Town boss Paul Cook admitted that this afternoon’s 5-2 defeat by Bolton was one of his toughest days in management and one of his lowest points as a boss.

The Blues’ afternoon got off to the perfect start with Macauley Bonne putting them in front in the fifth minute but after that the afternoon became a nightmare as the Trotters won comfortably.

“I think you’ve just summed it up, I don’t think you need me to,” Cook said when that summary of the afternoon was put to him. “I think you’ve just summed it up perfectly.

“Probably one of the toughest days I’ve had in management, a really difficult day. To watch your team, again like we do, where our type is, take the lead, start brightly, look good, get the crowd on our side, even equalise.

“Then all of a sudden we just give goals away and at the minute it’s something we have to eradicate. There’ll be no criticism towards the players from me, none, I put the players on the pitch.

“This is a very proud club and this was a very not proud performance from us today. We can hide behind newness, three lads making their debuts whatever we want.

“There are two ways you play football, one with the ball and one without. And unfortunately for us we’re quite OK with the ball, we still score goals, we do alright, we’ve missed a couple of chances, without the ball we are a million miles away from where we need to be as a team. And that’s something we have to eradicate and eradicate quickly.”

How do you eradicate it? “By not talking to you [the media] much, by not trying to talk nonsense to our supporters who watch the same game as me, by a desire and a willingness to work and a desire to do things, a hunger in your play and aggression in your play, something that we sadly lack at the minute and something that we must find.”

Cook has won only four of 23 games in charge of Town having been a success throughout his career elsewhere. Asked what he puts that down to, he responded: “Which one? The big success? Having good players. We’ve got good players now. I don’t think it’s fair to throw the record from last year because you’re talking about two different squads.

“I accept criticism, I’m not a lad who will ever hide behind anything other than the games you see, so I think it’s a bit unfair to throw last year’s results when we’ve changed 19 players.

“I think this year we’ve recruited very well, we’re strong, everyone looks at us as favourites, but then you see the performance. We’re not playing like a team which will be promoted, we’re not playing like a team.

“At the minute we show individual qualities but not collective ones. The reality of that is you go away, you work very hard to be better and that’s what we’ll do.”

Is being the big club in the division putting pressure on the players? “I think sometimes, and I respect your job, how many negative questions to you want to ask me? There are massive clubs in this league. Bolton Wanderers - a massive football club. Sunderland, Portsmouth, how many do you want.

“So we concentrate on ourselves. The most important thing is Ipswich Town Football Club. Today we’ve let our fans down.

“You can’t manage and play for clubs like this and have performances like that and speak about acceptance. There are only so many adjectives negatively you can speak about yourselves before you must go away and think ‘Right, how do we respond to that?’ That’s the biggest test of anybody’s character.”

The way his team started the game was a positive but Cook says few can be taken from a game such as today’s.

“I don’t really see positives when you’ve lost at home, when you’ve had a heavy defeat at home, which is really hurt for everyone, no more so than our supporters,” he said.

“We are a very proud club and what we’ve offered today as a group, and myself being the leader of the group, is not good enough for them.

“So I will shoulder that 100 per cent, I’ve never criticised players in public and I won’t know. I think what goes on behind closed doors should stay there and we know we’ve got to be better.”

One mitigating factor might have been debuts for George Edmundson and Christian Walton, while Sone Aluko made his first league start.

“I think we’ve had three debutants again today, Chaplin only played for the second time playing against a very good Bolton side, by the way,” Cook continued.

“As many negatives as we speak about Ipswich today, I think we should pay Bolton a big compliment, they were excellent today. They carried a real threat going forward and it was a threat we couldn’t manage and that’s something we’ll have to look back at, analyse and do better again next time.”

He added: “I try my best not to hide, especially for our supporters. Some of the stuff you see and you like and you think ‘We’re doing OK’ and some of the stuff you see when we haven’t got the ball is really worrying, and it has to change.

“The only way it changes is by video analysis, by recreating the situations and going back out there.

“If you look at the percentages in games this season, we take the lead and we give a goal away very quickly after it. And I struggle with that. I struggle with that, it’s something that we’ll speak about, we keep speaking about and we’ll keep working on to get better.”

What’s that down to? “I refuse, I think as a manager like myself who I’d like to call experience now, I’ve been around football a bit, it’s on me.

“This is my job, it’s a massive football club, it’s an honour to manage football clubs like this and to get better sometimes or to get to where you want to be, you’ve got to feel pain and we’ve certainly felt pain today.”

Asked whether the start to the season worries him, he insisted: “No, I’ve got to tell you know, it genuinely doesn’t. I’d love to be able to say it does. I know the personnel in the building, I know the players that aren’t available that will come in, I know the characteristics of a Samy Morsy type, for example, which will be everything that we lacked today. He will be there times 10 for that.

“There’ll be no performances like that when he’s in the team. But the reality is we haven’t got him and what we’ve got to offer our fans now is more. We can’t guarantee any of players turn up.

“We’ve brought Edmundson and Burgess in today and they’d never played together, and that was how it looked.

“The reality for me, I shoulder all that, it’s what I’ve been brought in to do, it’s what I’ve done at other clubs. Unfortunately, probably the lowest point of my career nearly today, it’s up there with the best of them, and I’ll take that like a man.”

He added: “We can’t keep scoring two goals and losing games, it’s not football. It’s just not football and within our openness and wanting to please, the games have been good here, and you must credit the opposition. Bolton were excellent today, they really were.

“They leave here with all the plaudits and rightly so. We lick our wounds and we’ll come back 100 per cent, for sure.”

At the final whistle there were boos, which Cook says he understood: “One hundred per cent, I get it. I’m a fan. If I’m a fan and I’m looking at it, I’m looking at a brand new team in general, I’m looking at lads where relationships are struggling to form.

“I thought Sone Aluko was excellent today, I’ve got to say that, and I’m looking for positives, not to our supporters. For me, as a coach, as a manager, there’s no positives. You don’t lose 5-2 at home and there’s positives.

“That team today is a team that I look at and I’d watch myself and I’d want to criticise. My job is to solve the problems and that’s something we’ll work hard to do.

“I’m highlighting Sone purely on the basis that he was excellent but he was part of a team which hasn’t performed very well.”

Was the game’s crucial moment Bonne missing at one end and Dapo Afolayan putting the visitors 3-2 ahead at the other in injury time.

“That’s football,” he said. “The football gods, whether you like it or not, are not with us. In my world you influence that.

“My world is you don’t make excuses, you influence it. We’re giving bad goals away. The goals we’re giving away, throughout my management career, I’ve always prided myself on the work-rate in my team, how hard we work, our fitness levels and all the above.

“And at the minute when I watch us today, I do enjoy us at times with the ball, I think we’ve got a lot of creative players, but defensively not really.

“And by the way, defensively I’m not talking just about goalkeepers or centre-halves, I’m talking about as a team, and you defend from the front.”

Cook says Town’s defensive frailties will be improved the more the new recruits play alongside one another.

“I would suggest so,” he said. “When you set your team up, your decision-making process in a game, you look back on the week’s training. We’ve studied Bolton, we’ve watched them. Have we given the players enough information? Yes, we have. Have the players carried that out? Probably not.

“And I was glad after the game because some of them actually spoke in the dressing room, and that’s important. This isn’t the Paul Cook show, this is Ipswich Town Football and that’s the most important thing.”

Regarding the decision to substitute Kane Vincent-Young in the 21st minute, he explained: “It wasn’t so much a torrid time, it was the fact that he’s been booked, he’s just given a penalty away and probably any other tackle in the game against a very good player who he was marking would probably result in him being sent off and at the time it was a chance we couldn’t take.”

Scott Fraser was missing from the squad having picked up a minor injury, Cook confirmed.

“Injured, he got a knock on Wednesday and Scott’s been doing great, and that brought a bit of unbalance to us,” he said.

“But there’s no excuses about today. Scotty will be back this week, I imagine. It’s just a little knock.”

Regarding Luke Woolfenden, also absent, he added: “Again, he’s done great, he’s just had a breather today because we thought Edmundson had had a strong couple of weeks training and he was ready to come in. And these are the decisions we make.”

Bolton manager Ian Evatt was unsurprisingly pleased with his side’s performance.

“I’m satisfied, it was alright!” he told the Manchester Evening News. “I think there was a lot of frustration from Monday night [when they drew 0-0 at home with Burton]. Our performance on Monday night deserved that goal tally really and we didn’t get it.

“But as I’ve said to you in the press, I think when teams do go toe to toe with us, it’s a dangerous thing to do, because we’re a dangerous team.

“We might be open and expansive and may concede a few the other way, but we can score goals. MK Dons went toe to toe with us, we scored three, Port Vale did, we scored three, Wimbledon did, we scored three.

“It’s more difficult and challenging for us when teams do sit in and play territory and set plays, as we found on Monday night, but that was exceptional. I think some of our goals were a credit to our football club and you won’t see many better outside of the Premier League.”

Bolton hadn’t won a league game at Portman Road for 20 years and hadn’t found the net on their last six visits.

“Well we’ve tried and made up for that, haven’t we, and raised the average again!” Evatt joked.

“I’m very respectful of history, but to be honest, it’s about the here and now for us and about our focus and mentality.

“I just said to them after the game, ‘I hope you go home this weekend and understand and think to yourselves, not that we’ve cracked it’. But if we keep working hard and stay humble and keep improving, we have a good chance this year.

“We do have a chance and that’s the way I see it, so for now let’s enjoy this weekend, enjoy tonight, I hope our supporters do as well, but then back to work Monday ready for the next game.”

Photo: TWTD

warwickblue added 00:13 - Sep 12 Paul Cook - If this really is about Ipswich Town Football Club and not 'The Paul Cook Show' could you please stop coming out of the tunnel two minutes before your team and milking the applause like you're good or something? Could you imagine Sir Bobby Robson marching out like that, or Magilton or Mccarthy? Just concentrate on your job (whilst you still have it).
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ipswichone added 00:45 - Sep 12 Cook has to go before we are deep in relegation battle. He was useless when he arrived,and I think most fans now realise he is totally useless.go now before its to late
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2_Goal added 02:37 - Sep 12 I rarely post on here but enough is enough. Eddie Howe please come and help us!
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Oldozblue added 03:18 - Sep 12 Anyone who 1. thinks its smart to come out before the team and show off and 2. spouts meaningless, evasive excuses after the match - is not a good leader. Tactically he has one plan - 4,2,3,1 which he religiously sticks to but other teams have rumbled in terms of countering. Not sure of where ITFC go from here. Worth listening to the Bolton managers post match interview - not satisfied, humble and smart. Hopefully it changes but is Cook better than Lambert, Hurst etc.?

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martin587 added 07:30 - Sep 12 Paul Cook I'm afraid you've been found out that without your mate at Wigan you struggle to manage.Your backroom staff are certainly NOT a qualified as coaches and have very little knowledge on tactics.Yesterday there was very little passion from at least nine players and the Eagan's show very little encouragement to his players.Understanding… there was none.Defending..awful.I hate the booing but unless you sort this miserable start out very soon PC I'm afraid this will be the norm as expectations were high and the promises from you were “we will set this league on fire” What has gone wrong.You had two weeks to get players working together and what happens we loos at home 5-2.I rest my case.

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martin587 added 07:31 - Sep 12 Evans
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Help added 08:11 - Sep 12 Walton - poor decisions neither came for the ball nor left it. Think communication was better with a non-English speaking keeper. Bring back Holy quickly KVY - no where near the player he was. No longer a defender. Edmundson - Is he better than what we have. Has the wait been worth it? Burgess - Okay, nothing special, strongest of a weak back 4 Coulson - Not as good as the last game, worked well Harper - Waves his arms directing others, but does very little himself, needs to concentrate on his own game Evans - Waves his arms directing others, but does less than Harper. As a paring this is our weak spot. Burns - On fire today two goals from his two crosses Chaplin - if the ball was played to his feet then we would get so much more from him, however to many balls to his head Aluko - Ball control and touches were fantastic today. Should be in the middle instead of Harper and Evans Bonne - Tried hard, scored the first goal and then every ball to him thereafter was hoofed from the back 4 because there is no midfield to pass to. Only wide men. Jackson - Not sure why he was brought on. Not his fault. Carroll - Forgot he had come on the pitch I was so annoyed by this time. Cant remember if he did anything. Not his fault. Donacien - Got pulled inside so many times by Bolton to leave the gaps out wide. Not as solid as previous games. Cook - Change the formation. For all of the personnel changes, these are your players. The one constant has been the formation which does not work. Get a defensive number 2 now as the current management team are useless. Jobs for the boys who dont know what they are doing. Give the kit man his old job back now he is way over his head. Once again we got pulled apart by a team passing the ball. Why do we defend in zones, leaving the opposition to play the ball around us. I am unsure if some of these players were brought in based on stats and nothing else, because Woolfenden is top of the passing stats. A defender for goodness sake. We need a midfielder top of that stats pile, not a defender who plays back to his team mate over 5 yards. Looked more like 11 players who were picked minutes before the game from the crowd, who incidentally would have done better.

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Lightningboy added 10:47 - Sep 12 Absolute - Clown. The player recruitment this summer has been outstanding by the new regime - now they need to go out & recruit a decent manager & coaching team. You don't buy a Ferrari & give the keys to Mr.Magoo.
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barrystedmunds added 10:50 - Sep 12 This has all the makings of the Hurst era…. but in reverse! We were in a higher league but recruited lower league players and now we're in a lower league recruiting supposedly higher league players. The outcome is almost identical thus far, can't buy a win and the manager seemingly has no answers. Wonder if the outcome will be the same🤔
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StavangerBlue added 11:41 - Sep 12 I'm not old but I remember a time when all fans got behind the team and supported their club through thick and thin. Success is never guaranteed, was not and is still not instant. That is why success is so sweet. This isn't a computer game, an app that fixes everything in an instant or a 30 minute Botox treatment. This is real life! It will be painful, it will take more time than we would like and we will have poor days. Players do not need verbal abuse because they don't meet your expectations; shaped by watching the like of Man City and Ronaldo. Get behind the team, they are real people who need support and encouragement. Trust the team, Cook and the club to do their jobs. We are in a better place today, as a club, than we were a year ago.

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TimmyH added 11:42 - Sep 12 Paul Cook win % at 17.4...unacceptable at this level for this club, so far he's been really underwhelming.
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Marinersnose added 11:44 - Sep 12 Cook has an enviable record as a manager and despite taking the team from top six to mid table he talked the talk. He's cleared out the entire squad including some quality players and has identified and bought his new squad. Many of the new squad look to be a step up others clearly average. He's started the season poorly blaming individual errors and centre backs for defeats. He has now brought in two big central defenders who both look very average with their feet and not a step up on Wilson and Woolfenden. Many continue to believe his hype and he has now purchased Morsy who he says will be the answer. As a season ticket holder for many years it's abundantly obvious that this man has bought some talent but has no idea how to manage people or set up a team. His substitutions have been so poor every game. My patience is running out with this chump. Who would bring on a defensive midfielder when we are getting beat 5-2. How can Jackson be our back up striker. The jury has retired to consider its verdict. I think it will be a unanimous decision.

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dude added 12:27 - Sep 12 Ouch. Better days lie ahead.
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masetheace added 12:30 - Sep 12 Two comments !. Luke W needed a breather after two weeks off !!! 2. If these new players need even longer playing together to gel we will be looking at avoiding relegation not getting to play offs
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runaround added 13:44 - Sep 12 Surely Cook can see it's the tactics we are employing which are wrong? When we lose the ball we are short in numbers and all over the place defensively as the 2 and 3 of the 4231 are not getting back to help the back 4 whilst the fullbacks are told to stay high. However good Morsy is, he will not be able to change that on his own. I don't want to have a go at the man too much as I am led to believe he has lost his dad in the last few days, but surely he can recognise where his tactics aren't working?

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Ebantiass added 13:49 - Sep 12 I said at the start of the season id give Cook 10 games sand judge him and the team. As we draw closer things are not going the way any of us wanted. I still believe if given time Cook and the players could turn this around. I remember he had the same a few seasons ago at Wigan then went on an incredible run winning away at Leeds and going on a great winning run. That was then this is now. I dont think any of us would disagree that the squad is much much better than last season. Also Cook seems to be honest in his match appraisal pulling few punches. Im still very much in the camp of this will be a good team with him as our manager but time is running out for him, thats for sure. Get this sorted Paul and quickly.

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herfie added 14:50 - Sep 12 Would hope that Ashton has spoken with PC and made it crystal clear that what we witnessed yesterday was totally unacceptable - from both the players', and he and his coaching team's perspective. Stand back from the emotion, expectations and torrent of words that tumble haphazardly from PC's mouth, and ensure that he understands that any repeat of that abject display will result in his removal. No room for sentiment and excuses that appear to be covering up some fundamental shortcomings.

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Linkboy13 added 15:03 - Sep 12 Never thought id see Dire Straits back at Portman road. We need the Chelsea manager Thomas Toucal to show Cook how to set up a team best coach ive seen in the Premier league.
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Cheshire_Blue added 16:55 - Sep 12 How is this an improvement on last season despite a complete change of personnel ? The common factor is Paul Cook who is not up to the job. We need to get rid before it is too late and we are doomed to League 2.
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Kickingblock added 21:52 - Sep 12 It's not funny, but: "they looked like a pub team who had won a competition to play a Portman Road".
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Kickingblock added 21:58 - Sep 12 Eddie Howe will not be coming to manage ITFC as long as he's got a hole in his @rrs.
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dirtydingusmagee added 22:25 - Sep 12 lets face it ''yosser'' it isnt going very well is it, since you took over, we have been going in wrong direction, AND we are a joke now. We know you dont make excuses , but what will your next excuse be ? come on Paul giz it .
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dirtydingusmagee added 08:23 - Sep 13 just because Cook has managed teams that got promoted dosnt mean he will do it again, I'll be honest ,i knew very little about him when he was appointed [ by Evans, which in itself is worrying] but aside from his Liverpudlian gift of the gab he has shown nothing and achieved less. I have lost any confidence i may have had in him. Ashton and co must surely be getting the jitters now too.

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Razor added 13:56 - Sep 13 Cook you are useless and just accept it----you should have got us in the play offs last season but pissed the team off so they downed tools and did not play for you-------you are destroying this club quicker than Hurst or McCAARTHY----just go please.
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KenHancocksBoot added 18:20 - Sep 13 It's obvious Cook needs an assistant as he's floundering. It's also obvious he needs a defensive coach. Step forward John McGreal who I understand is hanging about the place recently
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