Ipswich Town owner Marcus Evans has insisted Paul Hurst was always his first choice for the Ipswich Town manager’s job.
Hurst was appointed this morning on a three-year deal, following an exhaustive search which saw Evans interview up to eight candidates for the vacancy left by former boss Mick McCarthy.
Jack Ross, now of Sunderland, former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard and ex-Spurs man Scott Parker were all interviewed for a job applied for by more than 100 serious candidates.
But Evans insisted Hurst was always his man.
“Following what has been an exhaustive search I am delighted to announce Paul Hurst as our new manager,”
“His skill, experience and reputation enhanced by his recent success at Shrewsbury had placed him, from the start of the process, on my shortlist of candidates, resulting in the need to wait until after the League One Play-Off final to reach a final decision.
“I would like to put on record my thanks to the many football people who have helped me reach an informed decision on the appointment and to the other excellent candidates all of whom, also, had great ideas to take the club forwards.
“However, having spoken with Paul it reaffirmed why he had always been my top target since day one in the recruitment process.
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“We are looking to build on the Club’s history of playing an attractive, winning style of football; developing youth through our Academy and getting the most out of every player we have here.
“Paul ticks all the boxes when it comes to these key attributes and his credentials are backed up by a detailed knowledge of the English leagues whilst demonstrating an ability to adapt, on the pitch, when needed to find a way to get results over the course of a long and arduous season.
“Paul’s efforts over the 2017/18 season were rewarded by him being named the League One manager of the year.
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“This award, voted for by his fellow managers, reflects the high esteem in which he is held within football circles where his achievements at Shrewsbury, with limited resources, were recognised ahead of his peers at the automatically promoted sides who had only just left the Championship and not so long ago were in the Premier League.
“I am hugely excited that Ipswich is providing an opportunity for a young, up and coming manager to prove himself in one of the world’s toughest leagues and in time hopefully the highest league level in world football. I am sure all of our supporters will get behind Paul and like me can’t wait for the new season to get started.”
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