You can not blame them really. We are all impatient for change and change for the better. This means getting the right people through the door. From a managerial perspective, the club seems to be in good hands. From our new owners to our new chief executive Mark Ashton, everything seems to be slotting into place quite brilliantly – except that is for one thing. Players.
We know who has been shown the exit door but we are still in a bit of a quandary when it comes to finding players who can do us proud. The rumour mill has been rife with speculation, and some of those suggestions have been fanciful, to put it mildly. Jermain Defoe was never a serious striking option, and in many ways I am glad. They say a good wine matures with time but at 38, he has surely passed his sell-by date. He’ll be 39 in October, and although he has scored goals wherever he has been, he is surely better off staying north of the border.
Ashton discussed today what he has to do to make Ipswich great again. On Town’s official website he said this: “We’ve got to get some players in, but we’ve got to get the right players in. It’s really getting to know people and meet people, that’s probably the piece I’ve been looking forward to for the last six weeks. “I talked today to the staff about togetherness. I can’t do this on my own. The players can’t do it on their own. Paul can’t do it alone. Investors can’t do it on their own. “We need to make sure that we are fully engaged with the fanbase, and the community fully engaged with the staff, and bring people together. This stadium holds over 30,000 people, we’re coming out of a pandemic – it’s been a difficult time for everyone in the country. I think we have a moment in time where, if everyone can come together, we can build something very special here.”
So making Ipswich great again will not come overnight. First, the fog has to lift so we can see a bright future again. We need to get some players on board who are fully committed to the cause and then get out of this damned league without further delay. That in itself won’t be easy. Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham United have come down, and we have Sunderland, Portsmouth and a revitalised Wigan Athletic to contend with. And let’s not forget Lincoln City, who will be hurting from their play-off final loss to Blackpool.
This is only the beginning of our journey on the road to better times. Little by little. Step by step. Just like this dreaded pandemic, it takes time to get back to normal, whatever normal is?
