Matt Holland interviews Ashton snd McKenna

[hallamblue]

Re the season to date ….

https://youtu.be/R-6VaXaIVpY

[Ricco]

Noticed that on YT myself and watched the first 10 minutes. Should be a good watch and I've obviously not gotten deep, but slightly saddened to see that McKenna feels the need to defend the poorer results, almost making excuses.

He obviously feels a bit of pressure, whether from his own high standards or that from the fans, but I'd rather him say bollocks to that, let's move on and take the positives. There are lessons to be learnt, but no time to dwell on things at this point of a season. Look forward to watching the rest and hearing what people think, however they are both very 'professional' speakers, so I expect absolutely zero revelations or surprises!!

[Ricco]

Also what a manager Matt Holland probably would have made. I wonder why he never made that move, I'm sure it's been discussed publicly by him at some point.

[Charnwood]

Thanks for the link Liz I look forward to listening.

As for him not going into football management Ricco , here’s an extract from a recent interview where he touches on the subject.

“I’ve been working in the media since I retired. My plan was to leave as many doors open as possible when I finished my career. I did my coaching badges and I did some media work too. When I retired the door that opened the widest was the media side of things. I was asked to do commentary and some bits in-studio and I really enjoyed it. It took off from there.

“I was fortunate to go to Qatar, where I was commentating for the Host Broadcasting Services alongside Simon Brotherton. I covered ten matches and I was able to go and watch another four or five as well. It was a fantastic experience and a fabulous World Cup. It was obviously controversial for Qatar to be the host nation, but I had a very enjoyable experience.”

See below another couple of decent reads about Matt Holland.

https://www.whufc.com/news/where-are-th ... tt-holland

https://www.planetfootball.com/in-depth ... illa-more/

[AzzurroMark]

Thanks for the link Liz I look forward to listening.

As for him not going into football management Ricco , here’s an extract from a recent interview where he touches on the subject.

“I’ve been working in the media since I retired. My plan was to leave as many doors open as possible when I finished my career. I did my coaching badges and I did some media work too. When I retired the door that opened the widest was the media side of things. I was asked to do commentary and some bits in-studio and I really enjoyed it. It took off from there.

“I was fortunate to go to Qatar, where I was commentating for the Host Broadcasting Services alongside Simon Brotherton. I covered ten matches and I was able to go and watch another four or five as well. It was a fantastic experience and a fabulous World Cup. It was obviously controversial for Qatar to be the host nation, but I had a very enjoyable experience.”

See below another couple of decent reads about Matt Holland.

https://www.whufc.com/news/where-are-th ... tt-holland

https://www.planetfootball.com/in-depth ... illa-more/

From the times I have seen Matt Holland, I'd hate to see him become a football manager! Why?
I think he makes a fantastic tv pundit & commentator, he's immaculate and easy to listen to. Much rather see/hear him on the TV than the likes of Keane, Sutton etc. I also think he seems "too nice" to become a manager.

[rossi]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

[mendipblue]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

Is the end of the season already?

[marko69]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

Is the end of the season already?

Yes true, I too thought you'd fkd off until the end of the season. But thankfully you decided against it......., the forum needs ALL opinions. Right ones & wrong ones.

[arana peligrosa]

Actually no. There's some things or opinion that can't be said. Well you can, but it takes a certain inner strength to rise above it. Hell some would welcome a free-for-all but for the viability of this or any other fan forum you got to maintain a certain air of respectability.

Holland was, and is, the epitome of pleasant conduct but any idea of being a manager one day - particularly here - seem dead in the water. Most ex-players fail at managerial level, particularly in the lower divisions and best way I could see Holland as team coaching one day would be at league two level or maybe non-league. Not to say he'd be a bad manager but simply out of his depth (starting out) at a club like ours or anything similar. James Magilton was a great club servant here but lousy manager. Case in point.

Some people are destined to coach teams and others aren't. Holland, great kid and all, respect to the name and his service here, but the latter.

[Charnwood]

You only have to watch the video tape to understand why Matt Holland chose media over management and that’s because he’s very good at it and has a natural talent. He’s also very much a family man and media work will give him a much better balanced work/family life being able to choose the weeks and months when he works compared with football management when you eat drink breath and sleep (when you can) the job 24/7/365 days a year until your employer decides to sack you.

[Charnwood]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

Well I’ve just watched and listened to the interview too Rossi but see it very differently. Unlike you I see a very knowledgeable and confident young manager speaking in a clear and controlled way about his work at Portman Road. Yes he looked uncomfortable a couple of times, especially when talking about recent draws away at lowly opposition and the way he needs to find ways to overcome that, but for most of it he was confident and self assured. I liked the interaction between him and Mark Ashton and everything suggests to me that both are here for the longer term journey which they
plan to take together. If the worst happens this season and we don’t get promoted I think both will still be here next season to complete what they’ve started. I see nothing short term about their partnership.

As for the whole interview being dull and monotone, I didn’t see it that way at all and think if it was Pep Guardiola, Juergen Klopp or Sir Alex Ferguson the tone which is set very much by the host Matt Holland would have been exactly the same. Had he suddenly started to get loud and excited it would have made him look stupid immature and unnatural. I can only conclude that as you don’t like him you feel the need to find fault.

I think if you asked the players their opinion of him it would be very different to yours. You only have to see the change around in some of our second half performances to know that he certainly knows how to motivate players and give clear instructions which they listen to and take onboard.

[mendipblue]

Very enjoyable interview, all 3 came over very professionally and it was very informative

[Ricco]

You only have to watch the video tape to understand why Matt Holland chose media over management and that’s because he’s very good at it and has a natural talent. He’s also very much a family man and media work will give him a much better balanced work/family life being able to choose the weeks and months when he works compared with football management when you eat drink breath and sleep (when you can) the job 24/7/365 days a year until your employer decides to sack you.

Yeah, that's the point I guess isn't it. Why would you endure the stress of being a football manager if you're not 110% passionate about it and you don't financially need to?

[marko69]

Yep, work his way up and be a media multi-millionaire like Gary Lineker…….. never been in a dugout in january in a managerial capacity in his life. Been to plenty World Cups though in hot countries and cozy or air conditioned studios.

AND…..

… a life time supply of Walkers crisps.

Yep, owners & Ashton can shove their dugouts 3 miles up their……….

[rossi]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

Well I’ve just watched and listened to the interview too Rossi but see it very differently. Unlike you I see a very knowledgeable and confident young manager speaking in a clear and controlled way about his work at Portman Road. Yes he looked uncomfortable a couple of times, especially when talking about recent draws away at lowly opposition and the way he needs to find ways to overcome that, but for most of it he was confident and self assured. I liked the interaction between him and Mark Ashton and everything suggests to me that both are here for the longer term journey which they
plan to take together. If the worst happens this season and we don’t get promoted I think both will still be here next season to complete what they’ve started. I see nothing short term about their partnership.

As for the whole interview being dull and monotone, I didn’t see it that way at all and think if it was Pep Guardiola, Juergen Klopp or Sir Alex Ferguson the tone which is set very much by the host Matt Holland would have been exactly the same. Had he suddenly started to get loud and excited it would have made him look stupid immature and unnatural. I can only conclude that as you don’t like him you feel the need to find fault.

I think if you asked the players their opinion of him it would be very different to yours. You only have to see the change around in some of our second half performances to know that he certainly knows how to motivate players and give clear instructions which they listen to and take onboard.

See, I'm really struggling with this assertion. I have never met KM, I don't know him, therefore I can neither like nor dislike him. All I was doing was offering my opinion about my perception of his lack of man motivation - I appreciate that people will have different opinions on this and they are welcome to challenge my opinion, but to infer that I make a negstive comment merely because I don't like him and need to find fault is, quite frankly, incredibly disrespectful and somewhat immature.

The cynic in me might well conclude that your comment was brought about merely to disagree with my opinion (as over the years when you have commented on my views you have always disagreed). That's fine, this is a forum after all, and when all is said and done I seldom (if ever} agree with any of your views either.

[Charnwood]

well I've just listened to the interview, KM speaks through the whole interview in a detached dull monotone.
I hope he doesnt speak to the players that way, because I'm sure they would fall asleep during one of his team talks.

I'm not surprised at the many lack-lustre performances we have given this season, as I just cannot see how he motivates the team.

Well I’ve just watched and listened to the interview too Rossi but see it very differently. Unlike you I see a very knowledgeable and confident young manager speaking in a clear and controlled way about his work at Portman Road. Yes he looked uncomfortable a couple of times, especially when talking about recent draws away at lowly opposition and the way he needs to find ways to overcome that, but for most of it he was confident and self assured. I liked the interaction between him and Mark Ashton and everything suggests to me that both are here for the longer term journey which they
plan to take together. If the worst happens this season and we don’t get promoted I think both will still be here next season to complete what they’ve started. I see nothing short term about their partnership.

As for the whole interview being dull and monotone, I didn’t see it that way at all and think if it was Pep Guardiola, Juergen Klopp or Sir Alex Ferguson the tone which is set very much by the host Matt Holland would have been exactly the same. Had he suddenly started to get loud and excited it would have made him look stupid immature and unnatural. I can only conclude that as you don’t like him you feel the need to find fault.

I think if you asked the players their opinion of him it would be very different to yours. You only have to see the change around in some of our second half performances to know that he certainly knows how to motivate players and give clear instructions which they listen to and take onboard.

See, I'm really struggling with this assertion. I have never met KM, I don't know him, therefore I can neither like nor dislike him. All I was doing was offering my opinion about my perception of his lack of man motivation - I appreciate that people will have different opinions on this and they are welcome to challenge my opinion, but to infer that I make a negstive comment merely because I don't like him and need to find fault is, quite frankly, incredibly disrespectful and somewhat immature.

The cynic in me might well conclude that your comment was brought about merely to disagree with my opinion (as over the years when you have commented on my views you have always disagreed). That's fine, this is a forum after all, and when all is said and done I seldom (if ever} agree with any of your views either.

rossi
Post Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:43 pm

So I have decided that I will not make any further comments on any threads until at least the end of this season, which I'm sure will please a few …

If only…….. …. How many days did it take ?

TBH Rossi, if we had a poll on TB.Com relating to which regular poster on this site is the most likely to disagree with another posters view simply for the purpose of causing an argument you would win by a country mile.

As for being disrespectful and immature, you’d probably win that too.

[hallamblue]

Ashton on Town : transcript from that interview .

Ipswich Town chief executive Mark Ashton and manager Kieran McKenna have spoken to Blues legend Matt Holland in a wide-ranging interview for the club. Here's a flavour of what was said.

ASHTON ON FINANCIAL BACKING

Ipswich have paid seven-figure fees on Leif Davis, Nathan Broadhead and Harry Clarke over the last two transfer windows.

On the club's spending, Ashton said: "The owners have been fantastic, both with their financial support and also their general moral support.

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"Right up until the last day of the window they are asking me; ‘Do you need more? Do you want to do more? We’ll support you if you want to do more’.

"There’s nothing I can say they haven't backed us with. They are relentless and will continue to be relentless in rebuilding the club.

"I think we are probably the only team in League One who will pay the level of transfer fees that we’ve paid. That adds a level of pressure, but it allows us to be more selective in the type of player that we want to bring in to the football club."


East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town youngsters Harry Clarke and Cameron Humphreys both have years ahead of them in the game.
Ipswich Town youngsters Harry Clarke and Cameron Humphreys both have years ahead of them in the game. (Image: Steve Waller)

ASHTON ON BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

The aforementioned Clarke (21), Davis (23) and Broadhead (24) are all aged 24 or younger, while homegrown duo Luke Woolfenden (24) and Cameron Humphreys (19) have signed new contracts under the current ownership.

"Leif (Davis), (Nathan) Broadhead, (Harry) Clarke... These are young players that have left Premier League clubs to come, not to the Championship, but to League One and join a project and a plan and a journey," said Ashton.

"We’re trying to build the club in a sustainable manner. We don’t want to yo-yo. We want to get to the next level and when we get to the next level we want to be in a position where we are strong enough to progress again.


"I’ve always thought in the back of my mind ‘how will Kieran’s team perform against Championship clubs?’ Having spent the last decade in the Championship myself (at Bristol City), I’ve always thought the answer to that is ‘really well’.


"So I felt almost vindicated in my own mind when I saw those two performances against Burnley (in the FA Cup). There but for the grace of God we win either game. The neutral would have said they were two great games of football to watch. Burnley are a Premier League team in waiting and we pushed them right to the wire on both occasions.

"We have to earn the right to get there first though. We have to earn the right to get out of this division. That’s not easy. We don’t have a divine right because we’re Ipswich Town. We’ve got to earn it."

East Anglian Daily Times: Town paid £1.5m to sign Nathan Broadhead from Everton in January.
Town paid £1.5m to sign Nathan Broadhead from Everton in January. (Image: Steve Waller)

MCKENNA ON BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

“In my opinion you can build a really strong team of men for one season from free transfers and loans.

“But if success is built heavily around loan players and senior players on short contracts you can go from here to here (gestures high and then low) very quickly - we've seen that in League One.

"We’ve signed some fantastic free transfers like Freddie Ladapo, Dominic Ball, Greg Leigh and Massimo Luongo, and we've taken Tyreece John-Jules (Arsenal) and George Hirst (Leicester) on loan.

"But as Mark says, with the fantastic support and the long-sightedness of our ownership group, we've also been able to make acquisitions that probably separate us from the other teams.

"It can create a pressure and can create a narrative. I know the reality is that is doesn’t guarantee anything for now. It doesn't give you a competitive advantage, in particular, on any given Saturday. But it does give you a better chance to be successful in the long-term."


ASHTON ON HIS 'IMPATIENCE FOR SUCCESS'

"It’s been 18 (22) months (since the takeover). Sometimes it feels a lot longer than that, but it has only been 18 (22) months and I have to remind myself that Kieran’s only been here just over year.

"I am impatient. I'm passionate about what I do. I'm passionate about this football club and success can't come soon enough.

"But let's be really clear, success is built. Success is not bought. It takes time. We will be relentless in building success.

"I'm really proud of the work that Kieran's done so far, but he’s only just started. I genuinely believe that we are only at the start of this amazing journey.

"Stability is key. Look at the Championship – it's wild. The majority of clubs have changed manager this season and a high number have changed twice.

"If we’re together and we have unity, we can do this.

"I promise you we will not fail through lack of hard work. Things will go wrong, there will be speed bumps and there will be challenges. But if we have unity in the club, unity with the fans and they keep turning up in the numbers they do then we will get there.

"We will be relentless in the pursuit of that excellence. I genuinely believe we will get this done."

[Bluemike]

Finally got to listen to it and I was very impressed tbh, the vision, the end goal, the journey, the project all remain unaltered. One thing is absolutely certain, no matter what any of us think or feel on any given day, KM is going nowhere for the foreseeable future, and probably beyond that.

[marko69]

Finally got to listen to it and I was very impressed tbh, the vision, the end goal, the journey, the project all remain unaltered. One thing is absolutely certain, no matter what any of us think or feel on any given day, KM is going nowhere for the foreseeable future, and probably beyond that.

And that alone; if Mashton is to receive any plaudits, its for that. Willing to stand by his man when the unsavoury draws pile up. No doubt intelligent enough to understand that those players have needed a rocket up their arse during actual game time…… the times when “its over to them” and out of Kierons hands.

[number 9]

Lovely to hear Ashton talking about the support he gets from the ownership...still! I've been wondering about the Americans' mindset after we fell out of the automatics. Sounds like they're still very focused and as Ashton says, "relentless" with backing the club for a brighter future. We can bitch and complain about poor defending and bad finishing, but one thing we can not complain about is the club's current infrastructure. It really is a lesson on the correct way to run a football club.

[marko69]

Lovely to hear Ashton talking about the support he gets from the ownership...still! I've been wondering about the Americans' mindset after we fell out of the automatics. Sounds like they're still very focused and as Ashton says, "relentless" with backing the club for a brighter future. We can bitch and complain about poor defending and bad finishing, but one thing we can not complain about is the club's current infrastructure. It really is a lesson on the correct way to run a football club.

Yep, ……. But….., it’ll not be a bottomless pit of funding. That will wane very quick if promotion isn’t achieved either this season or next. Things will quickly change if Edmondson keeps getting nutmegged and Freddie keeps hitting the corner flag with “shots on goal”.

[Shed on tour]

Lovely to hear Ashton talking about the support he gets from the ownership...still! I've been wondering about the Americans' mindset after we fell out of the automatics. Sounds like they're still very focused and as Ashton says, "relentless" with backing the club for a brighter future. We can bitch and complain about poor defending and bad finishing, but one thing we can not complain about is the club's current infrastructure. It really is a lesson on the correct way to run a football club.

Yep, ……. But….., it’ll not be a bottomless pit of funding. That will wane very quick if promotion isn’t achieved either this season or next. Things will quickly change if Edmondson keeps getting nutmegged and Freddie keeps hitting the corner flag with “shots on goal”.

Same regarding the manager. Fail to go up this season and a poor start next and the sounds coming from the powers that be could be very different.

[marko69]

Lovely to hear Ashton talking about the support he gets from the ownership...still! I've been wondering about the Americans' mindset after we fell out of the automatics. Sounds like they're still very focused and as Ashton says, "relentless" with backing the club for a brighter future. We can bitch and complain about poor defending and bad finishing, but one thing we can not complain about is the club's current infrastructure. It really is a lesson on the correct way to run a football club.

Yep, ……. But….., it’ll not be a bottomless pit of funding. That will wane very quick if promotion isn’t achieved either this season or next. Things will quickly change if Edmondson keeps getting nutmegged and Freddie keeps hitting the corner flag with “shots on goal”.

Same regarding the manager. Fail to go up this season and a poor start next and the sounds coming from the powers that be could be very different.

Yep. Like ive said on many occasions on this forum, I aint there so cannot comment too much ……., but….,. The stats all suggest the players need to pull their fingers out at crucial moments.

Was at a game couple seasons ago at Easter Road when in one particular instance, Martin Boyle was through on goal (in a very frustrating match) and he fluffed it…….. a fan shouted, “You watching this, Jack Ross?”
I was like, “what the actual fk are you talking about?”

[Dazzz67]

Just watched the interview all the way through and at no point did I want to fast forward, pause or turn it off, thought Matt was an excellent host and he is definitely suited to that role and he made the right choice of career path at this stage of life. Kieran was intelligent, calm, thought he answers through and you can see he is the type of guy who does not get flustered, which has it's pro's and con's, tbh really like the bloke and hope he gets out what he puts in. He is passionate about our club and he working his butt off, we need to stick by this guy through the good & bad, as we all have one thing of MA has, 'inpatience' as they put it, we have waited so long we want it now and quite rightly, we will get it, may not be this year but look at the state we were in 2 years ago and think where we are now.

MA was your typical businessman, he speaks alot of sense, he has a plan and he does have the clubs best interests at heart. He is getting the backing from the US which is great, think we have been very fortunate in gaining them as our new owners.

All in all a good watch and listen, one of the best ive have seen for a while.

[Charnwood]

Lovely to hear Ashton talking about the support he gets from the ownership...still! I've been wondering about the Americans' mindset after we fell out of the automatics. Sounds like they're still very focused and as Ashton says, "relentless" with backing the club for a brighter future. We can bitch and complain about poor defending and bad finishing, but one thing we can not complain about is the club's current infrastructure. It really is a lesson on the correct way to run a football club.

Yep, ……. But….., it’ll not be a bottomless pit of funding. That will wane very quick if promotion isn’t achieved either this season or next. Things will quickly change if Edmondson keeps getting nutmegged and Freddie keeps hitting the corner flag with “shots on goal”.

Same regarding the manager. Fail to go up this season and a poor start next and the sounds coming from the powers that be could be very different.

I’m pretty much with you there Shed, I think he’s got two seasons although if we were labouring at Christmas this year patience may well run out especially if they strengthen the squad again in the summer to fix our defensive frailties. As No9 said there won’t be a bottomless pit and with the support he’s been given they will expect results, although I’m equally sure they won’t really want to start all over again with another manager.

I think and I hope Kieron McKenna is with us for the journey.

[arana peligrosa]

Got an element of doubt that the manager could choose to walk away in the summer if the team ISN'T promoted / fails in the play-offs. Just thinking McKenna will view it as he's given it his best shot, got a year or two experience under his belt here and fancies a challenge elsewhere.

in all probability he'll stay or whether we're promoted or not, at least for another season, but you got to entertain all possibilities. There was some mention of McKenna seeing a potential firing in the time ahead if we don't go up or remain in League One for longer than say the directors / owners wish ? Suppose it's one course of action but he's done such a fine job here in such a short space of time it seems unlikely or something that's kind of tough to anticipate or comprehend.

One last time he's by no means flawless, hell no manager is, but point being the way he goes about business sometimes or indeed often i.e. setting up the team for game events, i wouldn't call it belligerent but surely has to rub a number of fans the wrong way. Perhaps Game Changer and the chief staff see it too and they may or can only tolerate so much but once again the good far outweighs the negative in terms of what he's put together.