Blues manager Paul Cook is looking for his players to give the Portman Road faithful a lift on Sunday when Crewe Alexandra visit.

The atmosphere around the ground on Tuesday as Town were comfortably beaten 2-0 by Rotherham was flat having been far livelier at previous matches.

“If I was an Ipswich Town fan coming in the stadium on Sunday, I would demand my team give me a lift,” Cook said.

“I’m the manager and the message to them is quite clearly that that’s what we’re intending on doing.”

Reflecting on the mood amongst the support, he added: “What happens more so than anything is that optimism always rises when you see something and optimism will always go away when you believe it mightn’t happen.

“What our supporters will be feeling is the likelihood that we’re not going to go up this year. That’s what our fans, the most negative ones, will be feeling.

“I’ve been in management long enough to know that to answer those questions you’d be a fool. To try and get involved in those conversations you’d be a fool. Just go and win some football games and then you’ll see the optimism go from where it’s been to exactly where you want it to be. Let’s start by trying our best to beat Crewe on Sunday.”

Has one of the biggest frustrations for him been that the best performances, the 6-0 victory over Doncaster, the 4-1 win at Wycombe and even the display at Sunderland despite the game ending in defeat, been followed up by some of the poorest displays, the 2-1 loss at Accrington, the 1-1 FA Cup draw with Oldham and the Rotherham loss.

“Don’t forget, we’ve put together a brand new team in the summer,” Cook continued. “I don’t want to go back to it because it’s not an excuse. If you’re walking into teams like Rotherham, for example, Plymouth, all the teams in the league in general, they’ve got substance to them.

“Our programme of putting players together, the upheaval we have, it is what it is. It’s not an excuse, it’s not a cop out. We are working hard to make our club better and unfortunately when people see results, people are so reactive to a result now, and rightly so. That’s football.

“But if you do things properly over a period of time, the reality is that you will get exactly where you want to be.

“And luckily enough at most of my clubs I’ve had low points. I look back at my career all the time and it’s only the experiences of what you’ve been through that help you get better and stronger.

“I’ve been through these experience where I won’t wilt away, the players won’t wilt away, we’ll come out fighting and strong.

“And then when those results turn again the correct way, the reality is that the optimism of the supporters in the stadium will grow again.

“Our supporters are right to be on a bit of a low at the minute and it’s a good week at home, it’s three games at home, three different competitions and let’s see what we can get at the end of next Saturday. That’s the big challenge.”

He added: “When you look back on games and I don’t think you can ever kid supporters. I think the good supporter will always give you an honest point of view of where they see your team at and where you can go and what you’re doing.

“I think if you’ve watched us against Oxford and Sunderland, you’d have probably quite enjoyed us, if you’re being honest.

“I felt we left both stadiums feeling we were the better team. Unfortunately, on Tuesday night we left the stadium all feeling that there’s a lot of hard work to be done.

“The brutal reality is that before every game we know there’s a lot of hard work to be done. I’ve never been any under any illusions about that. I’ve watched us grow and I’ve watched us fall away.

“And I’ve watched us not be consistent and if you want to become a good team, a team that challenges at the top levels of leagues, you have to have consistency.

“Inconsistency will see you not be there. So for me, 19 league games in, a couple of good cup competitions going forward, there’s so much to look forward to as a club and a team. It’s my job to sort that out.”

Cook knows fans will be expecting a win on Saturday against the division's bottom side.

“You’ll be at clubs and at every club there's the most important game or it’s a must-win game,”the Blues manager continued.

“I’ve always been of a culture where I must like what I see what’s played in front of me because when you start seeing what you like in front of you, the reality is the results just follow.

“So, for us, if we weren’t to win on Sunday, you’d love to see the keeper making 10 world class saves, we’ve hit the bar 12 times and the post 16 and we can all leave going ‘Jesus, how didn’t we win that?’.

“The reality is if we play like we did on Tuesday, which was lacklustre, then we’re not going to send our supporters home happy. So let’s do our best to send them home as happy as we can.”

Photo: Matchday Images

Juggsy added 11:12 - Nov 26 I could be more understanding if Cook showed some ability to set up correctly and flexibly against different opposition. Playing the same formation and tactics week in, week out home and away even when our attacking full backs are injured is madness. Would love to be proved wrong but he really needs to start showing some flexibility to be able to succeed here.
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wkj added 11:24 - Nov 26 and Cook needs to lift the players. Not saying he needs to go exactly, but he needs to start getting things together.
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Marinersnose added 12:17 - Nov 26 I think the majority of town fans have a right to feel optimistic after several seasons of mediocrity. We have new owners who are clearly passionate about getting the club back to where they want to be and where the fans expect them to be. It's clearly that they are improving the club as a whole and their marketing of Ipswich Town is excellent. We can expect a full stadium over the Christmas period which for me is so positive. Cook has cleared out most of last seasons squad and has brought in his players and his huge coaching team but I'm not overly convinced that the team are significantly better than last season. Yes we have some excellent individuals and in Edmundson we have a strong capable defender. I've seen glimpses of excellent football but rarely a sustained period of excellent football other than perhaps against a poor Doncaster side. I like so many have questioned the inability to adapt tactics in order to dominate and beat opponents. I want Cook to change my mind and prove me wrong. I expect a win on Sunday but more importantly I would like to see a different approach with quick forward thinking football. Promotion is not an option it's a must in my opinion.

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Bazza8564 added 12:44 - Nov 26 A chance sunday to show us more than words, and we need a big big lift! COYB
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Kickingblock added 12:46 - Nov 26 YES, They do need to lift the supporters! The other night, once it became apparent that Rotherham had thwarted the home team, section 6 stopped singing and the north stand fell silent, almost toxic. The supporters need something to feed off too. It works both ways! Fingers out from the first to final whistle!
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pennblue added 13:53 - Nov 26 The fans are tired Mr Cook. They have had years of people claiming this, and claiming that, all of them have never lived up to their words. So you will find, that when we have a run like the past 5-6 games, the fans will very quickly default to anticipating another false dawn. Whilst Sunderland was a good performance, unfortunately, it mean't nothing as we lost the game 2-0.

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TimmyH added 14:08 - Nov 26 Fans have been excellent this season - so much more deserving than what's currently happening on the pitch. Yes sporadically good performances but that's about it, at home other than Doncaster we've been poor!
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Nobbysnuts added 14:20 - Nov 26 Just get lost cook.....fed up with your stupid face and annoying voice..
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ringwoodblue added 14:31 - Nov 26 If only we got extra points for % possession in games, we would be top by now. Trouble is we don't do enough with it. If we don't beat Crewe on Sun, I think even the most optimistic fan will be conceding another season in Lg1 is inevitable
1

TB42 added 15:32 - Nov 26 The buck stops with the manager, plain and simple.
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Saxonblue74 added 16:36 - Nov 26 Pennblue, you're right that supporters are impatient as a result of seasons gone by but we must draw a line under it and start afresh. PC needs time to establish his best 11 and best formation. There is nothing to gain by constantly changing manager or demanding changes in the squad or tactics. He clearly is trying to develop a style of play that will be both successful and entertaining. Rotherham have worked that out for themselves but that took time and be honest, top of the league but who wants to watch that every week?

1

Karlosfandangal added 17:05 - Nov 26 Well I have to say I have enjoyed watching Ipswich play this season, the football is so much better than the last few years. It will take time to get a team that's pushing for the top spot. Just look at Rotherham they are not good enough for the Championship yet look a very good side in League 1 Bobby Robsons first years as manager were not very good but he build a team. Transfer window coming up and if Town are within touch distance to the play offs a few new class players and who knows. This year is far better already than the last 3 or 4 seasons

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Stato added 18:09 - Nov 26 @,karlos this year is better than last year. Check your facts out rather than embarrass yourself with silly statements like that. Look it up and you'll see Lambert had more points are 19 games than Cook. Lambert sacked after 28 games and Cook still 23 points short of the same total. How long do you want Cook given to prove he is the next Bobby Robson ? The comparison is just embarrassing

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Bert added 18:44 - Nov 26 I certainly give it to Cook that he does understand what we are feeling and it's good that he feels the pain. I'm not sure that our previous two managers did. That said I can only agree with the majority of posters who feel it is his team, his squad and his responsibility to stamp out this inconsistency. We are capable of goals from all over the pitch but Edmudsen aside, our frailty at the back has returned. Solve that and we should get back to being an exciting and resilient team.

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ThaiBlue added 20:44 - Nov 26 The only thing you can lift at the club cook is your coffee cup,get out of our club.
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TonyHumesIpswich added 21:12 - Nov 26 Sadly yet another false dawn but I'm certain we will beat Crewe. If we end up drawing they'd bea meltdown on the board!
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Karlosfandangal added 02:04 - Nov 27 Bossman All I said was that I had enjoyed the football Ipswich have played this season, the fact Lambert had more points than Cook has nothing to do with it. Mr Cook will never be in the same league as Sir Bobby, the fact I was pointing out was Sir Bobby had Two poor seasons before he build the team he wanted. Different times Bossman Cook will never be given 2 or 3 years to build a team this time next year if Town are still in the position they are now Cook will be gone. For the last 8 - 10 years the fans have expected instant results from a manager the second he walks in the door. Instead of throwing insults at peoples opinions Bossman try asking a few questions as to what people mean instead of embarrassing yourself

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Bluearmy_81 added 13:02 - Nov 27 Nobbysnuts, did you ever call so assertively and categorically for Evans to clear off due to the damage he did to the club and his colossal failure? If not why not?
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Town_Boy added 14:25 - Nov 27 How about you change formation and have another plan when plan A doesn't work!
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howdonblue added 15:33 - Nov 27 Talk is cheap Paul cook . Actions Are what we need . Plus tactical Formation changes during games to change the way games are going and not in the 75th or 80th minutes when it clear in minute 50 that things ain't working.
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