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Episode 86 - Transfer Window Special Part 1
0 Playsin 8 hours
Tom and Richard talk transfers. Well Transfer windows, as they dissect Ipswich's past two January windows where the club has done rather well.
The Daily Ipswich Podcast, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network, is your new home of all your ITFC. Join us every weekday for the latest news, build-up and reaction in the club's first season back in the Premier League.
Host: Richard Popple
Guest: Tom Crack
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Transcript
Introduction and January Transfer Window Importance
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, everybody, and welcome to the midweek Wednesday hump day edition of the Daily Ipswich. My name is Richard Popple. Today I'm joined by Tom Crack. Hello, Tom.
00:00:20
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hi Richard, how you doing mate?
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very well, thank you. We are together to talk about the January transfer window. Some fans absolutely hate it. Some fans absolutely love it. It always gets a load of press. I feel like it's maybe had its kind of cult day, you know, back in the day of Jim White in his yellow tie on Sky Sports News and, you know, the dildos coming out for the journalists outside grounds and all that kind of stuff from fans.
00:00:44
Tom Crack - Ipswich
yeah
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I think that was the heyday of the transfer, the January transfer window. But still, it's a very important window in
Reflecting on Successful 2023 Signings
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Frippstitch town. Obviously, it's going to be a big one. um This is a two parter. So Tom, you and I are going to kind of like look back a little bit at the last couple of January's, which have been integral really to Ipswich Town's success in both seasons. They like they did really well and we'll we'll kind of discuss that. And then in the episode tomorrow I'm going to be joined by Rob and he's going to take us through a little bit more about what the squad might need. We're going to get your thoughts on that as well. Some of the players that we've been linked to we've obviously already made a signing in Ben Godfrey. We'll talk about that a little bit and maybe where the squad stands and what we expect to happen over the next few weeks. And of course there's always F
00:01:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah FPR or PSR or whatever the hell it's called these days hanging over is about how much money we can actually spend so cast your mind back Tom 2023 we were in League one if you can still believe it just two years ago.
00:01:44
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were in League one ah We'd come into the January transfer window.
00:01:47
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm.
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't remember where we were in the league.
00:01:52
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were roughly around fourth or fifth I think we were in the playoff positions and um Plymouth were way ahead. Sheffield Wednesday, sorry, were way ahead at that time as well. We were we were kind of languishing a little bit, drawing a lot of games, not getting over the line. And then January came around. So can you talk us through what McKenna and Ashton bought in that window?
00:02:14
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yes, I can. Absolutely. Like if you talk about that season as well, but it will did kind of seem we were kind of hoping for a Plymouth or Sheffield Wednesday capitulation and the latter
Defining Legends at Ipswich Town
00:02:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
did that. And it helped us very much throughout the season, but nothing that helped us, as you said, was this January trance window in the 22 23 season.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:31
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Four names came through the door and very, very integral to the team in that season, as well as the season that followed those four were Massimo Longo returning to the club. Harry Clark, obviously Arsenal's under 21, coming back to his boyhood club, Nathan Broadhead from Everton's under 21 side and George Hearst. You list those names right there and all already like it's just fantastic business. People look at the January transfer window as you know, sometimes it's merely just to cover an injury, which probably will be the case for ah us, this transfer window, seemingly. But these four here, you kind of think they're almost nailed on and on starters, at least I think maybe Longo, Broadhead and Hurst were. The second they came through the door, and they really kind of bought into the ethos of what we were trying to do. yeah Hungry players, I know Longo had a bit more age on his side, but still very much hungry to prove himself, especially how his first spell at Ipswich Town went.
00:03:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And all all of them are ah ready, ready to go. And they made an instant impact. And you're looking at these names now and you feel like they've been at the club for years. It's only been two years now for all four of them, but they're like, they're legends and obviously they're legends because of what they've done the past two years.
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know.
00:03:36
Tom Crack - Ipswich
They've been at the party as they've been at the club, but in that short space of time, they really kind of fit the mold straight away. And it's such great business. Again, areas of the field, you need a dress and you felt like Mausi needed a sort of dancing partner in that particular park.
00:03:49
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And he got that in Luongo. we kind of were a bit flaky at the right, I think, you know, I think it was tenacity at the time, potentially.
00:03:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, tenacium is right back, yeah.
00:03:56
Tom Crack - Ipswich
um Yeah, yeah. And Harry Clarke kind of brought in that youth experience and I think a bit more passion as well. Him being from the air really helped as well. kind of knew what the club's journey was already before you can step through the door. And then Hurst, young, hungry striker who was leaving a, I think at that point, a Leicester side who was struggling to make, they didn't get relegated. They never got relegated that season. So he wasn't really getting much time there either because we met the rest of the season, the following season, didn't he? So again, ready to prove himself. from ah It was a lone move, of course.
00:04:25
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And just, yeah, everyone hungry came in and it was fantastic, fantastic business from everyone in that in that season. Got us skyrocketing at the table to automate the promotion.
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, incredible, really. I mean, they very much are McKenna players because, you know, by that time McKenna had been at the club for about a year at that point.
00:04:42
Tom Crack - Ipswich
yeah
00:04:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he'd had, he'd had a couple of windows to kind of like go through things, bring some players in. and But they were the ones that really kind of like made the difference. I mean, you you you use the word legend there.
00:04:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's kind of interesting, isn't it? Like what constitutes a legend? Because, you know, how many times have Ipswich Town been promoted in its history?
00:05:00
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know, six, seven, eight, maybe something like that, I think. And we've seen two of them in the last couple of years. So, you know, promotions don't come around very often and they've
Post-2023 Achievements and Financial Strategy
00:05:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
done two of them. But then obviously if you go back in the clubs, kind of annuals of history where it was like European football and internationals all over the place, you know, I'm sure older audiences would be um questioning the use of the word legend. But, you know, but but they kind of are, they kind of are. I mean, they they are players that are so synonymous with the club now, even though they've only been here for a couple of years, basically.
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But I think you have to say that is like a home run of a transfer window.
00:05:39
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, we know what happened. Obviously, we went on that incredible run. We won, I think, 14 or 13 of the last 15 games, something like that. Just um a mad run where we were just beating everybody.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as you say, Sheffield Wednesday fell apart. And we got there. And little little known, well, little remembered fact that Plymouth actually won it, of course. But um yeah, it was a great it was a great window.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I would say, Two of those players still remain quite important, I would say. Would you, with with Hurston Broadhead?
00:06:13
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, very much so. We've touted Broadhead's praises a lot on recent podcasts for a good reason. And, you know, at his age now, he's still looking like a really, really key player for the team at 26. And George Hurst again, like, I think he,
00:06:29
Tom Crack - Ipswich
obviously took on to a club really well the second he came through the door again of a championship and a few times we saw him in the Premier League this season Brentford where he scored that fantastic goal and coming off the bench against Spurs before he got injured like he looked like he was setting the Premier League just fine up for a young player and it's a shame it kind of got cut short this season I don't think it's for the last we've seen him in the Premier League, hopefully in a town show as well. But yeah, those two very much with their age and their quality, it's like, their players who have made the leap, we've said it many, many players who have made the leap as the leagues have gone on, and those two are definitely wonderful in that category. I think shame of long ago, obviously start the season against Liverpool. That was very much like a thank you to the team from last year to get us here. But he hasn't really featured all that much since then. And Harry Clarke looks this looks a bit flaky right back, unfortunately. but
00:07:13
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Still a young player, plenty of time to improve, but yeah, I think Broadhead and Hearst out of those four other ones you would say now are still very much integral parts of the team.
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And I think with Luongo specifically, I think Clark may stick around post this window, but Luongo, you would think in terms of the squad number and stuff.
00:07:28
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I think I read somewhere that, you know, people said that he should maybe be move moved aside and given a coaching role or something like that. But also at the same time, he's so low maintenance, completely understands his position in the squad that and is and is a good person to have around that I'm sure i'm sure the club want to keep him in there and in some capacity if he's not in the squad itself.
00:07:45
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm.
00:07:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Hearst, let's hope he can get fit and actually stay fit for a period of time because we know he's effective and and he showed that in a brief glimpse as we've seen of him in the Premier League as well. and Great. All right. Well, that was 2023. We know what that led to, that incredible run, that incredible promotion. um All of those players obviously stayed on. Luongo was the initial loan. That was then made permanent. Hearst, that was the initial loan. Then we obviously signed him that summer from Leicester permanently. Broadhead and Clark came in, I think, for around one and a half million each.
00:08:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
So that was big money back in back in league one.
00:08:17
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And.
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
that was that was That was big money we were spending at the time. All right, let's take a quick break and then we will move into last January's transfer window.
00:08:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, we are back here at the Daily Ipswich. Before we continue, Tom, I just want to give a shout out to a listener of ours because I had a message from somebody saying, this person listens to you every single day on their way to work and really loves the podcast. So Shelley Wilkins, thank you very much for your continued support and for listening in. We hope you're enjoying your drive in today. And if you want to send us a little message on socials, we're we're more than happy to to hear from all of our listeners. So thank you, Shelley and everybody else out there.
Challenges and Strategies for 2024
00:09:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah right Tom, so 2023, sorry, was very, very successful. and All of those players are indeed still at the club. 2024, last year, cast our minds back again. So we were in a four-way tussle really at the top between Leicester City, who at that point actually were miles away. They should have you know gone on to win the league easily, but they were well clear at that point.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, we had leads breathing down our necks and we had Southampton starting to put a good run together as well.
00:09:50
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm. Hmm.
00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
So January came along. Um, the squad was getting a bit pulled apart at that point. I remember mostly getting a couple of suspensions. There were a few injuries around, um, and we had to do some business. So can you take us through what McKenna did back then?
00:10:08
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Very much so. I mean, an injury really that seems to be the cause of the concern this year as well is George Hurst being out, which he picked up and boxed there against Leicester in that season as well, which caused us to bring in an experienced level-headed player in from of Keith Moore on loan from Bournemouth. As well as him, we had Jeremy Sarmiento, which I mean, you hear that name, you know exactly what he did in his brief time at the club. Ali Alhamdi, who's still with us, we brought him from Wimbledon for 1.17 million. Again, the championship slightly more.
00:10:35
Tom Crack - Ipswich
higher fees for the players in the championship but how well he was performing at Lee to Wimbledon it was very very good business for us there and Lewis Travis alone from Blackburn who has since gone back to Blackburn and is putting in a good shift there four players again three of them loans ah so of similar to the year before with the the amount of players that came in again I mean I'm i'm not gonna maybe Travis kind of came off the bench a bit more than the other three Alhamdul is kind of the same as well but He's kind of sung the praises of, you know, your broad heads and your hearths for the previous one and Longo was great as well.
00:11:04
Tom Crack - Ipswich
But in this one, I think the two that stand out here, Sarmiento and Kiefer Moore, not just because of the integral goals they scored.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:11:11
Tom Crack - Ipswich
I think Kiefer Moore, when he came in, you know, it's a fairly big name in the context of the championship, and you know, he's around Bournemouth and stuff and it was. you know, it's a name that comes into the league, you know, okay, and I kind of know who this player is and where he is in his career. So what are we really going to get from him considering what we need and what we hope can happen come May. And it was just sensational, I think, not just from his um quality on the pitch, but the maturity he brought, he's already had a promotion to the Premier League as well with Bournemouth, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong.
00:11:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:11:46
Tom Crack - Ipswich
So he's, he had that experience, which, you know, sometimes that can't be anything and really can't contribute to anything at all. But I think in this, scenario it really, really did. Cause you saw how level head he was in the latter stage of the season, that goal at Coventry, which we've both said was maybe our biggest game of 2024.
00:12:01
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And then obviously Jeremy saw me and so with arguably the biggest moment of 2024, which I think is what we gave in our award show, if you listen to in December for that fantastic winner against Southampton and one of our promotion rivals. And you know, that is quintessentially what January, the January trans window is all about bringing in players who can impact the the games in really important moments. And two players who came in in that window.
00:12:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
arguably scored our two biggest goals of what was our promotion season last year. So it really was another fantastic bit of business by Mckinnon back himself in another January. So it's strange because you know we talk about January transfer windows a lot of the time and they're kind of seeing the stock gaps and you know it's not as glamorous as the summer because the fees aren't as great and the players aren't necessarily as Again, there's glamorous who come into the team, but they can be there to make an impact. And usually they're quite hungry because they're supposed to get kind of carted off in January on having first team football, like Ben Godfrey's come to us case in point. And these two guys were very, very hungry to prove themselves and they did it tenfold. Yeah. Great business again, in last season's January transfer window.
Strategic Importance of January Transfers
00:13:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and you make a good point like about the the January window specifically, I think when it first got introduced, a lot of clubs were using it like across the league, really, because like I think they felt the kind of like need to write, it was just like, Oh, God, we're supposed to spend some money, we better do something. But then you started to see a gradual kind of decline, particularly at the top club spending. I mean, you always have outliers with that Chelsea spent a million pounds or whatever, over a couple of windows, including January, a couple of years ago, where they were just going nuts.
00:13:27
Tom Crack - Ipswich
and
00:13:31
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Well, they had a was it 50 mil Fernando Torres like 12 years ago, wasn't it?
00:13:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there's been a few...
00:13:36
Tom Crack - Ipswich
So I think it's kind of constant for them, isn't it?
00:13:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:13:39
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And there has been big ones, yeah, like the Fanola Torres deal, Ozil, I remember going to Arsenal on the last day of a transfer window one time and all that kind of stuff.
00:13:44
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:13:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you get the odd one, but generally speaking, it's the clubs at the bottom that tend to use it because they they have the need, I suppose, to try and change things up and and you know bring something in. and But I'm actually surprised that the bigger clubs don't, because i think I think it's so useful. And I think the smartly run clubs, I think factor it in. And I think what you've seen from Ipswich over the last couple of years is that yeah that they have kind of factored it in. Because like, if we go back to last summer, you know, we'd already bought in 12 players, and we saw how long that kind of took to integrate some of those players. And actually, some of them haven't really produced on the pitch. You could you could argue
00:14:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Quite a number of them haven't necessarily produced too much on the pitch, really. and And obviously some of them have to an amazing extent. So it's difficult to bring in that many players. And I think if you do it all at once, it can, it can be really, really challenging. I remember Forrest doing it a couple of years ago. I mean, obviously now they've kind of come out the other end and they're flying in the league, but at the time it was like, you know, what on earth are you doing? You're bringing in all these players. And it did take them a long time to kind of.
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
work out which ones were actually effective or not. And obviously they did have a points deduction ah ah you know a year or so after that as well. So Ipswich, you've got to be really careful. But i kind of I think because we've had two very successful Januaries in a row, that I'm very confident that we'll probably do it again because I think that they were kind of prepping for it last summer. Is that is that kind of how you see it?
00:15:13
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, absolutely. I think, you know, or by your prediction, we had in the summer for fresh but us being 10th, I think the season's kind of gone as we expected. Sorry to throw under the bus there.
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you very much. well Kids still happen.
00:15:25
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Could still happen.
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're not far away. We're not far away.
00:15:26
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, yeah. But i yeah, I think, yeah, coming into this season, we knew yeah it's it's it's a possibility of it being a one and done, which we really, really hope it isn't. And recent performances have have shown that it may not be, which is great.
00:15:38
Tom Crack - Ipswich
But I think, you know, you've got to, yeah as you said, the clubs lo at lower on the table, January is really, really integral to get right. ah We don't know what Ben Godfrey is going to be like yet, but it's a sort of player we expect to come in and it's like, it's great as fans to see like,
00:15:52
Tom Crack - Ipswich
positions you know as a fan that need being ticked off are getting ticked off almost straight away. And it shows that they they're there have their ear on the edge the ground as well. um So it's really, really good to see. And i yeah, I think January, like you said, it's a window which sometimes doesn't get much attention, but I think we give it as much attention as it deserves. And it's it's such a such an important part of the season. Like we were saying recently how I think it was but but saying this is kind of going a slight tangent here, but Burns and Johnson over the weekend and having that sort of competition now on the right wing back side of things. And it's going to be heightened now of Godfrey coming in. We saw with the lap when he was firing, Hurst was not breathing down his neck, but you know, there's a decent player on the bench there when he was predominantly scoring a lot of goals. And when Hurst went out, not that it's two things kind of go together, but he didn't score as many and, you know,
00:16:40
Tom Crack - Ipswich
All coming January now, someone coming in, hopefully it's going to improve everyone in the squad. It's just, it's, it's, it's like a morale booster, but also like a morale sort of nudger, if that makes sense. Like to, Hey, look, this is why people are coming into, we think areas need improving or just bolstering. So it's, it's can be really integral. And I think it's going to be another key one this year as it has been the past couple.
Quick vs. Quality Signings Debate
00:17:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Very, very important indeed. All right, let's take another quick break. And when we come back, we will discuss what we might be expecting to be happening over the next few weeks.
00:17:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're back and the final part of today's daily Ipswich show. If you do want to find us online, we're at GSPN Ipswich on all of your socials. And you can look at the rest of the network around there at GSPN Network. um So, Tom, we've got, what are we? We're the 7th of January. We've done one bit of business already.
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
If we actually go back and look back to to last year, I think actually, I think in the in the first year that we were talking about in 2023, we did a lot of that business very, very early on. We bought in Clark, I think Clark Hurst and Broadhead all came in in the first 10 days of January. So you had that. And I kind of always find that a bit surprising with clubs. I know it's probably difficult because clubs are trying to you know get as much money as they can for their players and you know selling clubs, it is difficult to persuade them to do business or whatever. But it does seem to me that clubs do wait until the end of the month, quite quite a lot of the time. And for me, January is about getting it done as soon as possible, if if you possibly can, because you're you're really looking to get the impact from those players kind of straight away. That's kind of what it's all about really.
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
and So I remember that one being really, really good last year, Al Hamadi and more actually came in right at the end.
00:18:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think there was a sense of, you know, frustration with the fans at the time, because obviously we were football fans and we were getting used to winning and we were frustrated that we weren't buying more players and all the rest of it. So, you know, that, that one took a little bit more time and then obviously paid off in the end.
00:18:59
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hm.
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, are you hoping for us to do quick business or are you, are you more interested in us doing good business rather than just hurrying it along?
00:19:22
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Blend of the two would be perfect, wouldn't it? But I think quick, to be honest, I think it it in January, it's like, if you're if you're a team that needs players coming in, you want to get it done almost as quick as possible. Because like you said, you know, strength and depth and if injuries are starting to mount up, it's great to get those areas bolstered, especially like the Bristol game coming up. It's a great chance to see players.
00:19:41
Tom Crack - Ipswich
like for the first time against quote-unquote weaker opposition. But for teams who may have players potentially leaving, like obviously I know he signed a contract recently, but the likes of Mateusz Konya, someone like that who is rumoured to leave, I know he signed a contract, but players like that. Clubs are very scarce to let them go early in the window, because say the player they're planning to have that person replace that person,
00:20:04
Tom Crack - Ipswich
gets injured, they haven't got anyone to replace them for themselves. And it's mid-season. It's not like in the summer where you can kind of strategize, oh, we've lost him, let's let's replace him with someone else. So there is that sort of jeopardy with getting rid of someone early. But yeah, no, you definitely want to bring someone in early because I think it shows that it's it's it's it's not a desperate move. Not, you know, as you said, Al Hamady and Moore were brought in late and we needed a striker, so it wasn't maybe seen as desperate, but you know.
00:20:28
Tom Crack - Ipswich
they haven't been brought in at the early stage of the window, so it could be seen as a panic by to an extent, maybe not the players we intended to get originally.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm.
00:20:35
Tom Crack - Ipswich
So I think, yeah, the message when a person but a player comes in early in the window is is more of the fact that it seems like this is the guy we wanted from the start. Whoever comes in, regardless of his later early, I think they'll hopefully do a good job because we're in we're in the Premier League and it's a great chance to prove yourself whether there's some players who could slightly out of favour, then they can go on somewhere like you could look Ross Barkley last year at Lewton.
00:20:55
Tom Crack - Ipswich
didn't work out for them as a club, but he had a fantastic season. Now he's playing very well at Aston Villa scoring goal recently. So it can be a chance for players to kind of get their name back in a spotlight and maybe if they don't stick around, but do us a favor and then, then leave. So come in, come in early, get to another club at a really important stage and a great time to be able to just, well, regardless if if the season goes well or not, it's a great, great club to be at. You saw Godfrey saying how the reason he signed, which most most players say is because of speaking to the manager and the,
00:21:20
Tom Crack - Ipswich
sort of mission statement he has but i think yeah to go back to your point i think i'd like to get our business done early just because then everything's kind of set it down we're not doing any panic buying with the rest of the clubs come the latter stages of the month yeah
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it feels like this is the week, doesn't it really? We've got, you know, we've got another eight or nine days until the next league game. So it feels like this is the actual chance to kind of like really put the foot down if if we possibly can. But yeah, there's lots of distractions. That's why it's always like more clogged up in January, I suppose. And obviously the games are going on. So there's, there's that thing to actually sort out as well.
Impactful January Signings
00:21:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, if you were to give a kind of like best signing in January, over the last couple of years, who who would be your kind of like most impactful player?
00:22:02
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, I think and not just to echo your brilliant put words on the show over Sweet Richard, but I would say Nathan Broadhead, I think.
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes!
00:22:10
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, I just like it's not just because of how crazy in the past couple of weeks, of course, but the quality of player, I think if you assess all, let's say seven or eight who've either stuck around or made an impact to the team in those two windows. Just and obviously you didn't have big moments like more insomnia. And so I did it and on a one off, but consistently he's just been there from since mechanics, we've kind of been where we want to be. He's been there from day one. I've been so integral and just looks like a part of the furniture. And, you know, I was looking back at the past two years of transfers.
00:22:40
Tom Crack - Ipswich
seeing he arrived only two years ago, that's the one that stuck out to me. Like, really? It's only been two years, because I feel like he's just been so, like, part of the furniture almost. And so for me, I think being Nathan Broadhead, because there's you feel like there's a lot more to come from. he He's 26 years old now, so he's in his prime or slightly approach, because if you want to look at it, and he's played international football as well, I think he's come on leaps and bounds, and we're getting him at the best time in his career. And hopefully that continued for this season and the coming ones. But for me, yeah, Nathan Broadhead, everyone else has been fantastic, and they've done their jobs of what we want them to do. but We've got a lot out of him and I think there's more to get out of him.
00:23:14
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Whereas a few others, I think we've got the most out of them or we had the latter stages of them. But Broadhead's the most exciting one for me still.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I would agree. It is broad head. I mean, I think Hearst would potentially give him a bit of a run for his money if he if he can manage to to find some fitness.
00:23:27
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:23:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, that's that is a big if, unfortunately, at the moment. um And then you've got, you know, Samiento obviously had some incredible moments. So the key for more and mass is just, you know, ah an all round good guy who played fantastically with more Z for, you know, a year and a half.
00:23:44
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm.
00:23:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And Al Hamadi, I think Rob and I will talk a little bit about what we think the squad will look like afterwards, maybe some people leaving as well. um He's potentially one that might make way if we need to find space in the squad for another striker. and I think there's been some really unfair criticism of him because I think the guy just hasn't played enough football in his career, let alone at this level. and So I think a low move would be very beneficial for him. And like when he came in, he did make an impact. There were games in the championship where he was a real handful later in the game um and he scored a few goals so I really hope he gets ah a move that can maybe get his confidence back up.
00:24:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So anything from you in terms of like what what we would expect in terms of numbers moving into this window? I know McKenna talked about it at the start of the window saying five that seems a lot and that does mean that people will have to leave. Do you see as many as five coming in?
00:24:40
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Well, just looking at it prior to ah starting today, i and yeah it's just pure coincidence considering the the number four for the last few transfer windows in January. But I put four players as well coming through. I don't think it's a good idea to bloke the squad in mid-season when relationships and friendships there and positions are kind of slightly solidified and throwing too many like wrenches in the work, so to speak, it can be a bit of a distraction. So I put four players to come in. We've seen one of Godfrey ready and we've obviously, I think everyone listening to this and us included, we know and everyone in the club, we know for a fact we need a striker again with first unfortunate injury.
00:25:15
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And then we've linked with, you know, I'm sure you Rob will discuss it in greater length, but we've linked through like, linked to like Nemanja Matic, who, you know, 10 years ago was one of the best players in the Premier League, but not sure what, not sure what the case is now, but you know, that, that's an area of the pitch, I guess.
00:25:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not sure what the case is now either, but yeah.
00:25:30
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah. um But, you know, the air in which he plays on the pitch, when you have like Phillips Q stay in Morsy as well, but it seems like an area of the club are still keen to bolster.
00:25:41
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And then just maybe a bit more help in, oh, maybe a right right wing as well.
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:45
Tom Crack - Ipswich
We've talked about that and information changes, maybe slightly altered our plans and perception of how that position needs to be played and how important it is, but that young lad from Liverpool, Doak seems to be floating around name wise and obviously a few others as well. So those four areas for me in particular, anything else is a bonus, but again, I don't want to over bloat the squad. Some, as you say, if that was happened, some players would need to leave either on loan or permanently, but those four areas for me are the integral
Centre-Back Situation and Player Contracts
00:26:11
Tom Crack - Ipswich
ones. Are you kind of in the same boat number wise, position wise?
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think, I think number wise for sure. Um, I want one, one's obviously come in and I think three more. Um, and I think I'm exactly the same as you. I think, ah I think at the back, we've got nine defenders now. Um, I might be right. And I think two ends AB is not that far away from being back. I think at the end of the month they were talking about, he might be back.
00:26:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, you've got Clarke, Jones, AB, b Godfrey now, O'Shea, Burgess, Wolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Johnson and Townsend. So I think the left is kind of sorted. They're comfortable with Connor Townsend as backup and he'll play in the FA Cup.
00:26:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ben Johnson's been great.
00:26:47
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Well, yeah.
00:26:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ben Johnson's been really good, I think in the last few weeks. So I think he's, we're we're all kind of comfortable with him. Wolfenden's an interesting one. what what What are your opinions on that? Cause he's only got a few months left on his contract.
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, there hasn't been any talk about offering him one. Again, the club tend to keep that kind of thing quite close to their chest anyway. But what's your expectation with Wolfenden? Because, you know, I think a couple of months ago, we would have all have thought, well, that's it. he's He may not play again much this season at all and he may go in January, but he's obviously started the last few games and has looked, you know, okay.
00:27:24
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah. Well, very much so. Yeah. Football as is this podcast is very reactionary business and Wolfenden. Yeah. His yeah fantastic film to get his debut in the first game of season, but after that I did kind of seem like his name was on the exit list, so to speak. But with that formation change recently, I wouldn't say him specifically is integral to stay on the team, but we need at least three center backs fully fit each week by the looks of things. So offloading one of them.
00:27:49
Tom Crack - Ipswich
obviously with Burgess coming into one of those positions I'm more than confident he can do well there but offloading any centre back I think this window would be quite a dangerous move. I do see, I don't necessarily see him signing a new deal if we do stay up though. I think maybe going down to a championship or a new promoted side would be a great fit for him because he's obviously proven he can cut it in a championship and you know for where we are in the league he's proving his worth in the current system he's in but i can't see him sticking around if we do stay up unfortunately fantastic servants for club but yeah so but yeah i think like i said we're playing three center backs right now it seems a bit of a dangerous move to float of getting rid of someone who knows the system and the club really well are you in the same ballpark for that yeah
00:28:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I think so. i think I think his situation kind of falls into the PSR stuff because Ipswich haven't sold anyone for a long time, like really. and And obviously we spent an awful amount of money last summer and we're probably going to be spending a fair bit in this window as well. So ultimately the books are going to have to be balanced and it's kind of like where do you find that It's a disgusting phrase, but ah player trading kind of like value, you know, which I know Mark Ashton has talked about and he's very hot on, but obviously because we went through the leagues really quickly, we didn't really have a chance to kind of do that because our players ultimately last year probably weren't worth that much, right? Um, on the face of it. So, you know, we did, we did
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah very much kind of buy young last summer for the most part and you know with a lot of potential a lot of English or British players generally speaking and so I suppose they do have sell on value but obviously the people that we're talking about are probably players that we don't really want to see leave anytime soon you know Hutchinson, Dilap etc so you kind of think well where else in the squad is their value and I guess letting Wolfenden 25-year-old defender go for free in the summer doesn't feel great ah because you know that in theory again he should be coming into the prime of his career and if he's not Premier League I think he's definitely championship standard for sure. um So yeah whether you can persuade him to sign a short-term contract if you're not guaranteeing him first-team football I'm not so sure and but the fact that he's in the team now a bit like Burgess maybe
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
they're more
Balancing Player Value and Future Strategies
00:30:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
encouraged to stick around to try and fight for a place if the doors open for them.
00:30:03
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Hmm. Hmm.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it'll be interesting to see what they do. Same with the like Clark really, isn't it? you know How do you get value out of Harry Clark? Is he is he actually worth anything to to let him go now? and Because I think if if there were suitors for him, I would imagine the club would be interested.
00:30:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do do you see it similarly?
00:30:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah, yeah, I do. I think with him as well, he's got a lot more years on his side as well. It's just, it's an awkward position. I think with any player really of like, you know, the Wolfenden Clark sort of quality of player, because, you know, heaven forbid we do go down, there's probably some top players in our team who are, who aren't going to be there next year. They'll probably still be in the Premier League or gone somewhere else. So we obviously need some players to stick around. And, you know, I think those two, for example, are, you know, they proved it last year, they're, they're, they're trying to ready to,
00:30:50
Tom Crack - Ipswich
help us maybe get straight back up again so it's like do you get rid of them and then struggle to find someone or do you hope they stick around if like I said we do go back it's an awkward position to be in I kind of see what you mean as well from if If you, if they don't sign your contract this year, if we maybe do, we do over the summer, but then again, they could be gone for free.
00:31:10
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And it seems like the age they are, that's the complete waste really, because that's the sort of age in which you can get a decent amount of money. And especially the fact that they would have both played a pre season in Premier League, regardless of how much quality there was and how much they contributed the upside value of more.
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
So you kind of do need to try it while the iron sort, so to speak. But, and I think with John, but sorry, with, um, with Clark as well, the fact that, you know, Godfrey is coming now and can play a slight on the right. Johnson's proved his worth in recent weeks and to Anzobi, it's an area of the pitch, you know apart from yeah having the number two on the back of his shirt which is stereotypically like the starting right back's number, he's nowhere near it really is he unfortunately. So is it is a low move the the case or does does he go, I think maybe out of all the players?
00:31:48
Tom Crack - Ipswich
if one was to go permanently this window. it does It does seem harsh because, you know, we've kind of built up this romanticised relationship with a lot of players in recent years. I call them legends for being here less than two years, several years for some of them.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:58
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And he's one of those. But, you know, when something this special, this happens, you kind of do over exaggerate how grand that player is as well as their quality.
00:32:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:32:07
Tom Crack - Ipswich
And I think maybe his name would be the first to go out, unfortunately, if if it was to come to it.
00:32:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think so. I think so. And I think, look you know, we we are going to see maybe a a couple of tweaks around the edges of the, you know, of the, of the squad that kind of like got us there again, this window, but the the real,
00:32:23
Tom Crack - Ipswich
and
00:32:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
The real severing of the ties might happen in the summer potentially, and but we're not here to talk about that. All right, Tom, we will leave it there. You're going to give us and a list of potential names that you think might come in and and Rob and I can read that out tomorrow.
00:32:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I imagine Rob, who I see as some kind of like football oracle who's going around looking at a scouting reports of everybody will be able to pull some names out for us other than the people that have already been out there in the press.
00:32:36
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yeah.
00:32:40
Tom Crack - Ipswich
Yes. and
00:32:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in part two tomorrow, we will go through some of the names that we think may be coming through the door. Again, we'll be going through the positions that we expect um are going to be the priorities for the club.
00:32:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll discuss any other transfer businesses coming in with Rob. But thank you, Tom, for your insight today. And thank you, everybody, for listening.
00:33:04
Tom Crack - Ipswich
is rich.
00:33:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we will see you tomorrow.