Davefevs

Yes, done deal, price agreed in the summer….but of an FFP fudge imho.

Just read it. He’s been helping Lauren Smith too - but of mentoring. Some might think it’s irrelevant, but I think it shows up Nige is a very good light.

My estimates based on revenue of £26m this season / £28m next season is that we can make a loss of £14.5m next season. However based on attendances this season, I think my estimates of this season are conservative. But all guesswork.

Here’s a summary of their squad: quite interesting that some of the players signed permanently: Harper - 998 minutes - a signing influenced by Ashton / O’Leary “we must sign Harper” direct quote in an Ashton interview pre-season Edwards - 1272 minutes (another West Brom connection) Pigott - 1273 minutes Hladky - 1260 minutes they will have undoubtedly paid larger wages than expected for Lg1 and are stuck with them for 2 more seasons. Shifting them to improve the squad will be difficult without them contributing to wages. Pigott allegedly on £8-10k p.w. I quite liked him, but having failed at Ipswich his stock is much lower than a year ago at Wimbledon. We’ve already seen Tyrese Simpson say he doesn’t want to stay, Ipswich will have to exercise their option to avoid a young talent walking for nothing, pissed off at lack of opportunities having returned from Swindon loan in January. With squad list restrictions, they will have less scope to improve the squad that some think. All within 12 months the “Shitas” touch in full evidence. Morsy, Burns and Walton - top signings….but you’d expect Cook’s influence on his two former Wigan players!

No He did, in an interview I’m a whipper-snapper.

From memory Harry Wilson will move to Fulham for £12m…Fulham had obligation to buy if they got promoted.

Red raw tonight….

Luke is normally a sensible Ipswich fan: I’ve read some IT fans suggesting Tyrese Campbell from Stoke, which I thought was pretty unlikely…but Jacob Brown!!! Lordy. The reply back:- he’s really bought Ashton’s BS.

…and I guess that’s why it might not be until next summer we really get to see a squad moulded but Nige. Hopefully he can move on the right players this summer.

Yes, absolutely. In some regards you want him to retain that raw element….same with Kodjia, that unpredictable nature is what makes them what they are. Sometimes frustrating, admittedly.

Big Nige #culture

So Weimann is now 1 behind Harrison again.

Re King - would not surprise me if he got another year on a similar basis to Simpson…coaches salary incentivised by playing / making squad. I’d be fine with that. If he was being let go, I see no reason why he made the last two 18s.

There are multiple scenarios that can play out, as others have mentioned. Selling Kalas for £4m(ish) would probably bring us within FFP on its own…wages saved, profit against value and amortisation saved. Being slightly pedantic, I think losing Wells might weaken our squad, Palmer not though. The only way I’d want to keep Wells is by him accepting a lower wage and spread his amortisation over a longer period…that would cut costs. Because I don’t think you can replace him without spending money. If you think Conway can fill that void, then I’m totally happy with that. But Wells isn’t shit by any stretch of the imagination…just hasn’t been as good as WSM. If he had to play regularly he’d get a dozen goals over a season I reckon. I wouldn’t dismiss that. A number of OTIBers dissed Martin’s contribution. 10g / 5a is totally fine when Weimann is 20 / 9 and Semenyo is 7 / 10. Plus Wells has been good off the pitch too. Ideally we move him on and the finances work out nicely, but the above scenario wouldn’t be the worst. Yep, if you could play the summer out like That would be sweet.

It was against Boro, where he marked Assombalonga and did it with aplomb.

Burns was the exact comparison I made a few weeks ago when people were slagging off Nige for playing him there. Funnily enough Burns is now one of the best RWBs in Lg1, possibly gonna get Ipswich’s player of the year. He might never have had the career he’s had if he’d insisted on playing as a forward. I don’t like being critical of our youngsters (because they all develop differently and at different rates), but I don’t see the same level of ability in Bell as I do Conway for example…but as you say, he has pace. Pace can get you a long way in the game. Bell 311 mins, Conway 69 mins. That flexibility ain’t doing him any harm imho.

Mr P - do you mean Cybulski’s header over from 3 yards? Was 2-0 at that point. Reminded me of Flint’s defensive header at Man City ???

Im not sure about power and pace, he’s had that since the first time I saw him v Preston (a). He was very raw though, still is to an extent. Playing him centrally with scope to go / float left or right, knowing Martin will take care of being more rigidly positioned is a big boon for him. Means he can find space. I saw little benefit of constraining him to one wing (as a wide forward) when you want him on the ball as much as possible. I know, just saying social media can be a bit bonkers.

No idea, maybe he really wanted to stay permanently in this country. Be a good question to ask him if he comes to Senior Reds.

That knee injury was 3 seasons ago, upon his return he played a few times for Norwich in the Premier League, then a full season in Switzerland, followed by 16 games here after not playing competitive football. I’d say he’s proved he’s recovered from his knee injury suffered at Norwich. He might not be quite as quick as he was in his “pomp” but he has showed (like Curtis Davies, Phil Jagielka, etc) that 33 (34 next month) is no age if you have a good football brain, and are technically good. If he still had his pace he wouldn’t be at Bristol City!

…and I don’t think anyone will pay that this summer. They’ll test the water like with Semenyo in January. Bet Southampton are kicking themselves though.

According to my son, Ghanaian social media reckons their own Prem Lg is better than Champ, and Antoine should be nowhere near the National side! Farmers league they reckon!!!

I honestly think from the on-screen graphic it was more than 3mm anyway. And is 3mm margin for error, actually 1.5mm in either direction, making it even more likely to be a correct decision?

I would imagine he will be buzzing to have got 54 minutes in a 3-1 away win, and will be being told to focus on the positives in his performance playing at RWB, whilst working on any flaws in training. Imagine the team bus home, Wells and Conway with no minutes, versus Sam with 54, and some good contributions first half have down the right. Most, if not all young players want to play in the first team (at any level of football) and will take whatever minutes they can get, in whatever position. You just want to be part of it. Think too much much is made of a “sub being subbed”. Had he came on at h-t and been subbed off that’s a bit different. But he came on first half (23 mins) for an injury. Had he started and got 54 minutes nobody would’ve batted an eyelid. It was a tactical sub. When Pearson could’ve easily picked Vyner or a returning Tanner on the bench, he chose Bell yesterday, and several other games too.

Did anyone see Mitrovic’s goal? Never in a million years did I think it was…but GLT proved it was. Just stick with GLT, bin VAR.