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Downes: We Came to an Agreement That I Wanted to Leave
Tuesday, 17th Aug 2021 09:53

Former Blues midfielder Flynn Downes has spoken about his final couple of months at Portman Road, confirming that he told manager Paul Cook that he wanted to move on, which he says was probably why he was made to train with the U23s in pre-season.

Downes, 22, joined Swansea last week for a fee understood to be in excess of £1 million, signing a four-year deal, and made his debut for the Championship side in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Sheffield United, playing the full 90 minutes. He says he was delighted to get back to first-team action.

“Playing out there tonight was the most enjoyable game I’ve ever played in. So, I’m looking forward to being here,” he told Wales Online.

“Before Thursday, I hadn’t moved for about a week. It’s been quite hectic, but that’s football and when you’re called upon you’ve got to be ready. I didn’t feel 100 per cent tonight [against Sheffield United], but I’ll get there.”

Downes has previously said how much he admired new Swans manager Russell Martin’s approach to football at the MK Dons and compared it with the way the Blues played the game for much of last season.

“You get a lot of the ball and as a player that’s what you want,” Downes said regarding Martin’s style of football.

“You want the ball and to be able to do things. When you haven’t got the ball, you’re sprinting about, you’re blowing, it’s horrible.

“We are not just keeping the ball for the sake of it. We are keeping the ball to move the opponent.

“At Ipswich, sometimes we used to move the ball but it was so slow, so there was no purpose in it. This has got purpose and it’s a pleasure.”

The former England U19 and U20 international made a transfer request in the summer of 2020 following two offers from Premier League Crystal Palace which the Blues rebuffed. Downes confirmed he reiterated that desire to move on at the end of last season.

He also revealed that it was U23s manager Kieron Dyer who informed him he would be training with his squad rather than the first team in pre-season.

"Honestly, I wish I could tell you,” Downes reflected when quizzed on what happened in the latter days of his time with Town, a club he joined aged seven.

“I literally found out a few days before I went back, from Kieron Dyer who said I was going to be with the U23s. I was like, 'Oh, okay. That says a lot’.

“I spoke to the gaffer at Ipswich last year and we came to an agreement that I wanted to leave. I think that had a part to play in it. That’s fair enough. It is what it is. I wish I’d had a better pre-season but there you are.

“I’m buzzing to be here. Being with the U23s has made me appreciate this even more. I can’t wait to get going.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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JewellintheTown added 11:33 - Aug 17
Wouldn't read too much into this. Does sound like he harbours deep resentment to things he doesn't realise he was part of the problem of, wants to spill the beans and lay blame, but doesn't yet know how to hint at troubles without saying something that makes him upset his old fans. This is a new experience for him so pleasing his new club without insulting and saying too much about his old club is something he's got to learn to keep a diplomatic balance with. Not doing a good job so far though.
2

SouperJim added 11:37 - Aug 17
Lovely, zero responsibility taken. What a plank.

Foxtrot Oscar
3

IpswichT62OldBoy added 11:44 - Aug 17
Compare and contrast: Dobra
9

ThaiBlue added 11:54 - Aug 17
Who really cares,if players dont want to be here just go.
0

budgieplucker added 12:07 - Aug 17
It is what it is, if he's asked a question I guess the lad tried to give an honest answer as he sees it.

Diplomacy is something that doesn't come particularly at an early age and he isn't a very articulate young man so neither are a significant proportion of footballers, so I am not sure I expected a lot more.

Yes it would have been nice of him saying fair do's I understand completely where the club is coming from (and he hints a bit towards that), his temperament on the pitch which made him the player he is, is probably a reflection of his personality, but let's wish him all the best and hope he goes along way in the game, especially if we have a good sell on clause.
3

dirtydingusmagee added 12:11 - Aug 17
for all those that were wanting him to stay, there you go, His attitude will bring him down again elswhere, imo. He is now history ,we move on .
1

SE1blue added 12:12 - Aug 17
There are players you think we let go too cheaply (Webster) and players you wish we didn't have to sell (Cresswell, Mings etc.) because you admired their hard work and commitment…and then there's Downes.

If, and I think right now it's a massive if, he goes on to be on the level of those mentioned above, I won't have any feelings of disappointment or that we missed an opportunity with him, as he didn't have the right attitude after Palace came sniffing.

He's the one who needs to prove himself now and who needs to stop looking back and blaming others. Town did all they could.
1

ldnj added 12:18 - Aug 17
It's interesting he says "we came to an agreement", doesn't imply it was necessarily down to him. If your boss says to you it's probably time you looked for another job then "we came to an agreement" would be a good description. Cook seems quite clear he doesn't want anyone from last year. Donacien maybe gets the benefit of the doubt as he was on loan ? The manager has tacitly admitted he's not able to get the best out of what he already had so therefore he needs to change everything.
1

TimmyH added 12:34 - Aug 17
Shame really as I would have liked some of the new players built around him as the holding midfielder...but if he didn't want to be here then Au Revoir!
-1

austractor added 12:40 - Aug 17
"I was like, 'Oh, okay. That says a lot'.".....

Moron
0

cantona11 added 12:58 - Aug 17
F***in wide boy thought he was better than he is I'm sure they weren't told to play slow and with no purpose it was him and Andre another big time Charlie that chose to play that way and when compared with what we have now is laughable Evans,Harper,Carroll will all score us goals and are far superior to those pumped up idiots you go through our team now the only old members that fit in are Dobra,KVY,Norwood and I've always said Donacian has never done anything wrong when played and has shown that he is a useful squad member and hopefully the 2 new CB will be a cut above what we already had and its OK that KVY and Penney(imo weakest link atm)Coulson go fwd that our CB understand the game to fill in and 1 CM to cover when going fwd
2

Skip73 added 13:21 - Aug 17
Entitled little pr1ck. Good riddance. Totally overrated.
1

Suffolkboy added 13:22 - Aug 17
Do not think it's at all correct to emphasise ,even over emphasise , or attempt to place individual interpretations on FD ‘s answers to questions .It's entirely possible to understand his real pleasure in putting doubts and no playing chances behind ,and finding he's wanted and in the playing unit immediately !– any sportsman . let alone a Professional, would be reinvigorated by this fortunate turn of events !
As observed , he's not the most articulate natural speaker , in fact somewhat awkward ,but he's not dishonest in any way !
It's totally unfair to seek to point fingers ( & he has gone to,lengths not to ) or to infer that others were part of any plot or scheme .Whatever ME did , he most certainly did not interfere in the managing and running of the team( or enough in the business side of ITFC ) , so his Managers were free and enabled to Manage and coach : the last two at least proved inept ,or not up to the job despite freedoms provided !!
I feel a real sense of frustration behind FD's words; I DO NOT in any circumstances believe any Manager worth his salt,who values human beings and purveys a ‘conscience & sense of culture and ethics ‘ should avoid personal and continuing contact and discussion – but football and those in the management thereof are apparently above normal leadership behavioural qualities and attitudes !
It'd be much better if we,as true supporters , found a way to try to view situations with dispassionate equilibrium ,willing always to find a kernel of truth and recognise there are definitely two sides to each coin !
This still young man has not been properly managed at ITFC ,has a lot of nascent talent and strength ,but alongside some evident weaknesses : do let's wish him every success in growing into the real footballer and powerhouse he might become !
COYB
1

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 13:25 - Aug 17
Yes agree with all the comments here. I'll add, he has a great shoulder charge. That's all I saw from him last year (that, and he needs better arm strength as he looked weak). It seemed he was trying to be booked in every match.
0

Bluedandy added 13:28 - Aug 17
Downes should never have been made to train with the U23s ....should have been restricted to five-a-side with Junior Blues whilst dressed as Bluey ... I'm buzzing he's no longer here ... like I say buzzing ... you know buzzing ... oh just buzz off Flynn ... oh and Swansea are a much smaller club than the massive one you've just left .... bye bye.
5

bluesman added 13:35 - Aug 17
People on here should stop the negativity towards Downes. He's a great player who has paid for a lot of what's happened. So say thank you and move on.
-1

Karlosfandangal added 13:51 - Aug 17
Garibaldi

Don't have any niggling doubts about Dozzell and Bishop, they were never going to get Town out of this league and will struggle in the Championship. They should have ripped this league apart if they were that good.

Think Dobra is proving this this season
2

grow_our_own added 14:05 - Aug 17
So sad. In better times we'd have built the team around players like him.

Impatient fans plus incompetent managerial appointments equals most underperforming club in English football.
4

Churchman added 14:21 - Aug 17
I think his comments say more about him than it does about the club or managers. His advisors would do well to tell him to shut up and concentrate on his future.
0

ArnieM added 14:25 - Aug 17
Like I alluded to on here a while ago, Mr Downes is not the saint some people think he is . I'm aware of another side, and he ain't all that !

Cheerio 👋 you won't be missed and with our current squad I doubt you'd be first choice anyway .
-1

londontractorboy57 added 14:37 - Aug 17
Looking back a few seasons i attended the Crystal Palace Town League cup game the team was full of youngsters and put a brilliant display up to finally get overwhelmed by a stronger Palace team what ever happened to those bright lights.
Wish all our young players that have left the club in recent months all the best they will progress and we will still be languishing in league 1 or 2.
Cook out.
0

BlueHairedGoon added 14:42 - Aug 17
"sometimes we used to move the ball but it was so slow, so there was no purpose in it"

Why didn't you speed it up a bit then?
0

Taricco_Fan added 15:33 - Aug 17
Daft comments. He agreed with Cook that he wanted to leave (something he wanted to do last summer) then wonders why he's not a part of the first team for pre-season.

Meh, move on from him. We've brought in better players, lads who actually want to be here.
-1

blueboy1981 added 15:34 - Aug 17
Let's hope the shock has taught you something Downes - now earn your Corn, along with a few of your buddies who ‘couldn't be asked' either...... !!!
Not every Club is a Cosy Corner Club to be a member of - not even Ipswich Town anymore ... !!!
-1

BeattiesBackPocket added 15:43 - Aug 17
Suffolkboy HE wanted to leave after we turned down palaces offer and hasn't wanted to stay since so what exactly can any manager do with an employee who doesn't want to be there?? If YIU want players here who don't want to be here then brilliant good for you but we've heard enough from ex players and managers saying about the empathy that was rife under our old ownership for it to not be true. If there was no issues why are the owners and Ashton saying so much needs to be done at the club from staff, stadium, players attitudes etc some people really are blind to it clearly
0


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