This week’s announcement regarding Town’s transition into a more analytic approach to recruitment left me confused. This style of recruitment isn’t a particularly new innovation and I’m amazed that the club have only just picked up on the benefits of such a system. Brentford’s ‘Moneyball’ style has allowed them to flourish and whilst I wouldn’t expect the recruitment geniuses at Portman Road to start plucking gems from Ligue 2 in France, it would be nice to see some fresh ideas brought to the table. However, the term ‘closing the stable door after the horse has bolted’ comes to mind, with Town’s squad a mis-matched mess that lacks quality, fitness and a general understanding of their roles.
So, why now? Why a sudden shift into the modern age after 10 years of being left behind by our competitors? Takeover influence? A re-birth of Evans’ interest? Desperation? My mind leans toward the latter. Of course, the prospective American owners have a good reputation for installing an analytical recruitment team at their clubs, but the timing of the announcement suggests this is an innovation that appeals to Marcus Evans. Whether he’s cherry-picking ideas from the Americans that pricked his ears in the negotiation phase remains to be seen, but it certainly seems that there is an interest in moving the club into the 21st century, it’s just a shame it’s taken far too long.
Ultimately, despite the excitement that new innovations bring, there is little faith amongst the fanbase that Evans and his team are capable of carrying out these strategies with the competency that they demand. The current squad has been accumulated over the course of three managers, with little quality to show for it. Our last investment to turn a profit was Martyn Waghorn, with none of Hurst’s or Lambert’s signings proving to be successful. Of course, KVY could well prove to be a valuable asset, but his ongoing injury issues may well effect that price tag. Jackson, Edwards, Nsiala and Nolan are four examples of players who have lost an astounding amount of value over the past three years, with three of those players potentially set to leave the club for free this summer.
This new innovation will mean nothing without sustained investment to match it. The club can harp on about a key interest in creative players, but what does it matter when the money isn’t there to make the moves happen? If Marcus Evans continually invests the bare minimum into the playing squad, this innovation means nothing. Analytical recruitment isn’t a fancy way of describing the acquisition of talented players on the cheap, it’s a highly competitive market where the statistically highest ranked players are on the radar of every club around you. The gradual inflation of transfer fees means that Town will be priced out from acquiring the top talents, and instead will be forced to settle with third of fourth choice, perpetuating a cycle that has seen Town slump into League One with a whimper.
Every one knows we need a change. I was going to centre this week’s column around the awful performance at Wigan, but my focus has shifted. As many others have expressed, my expectations for the final ten games of this season are as low as they could possibly be. I simply have no faith in the playing squad and whilst I am excited to see what Paul Cook will bring, he is currently tasked with turning ‘you know what’ into chicken salad.
I am hopeful that the introduction of an analytical and data driven recruitment process will benefit the club in the long run, but I am desperately hoping that Evans isn’t just wheeling out another one of his PR wagons to drive season ticket sales. Ultimately, people aren’t fooled any more. A decade of decline and constant false dawns have meant that this fanbase expects so very little of the current regime at the top of the club. Paul Cook has come in and people love him, not for the sub-par results and performances, but for the passion he shows. When the playing squad acts as if they don’t understand the club at all, it’s refreshing to see a manager come in and reflect our own views on the current state of affairs.
Cook’s influence on the fanbase should represent the needs of the footballing community in Suffolk. People are tired of fancy footballers who don’t fight for the shirt, they’re tired of being kept in the dark, and they’re tired of being treated like customers. The potential takeover sent people into a frenzy, not because the American investors promise success, but because they represent a change. Marcus Evans has continually dampened the mood at Portman Road throughout his reign and if he has any desire to remain at this club, he needs to pull his finger out and start acting like a progressive owner who can make Town competitive again, rather than sitting in the shadows and only opening his mouth when he’s out to defend his honour.
Every summer seems to be vital for the club, but this year feels different. With many, many ins and outs set to take place at Portman Road over the next four months, it’s vital that we begin to move forward and start to change our fortunes. This club has a rich reputation for developing classy players with fight, drive and determination. Unfortunately, I only see that resembled in a small minority of the current squad. Whilst a complete overhaul may be unrealistic, now is the time to wipe the slate clean and build around the promising youngsters (Dobra, Downes, Woolfenden) that this club possesses. Modernising Ipswich Town Football Club is long overdue, and whilst I respect the financial limitations that prevented the implementation of the this system last season, it should never have taken until 2020 for someone to act on the new innovations that would allow our club to move forward.
Thank you for taking the time to read my column. If you enjoyed, feel free to share it around. I’ll see you soon!
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