Interview with Axel

[hallamblue]

I don’t think the pictures in the article will come out in this copy and paste…. But if ever a picture personifies what a colossus of a player Axel could be with injury, is the picture of him towering above his opponent … notably with Woolfie looking on! It reminds me of the pictures we used to see of The Beat. I hope we keep Axel and it seems like the Club are taking a very softly softly approach to his rehab and reintroduction to the games.

For me anyway, if he stays injury free, and gets a run of games in the team, it’ll be difficult to see who will dislodge him. Anyway here’s his interview : love his description of McKenna!!


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Ipswich Town: Axel Tuanzebe on McKenna, promotion push and his future

IPSWICH TOWN FC

By Stuart Watson
Stuart_Watson
Chief Football Writer

Axel Tuanzebe says Kieran McKenna (inset) was the main reason why he signed for Ipswich Town, and is finally getting up to full fitness at Ipswich Town. Stuart Watson spoke to the defender about overcoming injuries, reuniting with Kieran McKenna and his hopes for the future.



There were people Axel Tuanzebe could have called to get the lowdown on Ipswich Town when they showed interest in his signature last summer.

He was a teammate of Tyrone Mings when Aston Villa gained promotion to the Championship in 2019. He played alongside Bersant Celina at Stoke last season too.

Positive feedback on the area, fans and facilities wasn't required though. The chance to reunite with his former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna trumped everything else.

“I actually first came across him when he was a youth team manager at Tottenham," explains the 26-year-old. "There was a little camp where they came up to Manchester and trained with us for a few days. Straight away you could see how their lads addressed him and his attention to detail with the sessions.

"I would have been 18/19 when I first starting working with him myself at United. Immediately you could tell he just lives and breathes the game. You know how car enthusiasts are called ‘petrolheads’, well he’s the football equivalent of that!

“He just loves the sport and now he has an opportunity to express himself to the fullest as a first team manager in his own right.

“Everything has got to be spot on with him. He picks up on body language, he picks up on body movement, he picks up on timing. You’ve got to really hone into all that and I think the lads here have really bought into it.

“I knew there would be no bad eggs here because the manager is very particular with the type of characters he brings in. Obviously you’ve got to be a good footballer as well, but that’s not enough. You’ve also got to fit into and boost that togetherness."

Tuanzebe joined Manchester United at the age of eight. He went on to make 36 appearances for the Red Devils - including eight starts in the Premier League and two in the Champions League - before being released by his boyhood club last summer.

Injuries have slowed the defender's development in recent years. He was only able to make a combined eight starts across the previous two seasons during loan spells at Aston Villa, Napoli and Stoke.

Newly-promoted Premier League clubs Luton and Sheffield United took a close look in the summer, but didn't make a move. Eventually, after the transfer window shut, Ipswich picked him up as a free agent.

“Granty (former Manchester United keeper turned Ipswich coach Lee Grant) was the one who initially kicked it off with a few phone calls here and there," explains Tuanzebe. "We kept in touch throughout the summer.

“Once we were ready to fully commit to something, we got in contact with the manager and had more detailed conversations about how we wanted the season to go for me personally.

"I didn’t speak to anyone externally. Speaking to the manager and Granty was enough for me. My decision was made and no-one was going to talk me out of it."

Tuanzebe's first start came in a Carabao Cup home defeat to Fulham on November 1. He's been dipped in and out since then, culminating in a back-to-back starts against Stoke and AFC Wimbledon at the beginning of 2024.

“It was a localised back problem, but it’s feeling all good now," says Tuanzebe, when asked about his injury issues.

"The build-up to this point has been very gradual. The guys have been very thorough and taken good care. I think we’ve managed it well.

“It’s always easy to look back and say I should have done this or that different in the past, but but at the time you do what you think is right based on the guidance of your physiotherapists and doctors.

“I've learnt that when coming back from big injuries it’s not always smart to get back in as soon as you can. Getting the right exposure and the right loading is integral. We’ve not been too greedy and now I feel great with a big chunk of the season still to go."

Primarily a right centre-back, Tuanzebe has played at right-back in his career before. Indeed, his Premier League debut against Arsenal came there. It's a role he reprised in the New Year's Day goalless draw at Stoke with Harry Clarke, Brendan Williams and Janoi Doancien all unavailable.

“We’ve had Burg (Cameron Burgess) go out on international duty and we’ve picked up a few niggles here and there, so the manager asked me to do a job for the team," he says.

“I enjoyed getting up and down the pitch. It helped boost my fitness, helped boost my game time and just adds to the versatility in my arsenal."

The following weekend, Tuanzebe netted his first senior goal when bravely heading in Town's equaliser in an FA Cup third round win at AFC Wimbledon.

“It was long overdue, but it came in the end!" he laughs. "I just saw the ball and nothing else. I thought ‘this is my moment’ and thankfully I took it."

On already having his name sung by the Town supporters, he smiled: “I like the chant. It’s very encouraging when I’m on the field. It’s really nice to have that recognition from the fans because I’m relatively new here. A lot of the lads don’t have their own chants, not to my knowledge anyway, so to hear that appreciation means a lot."

Ipswich, of course, find themselves second in the Championship table sandwiched between recent Premier League sides Leicester, Southampton and Leeds. There are 19 games to go.

Tuanzebe experienced Championship promotion, via the play-offs, with Aston Villa in 2019. Does he see similarities with that team and the one he's in now?

“I think we play in a more organised fashion," he said. "At Villa we had Jack Grealish, he was our magic player. Here it’s more a case of everyone working as a unit.

“I think we definitely have what it takes to get that promotion and go to that next level though.


Axel Tuanzebe (left) believes Ipswich Town can finish in the top-two of the Championship this season. (Image: Ross Halls)

“For me, it’s now about understanding what this really is. It’s about understanding the magnitude of it before it’s too late. We don't want to look back and think, ‘oh, we were in that situation, we could have done it’.

"Let’s go straight up! Let’s not mess around with the play-offs! Play-offs are very, very risky. Teams come alive in the play-offs and can be very, very difficult to beat.

“We’re in a good position. We’re second in the table. We need to close that gap on Leicester (who Town go to on Monday night).

"Yes, we’ve got to take it a game at a time and not think too much about the end goal, but we’ve also got to have it there in the back of our minds.

“We had a big momentum spell at the start of the season. Now we need to build another streak of wins to have everyone bouncing and believing that it’s possible."

East Anglian Daily Times: Axel Tuanzebe contests an aerial ball in Ipswich Town's Carabao Cup defeat to Fulham.(Image: Ross Halls)

Conversation turns back to Tuanzebe's personal situation. Asked how frustrating it had been not being able to do the thing he loves and is good at when injured, he replies: "Sometimes things are out of our control. You just accept it for what it is. If you step out of the bubble of football, I have to recognise that I’ve got a pretty good life. There are people out there that don’t have certain privileges that I do. Being injured isn’t the end of the world.

“I'm close with my family. My wife loves to travel a lot, so we try and get away when we can to see the world and experience different cultures that help you grow as a person. Everyone’s happy, everyone’s healthy. I’m married, sooner or later we might have kids. I can’t complain really."

He continues: "A lot of injuries have hindered my progress and struck me at key moments, but, touch wood, I’m feeling good right now. I want to put that behind me and look forward.

“Being here at Ipswich I’ve got no distractions. I’m living a very simple life. I’m not saying I wasn’t living the simple life in Manchester or other places, but you could say it’s easier to do it here.

“Training, eat right, sleep right, repeat that cycle. I just like to relax, watch films. I’m a big popcorn guy. I love it! That’s the only snack I really have. That’s me, man. A simple life is a happy life for me."

Tuanzebe's short-term deal is set to expire this summer, though Ipswich do hold the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

“Yeah, you want to visualise where you want to be, but over my career I’ve learnt that if you work hard day-by-day then football will bring you where you’re supposed to be. It will place you in the position you were always meant to be ," he says, when asked how he sees his career progressing from here.

“I’ll just keep taking it day-by-day. I’ve got my contract until the end of the season. I’m just working my socks off to have employment for next season. I’m not even thinking about that too much. I’m just thinking about the next training session and the next game.

“Everyone can say ‘I want to be at Real Madrid or Barcelona in two years’ time’. I could sit here and say that to you, but the reality is this is the card I’ve been dealt. Unfortunately my career thus far has been plagued with injuries, but I’m not going to dwell on that and feel sorry for myself. I’m going to get up and get working again.

“I’m still able to play. I’ve not had to retire. I know players who have had to do that. I’m fit, I’m healthy and I’ll keep fighting."