Former Blues skipper Matt Holland could be part of the new Town management set-up. The 38-year-old watched yesterday’s 3-0 home defeat from the directors’ box and was remaining tight-lipped regarding the Blues’ managerial situation.

Holland is unlikely to be in line for the top job but is understood to be close to Alan Curbishley and was his captain during his time at the Valley and also worked with Mick McCarthy while playing with the Republic of Ireland. A position on the new backroom staff would be a hugely popular move with supporters.

The one-time midfielder, who is the patron of the ITFC Charitable Trust, turned down a request for an interview on Saturday’s Life’s a Pitch and was similarly unwilling to comment on the situation when questioned at the game.

The ex-Bournemouth man started his career under Town owner Marcus Evans's close friend and advisor Harry Redknapp at West Ham. Redknapp's long-term assistant Kevin Bond, like his former boss a one-time manager of the Cherries, was also in the Portman Road directors' box yesterday.

This morning's papers have little new on the Town management situation, aside from last night's link with Ian Holloway, with the process of finding Paul Jewell's successor still ongoing.

You can hear yesterday’s Life’s a Pitch, which includes interviews with former Blues James Scowcroft (1hr 10min 38secs) and Hermann Hreidarsson (1hr 24mins 00secs), as well as ex-Radio Orwell sports editor Peter Slater (6mins 00secs, 39mins 09secs), who is now with Five Live, here.

Photo: Action Images

blockb_steward added 20:43 - Oct 28 The Highwayman...Matt Holland is a legend. End off.
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blockb_steward added 20:45 - Oct 28 Ooops...end of...
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tractorsimon1975 added 20:49 - Oct 28 just get someone in who can get us out of this mess. me and clegg put us in it give him some money and get right players in to the club that want to play for us
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matthewharley added 20:59 - Oct 28 well all i can say is Marcus evans cannot be close friends with rednapp because if he was Harry would be at our club until at least xmas to help oversea the club through this difficult time and to help appoint the special one that is needed to transpire the s***t that we are in, good friends my arse as everyone knows friends help each other in very trecherous time i suspect Marcus has done harry numerous favours through his catering business's in all the time they have supposed to of known each other i cant say that conversations over the phone can really help at all, thats just opinions in conversations, so this nonsense about them being good friends is just name dropping and nothing more apart from the odd game of golf absolute b******s

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richard_4_itfc added 21:04 - Oct 28 I think it would be a good thing if Matt Holland did get a role at the club.We need all the help we can get & he knows how Town should work! Mick Mills is another Town great who knows the score and it was interesting to hear his comments (on Radio Suffolk recently) on how Town turned him down in favour of Jim Magilton and it seems the Magilton/Town link is badly soured now. I was concerned with Simon Clegg saying he had more hope for Town than just avoiding relegation this season! Well of course we all did but in view of the very bad form the team is in avoiding relegation is the one & only thing everyone at the club needs to focus on. We need points fast and hopefully wins otherwise (& very sad to say) we will be relegated, and that should be clearly evident on current form so why Clegg talks about more is not helpful at the moment. Let's get a new manager and get a new start and get a team that REALLY want to play for Ipswich and keep us in the Championship. Bring it on! COYB!!!

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matthewharley added 21:10 - Oct 28 well twtd all i can say is Marcus evans cannot be close friends with rednapp because if he was Harry would be at our club until at least xmas to help oversea the club through this difficult time and to help appoint the special one that is needed to transpire the s***t that we are in, good friends my arse as everyone knows friends help each other in very trecherous time i suspect Marcus has done harry numerous favours through his catering business's in all the time they have supposed to of known each other i cant say that conversations over the phone can really help at all, thats just opinions in conversations, so this nonsense about them being good friends is just name dropping and nothing more apart from the odd game of golf absolute b******s

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marcus9 added 21:13 - Oct 28 i think bringing matt holland in to the club in any capacity is a good move he can learn the game for the future.what concerns me isthe three front runners burley aside from his ipswich career he was below average.curbishley not good at westham and has been out of football 4 years which leaves mick mcarthy i am definately not his biggest fan his sides are dull and so is he but he might be the lesser of the three evils at least for now but he is not a good long term bet.

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matthewharley added 21:17 - Oct 28 harry rednapp has to help his friend marcus in his hour of need at least til xmas if indeed he is his friend cause thats what you do for your friends you wouldnt leave him in the s**t
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marcus9 added 21:21 - Oct 28 like you ithink m evans redknapp freindship is all hype also think we have no chance of gettin holloway and not sure he would be right man i still hope for b davies
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Hatman added 21:24 - Oct 28 Marcus9 - Curbs not good at West Ham?? Are you kidding?! Went there with them bottom of the Prem, and doomed. Won 7 out of 9, including Man U away to miraculously keep them up, they were going well in mid table the next season when the Icelandic owners betrayed him and sold players behind his back. Hence he walked, filed for unfair dismissal, a case he won, but it kept him out the came while it wrangled on. Curbs and Holland IS the Dream Team...!! (Surely no-one on here thinks Holland is a serious contender for manager, I'd certainly not support that.) No. 2 would be great, class act, he cares, and with a guy steeped in experience, narrowly missed the England job, regrettably in hindsight after the McClaren debacle, never sacked, 3 promotions, a miracle escape - something we need right now..., Curbs all the way!!

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baconandeggs added 21:33 - Oct 28 Really worrying Gary Megsons name will not go away. He has a legacy of clubs where he has failed please do not allow us to be another of his statistics. Matt Holland would surely not want to work with him in any capacity. Concerns abound regarding the purse strings will not be stretched to suit Mick McCarthys salary demands. It is the one post we should be stretching the pay restraints. if we expect the calibre of McCarthy, Solskar, Coylle Evans will have to invest or will have to settle for the drop with the likes of Megson. Please please please Mr Evans do not consider Megson.

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matthewharley added 21:35 - Oct 28 i would also take sven goran erikson for manager anyday
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Shaunfos added 22:18 - Oct 28 I am in with some others on here who ever we get in we need him soon so that he can look before the Jan and sort out who he wants to keep and who he needs to get rid of. Also with that being the case he coould then look at who he wants to get in, in the Jan window
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matthewharley added 22:20 - Oct 28 WHAT ABOUT SVEN HES A GOOD MANAGERHE HASNT FAILED AT ANY JOB THAT I CAN THINK OF ???
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B1TFC added 22:21 - Oct 28 For those saying Holland has no managerial experience, he actually managed a bunch of us at Portman Road! Seem to remember he came back from 3-0 down to win 4-3 lol Something we could do with in my opinion Not sure I'm a fan of McCarthy but I feel he is the man for the job! Guessing Harry isn't coming, even though Kevin Bond was there, maybe if Joe Jordan was there too, I'd be excited about Harry Either way, keep the faith Boys and Girls!! It's going to be down to us to help them out of this mire!! COYB

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matthewharley added 22:40 - Oct 28 BUT HARRY IS THE NUMBER 1 CHOICE OF MOST SUPPORTERS AND THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT SVEN IS BECOMING A 2ND CHOICE FOR ME THEN MAYBE TRAPATONI IN 3RD PLACE WITH MICKY MAC 4TH CURBS 5TH PAUL STURROCK 6TH STEVE COTTERIL BUT THATS JUST ME
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StuartBrett8 added 22:50 - Oct 28 Can anyone see Arry potentially ruin his friendship with ME by taking the job short-term?
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blueash78 added 22:54 - Oct 28 Torsten LIEBERKNECHT would be my suggestion.
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matthewharley added 23:06 - Oct 28 WHO IS THAT OBVIOUSLY A UNKNOWN
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martleshamitfc added 23:10 - Oct 28 apart from the fact the photo is not him? interesting to hear from a short term loan player saying that it is not the loan players to blame? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/ipswich-town/9639709/Ipswichs-RI
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matthewharley added 23:21 - Oct 28 WOW WHAT A STATEMENT HE IS THE ONLY PLAYER THAT IVE HEARD BE THIS HONEST
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brockleyblueboy added 07:39 - Oct 29 Highwayman, what a silly comment. I think you are the first and only Ipswich fan to say any negative about Matt Holland. The guy bleeds Ipswich and his passion and desire he showed when he was captain will be a great asset to have if he becomes part of the management set up. I agree with the comments that the players are the ones letting the team down. Whoever comes in needs to get tough and get us playing. The only thing that is stopping me really panicking is the fact that teams in the past Ile reading last season for example, have been in the relegation zone and then from November have big surges and strong finishes to the season to send them shooting up the league. COYB

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Bob7881 added 07:44 - Oct 29 How has it got to this. It will take time but i hope the new guy comes in and sweeps out all the deawood and with a bit of luck next season we will have a new squad committed to ITFC. How fans claimed that we have a good squad on paper is beyond me. I was never a fan of Jewell but in fairness to him nearly all his signings have let him and us fans down badly. I want the dross out of our club no more second chances.

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Dissboyitfc added 07:54 - Oct 29 Martlesham...Very interesting link, that is why i felt the players were out of order for the midweek celebrations, adds fuel to the argument that not enough players care. Get in McCarthy and holland now....coyb
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TimmyH added 08:06 - Oct 29 Redknapp will be going 1 of 2 places, either Southampton or QPR we might as well forget about him. As for Holland will make a decent No.2 I prefer behind Curbs but McCarthy would sort the players out too.
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