... The Ipswich review written here was first written in Mid-February, where defeats at Sunderland and Chelsea had been part of a poor run which had seen town eliminated from the 'Worthless Cup'
and drop down the league to sixth place.The original review will be followed by end of season reflections.
The ... Read review
Advantages: Extremely fluent football, highly skilful, excellent sporstmanship, canny manager, Disadvantages: Can be overpowered, extremely small squad,Now viewed as serious threat to 'big four's' challenge for honours
...prospects for next season. The Ipswich review written here was first written in Mid-February, where defeats at Sunderland and Chelsea had been part of a poor run which had seen town eliminated from the 'Worthless Cup'
and drop down the league to sixth place.The original review will be followed by end of season reflections.
The return of Ipswich Town to the Premier League in 2000 came as some surprise to those expecting them ... ...severalfold:
1/ Ipswich have been in the playoffs for the last four seasons. You do not get to the top six of the First Division by losing a lot of games. As losing can become a habit, so does winning and this young side had become accustomed to winning.
2/ A good side - make no bones about it, Ipswich are a very good side (more on this later) George Burley has fashioned a highly compact side, which plays fluent football, ... more
With the 2000/2001 season at an end, I will review some of my earlier reviews, and add a few more pertinent comments at the end of the review, add some reflections on their achievements this season, and their prospects for next season. The Ipswich review written here was first written in Mid-February, where defeats at Sunderland and Chelsea had been part of a poor run which had seen town eliminated from the 'Worthless Cup' and drop down the league to sixth place.The original review will be followed by end of season reflections.
The return of Ipswich Town to the Premier League in 2000 came as some surprise to those expecting them to once again fail in the playoffs, but as no suprise to those who had watched them continually destroy Division One's finest only to see an away defeat at some herberts such as Port Vale or Grimsby cost them an automatic promotion place. As one Sunderland fan said , the 'Town' were the 'only team worth a light' in Division One that had visited the Stadium of Light in Sunderland's promotion season.
What was superficially more surprising was the way in which they accommodated themselves in the Premiership - few expected them to be in the top half at this late stage of the season ans although European hopes have now disappeared - the prospect of relegation been bandied about by some cynics should disappear after the home game with 'dead men walking' Bradford City. How was this possible?
I think the reasons are severalfold:
1/ Ipswich have been in the playoffs for the last four seasons. You do not get to the top six of the First Division by losing a lot of games. As losing can become a habit, so does winning and this young side had become accustomed to winning.
2/ A good side - make no bones about it, Ipswich are a very good side (more on this later) George Burley has fashioned a highly compact side, which plays fluent football, and always looks to play the ball on the ground. Bradford, pre-Venables Midddlesbrough, and Charlton look like neanderthals next to the skills of Clapham,Bramble and Scowcroft and I'm just glad my beloved Dons were not exposed to the East Anglian side when they were struggling under Olsen or the 9-0 record defeat(held by Ipswich) would have been obliterated.
3/ Premiership mediocrity - this is the weakest Premiership I have yet seen with twenty teams - there are lineups which are too full of cheap imports whose skill would be lucky to hold them a plce in A Division Two side. A team such as Ipswich and Leicester have benefitted from having a close-knit team and few squad changes, which contrast to the likes of Middlesbrough (even Newcastle, Leeds)
4/ Unfamiliarity - As when they first arrived in the Premiership, few teams were familiar with Ipswich's style or how Burley would approach the Premiership - the second half has seen teams much better prepared and as a glance at the League table shows their position is becoming more realistic as the results turn against them...
In conlusion, their team is, when fit, one of the best in the top flight - the purchase of defender Hermann Hreidarsson (Excellent for the Dons last season) has solidified the defence, whilst the front two of Marcus Stewart and Jamie Scowcroft have proven a handful for most Premiership sides. Whether this level of success can be maintained depends on whether further squad depth can be secured. To this end Burley has been testing the transfer market - let us hope that he is successful. In a world of cynical agents and multi-milion pound foreign turkeys, Ipswich's example restores one's faith in a very sullied sport.
2000/2001 review ---------------- The 2000/2001 must have exceeded the wildest dreams of almost every Ipswich town fan - fifth place and near-universal recognition (except perhaps among ever-embittered Norwich fans) of the achievements of their team and their excellent manager George Burley.It was fitting that Burley received the accolade of manager of the year, having Taken town to their highest League position for nearly two decades and put them in next season's UEFA Cup.
The team continued to avoid significant injuries, although part of this resilience might also stem from their commendably sportsmanlike approach, which probably leads to few revenge tackles a la Roy Keane versus Man City. The entire team, right throughout the squad deserves praise. A performance which for me summed up their approach to the season was the 2-0 defeat of division-one bound Coventry, where reserve Keith Branagan came in for Wright with only one previous appearance to his name (the season's low point,a 1-0 home defeat by Derby) and put in a near faultless display. I was particular delighted for defender Hermann Hreidarsson who remains popular amongst Dons fans for his excellent attitude during the tragic Olsen era - I was delighted that he received justly-deserved plaudits and was given the opportunity to parade his talents in a stronger lineup.
Whither Ipswich in the future? Well, I think that next season will be interesting - the riches of next seasons' TV deal may well prove the springboard to consolidation of their place at the top of the tree. Certainly with Burley at the helm they seem set for further success. As to the UEFA Cup, can they achieve a siginficant run? - I believe so, and providing they avoid obvious banana skins early on, (Leicester's ignominous exit to the Racist Partisan Belgrade being an example) see no reason why thewy should not survive to the stage where the Champon's League departees enter the equation.
On a cautionary note, Ipswich would be advised that the big teams will view them as a major threat - I think it highly unlikely that Liverpool,Leeds,Fulham,Man Utd and Chelsea will choose the Town to 'rest' key personnel (although in fairness this seldom happened this season) but a fine season ,and richly deserved
Advantages: Great football when on form Disadvantages: Not in the Premiership.... yet!
...close and what's this? Ipswich Town, not in the play offs?? There has to be some mistake - I demand a recount!! Ipswich are always in the play off's dammit!
Ok, so the point is that the 2005/2006 season has not been a resounding success for the Tractor Boys. Burdened with heavy debt and a dearth of skilled players, we have really begun to struggle. Achieving a Championship finish of only 15th is a far cry from the 2000/2001 season finish of 5th ... ...Suffolk, Stowmarket to be precise, Ipswich Town were geographically my closest team. My Granddad was listening to them on the radio in the car (outside the hospital) whilst I was being born (we won by the way) and as soon as I was old enough he used to take me to watch their home games at Portman Road. To be honest, I don't remember much about the actual games but I do remember being the only little girl in my Primary School class to be able to list ...
jovichick123 26.05.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ipswich Town
Advantages: Exciting, good mentality, hardworking, attacking Disadvantages: cant get a ticket for love nor money
...Wilnis at present.
When Ipswich approached George with the managers job he was managing local affiliates Colchester United after a brief spell with Air in Scotland. George was un inexperienced manager but the risk has paid off. He learnt a lot from the play off disappointments and a large proportion of the clubs success this season must be down to him.
George must be rated as one of the top managers in the English Game. Alex Ferguson would come ... ...the Pride of Anglia. Ipswich have enjoyed many spells in a higher division to Norwich, where as Norwich have only enjoyed one short stint in the late 80’s.
Over the last couple of years Norwich have really fallen away somewhat. Thus Charlton and West Ham are realistically Ipswich’s closest rivals from a league and location point of view.
Presently Ipswich’s biggest rivals are Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. All top clubs ...
rjs26 15.03.2001
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Advantages: A squad of little-known, hard working, dedicated players. Disadvantages: Will the squad be deep enough when injuries hit?
...the sinking ship that was Ipswich Town. He was the man in charge when we got slapped 9-0 at Old Trafford, but in truth the combined powers of Sir Alex himself, Houdini and God Almighty couldn't have saved us that season. He then spent the next four seasons putting together a team that arguably has more chance of staying up than the Second Division champions of 91-92. Could be the man to complete the Ipswich Town holy trinity - Sir Alf Ramsey, Bobby ... ...player last season. He pulled some incredible saves out in uninspiring games against lesser teams, and without his lightning reactions, we might have struggled to make the play offs. Some people moaned about the sale of Kieron Dyer, but that move made us - and also meant we got to keep our prize asset Wright.
Mark Venus looked on his last legs in our play off season. He was frequently done for pace and struggled to keep up with even some of the ...
Plissken 13.12.2000 (01.01.2001)
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Advantages: attractive football Disadvantages: defence is a bit weak
...and his saying, i think Ipswich Town are the new team who play sexy football. Well last season they did anyway. Coming 5th in the premiership after coming through via the play offs and not spending a huge amount of money the summer before, Ipswich acheived the unthinkable last season and qualified for Europe.
They haven't actually got any big named players, although they are big named now. Its just the team work around for each other and everyone ... ...for Burley.
In midfiled Ipswich are strong. Matt Holland holds them together along with the experienced Jim magilton (former oxford). On the sides is either Martijn Reuser who is a talented two footed dutchmen, youngster jermaine wright, or crowd favourite jamie clapham.
Defence is sometomes a problem. Titus bramble is an extremely good prospect and is goood going forward, but he does have a tendancy to do the odd silly thing due to his inexperience. ...
JSPorter 20.09.2001
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Advantages: they play some games at home Disadvantages: not good enough by a long way
No hopers, Ipswich Town - sorry and all that. But it has been proved in recent years that unless you can buy intelligently and possibly BIG, you will struggle.
Ipswich came up to the Premier at the end of last season after several seasons of knocking on the door. Good luck to them - they deserve their season with the 'big boys' - BUT and it's a big but, they don't really have a chance.
Watford showed last year the gulf between the Premiership big ... ...but suffered thereafter. If Ipswich get off to a half decent start they may stave off the inevitable for a while - but otherwise 'mother, is the turkey ready yet - Ipswich are relegated.
They will have the comfort of making a few £million from the Sky deal and the big home games against Man U, Arsenal, Liverpool etc....but staying up - NO WAY ...
flashpointz 12.07.2000
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Physical Effort
Skill
Are they fun to watch?
Quality of defence
Quality of management
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Advantages: Great cup run Disadvantages: Have to play Liverpool in the final
Congratulations to Birmingham City who reached their first major final for 38 years when they beat Premiership IpswichTown at St. Andrews last night. Birmingham had previously beaten two other Premiership teams to get to the semi-finals of this competition, Newcastle and Tottenham. The job began when the Blues restricted Ipswich to a narrow one goal lead after the first leg at Portman Road. I am pleased for manager Trevor Francis who recognised the ability of Geoff Horsfield when he signed him from Fulham, an astute buy who combines power with a great touch for a big man. I must admit that I thought that it would be an all Premiership final but full marks to Birmingham and good luck for Cardiff. ...
Advantages: It`s about me Disadvantages: Um, It`s about me
Sorry, but I thought it was time to update my ?All About Me? review which was originally written last year. Enjoy it or not as the fancy takes you??..
01. What time is it?
It?s just gone silly o?clock
02. Name:
Stuart Horatio Becks Hefner the 3rd
03. Number of candles that appeared on your last birthday cake:
Didn?t really have candles, in fact I didn?t have a cake. Hang on I didn?t get any cards or presents either, oh that charming that is!
04. Hair colour:
I shave my head every two or three days but when I was hirsute it was dark brown
05. Tattoos:
A Suffolk Punch Horse on my left upper arm with ?IpswichTown F.C.? written above it. I?m thinking of having a Black Labrador head on my other arm and a W on each buttock so that when I bend over - WOW
06. How much do you love your job on a scale of 0 ...
stuleg 27.06.2003 (23.10.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of All About Me
The pain felt b the fans and players of this club must be huge, and it’s a warning sign to other clubs, of how fortunes can change around so quickly. Last year under the management of Steve Bruce, the clubs were fighting for a promotion place.
Then things went wrong after the FA Cup defeat by Liverpool, the club was on the slide, and in October they were bottom of the first division. What a change so quickly, no more did they have Marcus Stewert, whom they sold, to IpswichTown.
Bottom of the league, and heading for the second division, Lou Macari took over a side destined for doom, eight points behind Stockport, he led the revival as it seemed. They came out of the bottom three, and it seemed survival was a possibility. On Sunday, they needed a draw as results stood everywhere else, but the goal thy needed would not come ...
