While I'm not against the idea of a female manager, and Emma Hayes is arguably the best out there, I'd argue there's still a world of difference in the standards and attention women's football has to men's football. Even though it's 2021, there could still be a degree of reluctance and perhaps hostility from professional male footballers and coaching staff being managed by a woman and that would be detrimental to the club. What would the likes of McGreal and Dyer think, for instance? Yes, there will be idiots amongst the fanbase that would never be on board with it, and may actively hate the idea of having a woman in charge, but I think we'd actually gain a lot of goodwill in the sport and in the national media. We'd definitely be referred to as 'Emma Hayes' Ipswich' though! Would she even want the job? Would she have a backroom staff able and comfortable enough to step up? It was mentioned above, but I'd definitely prefer the idea of easing in a female coach being familiarised with men's football, and the club, first. This would be quite the leap of faith.
To be fair no one has been falling over themselves with offers of work for him so maybe hes toned down his demands to a realistic level, after all hes never acheived anything in management.
There is strong speculation today that we have sounded out John Terry, Frank Lampard, and Neil Lennon as potential managerial candidates. My thoughts below: I'm guessing John Terry would be the more attainable out of him or Lampard. Terry was well-regarded for his time at Aston Villa, although I don't believe he has a coaching team ready-made for him. It'd also be his first job in first team management, so it would represent a risk for us. Terry definitely has the leadership qualities and CV, demonstrated by his career at Chelsea and standing within the game, so the players would certainly respect him and want to play for him. Although I would rather not have someone of his character representing the club. The incidents with Anton Ferdinand and Wayne Bridge makes me think he just isn't a nice person. They did happen several years ago though, and people can change. I'm lukewarm on Frank Lampard, mainly as I think he underachieved at Derby and Chelsea. Admittedly I think he did a slightly better job with Chelsea - during his first season, at least - although it's telling that Lampard was sacked in his second season, with the club struggling, and Thomas Tuchel was able to effectively coach the same side to Champions League glory later that same season. I just don't see why Lampard would come here. Despite my reservations, he's a big name and you'd think he'd have his pick of most Championship jobs, for example, and maybe a couple of Premier League jobs. He was strongly considered at Norwich and was also in the running for the Newcastle job. He's got some a great coaching team with big reputations, such as Jody Morris, aligned to him. Lampard would also provide us with first choice on some of Chelsea's youngest and brightest youth players. So why would he come to a struggling League One side, weighed down by expectation and a recent history of underachievement? The Ipswich job has been a managerial graveyard for previous managers like Keane, Jewell, Lambert, and - to a lesser extent - Hurst. Yeah, we've got money now - but as this season is proving, spending money doesn't guarantee you success in League One. Finally, I am massively underwhelmed with Neil Lennon. He strikes me as another manager in the mould of Lambert and Jewell - here for the pay day. It's a vastly different job managing Ipswich Town in League One compared to managing Celtic, especially as a majority of his title wins came when Rangers were out of the SPL. He also bungled Celtic's title defence against Gerrard's Rangers a year ago. No thank you.
The list of underwhelming options continues.... as you can tell last nights performance certainly hasn't lifted my spirits. Up until a week ago despite some poor indifferent performances I was relatively comfortable with the direction the club were heading and the noises coming from the board etc. however since Paul Cook's sacking I feel like there's lots going on behind the scenes which makes me feel uncomfortable and their actions have gone against their words....in other words it feels like we have been lied to
Looking at the shortlist, it's certainly underwhelming. I'm struggling to show much enthusiasm for many of the mooted names. Then again, I'm hoping we select a person who is right for the role and who can get the most from this squad. I don't necessarily care about a strong CV anymore, we've had that with Cook and Lambert recently and they've both underachieved without their preferred assistant. Just get in a manager who has his ideal, strongest coaching staff available - which we can then plug into the current set up - and get these players performing better. Give us an upwardly mobile, intelligent, tactically astute manager, rather than someone who has been there, done that and is looking for a pay cheque (cough, Neil Lennon, cough). I don't think we've been lied to from the club around Cook's sacking. Cynically, I wonder if they've made the change quicker than anticipated - so that when the Americans come over for the Sunderland match, the atmosphere should be more positive. But, as I said elsewhere, if we lose to Wigan and Barrow over the next week, will the Yanks be expecting a carnival atmosphere because we've announced Neil Lennon/John Terry/Michael Appleton? They can't be that naive! While the Cook sacking could be viewed as surprising and a little early, there was very little evidence over Cook's last month that suggested things were going to get better. If anything, we were on a downward curve. The performances and results against the Arsenal kids and Barrow definitely didn't help. Looking at Cook's results last season and this season, there can't be too many complaints. If I was one of the Americans, I'd be so annoyed at how the pension fund money has been used so far. Too many square pegs in round holes. My main annoyance is that they had nobody lined up when they fired Cook.
I have a feeling we will get warnoick. He’s available(cheap no contract to buy out), proven and has some relationships with two of our players in Morsy and coulson. Don’t think he fell out with them. best of a bad bunch for me.
God it’s depressing isn’t it?I get the feeling we’re going to end up with a similar situation to when the Dark Lord joined,someone I’d really not want anywhere near our Club,be it Colin,Terry or Lennon.It’s a real shame we got so badly burned by the experience with Hurst because otherwise my preference would be for a younger more progressive manager out to prove themselves in the Robson/Burley mould,little chance of that though.
If its true the club have transfer listed Norwood due to his image and off field tactics I would like to think Terry isn't an option but there has definitely been inconsistency in their thinking in recent weeks so who knows. I can't see Lampard coming here, he hasn't for me quite proven himself yet as a manager. He comes across very well and has done some good things but not 100% sold on him. With Lennon, hard to judge never thought he was a great manager but has had success.
With hindsight over the past 15 years I think we've had some half decent managers problem is they've either managed with one hand behind their backs or in Cook's situation come in when the club is in a real state of flux and it seems none of them have been able to handle it. And also in hindsight now looking at the squad Lambert had and the number of injuries, did he underachieve? I definitely think we don't know the full story about what has gone on, there's just certain things which make me feel uneasy about Cook's time in charge and his relationship with Ashton. They have either hidden their intention and sacked Cook not because of performances/results so much as something has gone on behind the scenes or they are naive to think we can get promoted this season by sacking a manager now, I think it has actually scuppered our chances not improved them. It might have been different if we'd had an established squad who were going a bit stale but we haven't we've still got a squad who look like strangers. I agree Cook's reign was underwhelming and the past month wasn't great but I think we would be naive to think a whole new team (and basically the entire staff of the club) put together over the summer without a proper pre season would be consistent over the course of the season... And whilst I questioned some of Cook's decisions the club backed him in doing that but to then pull the plug I just find bizarre which makes me think there is more to it. I guess another question is whilst clearly there are 100% Cook signings made, were they all Cook signings or were they Ashton signings as some of them don't really fit into Cooks preferred system and he said numerous times last season that he likes a small squad to work with. Whilst at the same time before the transfer window Bristol fans were warning us that Ashton has strong relationships with certain agents and signs lots of players meaning they constantly had a bloated squad often with high earners not getting many minutes because he likes the buzz of the transfer window. I have to say compared to the past 15 years the summer transfer window was a breath of fresh air but Ashton has always made me feel slightly uncomfortable and now Cook has been sacked in the manner he has there's lots of unanswered questions where some of the things Bristol fans warned us about seem to be ringing true.
I've always wondered how he would have done with us and actually in my mind if the club has sacked Cook on the proviso that they want to get promoted this season Warnock would probably be the best option. Like Cook he's a good man manager but unlike Cook he'd be a bit more pragmatic about how we play which again is probably more favourable to a short term approach. If we appoint a 'coach' who's maybe young and up and coming with a particular philosophy that says to me we've probably written off this season which is why I've been so confused about the situation and think that there's definitely been a fall out.
I'd like to see a young progressive manager but I have 2 concerns if we did go down that route: 1) why let Cook bring in all those players and not back him at least until the end of the Season. If you wanted a young progressive coach to fit with the new model should have got rid of Cook at the end of last season. I doubt a young progressive manager would be able to be pragmatic and get us quickly up the table this season. 2) I worry that they wouldn't have the experience and would therefore be dominated by Ashton. For some reason when we had Derek Bowden as CEO, it always felt like he and the manager were on an equal footing with Sheepshanks as their boss. I'm not sure i feel comfortable with Ashton being the managers boss, I feel the CEO and the manager should work for the Chairman, the CEO gets on with running the football club and the manager manages everything to do with the first team. I'm not sure I agree with him being on the Board either, just feels like he has too much power. It feels like a Civil Servant being a Cabinet Member at the same time.
The Star are reporting Neil Harris as a front runner https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/ipswich-town/itfc-harris-in-the-frame-8553852 Thoughts?
That other chap from waterford was the front runner yesterday. Im sure it will be someone else tomorrow (hopefully)
Harris has a half decent record but doesn't excite particularly Tony Mowbray has also moved up the ranks today
