http://www.itfc.co.uk/news/article/marcus-on-season-ticket-726751.aspx This article really did irk me!! I usually read ME's interviews and they usually say what I want to hear. It really annoyed me that he mentioned getting promotion to the PL next season, we're currently in the middle of a relegation battle and will have finished bottom half of the table for the past 4 seasons yet he mentions promotion to the PL next season, have we learnt nothing from the PL at the earliest opportunity rubbish?? I mean next season we may well be up there challenging if we stay up and strengthen accordingly but to come out saying something like that when we could still get relegated from this league is stupid and short termist!! Lets just have some consolidation next season, have our own players and see what happens, not with the expectation from the owner that we should be challenging for promotion, which was one of the reasons IMO PJ brought in so many short term options in his first full season!!
Come on PTC you're an intelligent guy or that's how you like to come across! What else exactly is Evans meant to say ahead of early season ticket renewals? Er well actually we have absolutely no chance of getting to the Premier League for the next few years so I want you all to keep patient. Oh and by the way any chance that you can stump up for your season ticket!
No we may have a chance next season but given what's gone before and where we are at currently, it's stupid for the owner of our club to come out and say something like that IMO. I think people would be intelligent enough and maybe think they've heard the same rhetoric year after year, next year is always our year even if we've currently got half a team and in a relegation battle, it's not going to pull the wool over anyones eyes. He could've said something given the record we've had with Mick in charge, I will continue back him over the summer it put a team together with the ulitmate aim of getting to and staying in the PL. Not mentioning promotion next season, like we've had when Keane left us in a mess or last summer when we were not signing enough players!!
PTC eternal hope for something better is what drives us supporters on for hevan's sake! I would find it weird if Evans came out now and said that we have no realistic chance of promotion to the PL next year. Football is totally irrational and is unlike anything else as it always tugs onto your heart strings even if the realities are totally different otherwise we would never go to any game if we always expect to lose! Whats the point of forking out for a season ticket if the owner says before a ball is kicked "Actually people you can forget about having a successful team next season!" Actions do speak louder than words and I am sure by now that many of us can see past all the positive spin but there will always be a small part in us that always dares to dream!
Again it's not black and white. I'm glad you can see football is irrational it explains alot The headline is ridiculous given the situation we are in, perhaps this is why they're looking for a new marketing manager, clearly not alot of thought has gone into it!! All ME needed to do was say something like 'I will invest in the team for what we are optimistic will be a much more successful season next year'. Of course we should aim for the top but it's easier to get to the top and stay there if foundations are in place, I'd much rather see us buld a team up over a couple of years than try to get there as quickly as possible. It was tried under Keane by spending a ridiculous amount of money at the team and it was tried under PJ by trying to build a team of ageing freebies overnight, due to the short term nature of it. Many fans have come to think the message PL at the first opportunity was part of our failings because we've tried to do too much too soon, we've all called for a long term plan but this echoes to me, it's still PL at the first opportunity.
Good topic of discussion and having read it I can see how you got 'irked' PTC particularly as you say, it's a little irresponsible to continue with the same tac of planning for the next 12 months rather than the next 12 years. That said I think ME has got a message to put out there to the fans and without guaranteeing a promotion push (unlike previous years) there is a carrot being dangled that like JWM says is to capture the imagination of the fans. There is a fine line between a positive message and a false promise and I think ME's message is only dampened by recent history and his (and his manager's shortcomings).... Other than that I think this message is to be expected as he is clearly wanting to get a positive atmosphere to drag us over the line (as well as line his pockets)
You both make valid points but I am more with Warky on ths one, as an ex-marketing/PR man in some jobs. And lets not forget that we have either beaten or drawn, and certainly played our best and most watchable football against the tope teams this season! Its the bleedin dross we underperform against! I am much more hopeful with the whole set-up of the club and MM's performance to date. And cant wait until next season kicks off...let them enjoy the sunshine this week wherever they are...and come back ready to finish off the season in style with max points!
I'm more with ptc on this. Would much rather hear about a solid five year plan than premier league next year again. Norwich approached it this way and it's done them no harm, or adversely affected ST sales. In fact you could argue that it might have helped as people could see what was trying to be acheived and people might actually buy into this philosophy.
This article in today's EADT ties in very nicely with this discussion http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/ipswich...swich_town_fans_over_season_tickets_1_1987403
I just don't get all this derision over a simple statement! He is only saying what we all want to hear and at the end of the day it's actions that speak louder than words. He wants to send out a clear positive statement of intent rather than some limp wristed platitudes ahead of ST renewal time!
I refer you back to my newly edited post #10. It is not something I want to hear so you can remove me from your 'we all want to hear statement'
Not at all. More like a discussion on a forum between people with differing views (surely the whole point of forums like these) Strange that we complain about the Ipswich board being a bit slow and then you would try and kill the tread with a statement like that just because you've had your say on the topic. Apologies in advance if I took it the wrong way
Its what you would expect him to say, probably almost the same as what he said about this time last year.
Why can't we get into the PL next season? form under Mick is play off standard there or there abouts. For the first time since Joe Royle we have a competent manager who seems to know what he is doing. Mick will know what we need in the summer and its pretty obvious from what he has said that getting a greater goal/creative threat is top of that list. I'm with JWM, we've got to believe we can get promoted and this has to come from the top down!
Exactly right PP At the start of every season I have the optimism that we will get promoted and be successful and that this year will be our year! Its what supporting a football club is all about surely? Its good to hear that the owner wants the same thing as I do and I believe that with Mick now at the helm we stand a better than average chance of doing something next year. Talk of 5 year plans is all very well but I want jam tomorrow not in 5 years time!
We certainly do stand a good chance of at least remaining in the top half (if not top six) next season based on the points return average under Mick. It may boil down to the deals that can be done in the summer but if Mick can do what he's done with what he currently has at his disposal then there is certainly a brighter future ahead after a full pre season with him. I am the same as you in wanting 'jam tomorrow' but it's not always what I want to hear. Here's to remaining in the championship and next seasons assault on the top
