Ex-Ipswich Town midfielder Kieron Dyer can’t understand some of the recent criticism aimed at the club. STUART WATSON spoke to him about players, tactics, transfers and more.

Kieron on Evans

“I’m one of the people who questioned the chairman (owner Marcus Evans) in January. We were in a great position and, like many, I wondered why we didn’t strengthen more.

“But he came to the club when it was in a lot of debt, he paid that off, he gave Roy Keane and Paul Jewell a hell of a lot of money to spend on transfers and wages and that didn’t work out.

“He’s made it abundantly clear that he was going to take a different approach and we all have to understand and appreciate that.

“We can’t keep going on and on about how the club didn’t strengthen in January. Mick has said numerous times that he understands and is fine with the situation.

“Ask yourself this, where would the club be without the chairman?

“Derby were top of the league not so long ago and everyone said we should have matched their ambition when they went out and got Darren Bent, (Jesse) Lingard and Tom Ince. Now they’re fifth and haven’t won in six matches. It just shows you that bringing players in doesn’t guarantee success.”

Kieron on McCarthy

“Mick’s track record is proven. He’s taken the Republic of Ireland to the last 16 of the World Cup, a country that doesn’t often qualify for major tournaments, and has got Sunderland and Wolves to the Premier League.

“I can’t believe anyone has questioned him.

“Some people need to be careful what they wish for. He’s done an excellent job. The players have over-achieved in a way.”

Kieron on media

“I pick up your newspaper and see a survey page; ‘what player should be dropped?’ If a player picks that up and sees that 67% of people say they should be dropped, straight away that’s putting negative thoughts in their mind.

“I listened to the radio the other night and you’d have thought we were bottom. We should all be positive.”

Kieron on style of play

“Everyone talks about the style of football. Look at Chelsea – do they play the most attractive football in the Premier League?

“People seem desperate for this open, expansive way of playing. Well we were 2-1 down at Middlesbrough, went gung-ho and ended up losing 4-1. Is that what people want? Or would you prefer us to be hard-to-beat and to grind out gritty 1-0 wins. You can’t have it both ways.

“Paul Jewell tried to play attractive football and we ended up bottom of the league.”

Kieron on Mings

“Tyrone Mings for example. I see and hear comments like ‘since he’s been linked with big Premier League clubs his performances have not been the same’.

“Why can’t we just say that he’s a young kid playing his first competitive season at this level, regularly, and that accept that he will have the odd dip?

“Everyone knows that young players can struggle with consistency. That was certainly the case for me when I first got into the team at 17. I’d have two or three good games and then I’d have a crap one. That’s just the way it is. Yet people want to spin it and say he’s had a bad game because Arsenal wanted him.”

Kieron on McGoldrick

“It’s a similar thing to Tyrone; people are saying ‘he’s not been the same player this season, his head has been spun by Leicester’.

“Why can’t it be that it’s taken him a while to get back to his best after a serious knee injury?

“Now he’s been out for seven or eight games and everyone says we miss him. People just jump on a bandwagon.”

Kieron on Chambers

“It’s easy for everybody to pick a team when we’re losing. I keep hearing people say ‘Chambers should be at centre-back’. Listen, sometimes you have to play people out of position for the good of the team.

“And anyway, I’ve seen Luke put in some unbelievable performances at right-back this season. No-one was worried about square pegs in round holes when everything was going well.”

Kieron on Williams

“Everyone harps on about Jonny Williams. He did really well when he was here, but if he hadn’t have got injured then maybe Teddy Bishop wouldn’t have got as much of a chance.”