Ipswich Town v Fulham preview and matchday thread

[barmy billy]

There will be those, me included, who will continue to support no matter what. My rationale is that depriving the club of income serves only to reduce the investment required to improve the squad; whilst my support isn't conditional - no matter how depressing and frustrating things can become. I've been doing it for too long! And, as always in football, the wheel eventually turns, and things improve. That said, I have total sympathy and understanding for those who decide that they are being significantly short-changed, and decide to bail out. Some of the stuff we have had to watch this season at PR had been truly awful, and saps the soul.

Perhaps what might have helped influence some who were wavering, would have been an unequivocal assurance from ME - not his mouthpiece - that he remains totally committed to the club, and recognised the need to provide MM with funding sufficient to sustain progress and push on. In the absence of any meaningful assurances, the assumption has to be that nothing much will change. Except of course that next season the 93 day emergency loan system disappears; hence MM's recent comments about the youngsters potentially having to step up.

I've also noticed questionable players' reactions to MM's touchline instructions, notably Murphy a couple of games ago. Taken with negligible recent investment, and rumblings of severe cash flow issues generally, for me there remain concerns over the club's real state of health.

How many years in the Championshio? It must be a bloody big wheel!

[Tangfastic]

It's strange to hear all of a sudden that the much lauded 'team spirit' has disappeared.

All the time through bad perfromances and disappointing results, there has been this admission that we've still got a good dressing room with honest, but limited, professionals.

Now we hear this, and also sympathy for Mick. Not sure I understand the sympathy for Mick.
He's stayed absolutely stubbornly loyal to a core bunch of players and ignored changes in personnel and style of play. If there is a 'comfort zone' there, then that's made by Mick.
He's made his stance on trusted limited journeymen over inexperience pretty clear.

I'm hearing now from Mick about the need for bringing in kids for next season. That gives a bit of interest to the fans, but is this more to get season tickets sold? I can still this same back four with Skuse/Douglas as holding midfielders ... and Murphy up top... Starting next season.
I hope Dozzell is not being used to add a bit of hope for next season so that any faltering ST holders re-new.

How many times in the post match quotes from Mick does he mention a shocking or ugly or horrible game? There's a link there.... that's what we - ITFC - plan for and all the opposition and fans knows what's coming. That's down to Mick.

He's an easy target at the moment, but I don't totally agree with the sympathy given to him. This is his group of players, not ones he inherited.

[herforder]

There will be those, me included, who will continue to support no matter what. My rationale is that depriving the club of income serves only to reduce the investment required to improve the squad; whilst my support isn't conditional - no matter how depressing and frustrating things can become. I've been doing it for too long! And, as always in football, the wheel eventually turns, and things improve. That said, I have total sympathy and understanding for those who decide that they are being significantly short-changed, and decide to bail out. Some of the stuff we have had to watch this season at PR had been truly awful, and saps the soul.

Perhaps what might have helped influence some who were wavering, would have been an unequivocal assurance from ME - not his mouthpiece - that he remains totally committed to the club, and recognised the need to provide MM with funding sufficient to sustain progress and push on. In the absence of any meaningful assurances, the assumption has to be that nothing much will change. Except of course that next season the 93 day emergency loan system disappears; hence MM's recent comments about the youngsters potentially having to step up.

I've also noticed questionable players' reactions to MM's touchline instructions, notably Murphy a couple of games ago. Taken with negligible recent investment, and rumblings of severe cash flow issues generally, for me there remain concerns over the club's real state of health.

How many years in the Championshio? It must be a bloody big wheel!

Yeah! Big wheel keeps on turning, Town fans keep on yearning!

[Bluemike]

It's strange to hear all of a sudden that the much lauded 'team spirit' has disappeared.

All the time through bad perfromances and disappointing results, there has been this admission that we've still got a good dressing room with honest, but limited, professionals.

Now we hear this, and also sympathy for Mick. Not sure I understand the sympathy for Mick.
He's stayed absolutely stubbornly loyal to a core bunch of players and ignored changes in personnel and style of play. If there is a 'comfort zone' there, then that's made by Mick.
He's made his stance on trusted limited journeymen over inexperience pretty clear.

I'm hearing now from Mick about the need for bringing in kids for next season. That gives a bit of interest to the fans, but is this more to get season tickets sold? I can still this same back four with Skuse/Douglas as holding midfielders ... and Murphy up top... Starting next season.
I hope Dozzell is not being used to add a bit of hope for next season so that any faltering ST holders re-new.

How many times in the post match quotes from Mick does he mention a shocking or ugly or horrible game? There's a link there.... that's what we - ITFC - plan for and all the opposition and fans knows what's coming. That's down to Mick.

He's an easy target at the moment, but I don't totally agree with the sympathy given to him. This is his group of players, not ones he inherited.

I am certainly not saying that the team spirit has gone or that he has lost the dressing room, what I am saying is that just maybe during the last few games the players have been guilty of perhaps not giving it their all as they usually do, that could be down to a number of things but I believe the bond between manager and players to be as strong as ever, I don't think he would have it any other way

[herforder]

I haven't noticed any significant drop in commitment or energy levels: in that respect they all continue to put in a good physical shift. However, the limitations of quality, linked to a drop in confidence that comes from a series of 'ground hog' day performances, inevitably raises questions of squad/manager unity. Were we winning matches, but not necessarily playing particularly well, then the beady eye of scrutiny probably wouldn't be so intense.

However, whatever 'front' is presented for public consumption, in any football environment there are always tensions between players, managers and trainers. When all is going well, they tend to remain below the radar. Don't think we are untypical in that respect; but the stronger the bonds and commitment, the better chance of turning things around. That, and some realistic investment!