Captain fantastic

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Bluemike
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Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:09 am

I never for one moment thought Chambo would leave a sinking ship, he is Ipswich through and through, some have their views on him as a player but they are so narrow minded it's untrue.
Luke Chambers is hurting physically and mentally as Ipswich Town continue their battle to stay in the second tier. ANDY WARREN spoke to the skipper.

“At the end of the day I am the one who has to live with being captain, if we drop down to a league we’ve not been in for 60 years.”

Is there anybody as hurt by Ipswich Town’s current situation as captain Luke Chambers?

The skipper, who has made 310 appearances for the Blues over seven years, has been hurt physically, mentally and emotionally by a season which currently sees the club rock bottom of the Championship and nine points from safety with time rapidly running out.

He’s currently playing with a broken wrist, suffered during an awkward fall over the advertising hoardings in the 1-0 victory over Rotherham, and had to have blood drained from his foot in order to take to the field in Sunday’s 3-0 derby defeat at Norwich.

But there was no way he was going to miss that game.

He knows, though, that the loss was another blow to what is becoming an increasingly desperate hope of staying in the Championship.

The 33-year-old is out of contract in the summer and it’s clear that relegation will be a severe dent to his pride, a burden that will weigh heavy on his shoulders.

He will never stop fighting but, if the Blues are to be relegated to the third tier, then he wants to be the man to lead them back.

“It is a tall order but we have to continue to believe,” he said.

“We have this crest on our chest and we have to go out every single game, regardless of whether you have a bit of tightness, a bruise, a broken bone. You have to get out there and we need players on the pitch. We can’t afford people in the treatment room.

“We have to have that fight and you have to play with these things to give the team and the club the best chance of survival.

“At the end of the day I am the one who has to live with being captain, if we drop down to a league we’ve not been in for 60 years.

“People will have their opinions on me and that’s football, people have opinions, but I’ll never lie down and I’ll continue to give everything like I have for this club over the last seven years.

“This is where I want to be, I want to be part of it, and if the worst comes to the worst I want to be together with those guys up there (the fans) that showed what a tremendous football club this is.


“I’ve spoken to Marcus (Evans, owner) and he’s outlined his plans, and the gaffer as well, but my main concern for the football club, regardless of whether I’m here or not, is that you’ve got to keep the manager here.

“I want to be a part of it, I think they want me to be a part of it but we need to start now. If we go down we have to go down with momentum so we can hit the ground running next year.”

While the focus remains on survival, heading into tomorrow night’s clash with Derby County, whatever happens from here on in, Chambers wants to ensure that if the Blues do go down, they go down fighting.


“Nobody should ever come to Portman Road and out-fight us, and that’s happened too often this season,” he said.

“We had a meeting this week where we’ve said we want to compete more than we have done but it shouldn’t require a meeting to say that. That should be in every single footballer playing at this level. We have to show the fight we’ve showed at Norwich.

“Fans will back you no matter what happens. You can play rubbish football but if you look like you’re having a go then people will back you.

“We’re trying to give the fans what they have craved for the last couple of years but ultimately we need to do what gives ourselves the best chance of winning games at the moment and we’ve gone into it playing a bit more direct with two up front which fans want to see.


“Our fans have been an absolute credit to this football club and they deserve a helluva lot better than they’re getting at the moment.

“If we’re going to go down we’re going to go down with a fight now and that’s my clear message to everyone this week and moving forward now.

“I’ve previously played with injuries that other people wouldn’t be seen for a few weeks with but it’s not about me, it’s about what’s best for the club. We have to have people fighting for the club.
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“At the end of the day we’re paid a helluva lot of money for the job that we do and you have to do whatever’s required of you to get out on that pitch and show a bit of bottle.

“If we play like we did against Norwich, nobody will want to play against us for the rest of the season.

“That needs to be the message.”

Chambers on... the ‘Carrow Road brawl’

“I’ve seen a lot of their staff off their feet so they’ll be going down the pub and telling their mates they were involved – a few jobsworths really.

“That’s football. I want to see that every Saturday.

“People are trying to take money out of your pockets and food off your kids’ table – that’s the kind of mentality you have to have.

“I think the referee has come over and the officials have got involved and I think, ultimately, they probably made the wrong decision. They’ve probably sent off the wrong person.


“But those things sometimes need to happen in games and you need to turn the tide. That’s part of football and if anyone wants to have a scrap with us between now and the end of the season, we’ll have it.”

Chambers on... injured wrist and foot

“I probably wasn’t near 100 per cent to be honest but I don’t think it affected my performance too much,” he said.

“I’ve previously played with injuries that other people wouldn’t be seen for a few weeks with but it’s not about me, it’s about what’s best for the club. We have to have people fighting.

“It was touch and go in the end but the last few days had gone really well and I had quite a lot of blood drained off my foot on Thursday which made things a lot better.

“It was a freak injury really where I kicked someone’s studs and wasn’t able to get red of the swelling.

“At the end of the day we’re paid a helluva lot of money for the job that we do and you have to do whatever’s required of you to get out on that pitch and show a bit of bottle.

“I broke my wrist against Rotherham when I went flying over those boards but you just strap it up and go again.

“You try and keep that under the radar because there are some clowns out there who try and target it. There was a clown out there against Norwich who stamped on my foot a couple of times in the melee and they are obviously well aware I have a bad foot.

“Fair play to them but it will take a lot more than that to keep me down.”

Chambers on... Norwich

“You take your medicine and move on but we’ll see them again. We’ll see what they do.

“They’re in a great position now and hopefully for them they have the characters to see it through. I didn’t particular see the characters out there for them that they might need if teams come here and do what we did to them.

“Yes they’ve won the game but it could have easily turned and we could have easily got back into it if we had that little bit more quality.

“I’m not really too fussed about what they do but we’ll see them again in the near future I’m sure.”

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Andym » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:47 am

A great captain and ambassador for the club. Not the greatest player but good enough. His experience and leadership will be invaluable in my opinion.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Andym » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:49 am

I should have added that he has a reputation for hoofing it. But that I suspect is partly down to MM's instructions. And there are times when you can see the frustration when he has the ball at his feet and no one makes themselves available leaving him with no choice.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by nicscreamer » Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:01 pm

Footballers these days are very quickly slagged off for their lack of loyalty..... Chambers has shown he is Mr Ipswich and I salute him for that. I would prefer another 10 players with his commitment to the cause than 10 premadonnas who don't really want to be gere.
I agree hes not the most talented footballer, but has a heart and is 100% committed to the club. He needs to stay with us for Div 1

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by derick_ipsw » Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:10 pm

I will say it again, I don't give a f**k if the guy is brilliant off the pitch....it is on the pitch which counts and he just is not good enough.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Steve and Jo » Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:29 pm

We are not in this mess because of anything Chambers has done wrongly. If we had few more like him we would be nowhere near this position.

I hear people say hes not good enough yet i would like to know how many goals conceded are directly linked to mistakes he has made.. Yes of course a few because goalkeeper or players playing right at the back make mistake it mostly ends up as a goal.

Yet i would like to see how many goals can blame him for.

In lots of ways Chambers remind me of a certain Alan Hunter. No nonsense defender. Not saying Chambers is as good as what Hunter was but both for me come out of the same mould. Playing with injuries, getting stuck in and sticking up for team mates. Alan had a certain Beatie he nourished and helped and in fairness Hunter played with far better quality of teammates.

I'm in the keep Chambo, offer him another year and even possibly two year contract. We will need that fighting spirit next season

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:59 pm

I know we all have our favs and I get that but I too have never seen why he gets so much stick, ok we all agree he is limited but like you S&J I can remember very few goals that we concede directly from his c*ck ups, Bart & Knudsen there are dozens, Gerken, Pennington, Kenlock, Elder and Skuse spring to mind in recent times but Chambo I struggle with.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Steve and Jo » Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:43 pm

derick_ipsw wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 1:10 pm
I will say it again, I don't give a f**k if the guy is brilliant off the pitch....it is on the pitch which counts and he just is not good enough.
Tell me though, who is good enough?

I agree Mike and its always been the case where we take more of a liking to a player than others. Luke is not the most gifted player. One of the biggest hearts though

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by derick_ipsw » Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:04 pm

Luke Woolfenden, Adam Webster,Tommy Smith .There is 3 we have let go or out on loan or sold who are better. James Collins is another.Toto and Pennington will play Tomorrow. I would play Chambers at right back if he has to play. He is better there than Centre back.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by marko69 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:33 pm

Tommy Smith? You being serious?

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Andym » Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:56 pm

I look back to the Sheffield Wednesday game. Chambers and Collins didn't play. The lack of leadership was so evident. Time after time 2 players went for the same ball. Defenders let balls run past them unaware of the danger. They are signs that no one was in charge, no one was shouting and communicating.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:34 pm

Exactly Andy, sometimes the best leaders are not the best players, just how it is.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Steve and Jo » Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:16 pm

Seriously Derek did you say Tommy Smith?

Adam Webster is gone, Paul Hurst sold him and don't get me started on what i think of Paul Hurst. If Adam was still here, would he play on with broken wrist or badly damage foot? I don't think so.

It takes all kinds of players to make a team. you need the skilful and the ones to get stuck in.

Exactly Andy and Mike. Need leaders and characters, other players look up to Luke Chambers and have you researched just how many goals you can put down to purely being Chambers fault Derek? Biggest one was against Middlesborough when he misplaced a pass i remember

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Charnwood » Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:45 pm

If the fans have given up hope for survival it doesn’t look as if Chambo has. In my opinion he’s one of the very best freebies ever to have arrived at Portman Road and our best Captain of the current era. I think the fact that he’s made the most appearances in a Town shirt this century speaks for itself and whilst he may be prone to the odd mistake it’s often when he gets pulled out of position by another players inadequacy. One thing for sure you’d never accuse him of lack of effort or lack of passion. If he wants to stay at Portman Road after our most likely relegation I’d definitely keep him on the books and subject to fitness retain him as Captain.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:02 pm

Charnwood wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:45 pm
If the fans have given up hope for survival it doesn’t look as if Chambo has. In my opinion he’s one of the very best freebies ever to have arrived at Portman Road and our best Captain of the current era. I think the fact that he’s made the most appearances in a Town shirt this century speaks for itself and whilst he may be prone to the odd mistake it’s often when he gets pulled out of position by another players inadequacy. One thing for sure you’d never accuse him of lack of effort or lack of passion. If he wants to stay at Portman Road after our most likely relegation I’d definitely keep him on the books and subject to fitness retain him as Captain.
That is a very valid point and spot on.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Marvinbay1973 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:11 pm

I love him, great character.
As Captain he wears the shirt with pride.
Prone to odd mistake, but has also made some great last ditch clearences .
Would have backed him in the brawl on Sunday, should have laid that cheating b*stard Steeplejack out.

GET OFF HIS BACK

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Kerry Blue » Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:40 pm

Charnwood wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:45 pm
If the fans have given up hope for survival it doesn’t look as if Chambo has. In my opinion he’s one of the very best freebies ever to have arrived at Portman Road and our best Captain of the current era. I think the fact that he’s made the most appearances in a Town shirt this century speaks for itself and whilst he may be prone to the odd mistake it’s often when he gets pulled out of position by another players inadequacy. One thing for sure you’d never accuse him of lack of effort or lack of passion. If he wants to stay at Portman Road after our most likely relegation I’d definitely keep him on the books and subject to fitness retain him as Captain.
Agree with all of that and I think we will need him next season as captain to help all the young players who I hope will get plenty of chances to progress.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by derick_ipsw » Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:51 am

marko69 wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:33 pm
Tommy Smith? You being serious?
That was suppose to be a wind up in the way Tommy was not the best but still better than Chambers at defending, which is what he suppose to do.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by derick_ipsw » Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:56 am

Charnwood wrote:
Tue Feb 12, 2019 10:45 pm
If the fans have given up hope for survival it doesn’t look as if Chambo has. In my opinion he’s one of the very best freebies ever to have arrived at Portman Road and our best Captain of the current era. I think the fact that he’s made the most appearances in a Town shirt this century speaks for itself and whilst he may be prone to the odd mistake it’s often when he gets pulled out of position by another players inadequacy. One thing for sure you’d never accuse him of lack of effort or lack of passion. If he wants to stay at Portman Road after our most likely relegation I’d definitely keep him on the books and subject to fitness retain him as Captain.
Most of the reasons you give there Charney are down to the fact of the way he conducts himself as captain off the pitch. That's why he keeps getting picked not for his defending or football ability. He contributed more to the team in terms of goals when he played right back. Effort and passion will never make up for lack of ability. Next season he might be at the level where he will be ok but Championship center half. NEVER!!

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by AzzurroMark » Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:31 am

For all of our views on how good (or not) Luke is, i think the telling factor is that his managers have always seen a playing quality in him and have fielded him regularly. Some might argue that other suitable options have not always been available, but why, in that case, has he not been replaced as a regular? We have had loan CBs come in (i.e. Pennington), who rather than replace LC have either been slotted in beside him, or moved out to RB (as when Collins joined us).

We all have opinions, and mine is that perhaps Luke does lack in technical ability, and we have certainly had better defenders in the past, but in today's football climate, i think LC and ITFC are the perfect fit for each other. Four Ipswich managers, from Paul Jewell who signed him, through to PL would seem to confirm that too.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:02 am

Forest wanted him back not long ago too.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by marko69 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:49 am

derick_ipsw wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:51 am
That was suppose to be a wind up.......
Yes, sort of guessed that but couldn’t be sure! :lol:

But saying that , you thought Tommy was a better defender than Chambers? Said this before but can only assume Tommy was nervous on live TV.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:53 am

marko69 wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 10:49 am
derick_ipsw wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 7:51 am
That was suppose to be a wind up.......
Yes, sort of guessed that but couldn’t be sure! :lol:

But saying that , you thought Tommy was a better defender than Chambers? Said this before but can only assume Tommy was nervous on live TV.
He made numerous mistakes, some real howlers, a CB who could not deal with a bouncing ball !!

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by marko69 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:00 am

Another player who lost the plot on live tv back in 2010/11 v Norwich in the big loss was Delaney. Couldn’t believe it when he went on to the EPL and stayed there for years. Hoolahan was waltzing past him with every single attack. Remember shouting at the TV, “Put a leg in, give them a penalty! Do SOMETHING!”

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:08 am

I actually think there is a lot to be answered for with the way Town fans love a scapegoat, Delaney was definitely one of them and took a lot of stick, not surprised he found it hard to play for us but went on to better things. Matt Richards was a scapegoat, Sam Parkin, Johnny Douglas the most recent and we wonder why some players can't perform.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by marko69 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:18 am

If the scapegoat has valid reasons to be the scapegoat then I think thats just part and parcel of being a footballer. I have witnessed Knudsen maybe 9 times for the full 90. Maybe it’s just extremely unlucky that in those nine games he’s been the stand out weakest link in defence. The first goal on Sunday, prior to the six yard box stuff, was all on Knudsen.
But praise where praise is due and (imo) he got better as the game went on.

And in the opposite....... only saw Jonathan Douglas twice....... and he was candidate for MOTM. Think he got sent off for a challenge but up until then, he was great. I missed his Shyte games. :lol:

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:29 am

marko69 wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:18 am
If the scapegoat has valid reasons to be the scapegoat then I think thats just part and parcel of being a footballer. I have witnessed Knudsen maybe 9 times for the full 90. Maybe it’s just extremely unlucky that in those nine games he’s been the stand out weakest link in defence. The first goal on Sunday, prior to the six yard box stuff, was all on Knudsen.
But praise where praise is due and (imo) he got better as the game went on.

And in the opposite....... only saw Jonathan Douglas twice....... and he was candidate for MOTM. Think he got sent off for a challenge but up until then, he was great. I missed his Shyte games. :lol:
I can't stand Knudsen but I never give him stick during a game, or anyone else for that matter, I think he has gotten off very lightly tbh.

As for Douglas, he was actually a damn good player just prior to us signing him, mainly as an attacking Midfielder who scored a fair few goals, MM decided to play him as a defensive Midfielder and the rest is history, he took all the flack, some of it awful, the minions decided that him being played in an unfamiliar position mattered not, just like Chambers at RB for Two seasons they took loads of stick and criticism, Freddie on the other hand has used that excuse for years, "I am played out of position" and gets all the sympathy going, bizarre.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Steve and Jo » Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:58 pm

Yes it is Bizarre but its not the players fault for saying it.

Many, many years ago a certain Gary Lineker who was then playing for Barcelona was taken out of his favourite centre forward position to play wide out on the wing. He was not a happy bunny. I'm sure it was Johan Cruyff the head coach at the time.

Some players knuckle down do there best and just get on with it. Others turn, let it get to them and just want out. Gary didn't stay at Barcelona too long after this to return to England playing for Spurs

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Bluemike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:28 pm

Absolutely not the players fault at all but it just goes to show how fickle Football fans are.

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Re: Captain fantastic

Post by Steve and Jo » Wed Feb 13, 2019 4:04 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:28 pm
Absolutely not the players fault at all but it just goes to show how fickle Football fans are.
Absolutely. Couldn't agree more

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