‘Hearing the crowd shout out derogatory remarks does nothing to lift spirit’ – Ipswich Town mailbag

Grant Ward has his head in his hands after a missed opportunity in the first half against Hull. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

Sir,

Mick McCarthy is not stupid! He knows the fans are not happy but equally knows the fans would be even less happy if their club lost every week.

He is between a rock and a hard place. He would love to win every week playing super football but he knows realistically that’s not possible, so he tries to make sure he doesn’t lose.

We are talking about Mick McCarthy and Ipswich Town here, not Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Even when you pay out billions for top players there is no guarantee that you can build a great team from them. That is why top managers are paid top salaries. He can get his team of individuals with different fuse lengths and temperaments to work for one another and the good of the team. Sometimes a manager of a team of nobodies works wonders (eg Leicester City) but what is the result of all that? The manager loses his job!

My old boss had an expression which was “You can please some of the people some of the time, but very rarely all the people all of the time”.

So the team pull off two great results at Preston and Sheffield Wednesday but come back to Portman Road and perform like a damp squib. I wonder why that is? Could it be that our fans that do go away to matches are more supportive than our 13,000 home fans? Are our team beaten before they start because of the response they are likely to get? Would you enjoy walking out into a stadium where you don’t know what reception you are likely to get? I wouldn’t!

I think the Town fans would be happier if they saw a high work-rate during the match. We may not have the money to spend, we may not have the best footballers in the land but each of our players should have a heart and a desire to give their all during every match.

If they do that then I don’t think the crowd should have much to complain about. One thing I do believe is that hearing the crowd shouting out derogatory remarks does nothing to lift spirit or increase the desire from within.

When the desire to win is overcome by the fear of failure then the team is in trouble. Please don’t let that happen to Ipswich!

Town manager Mick McCarthy was left scratching his head during the Hull defeat. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

John Snell

- MORE: Stuart Watson’s thoughts on the loss to Hull

Sir,

I am a lifelong supporter of Ipswich Town for over 65 years. I have also been buying the East Anglian Daily Times every day for over 45 years.

Myself and my family think Mick McCarthy has done and continues to do an excellent job for the club. We really want him to stay.

With more luck with injuries, particularly in midfield, I think we would very likely be in the running for the play-offs again.

Mick has built the nucleus of a very good squad and has the full support of the players.

I have added up how much the EADT costs me every year. I make it £327.60 per year, and the price seems to increase very regularly. Sadly what I get is a load of repetitive, negative rubbish from your sports writer, Stuart Watson.

I am not saying all is perfect, but we will be renewing our season tickets.

Loyal ITFC supporter till I die.

Terry Rice

- MORE: ‘As long as the lads are with me I can stand anything’ - Mick on booing

Sir,

I have been a season ticket holder for most years over the last 40 years and if not a season ticket holder have bought many tickets or have had use of one of the boxes.

The club as you know decided to raise the age for senior citizens to 65 rather than the previous age of 60. I believe that it affected approximately 800 people.

I also understand that, out of cost and principle, a number of these people refused to continue having a season ticket for this season. I was one of those not renewing.

However, I am ITFC through and through and have purchased the same seats for many games of this season. This may mean that I have paid ITFC more than the cost of a season ticket price in purchased tickets.

I did write to the club before this season started and to the EADT, expressing my displeasure at raising the limit. All I got in a reply was ITFC were one of the last clubs to raise the age limit.

The attendances have been declining year on year and very faster over the last couple of months. This is mainly due to lack of entertainment.

The cost of tickets at ITFC is one of the highest in the Championship and people want to have value for money and be entertained.

When the club publish the new Early Bird season ticket prices, I hope to see that they will be appeasing the people who have lost out on Senior Citizens age and reduced it back to 60.

I would also like to raise another issue. That is the state of the pitch on Saturday. For years and years, the ITFC pitch was regarded as one of the best in the country and even won awards.

I have never seen the pitch being in such a poor condition as on Saturday. Yes, the weather has been difficult but that is no excuse. Other clubs have coped. I hope the club looks to make sure the pitch returns to it premium condition of years ago.

Richard Young

- MORE: Ratings from Town’s 3-0 defeat to Hull

Sir,

Just wanted to say Stuart Watson’s opinion piece hit the nail on the head. Absolutely spot on and echoes what I have been thinking for a while and the long journey home on Saturday felt even longer this time.

I have supported town for nearly 40 years and it is so depressing how far we have fallen. Essentially our game plan was to defend desperately relying on our keeper and excellent centre halves with nothing else.

Really desperate stuff with the rest of the team playing like that Peter Kay character in the John Smith’s advert from a few years back....”ave it” and launch it as far away as possible.

Yes I have sympathy with the lack of investment from Evans and the mass of injuries to key players but I still believe Mick will stick with the same tactics regardless.

He does exactly the same at home as away and that is exactly why we don’t even look like scoring at home. I have no issue with the every point a prisoner away from home, grind out a result.

However at home the onus is on you to be on the front foot and pressurise the opposition – not like so many times sit back and defend desperately for 85 minutes then nick something.

It’s not right and not worth watching. I travel over 200 miles round trip and just cannot face it. I didn’t go on Tuesday as I could not be bothered, which is very sad as I have always passionately followed the team and would do all I could to make every game.

I do hope the hint Ian Milne made at the weekend is true and change is coming as we cannot go on like this.

We need a passionate progressive coach to build a team and project, instilling good habits, playing attacking football whenever possible, a coach who would be apologetic at such a performance and defiant standards must be maintained, not celebrating a “right royal scrap”.

I hope but unfortunately don’t expect.

Keep up the good work Stuart, it’s a tough gig to tell the truth and not get alienated but you are well balanced and provide good coverage when there is not much to enthuse about.

Kind regards,

Matt Smith