Post by rickyqpr on Apr 7, 2019 9:06:30 GMT
Ipswich Town once won the top prize (61-62) and so they have a rich heritage. England mangers Bobby Robson and Alf Ramsey had successful spells at Ipswich
But they have been in the second tier since 2002- watching arch rivals Norwich bounce up and down with the East Anglia Derby the highlight of their season.
Managed by Mick McCarthy, the fans grew restless at the lack of spending, ambition and Mick's boring football.
Mick relied on experienced journeyman to glue the team together, although much was made of the dressing room divisions.
But they had a youth team that was producing good prospects.
Crowds were circa 15k.
So when the International Manager's contract was not renewed (Mick had already turned on the crowd and wanted out it seems) it was the start of a new era.
Paul Hurst was hired from the lower divisions. He had worked wonders with Ilkeston, Boston, Grimsby and Shrewsbury. I said at the time that he was the sort of manager that we should have gone for – he had achieved tangible success at every club.
He knew the lower leagues and could blend the promising Ipswich youth with the pick of the lower leagues having rid the dressing room of Mick’s old pros on expensive contracts (including 3 experienced strikers).
The players he targeted were often QPR targets, but generally he got who he wanted with the players opting for Hurst’s new world as opposed to QPR’s McClaren, who favoured Premier League players anyway. The prospects at QPR did not look as encouraging as those at Ipswich 2018/19.
The Ipswich fans were delighted with the new strategy. They had got what they wanted.
Hurst’s previous track record counted for nothing though as they got off to a dreadful start and fell to the foot of the table on the 25th August, replacing QPR who beat Wgan for their first points of the season.
Ipswich stayed there for the rest of the season except for a couple of weeks in October when first Preston and then Hull replaced them at the foot (look at them now!). The Ipswich support turned on Hurst after his naivety and strange in-game decisions and he was gone by 25th October – less than 5 months after his appointment.He has not worked since.
In came Paul Lambert – he of Norwich fame – and abandoned the inherited strategy in favour of experienced journeyman – mainly on loan. Not a lot of success and they will be relegated to rebuild in the third tier.
Will they do it with youth players? Who knows, rumours that Lambert will get the tintack abound.
QPR do not have to necessarily go the same way as Ipswich, but the similarities are worrying. The supporters believe QPR should be back in the Prem and Championship mediocrity / survival is frowned upon as an objective. A succession of experienced managers failed in similar circumstances. Experience loanees used by these mangers not popular with the support as the youth policy has been loaned out to lower leagues. Dropping like a stone, McClaren then shown the door and the quest is now on to find a manager from the lower leagues or someone who can work with the fine youth prospects.
I think McClaren had to go. I think we are now at serious risk of being relegated – especially if we do not get at least a point on Wednesday. But if the Ipswich case study tells us anything, then even if we survive this season, are we going to do an Ipswich next season? Experienced players released or sold, acquisitions from lower leagues, the new squad getting off to a poor start (again), the panic experienced loans arriving, sacking of the new manager and yet another change of strategy?
Financially, relegation would be a disaster. But if we are just putting off the inevitable for 12 months then the sooner we start the rebuild the better.
I am not saying that relegation would be a good thing, nor that I desire it. However, we really do need to get this managerial appointment right and we really do need to form a strategy that we stick to.
I read with interest Sherwood’s comments about the role. He is interested if there is an ambition at the club. That to me says that he expects a transfer budget and to be challenging in the top half of the table. IMHO that is unrealistic. Any progress needs to be at least 2 years because next year will be financially tough.
It may well be why we do not have a new manager in place yet, but if Les and Lee are about to appoint a new manager who has unrealistic expectations about our financial plight then they should look elsewhere. McClaren was able to go back to the board and get them to invest in 4 experienced players – and to be fair there was a rapid upturn. But at what long term cost? We need a plan and to stick to it (even Sunderland have done that now) sadly, even if that means dropping a league to reinvent ourselves – but hopefully not.
Quite who that manager should be though…………………….
Meanwhile, my next door neighbour, a lifetime Ipswich supporter continues to wallow in his misery. So more 'careful what you wish' for I guess.
But they have been in the second tier since 2002- watching arch rivals Norwich bounce up and down with the East Anglia Derby the highlight of their season.
Managed by Mick McCarthy, the fans grew restless at the lack of spending, ambition and Mick's boring football.
Mick relied on experienced journeyman to glue the team together, although much was made of the dressing room divisions.
But they had a youth team that was producing good prospects.
Crowds were circa 15k.
So when the International Manager's contract was not renewed (Mick had already turned on the crowd and wanted out it seems) it was the start of a new era.
Paul Hurst was hired from the lower divisions. He had worked wonders with Ilkeston, Boston, Grimsby and Shrewsbury. I said at the time that he was the sort of manager that we should have gone for – he had achieved tangible success at every club.
He knew the lower leagues and could blend the promising Ipswich youth with the pick of the lower leagues having rid the dressing room of Mick’s old pros on expensive contracts (including 3 experienced strikers).
The players he targeted were often QPR targets, but generally he got who he wanted with the players opting for Hurst’s new world as opposed to QPR’s McClaren, who favoured Premier League players anyway. The prospects at QPR did not look as encouraging as those at Ipswich 2018/19.
The Ipswich fans were delighted with the new strategy. They had got what they wanted.
Hurst’s previous track record counted for nothing though as they got off to a dreadful start and fell to the foot of the table on the 25th August, replacing QPR who beat Wgan for their first points of the season.
Ipswich stayed there for the rest of the season except for a couple of weeks in October when first Preston and then Hull replaced them at the foot (look at them now!). The Ipswich support turned on Hurst after his naivety and strange in-game decisions and he was gone by 25th October – less than 5 months after his appointment.He has not worked since.
In came Paul Lambert – he of Norwich fame – and abandoned the inherited strategy in favour of experienced journeyman – mainly on loan. Not a lot of success and they will be relegated to rebuild in the third tier.
Will they do it with youth players? Who knows, rumours that Lambert will get the tintack abound.
QPR do not have to necessarily go the same way as Ipswich, but the similarities are worrying. The supporters believe QPR should be back in the Prem and Championship mediocrity / survival is frowned upon as an objective. A succession of experienced managers failed in similar circumstances. Experience loanees used by these mangers not popular with the support as the youth policy has been loaned out to lower leagues. Dropping like a stone, McClaren then shown the door and the quest is now on to find a manager from the lower leagues or someone who can work with the fine youth prospects.
I think McClaren had to go. I think we are now at serious risk of being relegated – especially if we do not get at least a point on Wednesday. But if the Ipswich case study tells us anything, then even if we survive this season, are we going to do an Ipswich next season? Experienced players released or sold, acquisitions from lower leagues, the new squad getting off to a poor start (again), the panic experienced loans arriving, sacking of the new manager and yet another change of strategy?
Financially, relegation would be a disaster. But if we are just putting off the inevitable for 12 months then the sooner we start the rebuild the better.
I am not saying that relegation would be a good thing, nor that I desire it. However, we really do need to get this managerial appointment right and we really do need to form a strategy that we stick to.
I read with interest Sherwood’s comments about the role. He is interested if there is an ambition at the club. That to me says that he expects a transfer budget and to be challenging in the top half of the table. IMHO that is unrealistic. Any progress needs to be at least 2 years because next year will be financially tough.
It may well be why we do not have a new manager in place yet, but if Les and Lee are about to appoint a new manager who has unrealistic expectations about our financial plight then they should look elsewhere. McClaren was able to go back to the board and get them to invest in 4 experienced players – and to be fair there was a rapid upturn. But at what long term cost? We need a plan and to stick to it (even Sunderland have done that now) sadly, even if that means dropping a league to reinvent ourselves – but hopefully not.
Quite who that manager should be though…………………….
Meanwhile, my next door neighbour, a lifetime Ipswich supporter continues to wallow in his misery. So more 'careful what you wish' for I guess.