Top six favourites to become new Ipswich Town boss as club sack manager

The top six favourites to become new Ipswich Town boss has been revealed as the club sack their manager after Saturday’s game.

The Tractorboys, who were named one of the favourites in pre-season to go up, have got rid of Paul Cook with the campaign failing to live up to expectations.

The former Accrington, Chesterfield, Portsmouth and Wigan boss, 54, only took over the League One side in March, but after the latest result, the board have had enough following the bore draw against Barrow in the FA Cup Second Round and want changes ahead of the January transfer window.

Ipswich Town Football Club can confirm that manager Paul Cook has been relieved of his duties.

We thank Paul for his efforts and wish him the very best going forward.#itfc

— Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) December 4, 2021

CLUB STATEMENT:

Ipswich Town Football Club can confirm that manager Paul Cook has been relieved of his duties.

Town CEO, Mark Ashton, said: “Firstly, we would like to thank Paul and his team for their efforts in what has been a difficult transition period for everyone.

“I know how much Paul wanted to succeed at this club. However, following discussions with the board, we have decided a change is needed for our long-term interests.

“At this moment, there is no one lined up to replace Paul. There will be an extensive search to find the best replacement for the Club.

“I will communicate more to the media and our supporters on Monday.”

– STATEMENT ENDS –

Meanwhile, it’s rather interesting that Ipswich’s James Norwood came out with the tweet following Paul Cook’s exit…

🚨⚽️ | NEW: Ipswich’s James Norwood with a message about Paul Cook’s sacking pic.twitter.com/jD3iUB04bU

— Football For All (@FootballlForAll) December 4, 2021

What do the bookies say? He is the top six favourites to become the new Ipswich Town boss (according to BetVictor)…

John McGreal – 5/1

John McGreal is an English football manager and former professional footballer who was recently manager of Swindon Town.

He started off his career at Tranmere, making his debut in the 1991–92 season. He became a first-team regular from the 1993–94 season, playing a total of 233 games across eight seasons, until he was sold to Ipswich Town for a £750,000 fee in August 1999. He helped his new club to win promotion into the Prem with victory in the 2000 play-off final. He played 54 Premier League games in two seasons, before Ipswich were relegated back into the First Division in 2002. He stayed with the club for another two years before signing with Burnley in June 2004. He spent three seasons in the Championship with Burnley, being named as Player of the Year in 2005, and retired at the end of the 2006–07 season. He played a total of 489 league and cup games in 16 seasons as a professional in the English Football League and Premier League, scoring seven goals.

McGreal went into coaching after retiring as a player, joining the Colchester United Academy in 2009. He briefly stood in as the first team’s caretaker-manager in November 2015, before being given the job on a permanent basis following the club’s relegation out of the third tier in May 2016. He took charge for four seasons, with the club twice finishing one place outside the League Two playoffs and losing in the playoff semi-finals at the end of the 2019–20 campaign. He was axed in July 2020.

On the 26th of May 2021, McGreal was appointed manager of recently relegated League Two side Swindon Town, but on the 25th of June, after less than a month in the job, he left the Robins by mutual consent, as ownership issues prevented him signing new players.

Frank Lampard – 6/1

Frank Lampard was most recently the head coach of Premier League club Chelsea from July 2019 until January 2021. He is widely considered to be one of the Blues’ greatest ever players, and one of the greatest midfielders of his generation. He has the record of the most goals by a midfielder in the Premier League and scoring the highest number of goals from outside the box (41). In addition he was statistically named the Premier League Player of the Decade from 2000 to 2010.

A creative and technically gifted box-to-box midfielder, Lampard began his career in 1995 at West Ham United, the club where his father, Frank Lampard Sr., also played. He is best known for his time at London rivals Chelsea, whom he signed for in 2001 for £11 million. In his thirteen years with the club, Lampard established himself as a prolific scorer from midfield, becoming Chelsea’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals scored in all competitions. Lampard won three Prem titles, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, four FA Cups, and two Football League Cups. In 2005, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year, and finished runner-up for both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year. After leaving Chelsea, Lampard played for league rivals Man City and Major League Soccer (MLS) club New York City FC before retiring in 2017.

Lampard is one of nine players, and the only midfielder, to have scored 150 or more goals in the Premier League. He is fourth in the Premier League’s all-time assists ranking, with 102 assists. Lampard holds a number of additional Chelsea and Premier League records, and has won PFA Fans’ Player of the Year and the FWA Tribute Award. During his career, he was named in the PFA Team of the Year three times, Premier League Player of the Month 4 times, Premier League Player of the Season once and finished as the Premier League’s top assist provider three times, and was named in the FIFPro World XI and a MLS All-Star. After departing, Lampard was named in the Chelsea Team of the Decade as voted for by Chelsea fans, and into the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Lampard made 106 appearance for England, after making his debut in 1999. He represented his country at three FIFA World Cups – in 2006, 2010 and 2014 – and in UEFA Euro 2004, where he was named in the Team of the Tournament. Lampard scored 29 goals for the Three Lions, and was voted England Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005. He is also England’s most prolific penalty taker, with nine goals scored from the spot. After retiring from international football, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2015 for services to football. After retiring, Lampard served as a team captain on the ITV sport panel show Play to the Whistle from 2015 until 2017. He has also written a number of children’s books. Lampard began his managerial career with Derby County in 2018, leading the club to the final of that season’s Championship play-offs. He was appointed as Chelsea’s head coach a year later, guiding them to fourth place and the FA Cup Final in his first season. However, after a poor run of results, Lampard was dismissed in 2021.

Alex Neil – 6/1

Alex Neil is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He was most recently the manager of EFL Championship club Preston North End.

Neil began his professional career at Airdrieonians in 2000, playing half a season in the Scottish Football League First Division before moving to Barnsley. He played 142 games across all competitions in his four-year spell at Barnsley, and then signed for Mansfield Town on a free transfer. After a season at Mansfield, he returned to Scotland’s First Division with Hamilton Academical, featuring in 246 matches across a decade and winning promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2008.

He became Hamilton’s player-manager in 2013 and led them to promotion to the Scottish Premiership in 2014. In January 2015 he was appointed manager of Norwich City, as the second youngest manager in the Football League at the time. Neil guided Norwich to promotion to the Premier League, after winning the 2015 Football League Championship play-off Final. But the team suffered relegation following the very next season, and on 10 March 2017, Neil was sacked from his role as Norwich City manager following a period of poor results. He was appointed by Preston North End on 4 July 2017 and led the team to seventh place in the 2017–18 Championship.

Neil Warnock – 8/1

Neil Warnock is an English football manager and former player who was most recently manager of Championship outfit Middlesbrough. He is also a television and radio pundit. In a managerial career spanning five decades, Warnock has managed sixteen different clubs from the top flight to nonleague. He holds the record for the most promotions in English football, with eight.

Warnock played as a winger for Chesterfield, Rotherham United, Hartlepool United, Scunthorpe United, Aldershot, Barnsley, York City and Crewe Alexandra, scoring 36 goals in 327 career league appearances. He retired in 1979 at age 30 to move into coaching.

Warnock’s first managerial job was with Gainsborough Trinity (1980–1981), he would subsequently manage Burton Albion (1981–1986) and Scarborough (1986–1989), winning promotion to the EFL with the latter in 1987. He then managed Notts County (1989–1993), leading them from the Third Division to the First Division in successive seasons, though he was sacked after the club were relegated the season before the First Division became the Premier League. After a brief spell at Torquay United (1993), he moved to Huddersfield Town (1993–1995), with whom he won promotion to the new First Division. He then resigned and joined Plymouth Argyle (1995–1997), leading them to the Second Division. After being sacked, he spent spells with Oldham Athletic (1997–1998) and Bury (1998–1999).

In 1999, Warnock joined boyhood club Sheffield United, leading them to the semi-finals of the League Cup and FA Cup in 2003 and promotion to the Premier League in 2006. However, he resigned in 2007 after the club were relegated. He then took over at Crystal Palace (2007–2010), saving the club from relegation to League One. When the club went into administration, he left to join Queens Park Rangers (2010–2012), winning promotion to the Premier League with the club in 2011. He was sacked with the club in a precarious position and joined Leeds United (2012–2013). After being sacked by Leeds following a poor run of form, he was without a club for almost fifteen months until returning to Crystal Palace, then in the Premier League, in August 2014. In December 2014, he was sacked by Crystal Palace after a poor start to the season, which saw the club in the relegation zone. After a month as caretaker at Queens Park Rangers, Warnock returned to Rotherham United as manager in February 2016. He was appointed manager of Cardiff City in October 2016, and led them to Premier League promotion during the 2017–18 season.

Michael Carrick – 8/1

Michael Carrick is an English professional football manager and former player who was most recently the caretaker manager of Manchester United. He’s described to be one of the most decorated English footballers of all time and is best known for his 12-year playing career with the Red Devils, whom he also captained. Carrick was a central midfielder, but he was used as an emergency centre-back under Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho. His playing style was grounded in his passing ability.

Carrick began his career at West Ham United, joining the youth team in 1997 and winning the FA Youth Cup two years later. He was sent on loan twice during his debut season, to Swindon Town and Birmingham City, before securing a place in the first team by the 2000–01 season. He experienced relegation in the 2002–03 season and was voted into the PFA First Division Team of the Year in the following campaign. He made more than 150 appearances for the Hammers, and in 2004, he moved to rival London club Tottenham Hotspur for a fee believed to be £3.5 million. He played an influential role at the club for two seasons before moving to Manchester United in 2006 for £18 million.

From his debut onwards, Carrick was a regular in the Manchester United first team, making more than 50 appearances in his first season with them. He established himself as a key member of the team that won the Premier League in 2006–07, their first title success in four years. The following season he was part of the side that won the 2008 Champions League final, playing the full 120 minutes as they enjoyed a 6–5 penalty shootout win, with Carrick converting his spot kick, to help achieve the European Double. As of 2021, he is the only English player alongside former teammate Wayne Rooney to win the Premier League title, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, League Cup, FA Community Shield, UEFA Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup. In winning the 2016 FA Cup, Carrick completed his collection of every domestic honour in the English game.

Carrick has represented England at under-18, under-21, B and senior levels. He made his England debut in 2001 and went on to gain 34 caps without scoring a goal. Carrick was often overlooked during his England career, with many of his contemporaries being preferred in his position. This was the case until the 2012–13 season, when Carrick established himself as a regular. He was a member of the England squad for two major tournaments, the 2006 and 2010 World Cups.

Michael Flynn – 8/1

Flynn resigned on the 1st of October 2021 after nine league matches of the 2021-22 season with Newport sitting 15th in League Two. Newport’s assistant manager Wayne Hatswell was appointed as caretaker team manager.

The 40-year-old had been in charge since 2017 and had a contract that ran through until the end of the season.

Flynn, who had three spells as a player with Newport, spearheaded County’s great escape from relegation in 2017 when they were 11 points adrift with 12 games to go.

He came agonisingly close taking the club up to the third tier of English football for the first time since 1987 only to suffer controversial playoff final defeats to Tranmere Rovers in 2019 and Morecambe last season.

Flynn’s teams saw plenty of strong league performances as well as cup runs that brought much-needed income into the club.

In 2018, they knocked out then-Championship club Leeds United to earn an FA Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur, with Harry Kane’s late equaliser denying County a famous win but leading to a lucrative replay at Wembley.

The following year the Exiles knocked out Leicester and Middlesbrough to set up a tie with Manchester City in Newport, with Pep Guardiola’s side winning 4-1.

Last season, County also earned victories against Swansea and Watford in the Carabao Cup before being knocked out on penalties by Newcastle, then they suffered a shootout defeat to Brighton in the FA Cup.

The campaign ended in controversy against Morecambe – with the Exiles denied one clear spot kick before the solitary goal came from a disputed one – and Flynn failed to get the promotion he craved for his hometown club.

Twitter users gave their reaction as Ipswich Town sack their manager…

@Iamspartacus73: Gutted. Really think he would have got this right, Ashton better have a bloody plan that works.

@draney_x: He’s had more than enough time mate, forget settling in, tactically he’s not got it.

@craigfinbow: I get it wasn’t working, but thank you Paul cook for bringing back entertaining football with a team that tries 2 play the right way. Things weren’t working and their were gaps but football has become a sacking culture. Wish you all the best Paul, thanks for giving us hope #itfc

@DylanBarrack4: What a poor decision.

@ColArmy86: Eh why? 11th place with a full new squad they’ve only just recently put together? 🤷🏽‍♂️

@JamesTarget03: Couldn’t you have waited another week? New manager bounce confirmed for you against us now ffs

@Chrissy___Hall: Get ready for 6 weeks of a rigorous and vigorous process, Ipswich Town fans …..

@HRReloaded: Shocking decision, it was always gonna take him time and without an assistant he had all the pressure on his shoulders, anyone would’ve struggled with this team and their cohesion at the moment.

@edmking85: Absolutely gutted, incredibly harsh, this isn’t the Ipswich way … Thanks Cooky for Portsmouth and Wycombe away, all the best for the future #itfc

@WafcHugh: Could’ve waited till after the 11th lads icl

@mark_jubb: What happened to giving a manager time? #shocked

@l12rdp: Listen guys we can all moan,the board have acted very quickly for a reason they could see something clearly wasn’t working on and off the pitch,we have to trust our owners,Marcus evans would have let us rot and waited for everyone on the terrace to start singing manager out

@80sdarrell: I don’t like that. Modern football. I wish him all the best. I have no hard feelings towards him and want him to be a success at another club.

@lewyitfc: Sad it’s ended this way… he’s a really likeable character and I’m sure wherever he goes next he’ll do well, but sometimes things just don’t work out, and this is a case of that… I wish him well in the future.

@dharvey4: As a Coventry fan, I think you need to give managers more time. It’s taken Mark Robins several transfer windows to build a squad that is now top 6 in the Championship.

@NicolaWallITFC: This is the right decision for Ipswich Town football club. We have to think what is right for us as a club going forward #itfc