Cheer Up George Burley... (Ipswich Town F.C.)

Member Name: JRW

Product:	Ipswich Town F.C.
Date:	17/08/00 (67 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nice football

Disadvantages: Where is the quality?

To be perfectly honest with you, I simply can't see there being any other alternative to Ipswich's season other than the dreaded relegation back to the Nationwide First Division.

To all you Norwich-hating Ipswich fans out there, then my words may seem grim and quite premature. However, I can at least claim to be fairly unbiased when talking about Ipswich's 2000/2001 prospects.

The downfall of Ipswich will undoubtedly be their failure to buy quality players and enhance the squad. The Premier League is now all about squads and not simply eleven men. Charlton learned that lesson two years ago when they relied almost entirely upon their promotion team - and where did that get them?

There is always the argument that if you're expected to get relegated then whey bother spending huge sums and putting your club's financial position in doubt. Though Graham Taylor was quite shrewd in this area last season, I would put Ipswich's expectations and reputation higher than Watford's.

However, you've just got to be in the Premier League. Charlton are buying, Man City are buying and even Bradford have a little, sometimes magical, Italian to help fend off relegation. And Ipswich only managed to get in through the playoffs. With no disrespect to their team or manager, Ipswich cannot expect to stay in the Premiership, even with the belated arrivals of John Scales - who's fitness records competes admirably with that of Darren Anderton - and Herman Hreidarsson (is that correct?) Ipswich will have to use every drop of spirit in them merely to attempt in staying up. However, as we have learnt in the past - and will do so again in the future - if you want to prosper in the Prem you have to have quality.

Cheer up George Burley...

Summary: