Midfielder Teddy Bishop hopes a first full week’s training under Paul Cook will pay dividends when the Blues travel to face another of their new manager’s former clubs Wigan Athletic next Saturday, this weekend’s visit to Portsmouth having ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Town were the better side in the first half and deservedly went in front via James Norwood in the 32nd minute before Pompey skipper Tom Naylor headed a leveller on 42 and Marcus Harness grabbed the winner 18 minutes from full-time.

“Really disappointing, the fact that they weren’t really in the game for the first 42, 43 minutes means it’s very tough to take,” Bishop said after the game.

“We conceded a soft goal just before half-time and then in the second half it’s not really enough.

“You can play well for 40 minutes but it’s not good enough. It’s 90 minutes. There were some positives to take in the first half.

“Everyone’s still getting to know the way the manager likes to play and I thought we showed that in the first half but ultimately we’ve come away with nothing, so it was very disappointing.”

Bishop says new boss Cook has looked for something different from him since he took charge just over a fortnight ago.

“There are definitely adjustments,” he considered. “The gaffer’s come in and he’s not tried to shove too much information in on everyone but there are little changes everywhere and we have to buy into that.

“The game has changed a little bit but the more we work on the training ground, the more we’ll get better.

“It’s just maybe a little bit more discipline, whereas when you play with a three in midfield you’ve more licence to get forward and join the attack, whereas if you’re playing with two sitters then you do have to be more disciplined, just that really.”

He added: “The last few games before the new gaffer came in was similar, it was more disciplined and was me and [Andre] Dozzell sitting in front of the back four screening and protecting and I think that did work really well, so we just need to try and find a balance now.”

“Like I said, we’re still learning what we’re going to get from each other and what we want from each other. We’ll find out more in the next few weeks.”

Asked whether the role he’s being asked to play suits him, he reflected: “Maybe, I don’t really know yet, we’ll have to wait and see. What I would say is that we haven’t had many training sessions with the gaffer.

“When you play Saturday-Tuesday you literally maybe get one session in a week, so he hasn’t been able to get all his ideas across yet.

“We haven’t been able to learn everything he wants from us, so the more training we can do, the more that will come.”

Town have no midweek game for the first time in six weeks in the days ahead and have another free week following Saturday’s trip to Wigan with Cook having already outlined that it will be a period of intense training.

“He said, ‘In Monday to work hard’,” Bishop continued. “We’ll have a good week of training next week for the first time under the new manager and hopefully that will see us well into next weekend.”

The 24-year-old has welcomed Cook’s enthusiasm on the touchline: “That’s what we need. We need someone who is going to back us and that’s what he’s done so far so, yes, it’s been good.”

Cook in particular was constantly on at his players in first half on Saturday, urging them to press and get forward. Bishop felt that had a positive impact.

“It just gives us a little lift, I suppose,” he said. “I suppose he does it when he thinks we’ve gone a bit flat or we need a lift and need to get up the pitch, so it’s good for us.”

Despite Saturday’s setback, the Blues remain in the hunt for the play-offs, sitting ninth, two points from the top six with 11 games to go and a couple of matches in hand on a couple of sides above them.

“Definitely,” Bishop insisted. “But we need to start winning games. Ultimately we can’t get three or four games down the line and run out of games, so we need to start picking up wins, we need to start doing that next week.”

The midfielder is one of 27 players who are out of contract in the summer* with a significant exodus likely with Cook having already said on a number of occasions that the squad is too large.

Quizzed on whether that is adding to the pressure, Bishop said: “There’s a lot of pressure but that comes with playing for such a great club like Ipswich Town. Everyone I’m sure feels that but at the same time we need to all step up.

“I’ve played a lot of minutes this season, bar one injury, so that’s been a positive for me and I just need to take that into the end of the season and keep going.”

Bishop, who has been involved in all Cook’s games in charge, three starts and two sub appearances, has been utilised as a number 10 on a couple of occasions by the new manager.

“I played against Lincoln at home in the number 10 role and I thought I did OK,” he said. “I thought I did well. I think he’s maybe trying to find out what position he finds me best in.”

He says it’s a position he played on occasion when coming through the ranks at Playford Road but feels he needs to learn more about how to play there.

“When you’re growing up and you play you’re running everywhere like a headless chicken,” he recalled. “It’s definitely a role I enjoy, but if I was going to play there more regularly I’d have to be coached at how to play as a number 10. It’s not an easy position.”

And, like all areas at Town at present, he knows there is plenty of competition, and not just for places but for contracts in the summer: “We’ve got a good squad, we’ve got a big squad so obviously the gaffer will look at who he wants to keep and who he doesn’t, so we’ll see what happens.”

*Luke Chambers, Cole Skuse, Stephen Ward, Emyr Huws, Freddie Sears, Kayden Jackson, Teddy Bishop, Alan Judge, Toto Nsiala, Janoi Donacien, James Wilson, Gwion Edwards, Aaron Drinan, Tristan Nydam, Barry Cotter, Ben Morris, Ben Folami, Harry Wright, Idris El Mizouni, Liam Gibbs, Bailey Clements, Levi Andoh, Adam Przybek, Bert White, Kai Brown, Zak Brown and Tommy Hughes.

As previously reported, Town have offered a new extended contract to Gibbs, who doesn’t have a year’s option on his current deal.

Photo: TWTD

stiffy501 added 17:33 - Mar 21 Shooting practice might be a good start ?
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Cloddyseedbed added 17:46 - Mar 21 Other teams seem fitter and stronger than us all over the pitch. When we played high tempo, high intensity Portsmouth couldn't get near us. Then, we tired and stepped off the gas and they scored. We looked shattered, we can't play at a high tempo for long, other teams can. We have become lazy all over the pitch under Lambert, now Cook is asking for more the fitness just isn't there.

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surgery added 17:47 - Mar 21 Hey, just a thought, why don't you try and supply our lone striker 😂 with a defence splitting pass that he “might” be able to score from Come on, you know you can do it, or maybe?
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multiplescoregasms added 17:49 - Mar 21 Wow, my footballing cliché bingo card is nearly full. Cheers Teddy. I am already looking forward to next week and seeing which t*at they will send out to talk more b*llocks.
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runningout added 18:16 - Mar 21 We have hyped up too many of our squad after a good game here and there. All of them have a lot to prove for themselves
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Sixto6 added 19:24 - Mar 21 Unfortunately Teddy is not good enough to get us out of L1. I would let him go at the end of the season, ideally with all of the others on that list however that will never be the case and I suspect town will take up the extra year on all those with the option. Edwards and Judge possibly worth an extra year. Chambers & Skuse MUST GO - they have been the senior players for 7-8 years of our decline ! 7 or 8 new signings are needed and could gel within the 2st month of the season if recruited early and a good pre season completed - an average start to the season can lead to promotion with a very strong last 3/4. Big changes needed

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Texastom added 19:25 - Mar 21 My biggest concern now is Cook won't turn it around. He will get frustrated and walk because there will be an offer round the corner. The players are simply dreadful. The loan players are substandard, what was the point of them. My only hope is we have a clear out and Evans backs Cook enough to make the essential changes. I will never forgive any of these players and apart from anything their attitude and lack of respect for the Club.

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Bluearmy_81 added 20:34 - Mar 21 Texas, pray Evans goes because there's zero chance of him investing to the extent needed. Maybe the players are doing their best and they just aren't that great? Years of quality being stripped from the squad by Evans coming home to roost. Maybe it's him that you shouldn't forgive for what he has done to ITFC?
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madmouse1959 added 02:22 - Mar 22 The club just rolls out a different player each week to issue a battle cry statement. There is no sign of a progress plan other than sacking a manager to appease the critics. It seems any potential progress is under mined by mistakes on the pitch. We carry on with players who can,t sustain quality and consistency over 90 minutes or in 2 consecutive games.
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londontractorboy57 added 07:33 - Mar 22 WOW you need the gaffer to tell you to come to work and work hard just about sums it up. BCWYWF RIP ITFC
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Barty added 08:03 - Mar 22 FFS lets play 4-4-2 and try to win a f***in game. PC surely you can see that a lone striker is not working
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BcarefulwhatUWish4 added 09:03 - Mar 22 Technically some of our players could make it in the Championship, but attitude is another thing. We find it really hard to get into the game after the opposition scores. Lacking those real characters who will fire up the team. Players like Richard Naylor were never world class but they'd give their all and fight till the very end. That's what I want to see. Not what we usually see.

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Razor added 10:37 - Mar 22 After being comfortably in control on Saturday we concede a sloppy goals and the wheels fall off----surely this is a mental thing. So the cheeky chappy has the players for a whole week, may I suggest he works on the following for starters: Can our players please learn to pass the ball to each other and not the opposition Can they learn to be stronger and retain the ball better Can they learn to tackle properly and make stupid tackles in dangerous areas lCan they look as though they are interested and actually break in to a sweat and look motivated One for the keeper---can he learn to control his area and kick properly PC likes partnerships so as both appera to be fittish get Nozza and Jacko working together as a pair, pace and power---it worked all those months ago That should be enough for starters and I am already looking forward to Wigan!!

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TimmyH added 12:03 - Mar 22 Wouldn't overly bother me if most of the midfield was let go in the summer...Bishop and Edwards started the season well but look a shadow of that now, Judge has been disappointing and Dozzell flatters to deceive, passes the ball round and his dead ball shills are okay but that's about it. Huws can defo go, problem is some of our youngsters haven't really stood up to be counted either i.e. Lankester, Dobra, El Mizouni (when he did play). Skuse, Chambers, Sears and Ward can all be put out to graze.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 12:31 - Mar 22 I don't understand any negativity towards Paul cook he has to have time to work the players how he wants them and the brand of football and coaching those players his way. However I do feel he's flogging a dead horse with most our squad. For me only 4 players in the current first team could play higher which says it all. We could go as low as 13th after next weekend if we lose and I'm sure some will still support the owner if we finish in the national league and blast the players who are just simply not good enough is it their fault? No if we buy players who aren't any good we'll end up where we deserve to be which is why we're a poor side in a very poor league!

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runningout added 12:59 - Mar 22 if anyone needs a 5 year contract now is Paul Cook.
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slimjim added 13:45 - Mar 22 I don't see a vast contrast between PL results and PC results so far . Yes it's far too early to judge but I do get fed up with these non stories comments from players. It's performances and results on the field we want to see not stating the obvious on TWTD....
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eddiespearitt03 added 14:09 - Mar 22 I think there are enough supporters who know what needs doing. It is a shame Evans can,t see it or is just too distant to bother getting stuck in to the under-lying problems. It is obvious our senior ranked players need removing from the set up altogether and install a new era of players who have the technical ability to make a marked difference. We are all tired of the excuses and the weak performances. Tired of the defensive howlers and poor marking. Tired of a strike force not being supported or fed with a better quality of opportunity. If wholesale changes are not made for next season then expect another season of matchday excuses and long term promises.

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happybeingblue added 17:19 - Mar 22 you have to look at those players and ask who has really been consistent enough fit enough and has the ability we need to be kept and i am struggling to pick 1 player
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shakytown added 21:05 - Mar 22 Obviously he has worked out that attitude and desire are are severely lacking in this team we need some leadership on field as well.
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Razor added 10:52 - Mar 23 Crikey a lot of our players TALK a good game but that is it----come Saturday things change. First and most important thing PC is TWO UP FRONT and provide some decent service to our strikers, you dont get that by passing back to Holy. Nozza actually got a great ball on Saturday and look what he did with it----we want more of that!!
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