Blues co-owner Brett Johnson says Town intend to keep 10 per cent of the large squad manager Paul Cook inherited in March.

Cook released a number of players who were out of contract, including skipper Luke Chambers and fellow stalwarts Cole Skuse and Freddie Sears, at the end of the season and told most of the rest of the squad that they could move on this summer.

Andre Dozzell joined QPR today, Gwion Edwards recently left for Wigan despite being offered new terms and keeper Dai Cornell’s contract has been terminated by mutual consent with plenty of others expected to join them in departing.

Speaking to The Athletic, Johnson says the plan is for around four of the squad Cook took charge of in March to remain at the club.

“We’re making wholesale changes,” he said. “We had long calls with Paul and we have a lot of faith in him.

“He was the manager that we were intending to appoint, and Marcus Evans reached out to us because (Cook) was appointed before we closed the deal, but that he was on our very, very short list.

“Paul showed up and there were something like 43 players on the extended roster; I think we’re keeping about 10 per cent of them. The question is how quickly you can bring in so much talent and get it to click.

“What we all want to do is take a sober approach to how quickly the turnaround starts to happen.

“You need a little time to gel and in a lot of environments, you’re not given a lot of time. We have to be pragmatic relative to the fact of how competitive the league is when you’re starting with a base that needs to be completely overhauled.”

Among those ear-marked to continue as part of the squad are the likes of right-back Kane Vincent-Young and striker James Norwood, while Town offered Edwards a new deal and took up an option on Aaron Drinan's contract.

Some of those who have been told they can move on will get the chance to convince Cook they're worth keeping hold of when they return for pre-season training a week on Saturday.

Already young forward Armando Dobra has stated his intention to win himself a place in the team.

The Blues have made two signings so far, forward Wes Burns and midfielder Lee Evans with West Brom’s Rekeem Harper set to become the third summer recruit, and Johnson is pleased with those additions.

“In these early days, I’m beyond encouraged relative to the quality and calibre of talent that we’ve already started to sign and a bunch of talent that’s sitting in the wings,” he continued.

“While there are some phenomenal clubs that we’re competing against, I also think given the dislocation that’s been happening in the global sport, there are a lot of clubs that are probably suffering right now.

“I think we’re well positioned to make sure that we can bounce out of this whole surreal period, in a very strong position.”

Photo: TWTD

Mariner1974 added 23:57 - Jun 15 I guess if they told us we're going to keep Woolfie, KVY, Bishop, Lankester, Norwood and Dobra we could relax! I'm laughing at myself for accidentally keeping Dozzell in my wishlist of people to stay...that was meant to be TEDDY BISHOP!
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runningout added 00:04 - Jun 16 Mariner1974 think you've missed the news! I think a lot of people have forgot the disaster of the last few and more years.
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NITFC added 00:12 - Jun 16 I really hope this works. Very risky strategy
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BeattiesBackPocket added 00:13 - Jun 16 I don't get some on here It appears some posters on here would rather keep the players who took us to league one in the first place who everyone could see haven't been playing for the shirt, the same players laughing and joking when losing at home to Swindon town and took us to 11th place our lowest position in 60 odd years under lambert??? Is that what you guys are saying really? The old regime under evans was poor at best our lowest league position in over 60 years and you want more of the same?? Maybe you want evans back and more decline with nothing happening still?? The only way is to start over again we knew 20 people would be out of contract because that's how our old owner let it get which he had been doing since starting with leadbitter Norris etc all allowed to go for free, bringing in league two players because of lack of investment or structure even outgoing managers have said about? Maybe you want players like mcgoldrick or even Dozzell leaving saying they'd become stagnant or that Ipswich was too nice a club so people become comfortable? We need players in who will fight who have experience of league one and PROVEN players which so far we have in and who can play higher. How about we give the ownership and manager a chance?? Monkeyblue is one who constantly moans about all that's happening then makes baseless claims of how under lambert we were never out the top six. Come on get behind the club ffs people moaning before a balls even been kicked yet same ones moaning about our lowest finish there's no pleasing some on here you don't deserve a successful football club

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BeattiesBackPocket added 00:15 - Jun 16 He's also told the players they can leave because he probably wants the players to come back and fight for the club like dobra! Dobras not moaning he's determined to make a point and play for the club THATS who we want as a player not people coasting!!!
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Mariner1974 added 00:24 - Jun 16 Yeh agree with that BeattiesBackPocket. In my head I had it as...'if you want to be here and prove to me that you're worthy of a place in the team and to wear the badge, then show me that in pre-season and tell me you're up for the fight'. If it's that I'm happy. I just don't want every player being tarred with the brush. Woolfie didn't cause us to get relegated, Bishop didn't cause us to get relegated, Downes didn't cause us to get relegated, Lankester didn't cause us to get relegated and neither did KVY. I hope those kinda guys are given a chance.

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Mariner1974 added 00:33 - Jun 16 tarred with the same brush... Judge, Chambers, Skuse, Ward, Sears, Donacien, Drinan, Kenlock, Holy, Cornell etc you can all go. I'm happy with lots to go. I'd sling Drinan (the new Naylor), Hawkins, all in the bus with them outta here. Just think Woolfie/ KVY/Dobra/ Bishop/ Norwood/ Lankester should all be retained and play a big part. Nolan and Jackson I wouldn't cry about, but think they can contribute if they are still here

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BeattiesBackPocket added 00:37 - Jun 16 Mariner1974 I'd keep those as well however if like Dozzell they put something in their contracts which means they can go if an offer comes in then how committed are they to us? If anyone wants to leave and doesn't want to fight then I think they should. I'm sick of players last 14 years coming here and coasting, managers saying we don't have a structure now we have that and people still moan

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Mariner1974 added 00:54 - Jun 16 That Dozzell contract was done before he started to get a game under Lambert though right? I'd just like to see the best of the players we've developed have chance under a proper structure with an actually well run modern football club around them to give them the chance. Ashton and his team + West Brom Chairman guy I've liked everything they've said. Just hope like us, can see and sort the wheat from the chaff, and those players worth giving a proper structure to, to help them develop as players and not just make a group cull. I'm as excited about having a Sports Science guy and people with designated roles as much as I am buying new players!

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KiwiBlue2 added 01:16 - Jun 16 Mariner - I agree that the whole off-field set-up is now looking much better, so hopefully fully fit and motivated players = less injuries. I am also encouraged by the calibre of players so far brought in and some of those we have been linked with so comparisons with Hurst are somewhat unfair because we are not targeting a bunch of League 2 players to play in League 1 in the way he was targeting L1 and L2 players to play in the Championship. If Cook can get half a dozen more players that he wants I think that we can be optimistic about next season once the team has gelled, hopefully quickly.

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KiwiTractor added 02:51 - Jun 16 Keeping only 10% is going to rely on other clubs wanting some of our players - that could be a problem. For the record, I'd be happy to keep the following 11 players as part of our squad going forward: Woolfenden Vincent-Young Baggott Downes Bishop Dobra McGavin El Mizouni Gibbs Norwood Lankester That still leaves a good 12-14 players to go
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pennblue added 05:55 - Jun 16 This is good news, one of the main problems with our current squad is mentality, and therefore we need a big reset to get rid of that 'its ok to be coast' mentality else it just carries over to the next team. PC is going for a smaller squad anyway, so it is not like we are looking to recruit 36 players.
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Wishing4arightback added 06:20 - Jun 16 For those of you comparing this to Hurst, you all need to remember one thing. Hurst had a Club Captain who didn't want it to work and even held team meetings behind the Managements back to ensure they failed. Cook does have a clean slate with no one able to undermine him. Yes it is a big ask, but give him the chance as hopefully his attempt of the much needed rebuild will not be sabotaged from within!

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BigBlueMac added 07:07 - Jun 16 Typical ipswich fans. Moan the squads poor, get rid of squad moan too many have left. You don't know better than the people running the club so shut up have some faith
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Wooly74 added 07:11 - Jun 16 Robsonwark 🤦‍♂️ Of course Woolfy was laughing with the Swindon players at the end of the 2-3 defeat at home last season, he spent a whole season with them in their team only two seasons before and had a really successful loan period! I suggest you get your coat 🧥
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cat added 07:22 - Jun 16 This is music to me ears. If I'd read this 6 months ago I'd have thought I was dreaming. Posters talk about suicide (lol) get real! We were pony, a joke, some of the things we witnessed were ultra embarrassing. We'll have a good squad for next season, reason - we have money and plenty of it.
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Dog added 07:30 - Jun 16 Wishing4arightback - utter rubbish. Nothing to do with chambers. Hurst bought rubbish to replace our best players. Doig's treatment of Bart was contemptible. In other jobs it would be abuse. Hurst lost the dressing room before the season. You can see that in his interview with Bianca Westwood before blackburn game. You cannot blame chambers for hurst and doig being so woefully inept.

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BettyBlue added 07:52 - Jun 16 Brett Johnson is digging a bigger hole for himself, the club and Cook. Tell everyone you don't want 90% your current players and then try and shift them. Pathetic. Like big school boys playing FIFA 21 but with someone else's money. Oh yes, and Bristol City turned out fine didn't it?
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blues1 added 08:04 - Jun 16 Taricco Fan. And there u go. Youve hit the nail on the head. The fickleness of some ipswich fans. The worst fans in tbe country for that, and rightly bern voted the most miserable fans in tbe country. As u say, been calling for this to happen for a couple of years now. Now its happening, they now moaning they're getting what they asked for. Pathetic. And undoubtedly, despite the fact brett has said here that i

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blues1 added 08:05 - Jun 16 It may not be instant success theyll still be moaning if that proves to be the case
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GTRKing added 08:17 - Jun 16 I am not worried at all, when PC told the players you can leave in the summer= If you wanna be here prove to me that you 100% committed to the plan, if not bye bye, The transfer Windows only recently opened other league one clubs not even signed a player yet, I have faith in owners PC and the team, I would happily keep KVY Downes Dobra Wolfenden Norwood Jackson (As back up) Bishop (Aa Back Up) Lankaster Holy (Back up) We need GK LB/LWB CB CB RB (Back up to KVY) CM/CAM LM/LW ST That will do nicely, Let's support the team as I think we will do well next season

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blues1 added 08:17 - Jun 16 Arnie M. Ur spot on. Absolutely what the club needs. And we as fans, need to be patient. Rome wadntcbuilt in a day
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blues1 added 08:22 - Jun 16 Mariner74. Agree with much of what u say. However, the list of players tou give statungvtheyvwere not responsible for us being relegated or finishing midtable in lge 1 is totally incorrect. Every player was responsible for that. We cannot lay the blame at just a few players door. They all played their part. Would say, bcse of their injuries tho, u could excuse kvy and Norwood for that. But everyone else is to blame

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Guthrum added 08:27 - Jun 16 In the summer of 2017, Wolves bought themselves a whole new team, 14 players, and finished top of the Championship.
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RobITFC added 08:33 - Jun 16 The maths does not add up, if we are getting rid of all but 4 and Mark Ashton said last week that he was expecting to only getting in 3 to 5 new ones in that leaves a big hole in the squad ?
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