 | News
Comment | Town 0-0 Huddersfield - Match Report
at 18:33:36
That's the problem with the MM approach....unless we win, it's utterly sh1te.
Even if we'd won, it's not exactly entertainment, is it?
What's the bloody point of travelling 2 hours each way, paying £40 for the ticket and losing most of the day for that rowlocks? |
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Comment | New Defender McCarthy's Priority
at 20:41:10
1. Prefer to see a clear improvement signed - instant first teamer, and then one of the existing group (Chambo?) becomes the cover. Improves the team immediately rather than just increases numbers.
2. Getting a reputation as a club which pays an asking fee - any asking fee - isn't smart business. In the long run, better to miss out on a couple of players and pick up others for value than be repeatedly ripped off (I give you Liverpool/Man City etc etc). |
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Comment | Tabb a Course Celeb
at 20:30:25
And a very nice swing he has. Friendly and polite too - just like a Suffolk lad should be. |
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Comment | McCarthy: We Didn't Play Well Enough to Win
at 12:09:01
A lack of ambition which is disappointing to see. I think we should be looking at an automatic place and aiming high rather than seemingly being happy to settle for a play off place.
Being happy to draw at home with Wigan is poor and our form worrying. From Saints & Derby, Brighton & now this it seems to me we have very little goal threat.
If we're honest, we know we're not a pretty football team at the moment, and the issue with our style is that when it doesn't work, it's ugly, boring and grim. |
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Comment | McCarthy: Deserved Victory
at 20:27:58
And Berra. I forgot Berra. Very good. Think I might be developing a bit of a bromance. |
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Comment | McCarthy: Deserved Victory
at 20:24:34
Having been critical before of the lack of goal threat and enjoyment, I have to be fair and say I thought this was a very good performance. Yes, the last 10 mins were "Alamo" material, but the high energy, intense pressing game in the first half in particular was very very good. Hyam was impressive and Bishop composed although not hugely influential. Murphy I thought worked very hard and effectively and Didz looked much fitter than recently. Same again next time please! |
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Comment | Town 2-0 Millwall
at 21:25:36
Well, a win is a win. First half was pretty bad and I thought we were poor and frustrating (again). Second half we were much brighter, and overall just about deserved the win. Berra very good, Bishop good (so, bearing in mind his age and experience, extremely exciting and encouraging) and McGoldrick looked fitter and sharper. But we still only played well for half a game, so no bunting outside Whizzkid Towers yet. |
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Comment | McCarthy: Taylor Never Showed Enough at Town
at 16:08:18
WashbrookBlue - I hear the distinctive "ping" of a nail being hit firmly on the head! Well said Sir. It is never helpful for a manager to prove beyond all doubt that he can lack judgement in some situations. This is hurting you, Mick. |
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Comment | Town 0-1 Norwich City
at 14:39:45
I would prefer us to be a decent football playing team, but if we are going to be a long ball team, could we please be an efficient and effective one? Being a long ball team who can't make long passes accurately, or head the ball, or pick up the second ball is (literally) pointless as well as tedious. |
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Comment | McCarthy: Evans Terrific to Work For
at 18:53:15
Yeah, some good points. What I'm saying is that I don't think Marcus Evans is at either end of the spectrum of owners…..clearly he is much better than many of the loons we see at other clubs - not trying to merge us with Naaaaaarwich to form "East Anglia United", forcing us to play in cerise cos he thinks it will help sell shirts in Tonga or making Mrs Evans's nail technician Head of The Academy.
But, the point about loans versus equity IS relevant. Of course, when he took over the club he had to buy equity in order to become the owner. As is said above, with an 85% holding he is in absolute control of the club with the PLC effectively powerless.
But he bought the debt outstanding at the time of the takeover at less than the par value. Nevertheless, he has accumulated interest on the full par value since. In other words, interest is accruing on an amount that ME did not actually lend. Completely legal, of course, indeed common practice, but it does give us an insight as to his motives.
Secondly, the outstanding amount will be repaid from ITFC's television revenue (assuming we ever see promotion). Therefore, the greater the amount to be repaid, the less available for new players/academy development/stadium improvement. Whereas, if he had injected call for some of the further loans as equity instead more money would be left for the greater good of ITFC. And I would be urging every town fan to genuflect before someone who would be a true Ipswich hero.
The point I'm trying to make is a balanced one: that Evans isn't the worst owner in the footballing world but neither should we confuse him with a philanthropist. As others have said, he is an intelligent and highly successful businessman who regards his investment in Ipswich as nothing more than an investment upon which he would expect a future return.
The relationship between Ipswich and Marcus Evans might well turn out to be highly mutually beneficial, and I for one am glad David Sheepshanks persuaded him to get involved. But at the rate the debt is growing, any promotion to the Premier league may well see all of the additional television money go towards repaying the debt and we should therefore expect to "do a Blackpool" rather than "a Sunderland". |
| News
Comment | McCarthy: Evans Terrific to Work For
at 11:19:48
In the in the interests of balance:
1. Evans does seem to be a very good boss for football managers, based on the comments from Paul Jewell and Mick McCarthy
2. His financial support has enabled the club to continue to function at the Championship level, which may not have been the case without him or someone like him
3. Nevertheless, it should always be borne in mind that the financial support he has provided is in the form of loans, and not equity.
As such, promotion to the Premier League may well result in the additional television income being used to repay that debt. And, of course, whilst it is always pointed out that no interest is paid to external lenders, it continues to be accrued on the Evans loans. Therefore, interest may well end up being paid on the debt.
All in all, Evans clearly isn't the worst owner of a football club that has ever seen, but neither is he the philanthropic, benevolent benefactor that we would all so dearly love to see (or, indeed, be ourselves!) |
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Comment | Home Derby Moves to Sunday But Carrow Road Game On Saturday
at 18:21:26
There's also the important point that, by switching kick off to lunchtime, the atmosphere is deadened - even more so when one compares it to an evening kick off under floodlights.
As it's OUR home derby, this unfairly impacts ITFC. With the matches likely to be important in the league, this could make a material difference to our campaign.
The club should push back strongly in the hope that the next home derby isn't similarly treated. |
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Comment | Taylor and Loach Available for Transfer
at 19:39:06
Good grief, we spend £1.5m on a talented and energetic forward and end up dumping him for what is likely to be bobbins so we can sign a free transfer lump who is "honest". And Loachy going too. Not the greatest ever, but a Town man and very solid back up. Shame. Can't be saving us much in wages letting him go either.
Hey ho. |
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Comment | McCarthy: Year Has Seen Big Turnaround
at 20:08:14
I think we've been a middle-third team for years. Before MM came the team under performed pretty badly and Mick has arrested that but we're merely back to mediocrity. My main issue is that under Jim we were upper mid table and played with some flair whereas we've now no flair at all. Ipswich have a proud history of playing good football and we should be jealously guard that. As someone else has said on here, this IS meant to be entertainment ultimately.
On a very slight tangent, and acknowledging that a few quid would be helpful this summer whomsoever is the Manager, ME could choose to cover any losses between £3m and £8m (i.e. to inject up to £5m per year) as long as it is equity. As the approach seems to me to be assume the outstanding debt, accumulate interest (which although isn't currently charged continues to be payable) and then recover the lot with promotion, it seems unlikely he'll choose to inject a material amount of equity.
He could also choose to increase the value of the sponsorship deal from ME Group, as long as the value was "fair" for the contract and not artificially inflated. |
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Comment | Reo-Coker Determined There Will Be No Repeat
at 11:36:42
1) He's right in his assessment
2) But, he wasn't very good himself - he looks quite a way from fitness to me, and seems to be carrying a good few pounds more than ideal (as am I, but I'm not paid to be an athlete...)
3) MoTM - really? Really? I wanted him subbed. Flippin' Eck.
4) But.......we DO need that kind of attitude. So, I hope it spreads, Nigel gets fit and shows some quality and we look back at last night as the Season's nadir. |
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Comment | Keane: A Long Way to Go But Encouraging Signs
at 10:22:31
Calm debate really isn't a web forum trait is it?
Truth is, I'm not sure whether we're making progress and going through an inevitable period of dislocation ahead of the team coming together and performing or whether we're just going expensively backwards. I'd give it until around Christmas and then we'll have a better feel.
I think it's fair to say that it's not encouraging to see players arrive for large amounts and then not get near the pitch, or to see talented young players leave the club or seemingly fall far out of favour. And for Keane to talk about players never playing for him again was just daft - he's experienced enough to know that would be unhelpful.
One last point, whilst I accept that there may be some parallels to Bobby Robson's early time here, I don't think it's very relevant for 2009 and Keane. Not least because you could have quoted it when any poor manager was struggling - just because Bob came good doesn't mean every manager who makes a bad start will.
So, back the team, give Keane the benefit of any doubt and see how we're playing at Christmas. |
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Comment | Your Predictions for the Season
at 14:24:17
mattprior....I'm hoping Roy Keane reads this and is motivated by me....probably print my comments out and put them on the dressing room wall. So if we go up, it'll all be down to me! |
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Comment | Your Predictions for the Season
at 13:37:54
Automatic: Sheff U, West Brom
Play offs: QPR, Peterborough, Leicester, Swansea
Town finish 8th-12th
Top scorer: Norris
Breakthrough: Peters
Player of the season: Norris
FAC - knocked out in R4 by Championship opposition
League Cup - early defeat to lower league opposition
Churchmans renamed the Bobby Robson in 12 months time
RK to fall out with players even more than JM did |
| | whizzkid
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Site Scores| Forum Votes: | 0 | | Comment Votes: | 79 | | Prediction League: | 0 | | TOTAL: | 79 |
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