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Cook: We're Looking For Four, Five or Six More
Tuesday, 3rd Aug 2021 20:34

Town boss Paul Cook says the Blues are still looking for another “four, five or six” further additions this summer and says the club has brought in close to £2 million in fees for the players who have departed, while revealing at least one of his new signings will miss Saturday’s opener against Morecambe.

Cook, speaking to The Totally Football League Show says that while there’s a perception from the outside that Town have spent a lot of money in adding their 10 new recruits, the fees achieved for the players who have moved on have contributed to much of that expenditure.

“When we came in last year, we had a squad of 43 players. Within that, we’ve probably retained not many of them at all,” he said.

“We sold Andre Dozzell to QPR, we let Liam Gibbs go to Norwich, all for good money. We’ve probably brought close to £2 million in.

“So the brutal reality is that a lot of our spending has been funded and a lot of players left the club that have been replaced with new players on wage bills.

“I think that because there isn’t a lot of spending anywhere else in English football, any club like ours that is spending is deemed to be a big spender. The reality is we’re only probably replacing what we’ve lost with new players.”

Cook says the incoming transfers haven’t stopped yet: “Believe it or not, I don’t think we’ve finished bringing players in. We actually feel there are probably another four, five or six to come in. We are, believe it or not, short on numbers.

“And that integration is going to be huge to our success, without a shadow of a doubt. How quickly can we get [players integrated].

“For example, George Edmundson hasn’t trained since he signed from Glasgow Rangers last week, he won’t make Saturday. He hasn’t played in the team.

“Scott Fraser’s had a calf problem. We’ve actually got lads going out to train and play at the minute who have never played with each other before. That integration is going to be huge.”


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Barty added 08:21 - Aug 4
Please play 2 up front
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bluesteel added 08:23 - Aug 4
probably in a weaker position than at the beginning of last season, and that was with all the pathetic strikers and over the hill and past it players

seems cook is asking for judgement to be reserved until next year

good luck with that
-5

blues1 added 08:33 - Aug 4
Nobbysnuts. What are you on about? Hows he making excuses. If you dont think having a whole new squad pretty much, is a work in progress then you clearly know nothing about football. The new owners have all said this could take time. Unfortunately fans such as yourself expect immediate results. Fortunately the majority of town fans understand the reality of where we are.
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blues1 added 08:38 - Aug 4
Monkeyblue. What the hell are you on about? Hes bot moaning about where we are. Hes just stating that we,re still a bit short right now and saying that we are looking to sign more. Seems tou still cant get it into ur head that getting rid of the majority of last seasons squad was the right thing to do. All you go on about is that cook is this cook is that. Yet every player who's signed has said that cook was a big reason for them signing. So why not stop ur personal vendetta against him and let's just see how things plan out over the next couple of seasons. And yes, it may take that long, as the new owners have alluded to, its gonna take time to turn round the demise of the past 10 years.
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bluesteel added 08:38 - Aug 4
how can you start the season without enough players for an eleven a side practice game?
-2

Michael101 added 08:39 - Aug 4
Is that why the squad numbers haven't been announced yet?? Are there things in the pipeline (in or out) about to happen.
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blues1 added 08:42 - Aug 4
Eiropablue. Not sure how u take the comment about Downes as meaning to ship him out. When the comment was " sort the Downes situation out and thatll be one less we need."
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ringwoodblue added 09:01 - Aug 4
I have no doubt that the new owners will give Cookie plenty of time and stick with him even if the season doesn't get off to a good start. Unfortunately patience amongst Ipswich fans is (understandably) in very short supply given how poor things have been for many years so we are our own worst enemy.
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PortmanTerrorist added 09:03 - Aug 4
With the attacking options we have now, so we really need to do is keep clean sheets to win the league, but defense is where we are lacking most in terms of players and coaches. A little surprised Mr Terry Butcher isn't been shed to at least cast an eye over their drills.

I do actually believe in both Toto and Woolfy, but suspect am being optimistic that they could carry us through a season, but would love to be proved wrong.
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Nobbysnuts added 09:05 - Aug 4
Blues1...what are you on about...we are on a merry-go-round of excuses and it started with Paul Hurst.....I would have more respect for cook if he just said we are going for it this season... the jury is out for me on cook as his record is poor.
0

pg888 added 09:18 - Aug 4
Anyone who expects us to be top of the league at Christmas is in my
opinion deluded. It's a fact of football teams need time to gel you cannot just buy a whole new team and win every game. What's much more realistic is hovering around 6th or 7th at Xmas and being the team that makes a late surge into the top 2.
-1

TractorFrog added 10:13 - Aug 4
So who are these four, five or six players? I would say we need a LB, CM and LW. The other three must surely be replacements for players who will be transferred out. Maybe a CB instead of Nsiala or Woolfenden, or a GK instead of Holy? Another CAM or another RW? Either way, we are almost set for the start of the year already, and any more than the first three mentioned would be a bonus.
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runningout added 10:24 - Aug 4
Not assured with CB position. Nsiala has been ok of late. V a lot of League 1 opposition he will be vulnerable. Got to be harsh and don't think he's up to it.
1

WhoisJimmyJuan added 11:11 - Aug 4
I will be patient and won't expect promotion or a flying start. But I think all fans have a right to hope we are on an upward trajectory this season with a squad of players showing desire, determination and passion. Promotion is longer term say 2-3 years.
1

Orraman added 11:23 - Aug 4
Good players should be able to adapt to each other's strengths and weaknesses fairly quickly. The England squad came together quickly at Euro 2020 and while they are elite international players, those we have signed are at the top end of their peer group in Lge 1 so with daily training and coaching they should by now know who likes ball to feet, or who likes to make a run etc. While it won't gel straight away I would have thought that they know enough about each other by now to give Lge 1 opposition a good test
1

blues1 added 12:12 - Aug 4
Nobbysnuts. there you go again. Hes not making excuses for anything. Just stating the fact they want more players. He has a poor record? Realky? 3 clubs, 3 promotions, all as champions. As for here? Anyone with a brain would know you cant blame him for last season. He had to put up withvazbunch of unprofessional players who when criticised, instead of taking the attitude of proving him wrong, decided to down tools. Which is why they're not here now.. Or are with the u23s. And even with the fa t we didnt win many of the last 16 games we were unbeaten at home under him. So not so bad. Could he have been a big more subtle witgcwhhat he said? Maybe. But then we may still be stuck with players who clearly arent good enough. The biggest issue at this club right now is a section of our fans who are so fickle its unbelievable. The same fans whove been insisting these players needed to go, for the past 2 years, are now saying we shouldnt have got rid of them? Those same fans, will no doubt, be the ones who dont realise that getting thos right could take some time and will li
1

blues1 added 12:14 - Aug 4
likely ne calling for the managers head if we're not top and unbeaten after 10 games. Which is ridiculous. And that's why our fans have been voted the worst in the country in a recent poll.
1

runningout added 12:25 - Aug 4
We as fans haven't been good for years. Time to show up and be counted!!
0

PutneyBlue added 14:26 - Aug 4
Worcesterblue, OK, so the announcement of Cook's appointment came before the news about the takeover, but I'm sure Cook will have been well aware that he was about to be funded in a way that his predecessors weren't.

He could take a cold, dispassionate look at the squad in the knowledge that he would have the money to replace the lot if that's what was needed to gain promotion.

So far, his approach seems to be working. Dozzell was a serial underperformer, so to sell him for £1m is a great bit of business. Dobra has fought for a First Team place and has got into the squad. Both of those are wins for Cook.

As for Downes, his choice is clear. For me, the more interesting ones are Jackson, Donacien and Woolffenden, none of whom set the world alight last year, but maybe Cook's tough love approach will get them to raise their game too.
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