Ivan Mukandi is Town’s new head of strength and conditioning.

Mukandi was with Arsenal’s academy for seven years from 2014, working with their U15s to their U23s, and also with the Gunners' women's side.

He has a BSc (Hons) in Sport Psychology and Coaching Sciences and MSc in Strength and Conditioning, and is an accredited coach with the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and British Sport and Exercise Association, as well as having a UEFA B License.

Earlier in the summer new director of performance Andy Rolls mentioned Mukandi’s appointment when listing the new staff who would be working under him.

“I’ve brought in a lot of new people, I know a lot of them have been released but we’re trying to really put a lot of effort and strength into that department,” he told iFollow Ipswich.

“We’ve got a new head of sports science in Andy Costin, we’ve got a new first-team fitness coach in Ash [Jon Ashton], we have got a new head of strength and conditioning called Ivan, who hasn’t started yet.

“So we’re trying to put a lot of energy [into that] and the club are supporting us really hard in that to try and upgrade that system.

“[Physio] Matt Byard and his medical team have done brilliantly over the last year, especially with Covid, but I think he needs some support and help, he can’t be expected to do everything that he’s always done. So we’re trying to support that whole structure.”

Photo: Matchday Images

itsonlyme added 15:06 - Jul 26 Sounds promising! The club really has joined the 21st century. No longer the road runs of Ted Philips and Ray Crawford who had at sometime hitched a lift with the milkman, legend has it. Lol!
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ImAbeliever added 15:16 - Jul 26 Could anyone kick a waterlogged, laced up leather ball harder and more deadly than Ted? Back to topic, another brick in the wall 👍
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:18 - Jul 26 Just need a fortune teller now .cant be many backroom positions left ! Hope the proverbial pudding tastes good when its eaten . COYB
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Paperboymatt added 15:34 - Jul 26 Is there really the need for another coach..especially if we finish up with less players...?
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JewellintheTown added 15:40 - Jul 26 As long as Paul Cook doesn't get Glen Hoddle and his faith healer Eileen Drewery in, I'll support his backroom staff choices 100%. Its the on field I'm currently more interested in though.
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Churchman added 15:54 - Jul 26 I'm actually really keen to see a professional set up being put in place behind the scenes. We've paid in every way for not having one for years. A proper 21c structure guarantees we will progress in the longer term. That includes putting in place a proper recruitment team Ashton talked about in one of his interviews. It's all good.
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buzbyblue added 15:55 - Jul 26 Why can't people on this site READ articles, time and time again its stated under Evans poor Matt was doing EVERYTHING, no wonder we had so many niggly injuries all the time, as much as you need a team on the field, you need one behind the scenes as well
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Tampa_Florida_Blue added 16:17 - Jul 26 @paperboymatt my way of looking at this appointment is the glass half full method. If we have better coaching squad, who can give much better one on one coaching, surely that will lessen the injury issues we have plagued us for years, so we dont need so many players. Or have I lived in USA for way to long, and feel coaches are the only route?
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Bergholtblue added 16:23 - Jul 26 If this means we stop losing players long term because of recurring injuries, I don't care how many coaches we get in. I would like to know exactly what there duties are though. First team fitness and head of strength and conditioning seem somewhat similar.
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ringwoodblue added 16:51 - Jul 26 It's great that we have someone who can help the players in this area especially a smaller squad expected to play 46+ games. Most of our players looked weak and out of condition last season so this is an important appointment.
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chepstowblue added 17:21 - Jul 26 Dove 2 in 1 shampoo is the better option. Strengthens, conditions and leaves a very lustrous sheen !
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BobbyBell added 17:28 - Jul 26 No cups of tea and cigarettes in the groundsman's hut any more then. I believe two of our best ever defenders did that on a regular basis.
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Ryorry added 18:12 - Jul 26 That's one helluva CV Mukandi has, looks like an excellent appointment - it's no use having great players if they're spending most of their time in the treatment room or having to be subbed at h/t simply because they're cream-crackered. I really like the way we look to be getting a decent Sports Science dept. in place - the lack of that was a massive failing by Evans over 13 years and quite possibly at the root of our woes.

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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 06:13 - Jul 27 Impressive CV. Welcome to the club!
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Nobbysnuts added 10:28 - Jul 27 Whatever next ...good god...they will have a coach for making tea next.
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