Luke Chambers agrees with manager Paul Lambert’s assessment that he has taken on too much responsibility as Ipswich Town captain.
Chambers, 33, has captained the Blues 258 times since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2012, leading the club under Mick McCarthy, Paul Hurst and now Lambert.
The current Ipswich boss has spoken of Chambers’ value to the club in recent weeks and also stated he believes the defender has taken on too much both on and off the pitch.
Speaking when he attended the Supporters’ Club’s AGM in November, Lambert said: “I think that lad has taken a hell of a lot on his shoulders, probably too much, and that’s been a little bit unfair on him.”
Chambers, while proud of the way he has captained the Blues over the last six years, agrees.
“I have already learnt so much from the gaffer here. He has been brilliant for me,” Chambers wrote in his programme column for a recent game.
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“He has said I have taken on too much as a skipper and he wants me to concentrate on my game.
“I’m not sure how it has evolved that way but I probably agree with him. It’s in my nature.
“I want to be a person that makes a difference. I want to try and sort out any problems the players are having; I talk to the young players and try to fix things at the training ground.
“I have always seen it as my responsibility as skipper to make sure all of the players are as settled as possible. That helps the team and it’s going to benefit me as well because it will help us get results.
“Maybe I’m one of the last skippers to think like that, to get involved as much as I do.”
Chambers’ close friend Cole Skuse agreed with Lambert’s assessment: “He’s one of those guys, constantly on the go, and I’ve often said to him that he needs to relax himself and let other people take care of things.
“If I ring him to see if he and his wife fancy going out for a bite to eat with me and my wife he’ll immediately say ‘yes, no problem, I’ll sort that out’. He’ll take it upon himself to book the table and decide the time – he’ll even decide who’s driving there and back.
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“Basically, he wants to sort out everything to the last detail. That’s just him as a person so you can imagine what he’s like in a football environment.”
Chambers, who is currently playing through a foot injury as well as a broken wrist, suffered when he tumbled over the advertising hoardings during the Blues’ victory over Rotherham in January, continued: “The press make it out to be a bigger job that it actually is, wearing the armband.
“I think you can have the armband on but not have the responsibility that goes with it.
“I’m not that way though. I have always tried to do everything for the team and probably put myself last.
“My dad has been on my case about it plenty of times. There is a reason why I am why I am though and he’s a big part of that – it’s the upbringing I’ve had.
“I’m not going to change. No one is perfect and we’re all different. I guess the players have gone to me over the last couple of years because I’m the obvious one to speak to.
“We have other experienced players in the dressing-room but not all of them want to get involved in taking on that extra responsibility and have enough to sort out themselves. I understand that completely.”
Chambers is in the final year of his Ipswich contract, which includes an option to extend it for a further 12 months.
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