in the box.

“The delivery was on point and he timed his arrival well and I thought it was a very strong performance in the first half.

“We stepped on when we needed to, we closed off lines and we got in a few times in the first half and we also had to weather a few little moments.

“We came out in the second half and we sunk too deep but that's the story of our season a little bit so we had to change our shape and that allowed us to press on a bit higher. I thought thereafter we looked a lot better and it was a good win for us.”


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delias_cheesy_flaps added 21:56 - Apr 20
He sounded a beaten man already....
17

martin587 added 21:58 - Apr 20
We're all hurting Paul.It's very hard to take.
10

Norwichbeater added 21:59 - Apr 20
His comments are all over the place. Starting to contradict previous statements in each interview. I believe he is truly in a bad place at the moment. Lack of leadership on the pitch and around the squad from experienced players hasn't helped him
14

matthewwylds added 21:59 - Apr 20
Sorry but you pick the same s#it game after game are you up for the job I'm really not sure
5

KenHancocksBoot added 22:00 - Apr 20
I suppose really what could he say after that? It's all been said before over and over and over and over............
6

Sebastian added 22:00 - Apr 20
Oh. If i didn't know any better that sounds like someone realising he's getting the boot. Just saying.
-8

shortmarine1969 added 22:04 - Apr 20
Nothing of substance at all in that interview...just waffle.!!.sorry not good enough PC, Not convinced at all yet, aware he is trying new things, formations, players, but it has gone backwards in his ten games, a simple fact. The new owners must be wondering is this the man to sped our millions..I would be, but he does have a decent record at this level..but has not shown anything yet. i would ditch the aers who he wants out and play the younger guys , Gibbs , Dobra , Baggot , Simpson - are we really going to be able to get a new 6-7 quaility players in ?? PC needds to be careful as some will be calling for his head soon - they all ready are in the exteme cases.!
5

bluesince76 added 22:04 - Apr 20
Two wins in twelve abysmal may need an even bigger clear out.
-2

Sixto6 added 22:05 - Apr 20
This is the worst Ipswich squad for a very very long time, and while I'm disappointed we have been dreadful under Cook he needs time to oversee a massive change at the club !

Let's just get this season over with and start a really important summer of rebuilding !

14

BromleyBloo added 22:06 - Apr 20
“We're going to be a club in massive transition now, and the quicker that transition starts the better”

Amen!!!🙏
15

Drifter3012 added 22:06 - Apr 20
Whatever you are doing at Playford Road isn't working Paul so how about you do something different.
Your predecessor refused to change things and the fans hated him for it, and sadly some are already turning against you already.
If you don't change something before Saturday, Wimbledon are going to stuff us again and you will be repeating all this again.
8

Bleu added 22:07 - Apr 20
Nigel Pearson...final piece of the jigsaw..
-14

buzbyblue added 22:07 - Apr 20
what a load of old faff, yes Paul you are right, this ones on you.... you picked the team tonight, knowing fore well that most had done b!gger all in the 11 games before hand, yet you still picked them?

Beginning to have doubts you are the right man for the job cos lets face it alot have contracts for next season and beyond and even those players don't seem to be playing for you right now?

I don't care whos hurting, kick em hard, kick them outta the 18 for last 4 games, who cares how it makes them feel cos the deff don't feel for the club
6

PinstripeBlue added 22:09 - Apr 20
I am not convinced PC is the one.
His record is abysmal.
Something isn't right.
16

TimmyH added 22:09 - Apr 20
I'll judge you next season Paul but it's not the best of starts for you in fact pretty poor...the new owners must be looking in with more than a touch of concern that we end up on the wrong side of the likes of Wimbledon and Northampton, start the next season with or without a much changed side and similar results and he might be finding that axe being wielded on himself.
12

alliedaz added 22:10 - Apr 20
Over the last few weeks, rumours of what is going to happen to ipswich town football club in the summer are so obvious, most players are expected to leave, most players are unfit to wear the shirt, they have just given up, just hope they find new blood, and want to play football
7

Facefacts added 22:11 - Apr 20
Difficult to know what to say when former non league clubs and minnows are beating us every week. We are easy to beat and we will have to keep hoping that he gets the recruitment right in the summer. He needs players who will stand up for themselves and not get dragged into the Ipswich way of continual failure and dropping like gravity. But how will he make so many changes in such a short time? Very difficult, you have to feel sorry for him. He definitely didn't know it was going to be as bad as this.
6

TractorBeezer added 22:11 - Apr 20
I know that we have been promised great things by summer. However would like to know where you are adding value "at the minute" Paul.
9

Jesney_Havoc added 22:12 - Apr 20
You can feck off as well.
-2

BromleyBloo added 22:13 - Apr 20
Eddie Howe............
-2

ArnieM added 22:13 - Apr 20
I actually feel so sorry for Paul Cook . He's as honest as the day is long , and thus squad of players has totally let him down . They're a DISGRACE and have no place at this Club.

I just hope they haven't lost him his job for next season .

Utter Tossas every last one of them
28

Suffolkboy added 22:14 - Apr 20
So hurt he should be ! Enough shouldering , no ones asking for him to shoot down individuals ,BUT we've neither seen nor heard from him anything but sob stories and promises he understands the frustrations – of everybody !
Too true we expected more , too true we'd like to hear what his game plan is , too true we'd like to be privy to the roles he's selected players for ,and what he expects those role plays to produce !
Sadly one concludes this man is currently doing the ethical , principled duty of going through the motions of confidentiality ,and in a praiseworthy fashion not putting blame on individual players !
We need him to do much better ,and we need more than lame apologies and sympathies : Paul we expect you to PERFORM !Get on with measuring up !
COYB
4

BlueBlood90 added 22:15 - Apr 20
I don't understand the point of Cook shouldering the blame and not “throwing the players under the bus”. Every single one of those players have no problem in throwing him under the bus with their shameful performances week after week.

I cannot wait to get these final games over and done with. The fewer number of this lot that returns for pre-season the better.
20

ChrisR added 22:15 - Apr 20
Its a disaster , 2 wins in 12 , and they were gifted goals by the opposition . Somethings very wrong , is PC trustable to hire and fire in the close season ? It dont look like it !!!
9

Edmundo added 22:16 - Apr 20
This is the players showing their true colours. They think they're so FN clever but really just look like idiots. Some people on here see that. They are going, and want to trash the Club and our new manager on the way out. So immature.
9


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