Town captain Sam Morsy says the path to becoming a sustainable Premier League club is not always smooth sailing as the Blues head towards relegation to the Championship.

Anything but a victory against Newcastle United at St James’ Park and West Ham United losing to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday will confirm Town’s place in the second tier again next season alongside Leicester City and Southampton, whose fates have already been sealed.

This season will mark the second consecutive campaign in which the three newly promoted sides have all been immediately relegated, the first time that has happened since the Premier League’s inception in 1992.

Much has been spoken about the gap between the two divisions growing larger with the financial disparity at the centre of conversation, and the challenge of surviving in the top flight appears to be becoming more difficult each year.

Despite the general belief that the gulf is growing every season, Morsy was keen to emphasise that stepping up to a higher division is meant to be demanding and that numerous sides have shown in the past that the gap can be bridged.

“Of course it’s difficult but I remember speaking to one of my friends yesterday saying the last time he played Newcastle they were in the Championship,” he said.

“Newcastle have been in the Championship and got promoted, Forest have done the same, it wasn’t so long ago Villa done the same, it wasn’t so long ago Bournemouth done the same, Fulham were yo-yoing for a number of years.

“Of course it’s meant to be difficult but it’s not impossible. Teams will stay up, whether it’s next year or the year after, teams will come up and stay up. It’s meant to be difficult, that’s the challenge.

“It’s not meant to be easy, you’re not meant to get promoted and finish mid-table and go ‘actually this is easier than I thought it would be’, it doesn’t work like that. For us and our club, everyone is on their different journeys. Southampton and Leicester are on different journeys to us.

“For us, it’s about expanding, getting better, strengthening the squad in every window, international scouting, all of these things are part of the process of growing so you can reach the goal which is to be a sustainable Premier League club but to get there there’s going to be many ups and downs.”

It is clear that the last few months have been challenging for the Blues, who have won just one league match in 2025 and only four all season with the home form being a particular problem.

However, Morsy says there is still the motivation to succeed in the final five matches of the campaign even if the season is set to end in disappointment.

He said: “It’s always challenging because you always have high expectations of yourself and the team, when you fall below that it can become challenging.

“At the same time, it’s good to always keep the perspective of there’s still games to play, try and compete and try and do as best as you can.

“t’s one game at a time. To be a professional footballer you’re very lucky never mind to be playing at the top level so there’s always that gratitude.

“We know our fans are going to come in numbers, we know we’re going to have friends watching, family watching and people that have supported us along all of our journeys, so there’s massive motivation to still win a game and still compete.

“In the last few weeks we’ve done that and we’ve had good performances, the Arsenal game was obviously difficult for a number of reasons. The motivation is just to win a game of football when you strip it back, it’s why you play football in the first place is to compete and to win.”

While admitting that the time to reflect on the season will not come until the final ball has been kicked, Morsy says a lot can be learned from the experience of playing in the Premier League both on and off the field.

“It’s always good to reflect and see where you’re at, but certainly during the season it’s just about trying to improve and seeing what you need to do,” he said. “At the same time, not going into a deep dive of analysing and focusing on the negatives. It’s about the quick turnaround in games, working hard and trying to win the next game.

“These moments can make you a lot stronger and make you better, it just depends on how you perceive them and it can go either way. I’ve been around long enough to see how success and failure affects different players and personalities.

“When you have a season like this it can go one way or the other, I’ll make sure that I go in the right way just to further improve and get better at my craft. You can easily go the other way and make excuses or be delusional and it’s not the way to be.

“It’s been a great experience and it’s one personally in the group we can improve and be better from. Hopefully within a season or a few seasons, players will be saying that because of these moments they grew so much and it’s elevated them.”

Town have 21 points to their name this season but have dropped a further 27 from winning positions, the most of any team in the Premier League.

Morsy believes that statistic can portray a mixture of positives and negatives.
“It’s probably a lot of things,” he considered. “Sometimes it’s going to be the level, sometimes it’s going to be people making mistakes, sometimes concentration.

“The Leicester one we probably should have had a penalty then Kalvin [Phillips] gets sent off so you’re going to have all sorts of scenarios.

“At the same time, that stat can be misleading. If you go to Man City in the second game of the season and go 1-0 up, is it three points dropped? I don’t know.

“But of course, it’s something which we’ll own and it’s something which shows where we’ve been this season – close but not close enough.”

As one of a number of Blues players in their first ever season at the level, Morsy says overall journey in the Premier League has been one of pride.

The 33-year-old said: “First and foremost, it’s a dream come true to play in the Premier League. It’s been a tough season in terms of results but I think you can see how we’ve done – we've been competitive in a number of games so it’s been really pleasing. For myself, to be able to compete at this level and keep improving with good players and trying to compete.

“You have to [enjoy it], you’d be ungrateful not to enjoy it off the back of one promotion never mind back-to-back promotions. You have to look at it, you have to enjoy it and you have to take the challenges on and no doubt it’s a huge challenge this weekend.

“It’s been a great journey. We’ve competed a lot, we’ve had good days and we’ve had learning days. In particular, the away days we’ve really taken it to teams, tried our best, competed and went toe-to-toe so it’s a really big effort.

“The whole group has stuck together along the journey, that’s been the most pleasing thing for me is that we’ve stuck together and we’ve done our best. Sometimes doing your best is not good enough, but that’s something I’m proud of the group staying together.”

Jack Clarke recently said that one of the biggest surprises he has experienced of playing in the Premier League was the size of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.

Morsy, though, knew exactly what to expect when the Norwegian lined up in the tunnel at the Etihad Stadium alongside him back in August.

“I knew how big he was,” he joked. “I wasn’t expecting to see Aguero’s height when I saw Haaland.”

Morsy added: “Some things with officials but I probably can’t say, that’s a conversation for another day. We’ve prepared and we knew it was going to be a tough season but I think we prepared quite well for the expectation of quality.”

TWTD

Leejames99 added 13:43 - Apr 25 What a load of nonsense, they really pride themselves on losing and it being a nice experience, is he going to give our season ticket money back, and he waffling about improving and and competing against big teams, its tge lower teams Morsy. We are the worst in division by a long margin and if it was for some outstanding Muric and Palmer saves we would be 9 points adrift. From the bottom 5 teams we got 5 points out of a possible 25 so far shocking. I think he thinks he has been okay in prem.

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slade1 added 14:35 - Apr 25 Leejames, I agree with you. Unfortunately a lot of the players and management have treated this season as a free hit, which it probably was. But they don't seem that bothered or concerned when we lose. I think it's us supporters rather than the players and management that have been more upset and concerned after yet another loss.
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blues1 added 14:47 - Apr 25 Leejames99 Just can't help ursdlf with ur self righteous garbage, can you? How are we thexworst in the division? U talk so much bs it's unbelievable.
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VanDusen added 15:05 - Apr 25 We're clearly NOT the worst in the division by league position or pretty much any objective measure compared to Leicester and Southampton. Even if we there are far more mitigating circs. Morsy can talk it up, but all those examples are in a 'pre-FFP' era. What we are seeing now are the natural consequences that this hobbling of teams ability to invest to catch up would achieve in time. On the plus side, hopefully the very blatant lack of competitiveness it will quicker hasten the super league and the departure of the greedy corporate brands who have ruined the game for the rest of us.

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Eeyore added 15:08 - Apr 25 Are some supporters suggesting Morsy hasnt really tried this season?! Have you actually watched him? You claim to have a season ticket. Try facing the pitch? Morsy managed to keep Taylor, Luongo and often Philips out of the team. He has competed very well in almost every match and been an outstanding leader. I think he has showed that he is a premier league player and could have been playing at this level before. Our shortcomings are mainly in the lack of fit wingers, dodgy goalkeeping and some poor defending. A few of our defenders were expected to be a little better perhaps and have shown that they are perhaps just good championship players. No one can question the effort of this squad surely?

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Madvic22 added 15:17 - Apr 25 LJ99, you probably need to get a job to fill your time rather than being negative every single time you post. Complete knob!
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Linkboy13 added 15:26 - Apr 25 Unfortunately Eeyore people have very short memories Morsy started the season quite well but in the end found the going to much although was one of our better players last week. Even so dispite being 4 years older than Phillips has contributed far more Phillips has yet to score in the Premier league or even create a chance a complete waste of money to many fans on here star stuck by his reputation.

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Leejames99 added 15:33 - Apr 25 Madvic22 Watch your mouth! I've got a job thankyou, if you need a happy space go to narnia
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Leejames99 added 15:42 - Apr 25 @blues1 How are we not the worst team in division? We Will finish 2nd bottom and Southampton beat us at home , cant see us beating Leicester away. Morsy did not KEEP Taylor and Luongo out yeam and certainly not Phillips, he was only option to partner Cajuste if Phillips injured. He just runs around pointing, he is funny to watch every Ipswich goal he is always 5 years from the scorer and sticks a foot out, thats why he has never played in Prem because he isnt Prem standard. I dont mind down marks its same people everytime, pivot fella etc but im not taking foul language off some numpty called madvic22 lol sure that V should be there?

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Leejames99 added 15:44 - Apr 25 Eyore yes your so right 100% every week but relegated so time for a clearout
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Gforce added 15:53 - Apr 25 Morsy has been our best signing in the last 20+ years, if it wasn't for him and all his team mates,from last season, we wouldn't even be in the premier league in the first place.
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Leejames99 added 16:32 - Apr 25 Gforce Best signing in 20 years Sam Morsy? We got in Championship with him and his team mates eventually, we got in Premiership with a massive amount of luck, good goalkeeping, and good loans, Sarimmento, Moore and Hutchinson got us up to Prem and Morsy and his pals along with Kmk got us straight back down again. The excuses on here are brilliant, you just write anything, gulf to big, well still will in 2026, players to good, yep still will be, bad signings we'll they can't be too bad they all going elsewhere by looks of it, don't see any rumours yet that newly promoted teams bidding for Sam Morsy, Wes burns, Connor Chaplin. Most of you all think King Mckenna and his band of league 1 men who marched us up to the top of the hill then marched us down again have just had a blip. We know the Prem now, we will be stronger next time, no you won't, your not good enough for the Prem that's why we are relegated. Not because keeper mistakes or bad signings but because we had 3 quarters of a squad and a manager from league attempting to play in Prem, with one formation that a pub team could beat. We had 4 wins which was like few fluke cup wins and draws when Muric was in and a couple with the other 2, we have 3 or 4 goals from midfield, a couple from wingers, couple headers, and szmodics and Delap we could rely on, our second striker Hirst surprises himself when he scores and Al Hamadi can't hit a goal from pen spot and he is a striker. A defence that's been swapped more times than Leicester manager and a left back who forgot he was a left back. All being overseen by a manager who would take the positives out of a volcano and more riddles than a Batman movie, the undoubtables. I actually can't wait for Mckenna and his players to go so all this nonsense stops, they were great and made history for league 1 promotion and up to Prem, they quite rightly had a go and failed and we back to where we were, which is fine, the ground etc is ready but now it's time for a manager with a bit of passion who will shout at 4th officials, get sent off now and then, motivate the players. Not fill their heads with nambby pamby philosophy and as fans of Ipswich Town we should not be encouraging it. They done well in their time but its time for next phase with talent, but also experience. There is no point keeping players for Championship season who we know cant compete in Prem, we are better to have players now who play each week and a manager who knows the Prem.Management is no different to players there is a level. Premier League Managers are all in 40's and 50's aside Kmk and Hirzler at Brighton but he has a team of Prem players. There is a reason for that. Mckenna will never change his philosophy or values so even if he did take us up we all know how to play, and that's a worry for Championship, don't you think all the teams been watching? Draw them forward, get possession, head up wingers move ball into space left by leftback or right if defence moved over, burst speed past defender, all run into box for the cross and tap in. If you want to be in league 1 fine bit lik the owners, I want us to be established in Premier League with a great team and that will not happen until we have a refresh of playing and coaching staff.

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flykickingbybgunn added 16:39 - Apr 25 Agreed Gforce. In a few years Morsey will be spoken of in the same way Matty Holland is now. Hall of fame job.
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flykickingbybgunn added 16:40 - Apr 25 Or even Morsy
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Wheels added 17:16 - Apr 25 LeeJames at this stage would it not just be easier for you to just have a copy and paste reply set up, seeing as you comment the exact same stuff on every single story and it must take you ages to rewrite each time. Or better yet stop posting, as we all know exactly how you feel about the management and players, when do you think you will have finally made your point?
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slade1 added 17:26 - Apr 25 I will be voting for Morsey for player of the year. He deserves ahead of anyone else in my opinion.
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slade1 added 17:27 - Apr 25 **Morsy not Morsey!
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Leejames99 added 17:45 - Apr 25 Well just like football players and manager evolving the @wheels on the bus go round and round! At least I write something Ipswich Town opinions not just pointless posts and who is 'we' the cult? Mckenna fan club. Sam Morsy player of the year, best signing in 20 years, wow perhaps one of the Prem teams will come knocking, more likely Paul Cook will but you never know!

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victorysquad added 19:20 - Apr 25 Well Lee, you certainly are catching quite a few with your posts, hope you are enjoying yourself!
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blues1 added 19:26 - Apr 25 Leejames99. What part of Southampton only having 11 points don't you get, compared to our 21 points. But ur judging it by the fact we lost to them in a game we would have won if ur lovechild didn't give them 2 goals. Do you not also think that both they and leicester have many players who were in the pl just 2 seasons ago, compared to most of ours who were in lge1 at the same point, makes a massive difference? Of course not, bcse thst doesn't fit ur agenda, does it?

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blues1 added 19:36 - Apr 25 Eeyore. Certainly would never accuse Morsy of not trying, but fact is, he hasnt been great this season. Not his fault, just a step too far for him. Wants way too many touches before releasing the ball, slowing the play down, making it so much harder for us to get forward before being closed down. Certainly not gonna criticisexhim tho bcse he's been great for us since arriving, and think he'll be good again in the championship next season. Linkboy13. Phillips/ Cajuste has been by far our best central midfield partnership. Unfortunately bcse phillips has had a few injuries, we haven't seen that partnership often enough. You say about him having no assists? Thats not what he's there for, there to break up the play and set us on our way,which mostly he's done well.

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blues1 added 19:37 - Apr 25 Slade1. Only 2 contenders for player of the season this year. Delap and Cajuste.
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Leejames99 added 20:25 - Apr 25 @blues1 Why do you post like you points are facts and correct and back them uo with nonsense and abuse? Imagine first of all thinking in football the ball can get past all 10 players get a shot away and if not saved keepers fault or is suppossed to make double saves, Southampton beat us because they were better than us, they won, we had more posession,more shots etc and they were 1 - 0 up. It's getting tedious blaming a goalkeeper, what's everyone going to do if Palmer went and Muric was in goal for Championship? Boo him, do you think if you shout and act like sheep that you get your own way. You keep priding yourselves on being the best fans on here, if only clubs came in on here, fans of the same club can only have 1 opinion and if anyone goes against them it's a hate mob, and abuse. But you are allowed to abuse fellow supporters and your own players if you take a dislike to them. You will soon be moaning when we mid table in Championship at what point is this weird Mckenna/Morsy rubbish going to stop, I've never seen fans accept loss and defeats and relegation with a never mind, bridge too far we will come back stronger and think we do it with the manager and players who just got us relegated. Accept 1 home win, accept a 33 year midfielder jogging about, a 5 goal a season striker is a hero, applauding a player for what could of been a career ending tackle on one of England's best players. It's just crazy, there is 15 0r 20 on here who refuse to see anything but this rubbish the Keiron Mckenna and Sam morsy will be leading us back to the Prem, and then call me names and others for questioning what's going on. Relegation is failure end of, we knowvsquad and manager not good enough and as every football club does we need to make changes and quick.

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Gdunkdafunk added 20:28 - Apr 25 I'm a long time viewer of this site, rarely do I post. LeeflippinJames has forced me to comment. All I'm going to say is, calm the flip down, I'm worried for your heart & head fella. You're clearly a devoted fan & remove the angst at others having different opinions, I think you make some good points. I don't agree with you a lot but I welcome others points & views, at times they can change your opinion. I don't think Sam was great this season, I think Muric has been a waste of cash & a liability (on & off the field). Km doesn't seem to have a plan b, with 2 great holding strikers I do find it odd that we've never tried to play both. Hutch shud be playing on the wing, Broadhead shud have started more games, Davis needs to improve as a defender or play left wing. And that's me, said my bit & I'll be back in another decade or so. Uppa Towen

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Leejames99 added 20:59 - Apr 25 @Gdunkdafunk - Great username and great response, thankyou,, finally someone who knows how a forum works, if only everyone responded in that way. I dont expecteveryone to have same opinion at all, what I won't have is foul language, name calling and most of all dictatorship, too much of this woke 1 oponion is the only opinion, its even found its way into football now. Who applauds failure. Thanks for agreeing with some points, 2 biggest failures this season have been Mckenna and Davis. As a manager who had a good reputation he has completely been out of his depth, he changed the lone up nearly every game, kept Davis in team when the whole country saw why we were conceding, allowed Muric to be a scapegoat, made signings and didn't play them, and somehow managed to jeep his job, he should of gone in international break. I've never known a manager to have so many excuses and have them accepted. He is the same as Danny Cowley, Russell Martin etc too complicated, no idea outside of their philosophy and no passion, this is the same coach that was at the helm of training some of the best players in the world to lose every week. Funny how none of the managers he worked with have called him. Lower league manager, now a multi millionaire with hero status for a promotion from the third tier a strange promotion and relegation. I dont care about people giving abuse I know what I think, other fans and everyone outside of Ipswich Town agrees, and very simply when Mckenna and the players he has had are gone, the club will still be here, we will all still be here supporting and that chapter will be part of history some good some unwanted.ashton and the board won't put up with the fine margins and no doubt about its for much longer

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