Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Here you can chat about everything and anything related to ITFC and other football issues. This forum also hosts the now Internationally famous TB.com ITFC match previews which contain insightful pre-match thoughts, previous highlights, news links relating to Town, form guides and other bits and pieces. Feel free to discuss meet ups/travel plans in here as well.

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The first game of a new Era (Hopefully) ..............

Town Win
12
71%
Dons Win
0
No votes
Draw
5
29%
 
Total votes: 17

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arana peligrosa
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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by arana peligrosa » Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:58 am

Cook didn't give a pre-game conference before the MKD fixture something that not all would be aware. He wanted to sit with the players and discuss the magnitude of changes that have occurred here the last few days. That takes care of that but was unable to find a definitive answer as to any no show following Saturdays crapfest I.e. after the game.

This Mark Ashton issue that invariably arises, most at Bristol City can't stand him and jump at the chance to offload him elsewhere. That we seem to be the most likely destination is in itself unfortunate as from all that you can gather, its a package we do not need at this club.

Ashton is largely rebuked and mocked / ridiculed in equal measure by City fans so it doesn't paint a very promising picture if we bring him on board. We're obviously building for the future right now but the latter just seems a piece of the jigsaw that doesn't or will not fit.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Steve and Jo » Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:22 am

Being truthful I don't really care if he was too pissed off at the players. We are Ipswich Town supporters the fans. It's his duty to face the cameras and part of his job now.

Was not happy he didn't talk to the press which insentiently is to us the FANS as well pre match. This could be done after the players go home from training or whenever. I am not trying to stir anything up, just being honest. There was a take over of Ipswich Town last week and it is proper we should hear Paul Cook's view on that alone.

We spent years having a owner/chairman keeping quiet and that was bad enough. Paul may well talk to us today and that would be nice and all hopefully will be well. One of Paul's pluses is his charm and ability to talk honestly, yet also with humour and not duck and dive or treat us like idiots like some previous managers.

I really hope there is a plausible reason for missing press interviews twice and again this is not stirring anything, just a fan wanting to hear what the manager of the club he loves have to say. Is that to much to ask?

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:08 am

There you go, Cook has spoken...



PAUL ON TOWN TAKEOVER

"The new owners come in with fresh ideas and investment and everyone’s hopes are very high"

Blues boss Paul Cook said he is 'excited for the fans and the town of Ipswich' after the Club went through a takeover last week.

Gamechanger 20 Ltd is now the majority shareholder in Ipswich Town.


"I’m delighted for the Club, the fans and the town," Paul told iFollow Ipswich.

"Marcus [Evans] has invested a lot of money into the Club but the fans were feeling a bit disgruntled and I get that.

"The new owners come in with fresh ideas and investment and everyone’s hopes are very high. That’s what football is all about - dreaming of, and trying to achieve, promotion and success.

"I certainly wish Marcus well and I wish the new owners every success going forward."

The full interview with Paul will be available to watch on iFollow Ipswich later this morning.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by marko69 » Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:46 am

Bluemike wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:08 am
The full interview with Paul will be available to watch on iFollow Ipswich later this morning.
That is good news. Look forward to that. 👍

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Tangfastic » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:45 am

Full transcript from the EADT.

Sounds like he’s onboard.

He’s got around the thorny issue about not knowing by saying he thought these Americans were just investors and not his future bosses. Sounds like he genuinely bought into working for Evans. I have to say you usually don’t hear ex-managers criticise Evans and they must like the idea of being given a free hand without too much interference. I guess it’s going to be a lot different set-up to what he bought into, but hopefully it works out well.



Ipswich Town manager Paul Cook admits last week's takeover came as a 'total surprise', but says the football pedigree of the club's new owners makes him 'quite excited'.

Following weeks of reports and speculation, long-term owner Marcus Evans sold the club to US-led group Gamechanger 20 Ltd last Wednesday for a fee believed to be around £40m.

Cook left his former club Wigan after they went into administration, recently revealing that he'd never spoken to the owners and 'hadn't seen the danger signs', and made it clear that working closely with Evans was a big draw for him when taking the Ipswich job.

Town's new chairman Mike O'Leary was quick to reassure Cook that he had also been the new owners' number one choice for the job.

However, when Cook cancelled his pre-match press conference on Friday and again didn't speak to the media following Saturday's 0-0 home draw with MK Dons, some supporters did begin to come up with conspiracy theories.

"I only re-signed for three days," laughed Cook, as an initial ice-breaker at this morning's press conference.

On O'Leary's reassurance about his position, the Blues boss said: "The first thing I thought was 'thank God for that! Because I was in trouble if they didn't say that wasn't I?!

Ipswich Town manager Paul Cook admits last week's takeover came as a 'total surprise', but says the football pedigree of the club's new owners makes him 'quite excited'.

Following weeks of reports and speculation, long-term owner Marcus Evans sold the club to US-led group Gamechanger 20 Ltd last Wednesday for a fee believed to be around £40m.

Cook left his former club Wigan after they went into administration, recently revealing that he'd never spoken to the owners and 'hadn't seen the danger signs', and made it clear that working closely with Evans was a big draw for him when taking the Ipswich job.

Town's new chairman Mike O'Leary was quick to reassure Cook that he had also been the new owners' number one choice for the job.

However, when Cook cancelled his pre-match press conference on Friday and again didn't speak to the media following Saturday's 0-0 home draw with MK Dons, some supporters did begin to come up with conspiracy theories.

"I only re-signed for three days," laughed Cook, as an initial ice-breaker at this morning's press conference.

On O'Leary's reassurance about his position, the Blues boss said: "The first thing I thought was 'thank God for that! Because I was in trouble if they didn't say that wasn't I?!

Like everyone else, I think the takeover took me by total surprise. I was turning up at Portman Road with Lee O'Neill for a meeting with Marcus. We had big plans for the off season and implementing changes that Marcus was about to take on at Ipswich Town Football Club.

"I got told late, like everyone else, but I can only reiterate that my meetings with Michael O'Leary have been absolutely 100% positive.

"Michael is a gentleman. Once you meet Michael you'll work that out quite quickly. He's a good guy.

"Going forward, I've been in football long enough to know the rules lads. I'm not a stupid person. I know exactly what goes on in football.

"If the new ownership are happy with me though, and that's the way we're going to go forwards, I only want to be here guys, I have got to tell everyone that.

"I joined a club where I knew it was going to be difficult, I knew there was going to be change within the club, and I knew, going forwards, the ambitions that we all had.

"I feel the new owners have come in and probably added to those ambitions.

"If I can be part of that and of I can help with that success then I'll be one of the happiest people around here.

"But that is all for tomorrow guys and we must leave that all for tomorrow."

Asked if he'd spoken to any of the new US owners yet, who have had success building Phoenix Rising in Arizona, Cook said: "No, it's been very much Mike. As you can imagine a lot happened very quickly last week. Over a period of time now I'm sure we'll get to see and hear a lot more from the new owners.

"They've got a real strong pedigree in football and sport. With the greatest respect to football owners today, when you look at the pedigree they have in this industry, it makes me quite excited. I've got to tell you that.

"But I also know my job can be perilous.

"The thing I have to highlight though is that the future of this football club looks to be in very, very good hands. That's a great day for everyone."

Asked if there had been any initial reservations, given his experience at Wigan, Cook said: "I'm a football person. You know my background and my CV. The reality is my big decision when leaving Wigan was that I wanted to work with owners that I trusted. That was a huge thing for me. In Marcus and Lee O'Neill it was quickly evident that I did trust them people.

"Going forwards, now I've met Michael, and having heard about the plans, my trust with them will only grow over time. I'm not going to sit here and say I trust these lads because we don't know each other yet. They've got to work with me and I've got to work with them.

"But I've been led to believe the relationship will be a good one and a strong one.

"My job will be hopefully to deliver the success that the owners crave, that the supporters crave and that everyone craves, including myself."

Speaking earlier in the press conference, Cook said: "First of all I'd like to wish Marcus every success in his future, whatever he decides to go into. I only spent a short time with Marcus, but I believe he did a great job. He had so much commitment to Ipswich Town Football Club. That's something that I know a lot of our fans don't agree with, but I saw sides of him and the money that he'd invested in the football club previously.

"I've seen what poor owners do to football clubs, so Marcus leaves with my best wishes. I wish him every success for the future if he does go into football again.

"I've spoken to Michael O'Leary on numerous occasions now. He's a really good guy, he's a good football person. I think it's very, very exciting times for Ipswich.

"As a person and a manager I'm very much into the present and now. I've taken 11 points out of the fixtures we've played. Is it 10 points in nine games? We've only won two out of nine. We don't score enough goals. I've got lists the height of my door with problems on the pitch at the minute. And we want to be promoted tis year.

"The new owners are bringing so much optimism and freshness to the club. We want to compete at high levels in this football pyramid. Over a period of time we'll get to see the new owners a lot more. These are exciting times around the corner, which is great, but we've got some here and now issues that we want to address.

"As a football staff and football people we are in a push for promotion and we've got to stay with it."

On how late in the day he was told about the takeover, Cook said: "I've got to be careful because you want to take me into waters that I just don't want go. I can only be truthful. I was aware that Marcus was looking for investment into the football club. I think a deal was struck in the end where Marcus couldn't have the majority control of the club. I think the new American investors wanted that.

"A deal was struck. I was informed, like you lot, very late on in the proceedings. But I wish Marcus well.

"There are absolutely no issues between Paul Cook, Marcus Evans, new owners or anything going forwards other than total commitment to drive Ipswich Town Football Club back to where we belong."

So he's happy?

"I'm not happy because I watch a team who can't score and doesn't win enough!" he joked. "So I'm very, very much far from happy, but apart from being unhappy with that, I'm quite happy!

"You can ask me another 46 questions on the takeover, but you're not going to take me anywhere else! We've got a great game tomorrow night at Wimbledon. If that was with terraces open, how many fans would be travelling from Ipswich to support their team?

"There's enough negativity in the world now to last people two lifetimes. We've got a job to do tomorrow night that could drive us forwards. We've got to stay with that guys."





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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 11:46 am

I've just posted his interview from this morning

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Steve and Jo » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:10 pm

Cheers Tang and Mike

happy reading all

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:12 pm

Its good to hear from him but personally I believe there is nothing untoward or anything to worry about, its a very difficult time in more ways than one for Cook atm

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Steve and Jo » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:19 pm

Bluemike wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:12 pm
Its good to hear from him but personally I believe there is nothing untoward or anything to worry about, its a very difficult time in more ways than one for Cook atm
I wasn't worried though Mike personally, just wanted to hear his views. Maybe if it was still Paul Lambert here would be happy him not talking. Paul Cook has something about him that makes people want to believe in him. After Saturday's game I feel sure would of felt bit better just listening to Paul Cook being honest, far different than listening to previous manager drivel

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:23 pm

I do wonder if he has been told to maybe evade certain subjects etc atm do found it better to avoid it altogether? Either way I am really positive about Cook and Co. Going forward.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by marko69 » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:29 pm

Steve and Jo wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:19 pm
Maybe if it was still Paul Lambert here would be happy him not talking.
:lol: I know you probably didn’t type that in jest, Steve, but because it’s sooooo bloody true for a lot of people, (me included) ..... your post is superb :lol:

Edit: And cheers Mike for posting the Cookie stuff. 👍

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:41 pm

https://fb.watch/4PWA5qfIp0/

You can listen to him first hand here, he's clearly not doing interviews at the weekend to protect the players from crushing criticism, that's my view.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Kerry Blue » Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:49 pm

I saw somewhere that Leam Richardson often did the interviews at Wigan so maybe if he comes here the same might happen.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by marko69 » Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:15 pm

Kerry Blue wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:49 pm
I saw somewhere that Leam Richardson often did the interviews at Wigan so maybe if he comes here the same might happen.
Yes, maybe Cookie suffers from that Liverpudlian Tourette’s issue?

BBC: So Paul, another point gained, or two lost?
COOK: Well what the fk do you think?
BBC: We ask the questions, Paul.
COOK: Well ask better fkn questions, d*ck-Ed.
BBC: Perfectly acceptable question, Paul.
COOK: ok ok ok, point gained then.
BBC: Really? Not two dropped?
COOK: You fkn asked and I answered, arsehole.
BBC: And Err, why do you think it’s a point gained?
COOK: Did you watch the same fkn game as me you fkn bellend?
BBC: I did, and I thought Sears could’ve sealed the deal at the end?
COOK: Ok, clearly you know Fk all about this club. The only thing Sears has sealed recently is his fkn w*nk mag.
BBC: You seem angry, Paul?
COOK: If I fkn smash your head off that wall there, will that answer your question?
BBC: Well...... Err....
COOK: FK this sh*t,..... DOWNESY, go get Leam. He can talk to this pr*ck.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Kerry Blue » Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:59 pm

👍😂😂😂

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Bluemike » Mon Apr 12, 2021 2:27 pm

Brilliant Marko, you got Sears to a Tee.

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Steve and Jo » Mon Apr 12, 2021 4:23 pm

marko69 wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:29 pm
Steve and Jo wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:19 pm
Maybe if it was still Paul Lambert here would be happy him not talking.
:lol: I know you probably didn’t type that in jest, Steve, but because it’s sooooo bloody true for a lot of people, (me included) ..... your post is superb :lol:

Edit: And cheers Mike for posting the Cookie stuff. 👍
I actually thought when Lambert first came if given time Marko he might turn this club around. Then the same old words kept coming out of his mouth. Thing is new era and hopefully we as a club can move forwards. So yes I was jesting a little but also in truth. I wouldn't of bothered listening to Lambert

Heard Cook and yes refreshing. Can't put our attacking play in better words than what Cook did "MMmmmm, MMMMmmmmm"

He also did say it's no good him keep harping on about it, for nothing really can do more than he is. How many different formations did he try?

Without doubt our best attacker is Norwood but he's no good to us whilst injured as often as he is, but its not just attackers, the midfield need to play the ball quicker and more confidently with skill. Though the forwards have to make telling runs, Saturday two great crosses and yet nobody was rushing to get onto the end of them. I can take not having the best skill but all professional footballers have no excuse if no desire or effort

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Re: Ipswich Town vs MK Dons Preview & Matchday Thread

Post by Steve and Jo » Mon Apr 12, 2021 4:24 pm

Steve and Jo wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 4:23 pm
marko69 wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:29 pm
Steve and Jo wrote:
Mon Apr 12, 2021 12:19 pm
Maybe if it was still Paul Lambert here would be happy him not talking.
:lol: I know you probably didn’t type that in jest, Steve, but because it’s sooooo bloody true for a lot of people, (me included) ..... your post is superb :lol:

Edit: And cheers Mike for posting the Cookie stuff. 👍
I actually thought when Lambert first came if given time Marko he might turn this club around. Then the same old words kept coming out of his mouth. Thing is new era and hopefully we as a club can move forwards. So yes I was jesting a little but also in truth. I wouldn't of bothered listening to Lambert

Heard Cook and yes refreshing. Can't put our attacking play in better words than what Cook did "MMmmmm, MMMMmmmmm"

He also did say it's no good him keep harping on about it, for nothing really can do more than he is. How many different formations did he try?

Without doubt our best attacker is Norwood but he's no good to us whilst injured as often as he is, but its not just attackers, the midfield need to play the ball quicker and more confidently with skill. Though the forwards have to make telling runs, Saturday two great crosses and yet nobody was rushing to get onto the end of them. I can take not having the best skill but all professional footballers have no excuse if no desire or effort..

Love the interview Marko, can actually believe Cook may just say similar

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