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

Kitman added 08:50 - Jun 16 Keeping 10%? (of 43) How do you keep .3% of a player?
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brassy added 08:55 - Jun 16 how many players have actually left so far phil
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Marinersnose added 08:58 - Jun 16 I'm excited about the new era but I'm definitely getting mixed messages from the management . Was PC telling players that they can leave part of his motivational speech ? Johnson speaks of the bunch of talent sitting in the wings ??? He has t seen them neither have the fans. The club need to start moving quickly as they're back in two weeks
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blues1 added 08:59 - Jun 16 To itfc. Are you serious. Ashton said we have 4 or 5 players in the pipeline, at that time. Didnt say we only gonna sign 4 or 5..
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BettyBlue added 09:07 - Jun 16 Some fans are rewriting history, Cook gave the players an ultimatum last season, put the effort in now or you're out of here. Not, lets see how things turn out and if you're still interested we'll revisit this next season??? How many chances does an ultimatum have?
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markchips added 09:11 - Jun 16 If all these players know they are going Fat Paul needs to get a move on otherwise he will struggle to get a team out .
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BettyBlue added 09:11 - Jun 16 And the new Wolves owners had to take such drastic action in 2016-7 as they had employed Paul Lambert as their manager the season before.
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Billybobblue added 09:24 - Jun 16 So much negativity on losing players. These are the same players that have not been convincing in League 1 for 2 seasons now. It may seem daunting to get rid of so many players so soon, but this change is needed. Let the club do their job and lets see who comes in. I would be more worried if they said they were only going to get rid of 10% of the squad, them wanting to get rid of 90% of the squad shows how over hyped the teams been over the past few seasons, as well as players willingness to fight tooth and nail for this club. Sit back, relax and let the club do the work, we'll bring the support come August! COYB

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TonyHumesIpswich added 09:28 - Jun 16 Brassy - Out= Allan Viral Ben Folami Adam Przbek Harry Wright Barry Cotter Kai Brown Zak Brown Alan Judge Stephen Ward Luke Chambers Cole Skuse Freddie Sears James Wilson Emyr Huws Tristan Nydam Mark McGuiness Troy Parrott Luke Matheson Keenan Bennetts Josh Harrop Luke Thomas Gwion Edwards David Cornell Andre Dozzell
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TonyHumesIpswich added 09:32 - Jun 16 Brassy- In- Wes Burns Lee Evans Callum Page
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Essexipswichboy added 09:34 - Jun 16 I'm not sure what's going on but at the moment it looks a shambles Last week Brett Johnson said we had sold 16 k season tickets ...Ashton said 11 Brett now saying we are only keeping 10% of players....well more than that are still under contract plus Ben Morris got an extension The structure being put in place is exciting because it looks like they determined to rebuild this club to it's former glory Rome wasn't built in a day ...but equally you wouldn't knock it down either

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budgieplucker added 09:35 - Jun 16 The bar should be firmly set, anything for a player of a score of less than 7 out of 10 each week is unacceptable, 7 being good, 8 being very good, 9 being outstanding and 10 being exceptionally outstanding. Now I know many of these ratings that appear in various places are very subjective but the club could design its own on performance stats. If you get 6 or less one week then you have a chance to correct this by going and getting an 8 the next week. How many players last season even managed an 8.0 ? This not about potential, when you reach the first team it is about performances. To be a top player you have to deal with pressure and if Cook has challenged the existing squad to prove that then they need to cope with that, it is no different to the pressure they should experience when pulling on the blue shirt each week and needing to go out and get a response. In my view if you haven't made a notable first team appearance by age 21 then you move on. That may be unfair if you haven't had the opportunity because of a fitter bunch of first team players but that's the toughness that has to be faced if you want to succeed. The only exception in my view would be to be performing notably on loan to a club playing a decent level of football. The production line has to keep moving and the academy goal should be to produce good if not exceptional talented footballers, many who we should not expect to make it with Ipswich because of limited opportunities but capable of continuing their career elsewhere. Tough love rather than mollycoddling by giving them another year on their contract. Nothing Cook has said is anywhere near as brutal as the demands you need to put on yourself to be the very best.

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BettyBlue added 10:03 - Jun 16 4
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Rimsy added 10:08 - Jun 16 Can't believe some on here are complaining about moving on all of those under achievers at the club. It's still going to be a rubbish league and we'll be competitive from the off, even with the team needing to gel. This is such an exciting time for the club and I fully expect to be promoted. I've had £50 on us winning the league.
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chorltonskylineblue added 10:20 - Jun 16 I don't know the stats but Lincoln had a massive clearout and change of style under Michael Appleton. They seem to have done well with a comparatively limited budget. I share fans' concerns about the extent of the overhaul but then most of us have been moaning about the lack of application and quality. We can't have it both ways. The ownership seems to have a pretty sober approach to this strategy and is not promising immediate miracles. Sad to see a few of our players go but time to get behind the new regime. We were dying a very slow death under Evans. I'm optimistic for the future.

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austractor added 10:26 - Jun 16 Correct me if I'm wrong, but when your Manager and then your Owner both say everyone can go, you are inviting crap offers for all your players (saleable or otherwise)? That's a hell of a lot of faith the new owners are already putting in Paul Cook. If he performed miracles at previous clubs with massive financial issues I can't imagine any of them were with overhauls of this scale as the clubs wouldnt have been able to do it whether he wanted to or not. It just would not be our club without this element of danger mixed with optimism. Leaning towards the optimism not being misplaced this time.

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brassy added 10:28 - Jun 16 many thanks tony humes
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blues1 added 10:32 - Jun 16 Essexipswichboy. And that shows how ridiculous some of our fans are. It wasnt brett johnson who said we had sold 16,000 season tickets at all. It was fans on here saying that. So stop talking rubbish. Ur clearly one of a number of fans on here or social media who is only happy when moaning and criticising. So why not just show some patience. As johnson clearly says in this interview, and has said before, it's not necessarily gonna be a quick fix. So let's just be patient and get behind the club. We all wanted change. Well, weve got it, and if we're gonna have fans who are still not on the same page as the new regime, then this is gonna end in failure too. It's no wonder our fans have been voted as the most miserable in the country, when you see the constant negativity on here by some. Frankly, its pathetic.

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BettyBlue added 10:38 - Jun 16 "We're keeping 4 of the current squad and are going to sign another 20 top class League One players in the next 3 weeks" Really?? And you're supposed to be the detail and money man.....
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JewellintheTown added 10:43 - Jun 16 Many called for a wholesale clear out & rebuild just before Hurst was appointed. Many accepted if that took time & drop to gel, that's better than we had in the Championship. That didn't work for various reasons. We finally have the support to do that now though in new owners, leadership, manager & back room staff. Everything they're saying is what we've asked for. Change is always going to unnerve some but considering the path we were on and the rut that had been dug for us, I can't think of a better outcome & future than the one we've got. Exciting times ahead! Lets be patient & see what summer brings & give the club, new players & leadership the trust & chance to do the job they seem willing & capable to do. Onwards & upwards!

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Ipswichbusiness added 11:22 - Jun 16 Tonyhumesipswich: remember that many of the players on your outgoing list were either loanees or very much fringe players. Apparently Paul Cook offered a contract to Gwion Edwards, but he chose to move on. I think that Wilson should have been offered at least another year. Hopefully, the surviving players will take this as the kick up the backside that they needed and improve accordingly.

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atty added 11:26 - Jun 16 I would have kept about 7, and like many others questioned the wisdom of declaring most could go etc. So we are now told we'll keep 4/5 (?) and if we want a squad of 20, we have to find say 15 new players.Really? As others abi et have intimated that is a big ask. OK the tough line has softened to some have the chance to prove they are worth keeping, but could that because Cook has realised he's made a mistake? No idea but l do think he could have been less dramatic. Oh and why is that Harper deal still not done? I understand from this site he had a medical two weeks ago.

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blues1 added 11:49 - Jun 16 Atty. Noits not bcse cook has realised hes made a mistake. Bcse he hasnt. At the end if the day it was a challenge too players to show they want to stay or not. Some have clearly indicated they're up for the fight and he has told Ashton which ones he wants to keep. My guess is it may be more than 4 or 5 who end up staying. Too many fans take everything said too literally. To those suggesting that bcse weve announced players can go, that clubs can offer whatever they like, that's not true. The players are under contract and will have a value put on them by the club. So if those values arent met then we wouldnt have to accept their offer. While we may want to sell them, I dont believe the new owners would just accept anything offered.

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Monkey_Blue added 12:06 - Jun 16 The hysteria about how bad our players are/were is ridiculous. In the two seasons we've had in league one we've spent the vast majority of that time in the top 6, including quite a bit of time in the top 2. Theses are facts. We've lacked a goal scorer most of all. We can argue about keeping some of them to upgrade but this seems more extreme than I feared. I'll remind you that the two players we've signed finished lower in the league than us, so by that logic they can't be as good as the players we had who apparently are almost all useless.? 🤪

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Kickingblock added 12:10 - Jun 16 Calm down folks, the transfer window has only been open for a week and it closes in 10 weeks time! I'm sure that there will be a few more new faces before they start preseason training. Just let them get on with it. They know what they are doing.
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