We have known for some time that this squad is a work in progress. It has to be. You cannot replace 27 squad members with 19 new ones and expect immediate success. As I have said before, I think it will be around Christmas before we truly start to gel, and in the meantime, we will have to rely on large chunks of ‘lady luck’ to get some points on the board.
I have also stated on several occasions that I quite like Paul Cook. He is an affable chap with a good sense of humour. In truth, I have never known a scouser without one, but that’s by the way. Cook is a fully committed football person, and he knows that you cannot pull the wool over a supporter’s eyes for long. Like the rest of us, what he badly needs now is a win.
We are just five games into the new League One season, so there is absolutely no need to panic yet. If, on the other hand, we are still looking for our first league victory at the end of September, after another four attempts, then it really is time to sound the alarm. If this was to occur, I think Cook would be out of a job, so we must get a win under our belts as soon as possible.
Mark Heath in the East Anglian Times today had the audacity to suggest that he was the first to predict our first win would come next Saturday at Portman Road against Bolton. His last sentence was “At 5 pm on Saturday, we will have our first win of the season in the bag. You read it here first.” Wrong Mr Heath. You have procrastinated for too long. I said the same two days ago, when I posed the question, where will we win our first game? In fact, I went on to predict all the results for September, and if I am right, then Ipswich will have accrued another ten points!
I think we now have the players at our disposal to start to climb up the table, but this will only happen when we have our first win under our belts. Once we get that, collective confidence will increase, and the true quality of our squad will finally begin to be realised.
May I suggest we don’t employ another manager named Paul for a very long time.
Paul Jewell, Paul Hurst, Paul Lambert and now Paul Cook. The name apparently derives from the Roman family name Paulus or Paullus, from the Latin adjective meaning “small” or “humble.” More small than humble, so far, I might add.
Hi Frank another good read with some valid points but I would like to refer you and other fans to Carl Fullers article in the East Anglian today which says rather than focusing too much on what’s happening on the pitch after only five games let’s focus on the bigger picture and what has happened to the club overall. The changes were needed to re-boot the club and hopefully lay the foundations for the re-birth and success of this wonderful club. With such massive changes there’s going to be a period of settling in for everyone, in particular 19 new players who are not robots but human beings who need time to settle in the area and get to know each other.. so 5 games is nothing when looking at the bigger picture and I would urge fans to be patient and not panic as I’m sure this squad of players will eventually deliver.. I’m personally not putting any time frame on when this will happen as I’m enjoying my football again after years of rubbish even though we haven’t won yet there are so many positives with the style of football and some great goals.. the build up to Frasers goal against Morecambe was worth the entry fee alone… it’s a taste of things to come and you just know the club is now in safe hands. Yes I know fans are impatient and of course a first win is much needed and the sooner it happens the better.!! But look at the bigger picture..Rome wasn’t built in a day ..!!