Thread by @Jonathanbeales

I generally don't do football opinions or threads as everyone else usually gets involved but today I will.

I'm very lucky to cover EFL games through the season for Sky Sports, it's something I've done for a long time and am grateful to be included.I've covered #itfc ever since the Burley era & have seen the highs & lows through the years.Interviewed the managers & many of the players.

But recent #itfc form has seen them drop to 12th in League 1.The takeaway narrative from yesterday was generally one of an improved #itfc performance.Fair enough, but to me it just looked like another League 1 mid-table team.

I cover mostly League 1 games week to week so I know what the quality & expectation levels are.Prior to Xmas it was anyone's title, but now the League has taken shape & currently #itfc are looking on from distance.

The contrast between interviewing the 2 managers yesterday after the Oxford game was very different.Karl Robinson has energy, enthusiasm & enjoys what he does, his demeanor is very positive.

I've known Paul Lambert through the years & regularly interviewed him in his time at Colchester, Norwich & Ipswich.At Norwich I was constantly presenting him manager of the month awards at the training ground.He was on a great run.

Before yesterday I interviewed Paul after the Pompey v Ipswich game last season where Town lost 1-0.He seemed calm, confident & said the team were going through a blip.Fair enough, it happens.But the form dipped sharply after that, then covid happened.

But yesterday was different.I got the impression he didn't seem to be enjoying the job.Just my opinion of course, & he'd previously spoken of pressure & how he can deal with it.But to me it seemed something wasn't quite right.

Manager's all want time to develop squads & teams.I'd say having over 2 years is being given time.By all accounts the owner has also backed the manager with resources to strengthen the team.

We're living in a covid era where budgets are very very tight for all EFL teams.The broadcast money is tiny compared to even that of the Championship.The owner has also put in a huge amount of money into the club.

League 1 teams rely so heavily on match day revenue & at present it's non-existent.Every penny counts.Looking at Ipswich yesterday there is sufficient quality in all areas of the team for it to reside in the top 6 of League 1.

Talk of structure is for the birds in my opinion.A League 1 football club isn't Microsoft.Yes, it has to be run properly but there are many clubs in the league who're run on much smaller budgets & have far less resources.Why should fans be interested in infastructure? So boring.

Man Utd, Barcelona, Liverpool, Real Madrid etc obviously all have much bigger infastructures.But League 1 life is very different.Its more about the football basics of coaching, consistency & managing the budgets.

Ipswich Town are the envy of many League 1 clubs, a Premier League stadium & training ground with a rich history of achievement down the years.But looking back isn't in the future.Sir Bobby looked forward not back.So did George Burley who created his own legacy.

Change is afoot, it always is in football and will happen sooner rather than later.Speculation will run rife as it always does too.Taking care of day to day playing issues is now paramount.

There's youth, experience & enough potential to easily finish top 6.Seeing Ipswich in 12th is both painful & disappointing.

Who cares about an improved performance? It's about winning & not thinking that a draw is a platform to build on.The winning mentality will be re-installed sooner rather than later & winning ways will return.