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Cook Has Until Christmas

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The Three Lions are a relatively patient lot – especially for Americans! Paul Cook was, after all, their preferred choice to take Ipswich Town forward. Nothing much has changed in this respect, but every manager knows that football is a result led business, and so far, the scouser has failed the audition.

After 28 matches in charge, his win ratio is still only 21.4% By comparison both Roy Keane and Paul Jewell ended their Ipswich careers on around 34%, so Cook is walking on very thin ice!

Brett Johnson has stated before that, while promotion to the Championship is the immediate target, he and the new owners of Ipswich Town have aspirations of a return to Premier League football, as soon as possible, and I have heard reports that he is the one that is setting some deadlines. I can exclusively reveal that Cook has until Christmas to turn things around.

His fellow Americans Berke Bakay and Mark Detmer are less inclined to push the eject button any time soon but are in complete agreement that progress has to be seen to be made. What turned their heads was the performance on Saturday against Accrington Stanley, which was effectively a non-event. They had watched in awe an outstanding display against Doncaster Rovers on Tuesday night at Portman Road and had expected – as we all did, that Town to have turned the corner. The contrast between the two performances was ‘startling’ to put it mildly.

The Three Lions all share the view that Paul Cook is essentially a nice guy and his honesty is commendable. Sadly, that alone does not win you football matches, and before the Lincoln victory, Cook only had until the beginning of October to record his first League One victory. A failure to do so would have forced their hand. Since then, however, the Blues have recorded two wins in four games and another home draw. Their faith is renewed for the moment, but only just it seems.

You could see the relief on CEO Mark Ashton face when Town got their first league win against The Imps on the 18th of September, as he ran around Sincil Bank shaking the hands of any Town supporter who showed any interest. That was how important it was to him, but perhaps more importantly, to Paul Cook!

Town are back at Portman Road on Saturday when they take on Shrewsbury Town. One win, four draws and a defeat is our record so far this season at home, and it is simply not good enough. If we are to get going then it must start with a few home victories.

This will help keep the supporters onside and instil some belief in the squad as a whole. This should have happened after our exemplary display against Donny but quite the opposite occurred. With the same side that thumped Doncaster 6-0, we were humiliated away at Accrington Stanley. No more excuses Paul. I love the socks off you, but you must get it sorted for your sake and ours.

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4 comments

  • Richard Gardiner says:

    Agreed Frank. I thought we would win 2-1 at Accrington, not lose. Wasn’t very confident though, with good reason it would seem. I just don’t understand why we turned in such a limp display.
    If you look at the games we have played so far this season, lady luck smiled on us when the fixtures were scheduled. We should have been out of the blocks quickly, not floundering near the drop zone.

  • Frank Weston says:

    One swallow does not make a summer Richard, and we don’t want to turn this into a winter of discontent.

    Paul Cook should be a very worried man, and if the players respect him as much as we are told they do, then so should they. Saturday could be a make or break.

  • Barry says:

    I lay the blame wholly with Cook he is surrounded with a back room staff of old mates with little experience, possibly yes men who offer little to the problems facing our football team.

    • Frank Weston says:

      Well, Barry, I think this is certainly a big part of the problem – along with him not getting his chief lieutenant Leam Richardson on board. I think it is no coincidence when you see our respective league positions that the wrong man may have got the job.

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