Do you mean Owen Coyle who was at ROSS County or Jack ROSS at St Mirren......., doesn’t matter, massive no to both! And another no to Stuart Kettlewell.

The English league system is arguably the platform for world football, and Ipswich Town being in the second tier of that is absolutely fantastic. A town smaller (and much less shitty than Dundee) in the second tier?! Ok, it’s been a few years now and the Bournemouth donkeys are in the EPL, but keeping that status, for me, is essential. (Opinion)

Of them all, and if it has to be one of the untried Championship names; mainly due to handling a tight budget, it must be Paul Hurst.

A guy who can’t even win the CheckaTrade trophy, FFS!

Sorry yes I meant Jack Ross at St Mirren, I know nothing about him at all but heard a rumour surrounding him. My point on that was before Alex Neil went to Norwich, if he were linked to us at the time he was working in Scotland your reaction may have been the same? I cant give an opinion on him as I have zero knowledge.

Yes fair point about being second tier, but the league position and stability isn't the issue, what is left of the club if you let the fan base fall year after year. We really are down to bare bones in terms of ST holders and attendances. We are in danger of losing the next generation and then it could be a downward spiral. In the long run this could have the effect of getting us relegated anyway. That's why I think we have to take a calculated gamble and give the fans something unknown, I think most accept that this comes with risks, but then again most peoples problems with Mick is he took no risks which in the end becomes extremely boring, you never have the chance to improve.

Any manager working wonders in Scotland means absolutely zero with regards working in England. And that’s coming from a Scotsman who loves his Scottish fitbaw!

Robbie Neilson to MK Dons is testament to that.

And no, if Alex Neil was being linked to ITFC from Hamilton, I’d laugh my a$$ off like I’m laughing at the Jack Ross possibility. But hats off to Norwich who took a MASSIVE gamble on Neil while they were lower Championship, much to the discontent of their fans. They won the play offs though and I was actually astounded at the job he had done. Wee Alex Neil who was player/manager for Hamilton, getting his boots on for the second half v Hibs at Easter Road, ...,, a year later he’s winning at Wembley. It’s actually a bit of a success story and I’m glad he’s doing ok at Preston. A very attack minded, positive and winning mentality and that’s what Ipswich Town need.

Along with Mevans opening his wallet ever so slightly.

But who is right, who is wrong? Tried and tested or someone new? Who knows.

There was a time when becoming the new Ipswich Town Manager actually meant something, especially when it came to job security and Board backing but today I guess it’s far less attractive. With that in mind I suppose we’ll get whoever is best prepared to take it knowing that they’ll have f*ck all financial sopport from the owner and numbskulls on the terrace to make their life a fuckin misery.

Could sense an anger in that ^^^ post, Charnwood.

Very correct about managing ITFC and it meaning something. The “smallest” club in Europe to ever win a European trophy. The club is fking legendary in my eyes, and you; (who was even at the 38,010 match) the feelings will run deep. Do you think any actual club means anything at all to any potential manager these days? Or is it pay packet?

The only comfort to add to your post is regarding the terraces. Numbskulls are EVERYWHERE!!!! The numbskulls will inherit the Earth! And when I say comfort, I mean ITFC are not alone.

So apart from that its not a bad job then

PMSL

To be honest BB I can’t imagine many good managers fighting to get on the short list which is why we’ll probably end up with a manager either currently out of work or up and coming.

Although we can always live in hope that Mr Evans decides to dig deep and does a Leicester City/ Wolves and promises to break the bank for the incumbent manager.

All eyes on Paul Hurst and Shrewsbury v Charlton tonight. Big test. Really needs a win to keep pressure on the autos.

1. Wigan 41 87pts
2. Blackburn 42 87pts
3. Shrewsbury 41 82pts

Not gonna be Cowleys by the look of it thank f*ck

How’s that? Have they signed a new contract or taking themselves out of the running?

As reported in the press yesterday.....

Lincoln City manager Danny Cowley hopes putting pen-to-paper on a new deal will end speculation linking him with a move away from Sincil Bank.

The Imps boss, along with his brother and assistant boss Nicky, is among the bookmakers’ favourites to succeed Mick McCarthy at Ipswich Town having also linked with the Barnsley and Southend jobs earlier this season.

Their current contracts – signed in January last year – are set to expire in 2021. And both Cowley and director Clive Nates have confirmed that new deals are close to being signed.

Thank god for that!

That’s my thoughts too Liz.

To be honest i’m struggling to get excited by any of the names being either linked or suggested, and you know what Liz, had McCarthy not been here before and we only had his past record to go on and his name was on the list, he’d have probably got my vote.

Personally I think we need to look wider as so many of these managers are simply “nearly men”, who’ve not quite got all the ingredients.

Am I expecting too much, probably yes, but this is such a critical appointment and Meavans is so unlikely to make a second change even if he gets it wrong, if he does get it wrong we could so easily drop to the next level.

I think it’s a bit too early to write of upcoming managers as nearly men.

The Cowleys, Hursts have shown they are getting results and are taking their teams upwards.

It could be they get found out after they’ve got to, say, the Championship ... but that will only be confirmed once they get to that position. A gamble, yes.... but it’s a calculated one and more positive than giving it someone who’s been around the block too many times.

I think the nearly men are ones like Warburton, Grayson and Clough ... and I don’t think they can add anything extra.

Same with yesterday’s men like Pardew and McClaren. Big names and experienced... but carry far too much negative baggage and a disaster waiting to happen.

Hurst for me. Who knows ... but I would rather chance it on someone who’s deserved that shot and sees Town as a step up rather than just another same old, same old appointment on the managerial merry-go-round.

Nothing’s certain, but if we want to be positive we should worry more about what we can achieve rather than worst case disasters. We’ve been fed far too much pragmatism and it’s bred fear.

Be careful what you wish for.........

I think your 'nearly men' comment is spot on and if possible such candidates will I hope be avoided. The other
point is who is the job going to be attractive to. Probably very little budget, a squad of in the main of mostly mediocre along with falling gates may be more than someone unproven finds attractive.

It will be very interesting to see who is successful.

No true-er words will be spoken today.

Do we think Coleman will be available after Sunderland's drop is confirmed?

im finding this all quite funny. We moan like hell about Mick but is so risk adverse, boring, not willing to go on the attack in case we caught out at the back meaning we just tread water with little hope of any improvement, the benefit of this is we don't get that much worse either.

AND...... a lot of fans on here are exactly the same. Not having a dig but I feel weve been beaten down by the last couple of years and the rhetoric that we are a club that cannot move forwards and so we should accept being boring just to stay up every year and accept that we will just lose a generation of fans.

We can have some room for optimism, can it go wrong? yes it can but it can also go right, in the end this had to happen because we have to try and win some fans back and get them back engaged with what is happening at the cub, something to get behind. If we get the right man this could be a very good thing, if we get it wrong we could end up in League 1, its the same for many other clubs too, that's not a reason to just stick with the status quo and accept we will lose fans. If Mick really is the only thing that was holding this club together god help us, we may as well let the sh*t hit the fan now rather than wait for it to happen in 2,3, 5 years time when we could be down to 7k fans...

I do get why some are worried, I am too, but I also look at this as a chance to right some wrongs, a chance to build a plan and identity, it all comes down to who we bring in. Basically every manager in lower leagues whos not managed at Championship level is a nearly man, because they are unproven, but that doesn't mean they cant do it. Its not all about money either, we need someone who is good at motivating players (like Mick) but who is much more adventurous and sees Ipswich Town as a fantastic club to manage, one they are proud to represent. Lets face it Mick always gave the impression we should be thankful we have him because he is bigger than the club, at least in his mind.

I also think we may be doing ourselves a disservice. I think Ipswich is still an attractive job for someone, OK so you haven't got mega bucks to spend, overall we haven't been far off Brentford's spending and I believe our wage bill is more, yet they managed to bring in Dean Smith from Walsall and id say hes done a good job. They may not be miles ahead of us but I bet their fans are enjoying it a lot more than ours! And they have a plan, a way of playing which is attractive, and hes galvanized the club as a whole. There are other examples too such as Milwall, our budget is bigger than theirs also. I think a manager in League 1/2 would see us as a club that's attractive to come to, you will get time, and I think if the right man is brought in the fans will give it time too, its only been terrible because Mick stirred things up to a point whereby it became a mudslinging match. Most managers from lower leagues have small budgets anyway.

Maybe im overly optimistic, im not expecting miracles but I think were in danger of talking ourselves down a bit too much..

That ^^^ is spokesman for the forum material right there! Great post, dude.

As a fan fearful of relegation, I actually found myself shouting, “FK YEAH!!!”

Brilliantly put. We either want the status quo, or a change which will inevitably bring with it risk. You pays your money and takes your choice. Its only bloody football anyway, so if we win - wayhay! - if we lose and go down, we will still have football to watch and a team to support. Lets just get some fun back to the club. Its become so bloody boring, dull, predictable and sad over the last few years. I long for an exciting time, with fun football and at least someone to pull us all together and stop the slow cancer that has spread through our club.

Yes great post Charlton and I agree.
Hurst for me all the way and has been for some time.

My feelings exactly. We were not going anywhere under MM, and as you say Charlton it was just delaying the inevitable at the expense of attendances. To be honest, I'm amazed there are still people on here harping about how lucky we were to have MM. I mean it is a precarious time for the club, but now there is also hope for a brighter future. Whomever the next manager is he will certainly need the ability to work under a small budget, and he will need the ability to motivate and get the best out of the players we have or can afford. I still believe we've got some quality in the squad, but they need to be used for their strengths...not for their defensive weaknesses. It could also go downhill, and there is the possibility of things getting worse. Unfortunately, that's the nature of football. For the moment, I'd rather focus on the possibility of things getting better!

It's unlikely the club will obtain a name from the EPL i.e. a relegated team perhaps and I don't want some individual from the bottom leagues irrespective of how well people write them up so that only leaves another Championship outfit or potentially one of the less established teams from overseas. One of the SPL teams is a distinct reality but know damn well people will decline it out of sight at the very mention.

Whoever is appointed requires careful planning and consideration. It would seem the club is taking it's time in doing so which is to be perhaps applauded but whatever the decision comes to be, a considerable amount of rebuilding and renewed optimism remains paramount. Furthermore how much money will be available, you need substantial funds to compete in this league and the primary fear is, is Evans prepared to invest to such a level that will see the team once again competitive and able to challenge ? That he invariably hasn't, any potential names will be wary of taking the responsibility of helping to see the club try and recapture it's previous stature.

Had Accrington, Wigan, Ebbesfleet ........ And feckin Shrewsbury on a £5 bet to return £100!

Hurst the fk out!

Pmsl

Gerrard being touted out to be next manager........interesting

You know... Why not? Ok, I know why not.... but why not

He is inexperienced in the extreme, no proven record , zero promotions, relegations, unproven man management skills, lack of working at this level.... but why not lol

He might just be rather good at management.

He'll have the respect of the players, has only ever worked under top level managers, seems to have a very cool but passionate head, not adverse to working hard and standing up for himself. No idea why he would want the job, but he's potentially the best case scenario.

He may have no experience, but then the current favourite Cowley has never played or managed at a high level, he has no experience of a top level dressing room or training set up, and then there's the will players respect him argument.