Ideas above our station?

After a summer transfer window where Town have repeatedly aimed high and been rebuffed by out of favour premiership (and in some cases, Championship) players, Emma wonders if Jim is finding out where the clubs true status in the game really lies.

You have to admire Jims attempts to push the club forward. Hes determined not to simply add to his squad, but to bring in players that will improve things. Now that he has money, that desire to improve has seen Jim try to reach as high as he can get.

Ipswich have attempted to bring in some players who, this time last year, we would have had zero chance of attracting to the club. Now, we are able to dangle some cash in front of them and see if that makes a difference. But, it seems Jim has hit something of a ceiling- the players we are targetting appear to be at the kind of level where money and the clubs ambition are not enough to persuade them to come and play for Ipswich, in the Championship.

Richard Wright aside, who obviously has personal reasons to want to come and play at Ipswich, the club have found Thomas Sorensen, Emile Mpenza, Angelos Charisteas, David Nugent and David Healy all quickly declare themselves uninterested in a move to Ipswich despite their clubs seemingly being happy to let them move. There seems an inevitability about the fact that Moritz Volz, currently thinking over a deal with his club also having agreed to sell, will turn us down in favour of looking for another Premiership team. Even Rudi Skacel was prepared to turn us down and wait for something better, despite being stuck at bankrupt Southampton playing in the reserves.

Its perhaps an indication of exactly how we are seen by the football world in general. Whilst those closest to it see us as a proud club, with fantastic traditions, a good supporter base and a history of playing good football, to the modern day players we are simply a Championship team who hope to try and win promotion like many others, who have a bit of money to allow us to compete with several others, but ultimately arent offering anything specifically attractive.

As long as he doesnt run out of time and we end up empty handed, I hope Jim continues with this approach. It only takes one or two such players to buy into the clubs philosophy and values, to take that chance, for the club to start to really build some momentum. Richard Wright is the first. Good players bring improved team performances, which bring improved results which, in turn, has the effect of drawing the attention of everyone else. Sooner or later, the standard of the entire football club will have been raised to the next level and Jim will have achieved what he is currently attempting.

Keep trying Jim.