With manager Paul Cook’s nine-month reign ended at the weekend skipper Sam Morsy is anxious to give interim boss John McGreal a winning start when he takes charge for the first time at Charlton tomorrow evening.

A new era commences under the former Blues defender who cut his managerial teeth in a four-year spell along the A12 at Colchester, where he won 76 of his 204 games in charge, and he was introduced to the players at training this morning.

Asked for his first impressions of Birkenhead-born McGreal, who started his playing career with his local club, Tranmere Rovers, Morsy said: “He met the squad today. He’s an Ipswich lad, really keen to get some wins, really enthusiastic and he’s told us how he wants us to play.

“He wants everyone to be a little bit free really — those are his words. He wants everyone to enjoy it and he wants us to give the fans something to be proud of. He lives locally and he wants to get the enthusiasm back in the team.”

How are the other players coping with Cook’s departure as he brought most of them to the club in the summer? Morsy added: “Everyone was shocked and we’ve had our meetings about what’s expected over the next sort of couple of days. It’s one of those — we have to clear our heads, prepare for Charlton and try to get a win really.

“The support has been really, really good but I think the atmosphere wasn’t great Saturday. A few boos in the crowd, things like that, which is never nice to hear really, especially when the lads are 100 per cent committed to the cause.

“The fans had become a little bit impatient but we know they are going to be travelling in their numbers and we know how much they support us. We have to give them something to shout about really and try to get them to fully believe in the team.

“The manager going is massively disappointing for me because he was the reason I came here and he was the reason most of us came to be honest.

“But while it’s really disappointing I’ve been in this position as a player before and it’s never nice. We just have to regroup and go again, and make sure come Tuesday night we’re energetic and we’re ready to go.”

Cook’s coaching staff, all four of whom have also left Portman Road, came in for some criticism from supporters, mainly because of their lack of experience in the role and, if they had coached elsewhere before, it wasn’t at senior level.

Morsy said: “It’s not been fair but it’s what happens. They tried really hard, they put on good sessions and they’ve been close to the lads, everything you could have asked for really.

“Unfortunately, in football you’re always looking for a scapegoat, you’re always looking for ‘yes, that’s the reason’.

“It’s never simple and it’s never just one thing why you’re a success or you’re a failure. But it’s an easy thing to do, isn’t it, because of the inexperience of first team level coaching? They were great, as good as what I’ve worked with, but people have opinions and that’s the way it goes.

“If we were doing better people would be saying how good they are. That’s just football, the nature of it, but again they’re really good guys and that’s why we’ve let them down a little bit to be fair.

“Not for lack of effort, not for lack of commitment, it’s just that in this industry it’s cut-throat, isn’t it? It’s results-based.

“You look at how well we played against Sunderland and we ended up losing 2-0. If we’d won that game…it’s like I said, because of the way we started our season’s been on a knife-edge.

“Oxford and Sunderland, if we’d beaten both of them, which we should have done by the way, we’d be in a completely different situation now. Like I said, the owners have put a lot of money in and they want immediate success, they want success this season and decided to make their decision.”

Asked how unsettling it can be for players when a new manager comes in, Morsy continued: “I think you just have to focus really and try to clear your head, not over-think anything.

“For the new guy, whoever that is, you just have to give your all and that’s all you can do as a professional footballer.

“All I can do is give my all on a daily basis and on Saturday, Tuesday. That’s it, whatever happens is out of my control.

“I think sometimes as footballers we can sort of get a bit ahead of ourselves and start thinking about the future and whatever, but the reality is that you have to stay in the present.

“For someone like me, the message I’ll be giving to the lads is to take it one day at a time. You just have to zoom in, one day at a time, prepare today, prepare tomorrow, play the game.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen and we never know what’s around the corner in football, like who’s going to be the new manager, the style, what personnel he likes?

“All these things are completely out of our control, so the best way you can be and the most focused you can be is just doing your job, just doing the really simple things. Prepare for the game like you would, prepare to play and the rest will take care of itself.”

Photo: Matchday Images

ArnieM added 16:07 - Dec 6 Question is, why did the players enthusiasm go? Why did they stop playing ? They're meant to be professionals !
22

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 16:11 - Dec 6 A lot of "ifs" in all of that, but the reality was unfortunately that most of them didn't materialise.
7

Trac70 added 16:17 - Dec 6 Just my opinion, but reading between the lines, I don't think Morsy will be here in January. That interview doesn't sound convincing to me. Maybe he didn't like Cooks tactics and is being "diplomatic" or he wants out. Plenty of "if, buts and maybes". Cook told us, and I quote "you won't see poor performances like that with Sammy (Morsy) in the team!!!
4

trncbluearmy added 16:39 - Dec 6 Bit worrying this bunch of players
7

runningout added 16:39 - Dec 6 Did I read that right he called the interim coach “lad” Might let him off
-1

Monkey_Blue added 16:50 - Dec 6 Trac70 I may be wrong but not sure we can sell or loan out anyone in January we signed in the summer? Or is it two clubs max Jan-Dec? I doubt we'll find any league one clubs who can afford him
0

multiplescoregasms added 16:51 - Dec 6 So most of them are at Ipswich because Cook was here. Well you might as well all f**k off then mate. You are employed by Ipswich Town mate, not Paul Cook. If you hadn't had been so p155 poor for so many games maybe he would still be here. Not a great interview if you ask me.
-2

broncos77 added 16:55 - Dec 6 Yes best if he moves on - he didnt seem to motivate/improve the rest of the team/squad as Cook intended, and no doubt his signing p..d off Evans who Cook seemed to have promised the role of midfield general and captain. He says he only came because of Cook so may go where he ends up either in Jan or the summer He's not been a great signing
-5

SickParrot added 17:10 - Dec 6 Morsy says the players feel they've let Cook down, not the owners or the fans. As many of the players Cook signed may have only joined the club because he was manager I fear that some may not be motivated to play for someone else. Their aware that if we win at Charlton and put a good run together everyone will conclude that Cook was the problem, which those players could regard as another kick in the teeth for Cook. If this happens at least the players who 'down tools' can be moved on and replaced in January.

3

Cheshire_Blue added 17:14 - Dec 6 How the numpties who hounded Mccarthy out must be hanging their heads in shame now. Perhaps it is now apparent what a good Club captain Chambers was.
-29

Bazza8564 added 17:18 - Dec 6 Well Sam you now know whats expected, what Ipswich is all about now . You are the club captain so we expect much of you. there are no freebies any more, the US board mean business, so as painful as it is to see the boss go, you all need to buck up your ideas and pull together. The talk of Sunderland and Oxford as games we should have won is the thin end of the wedge too, Think Burton away (Fraser's penalty), Wimbledon Home, Cambridge away, Cheltenham away, Plymouth away, all performances that had us in positions we should have closed out but didnt. Seven wins denied because of either technical or mental frailties or mistakes. We have the players to get into winning positions against everyone in this league, and 26 games to go. As fans, we will give you support and love you've never imagined if you perform for us, and you have an ideal opportunity on front of over 3000 of us tomorrow night. Its down to you fella, lead those guys tomorrow like a lion, and I promise you the fans here will give you everything we can to roar you on.....

18

delias_cheesy_flaps added 17:33 - Dec 6 These bell-ends still bleating on about McCarthy should get a life!
25

ChrisR added 17:41 - Dec 6 Must be more to it than just recent performance and results . Ashton could have demanded PC stayed on but obviously did not like his tactics , his coaches ( cronies) or leadership skills . Something was very poor behind the scenes--- just hope the players show proper commitment to the new Management Team. Jan transfer window will be too late for any rescue package otherwise.

7

BlueRuin69 added 17:43 - Dec 6 Solid championship player and can be a great Captain. Coyb.
5

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

8

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

0

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

0

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

0

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

0

blues1 added 17:49 - Dec 6 Broncos77. What rubbish are u spouting. He's an excellent signing. As for Evans being peed off? Hardly. He welcomed him coming as tgeyvexplayed together before. Won't be going anywhere, nor will anyone rlse. Unless the new manager doesn't want them. Of course they're all gutted for cook. They did almost all join bcse of him. Doesnt mean theyll necessarily not be motivated with a new manager. Players have that happen to them all the time. An occupational hazard.

0

Edmundo added 17:56 - Dec 6 As supporters we can make these players feel like gods or make their lives a misery: no talk of downing tools... if any of the "Cook signings" do, I hope they get put out to grass till June.
1

TimmyH added 17:57 - Dec 6 'Get the enthusiasm back in the team' - blimey they've only been together a few months! poor professionalism if that's the case.
7

Bert added 18:03 - Dec 6 He may come to think he should pick his words a bit more carefully. Enthusiasm not there ? Why ?
7

Jon added 18:09 - Dec 6 I could see players starting to adapt to different tactics. Fitness levels will truly show in the next 2 months. Results will improve. Magreal was a good organiser. I can't wait for next game at Portman Road. COYB.
2

churchmans added 18:09 - Dec 6 MULTIPLESCOREGASMS! absolutely spot on comment! They either want it or they dont
2

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls