Ipswich’s road to success

Wednesday, 13/04/2011

by Nathan Beales, Shoot's Ipswich blogger

Seventeen-year-old Josh Carson hit the headlines with two swift finishes in Ipswich Town’s 2-1 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.

That performance, as well as the impressive form of Connor Wickham, has highlighted the abundance of young talent at Portman Road. But can this crop of youngsters spearhead a promotion push next season?

This formula has worked for Ipswich before. Rewind to the year 2000 and it was not just the beginning of a new millennium, but it also marked the club’s return to Premier League football after half a decade languishing in the old Football League First Division.

George Burley, the Ipswich manager at the time, had struck a healthy balance between youth and experience in his squad. The likes of Titus Bramble, Richard Wright and James Scowcroft all played their part in promotion. Kieron Dyer had left for Newcastle United the season before, but was another prodigious talent.

Back then they were in their early 20s, were being touted amongst the country’s most promising footballers and seemingly had the world at their feet, if you pardon the cliché. Unfortunately, these days the “Class of 2000” can be written off as injury-plagued has-beens.

But people mostly had positive things to say back then. Burley was particularly complimentary about Bramble in 2000 after a wonderful solo goal against Sunderland in Ipswich’s 1-0 win: “You don’t see many good tacklers anymore, but Titus is a good tackler. His tackling is second to none in terms of strength and aggression.

“He times it very well and nobody knocks him about. He’s an imposing figure.”

Words can echo down the years. In the aftermath of Carson’s wonder show against Palace, current Ipswich manager Paul Jewell had this to say about the defender: “He had lots of the ball and showed a few flicks and tricks. He certainly doesn’t lack confidence and he is tough. He’s not scared and he’s got an eye for goal.”

However, the main talking point around Portman Road, and indeed in some parts of the sporting media, has been that of Connor Wickham. The latest Town superstar, he is somebody who undoubtedly possesses plenty of potential. 

Tall, physically imposing and the scorer of some outstanding goals this season, the 18-year-old will no doubt hope to follow in Darren Bent’s footsteps of leaving the club to become one of the country’s most prolific strikers. But right now he has signed a new three-year contract at the club.

Nevertheless, this has not stopped the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham from keeping an eye on the Football League Young Player of the Year. Thankfully Wickham seems keen to distant himself from the rumours stating that “there has been some media speculation around my future but I never get caught up with that. I’m an Ipswich Town player and I’m fully focused on finishing this season on a high.”

But it is not just Wickham who is attracting the attention from other clubs; a few of our other youngsters have been averting eyes throughout this season.

Take Wickham’s fellow academy graduate Luke Hyam. He was said to have attracted interest from West Ham at the start of the season when the 19-year-old had put in consistent performances under previous manager Roy Keane. Tommy Smith had also attracted some attention after his defensive displays in New Zealand’s 2010 World Cup campaign, having helped the minnows finish the tournament unbeaten.

So how have Ipswich got such a good reputation at developing youngsters? Firstly, young players at the club have been taught the “Ipswich way” of football, essentially attractive and attacking football. That image was sadly reversed under Roy Keane, and has yet to be completely recovered under Jewell. 

The club also seems to have an unofficial policy of giving youth a chance, stretching back to the days of the 1970s, when the charismatic John Cobbold insisted that Sir Bobby Robson, then in his first managerial role, give young players a chance and resist frequent transfer additions. The result was that Robson only bought 14 players during his 13-year tenure.

However, the state of the Ipswich academy is not as strong as some of their Championship counterparts. The Tractor Boys have considerably upped their spending recently. Under Keane, the club spent £11m over the last two years, the second highest spending club in the division. Cash strapped clubs like Crystal Palace, Watford and Portsmouth have relied on young players this season.

The reality is that Ipswich need to keep hold of their young players. In the past the club have had to sell to keep afloat, but with the millions of Marcus Evans, there is less need to sell. However, as Burley and Robson both showed, Ipswich’s key to success was through finding the balance between youth and experience. Something Jewell must replicate next season if he wishes to put the Tractor Boys back in the top flight.

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