You were very unlucky but don’t be too downbeat (14 Viewers)

[Skyblueabo1111]

I get that and in the long term this season should take us up a level but it’s a painful process. We had a team we loved - players we’d seen grow and develop, bond and achieve something really special. Most of them have now left or are way down the pecking order, replaced by talented footballers with no affinity to the club who will be leaving as soon as a promoted premier league club comes knocking in the summer. Most of the money will have gone on inflated salaries, agent fees and transfers. Our ground has a big upgrade that was long overdue but yours doesn’t need it.

Lampard has done an incredible job but you are so far off the level you need to be at (I don’t mean that to sound offensive) that I honestly think you’d struggle to get into double digit points next season even if the owners, like ours did, spent £100m in the summer.

Brilliant posts. Good luck for next season

 

---

[Super Frank]

Im ready to start the season now.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

Honestly think it’s becoming a real problem for the premier league that fans specifically are finding it less appealing due to VAR and dominance of the elite clubs. When the European super league came about I was affronted. Now looking back I actually think it would be best if those top teams did leave, so we can have a cheaper, probably poor quality, but no less entertaining EPL and premier league.

I think the problem with the Super League idea was that they had no intention of clearing off. I may be wrong, but my understanding was they would play Super League but retain a team in their domestic leagues as well. Probably two different teams for the same club most of the time but with the money they would make from both competitions that would have been no problem.

I would have been happy to see them depart with the proviso that if they ever wanted to return to the English Leagues they would have to start at the very bottom. Seeing Chelsea et al in the Isthmian League division two or equivalent would have been fun, particularly having to rely on home gates for the bulk of their money.

The only bad thing with this scenario is that it would probably be more fun watching them play non-league than sterile dead rubbers in the Super League. Too much fun for entitled fans.

 

[Covkid1968#]

Hi,

Ipswich fan here. I watched both games, you were definitely the better side in both and yet again, just like the FA cup semi-final last year, didn’t get the rub of the green. Rotten way to lose a play off (much easier if you’re Bristol City and are just outplayed across two games) and on top of the way you lost the first leg it must be a really bitter pill to swallow.

This may be too soon, it may be too raw and let’s face it it’s none of my business but don’t be too downhearted. After 20 years away, it was like a dream watching my team go up last season, complete back to back promotions and see us finally return to the league we were in throughout my childhood. I know many of you in your 40s and older will have the same feeling about Cov. Your kids have never seen you in the top division and it would mean the world for them to.

For what it’s worth, I think you’ll be happier next season watching a good team in a competitive league than if you’d won last night and then won at Wembley. We went up on the crest of a wave, almost unbeatable for two seasons and with a man who I still believe despite relegation is the best young manager in the UK. The new signings in the summer were fantastic. Players were joining us who a year before would have been so far out of reach it would be laughable to even consider it (Kalvin Phillips, Jack Clarke, Sammie Szmodics and a host of others). The kits and season tickets with the with the Premier League logo, fixture list coming out and seeing we start the season at home to Liverpool etc etc. and then reality bites.

The Premier League isn’t all it’s cracked up to be for clubs like ours. It’s for the elite and those artificially bankrolled by billionaires who use it as a play thing. I can’t wait to be back in the EFL next season!

I honestly thought we’d be able to compete. I knew it would be a struggle but thought we’d have a fighting chance of survival. After a handful of matches though it dawns on you just how big the gulf is now. It’s not like when we (and you) were there before. Squads of the established clubs are so strong that they can loan you a player that can’t get in their squad that becomes one of your best players (Enciso from Brighton is going to be one hell of a player). On top of that the decisions all go the way of the bigger, established clubs, VAR is horrendous and the atmosphere when you go to the likes of Spurs, Man U, Arsenal and Chelsea isn’t a patch on what it is at the bigger championship clubs. The half and half scarves ar every game, tourists and day trippers, silly flares and pyros before every game, patronising media and so on make it all far less enjoyable than you expect it to be.

Anyway, a long rambling message from an outsider on a day when you’re feeling hurt probably isn’t what you want but keep the faith, look forward, get behind your team and see you next season when from what I’ve seen you’ll be up there again .

Probably the best post from a non Cov fan and pretty sums it up. It’s just too big a gap… Im very happy achieving high end Championship outcomes each year.

 

[StrettoBoy]

I partially get your point. I think long term he will have managerial ambitions beyond us, but given his CV to this point he has to get this right with us. If he’d have failed he would have had probably had to go to L1/L2 to build from there.

So I think he is committed to us because it’s in his long term interest too. Getting us to the PL is going to restore his reputation.

I think he is committed to his job with us and wants to do his best, no more and no less. I doubt if he feels the sort of “dyed in the wool” passionate commitment that we fans feel, nor would I expect him to.

If he gets a more tempting offer from elsewhere then I expect him to be tempted and leave. That’s not a criticism, it’s just the way of the world.

So far he has done a great job and is setting us on a path to greater success. Let’s just enjoy it while he’s here.

 

[trevorsathispeake]

Supported Cov since 1978 when we were in the top league - controversial I know but I actually prefer us being a top championship team knocking on the door each season, i don’t miss those dire seasons of the 90s when we lost loads of games in the prem and with the exception of 1987-90 even the division one days were pretty depressing, still believe it’s one of the reasons our crowds were quite poor as people were fed up of watching us lose most weeks. The atmosphere was nothing like what I have experienced in the last 2-3 years.

 

[Gint11]

I get that it’s more enjoyable but the aim has to be the premier league. It’s the top division. Has to be the aim.

 

[thekidfromstrettoncamp]

I get that it’s more enjoyable but the aim has to be the premier league. It’s the top division. Has to be the aim.

Fully agree the aim has always got to be play against the best .

 

[StrettoBoy]

I get that it’s more enjoyable but the aim has to be the premier league. It’s the top division. Has to be the aim.

I totally agree but, having said that, I do think the Championship is an enjoyable competition. The standard is much higher than Leagues 1 and 2 and it is far more competitive than the Premier League.

I just want to enjoy what we are doing at the moment until the time hopefully comes when we make it to the Promised Land.

 

[suffolkblue]

Supported Cov since 1978 when we were in the top league - controversial I know but I actually prefer us being a top championship team knocking on the door each season, i don’t miss those dire seasons of the 90s when we lost loads of games in the prem and with the exception of 1987-90 even the division one days were pretty depressing, still believe it’s one of the reasons our crowds were quite poor as people were fed up of watching us lose most weeks. The atmosphere was nothing like what I have experienced in the last 2-3 years.

The biggest and best change since McKenna took over and new owners came in has been the improved crowds (sell out every week, been the same for 2 and a half years and will be next season) and the massive improvement in the atmosphere. The club had been in decline for 20 years, we’d lost a generation of fans ( we were a “second” team to a lot of the local young people) and the atmosphere inside Portman Road was flat 95% of the time. The transformation came about long before promotion to the premier league, it came even before our promotion from league one. It was entertaining football and a sense that things were finally going in the right direction that kicked it off. I see a lot of similarities with what’s happening at Cov.

 

[Macca]

Far from disappointed. Looking forward to starting a new season in the Championship where we belong....for now

 

[Ashdown]

This Ipswich chap speaks absolute sense. The reality is far more bleak than the dream. Leicester fans I know are looking forward to actually being able to compete and enjoy the nature of the Championship and it’s unpredictability. Even Southampton must surely findthemselves in a situation where they’re not a laughing stock although I don’t expect them to be top 6 .
It is true to say that the money for one season, if thats all it was would soon be burned off ,ticket prices could be prohibitive for proper fans and the atmosphere would be garbage due to the probable likelihood of too many reverses.
Don’t even start on VAR, I haven’t got over that debacle at Wembley yet, the cheating bastards !

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

This Ipswich chap speaks absolute sense. The reality is far more bleak than the dream. Leicester fans I know are looking forward to actually being able to compete and enjoy the nature of the Championship and it’s unpredictability. Even Southampton must surely findthemselves in a situation where they’re not a laughing stock although I don’t expect them to be top 6 .
It is true to say that the money for one season, if thats all it was would soon be burned off ,ticket prices could be prohibitive for proper fans and the atmosphere would be garbage due to the probable likelihood of too many reverses.
Don’t even start on VAR, I haven’t got over that debacle at Wembley yet, the cheating bastards !

It's not all bad, for those who haven't seen Roy Keane play, take a look at this tackle.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

In

It's not all bad, for those who haven't seen Roy Keane play, take a look at this tackle.

I prefer the journey rather than the destination

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

In

I prefer the journey rather than the destination

Are you enjoying your destination.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

I

Are you enjoying your destination.

Started following the Sky Blues in 1967, after a while especially the late 80 and 90s it was boring watching us struggle for survival thinkin we'd probably win about 10-12 league games a season. For the younger fans it's obviously different as most won't have seen us in the top flight

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

I

Started following the Sky Blues in 1967, after a while especially the late 80 and 90s it was boring watching us struggle for survival thinkin we'd probably win about 10-12 league games a season. For the younger fans it's obviously different as most won't have seen us in the top flight

Same here 1965 me, I know things were bad back then but we had some good moments.

But f****** off to Bangkok.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

Same here 1965 me, I know things were bad back then but we had some good moments.

But f****** off to Bangkok.

After giving it some thought with the state of this country right now, you made the right move.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

Same here 1965 me, I know things were bad back then but we had some good moments.

But f****** off to Bangkok.

Yes we did have some great moments ,apart from the FA Cup final , one of favourites moments was that 3-2 win against Manure , when we were 1-2 down with a minute or so to go, what a goal by Huckerby. Flew to Havana 2 days later and bumped into a Manure fan who didn't know the result. Bangkok has been home for 6 years , but can watch all the Sky Blues games on my streaming service . My season ticket for Port FC of Bangkok is £50 quid a season , pint is around £1.75 and you can take it into the ground.

 

[COVKIDSNEVERQUIT]

After giving it some thought with the state of this country right now, you made the right move.

Yes we did have some great moments ,apart from the FA Cup final , one of favourites moments was that 3-2 win against Manure , when we were 1-2 down with a minute or so to go, what a goal by Huckerby. Flew to Havana 2 days later and bumped into a Manure fan who didn't know the result. Bangkok has been home for 6 years , but can watch all the Sky Blues games on my streaming service . My season ticket for Port FC of Bangkok is £50 quid a season , pint is around £1.75 and you can take it into the ground.

 

[Ashdown]

My Uncle cleared off to Thailand about 15 years ago. Not heard from him since, must be about 80 now but always kept himself very fit. Was funding it with letting an industrial unit on the Bayton Rd .

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The biggest and best change since McKenna took over and new owners came in has been the improved crowds (sell out every week, been the same for 2 and a half years and will be next season) and the massive improvement in the atmosphere. The club had been in decline for 20 years, we’d lost a generation of fans ( we were a “second” team to a lot of the local young people) and the atmosphere inside Portman Road was flat 95% of the time. The transformation came about long before promotion to the premier league, it came even before our promotion from league one. It was entertaining football and a sense that things were finally going in the right direction that kicked it off. I see a lot of similarities with what’s happening at Cov.

How much of a difference has Ed Sheeran’s sponsorship made?

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

My Uncle cleared off to Thailand about 15 years ago. Not heard from him since, must be about 80 now but always kept himself very fit. Was funding it with letting an industrial unit on the Bayton Rd .

Luckily my pensions plus rental income is funding me . It's certainly a relatively cheaper place to live than the UK.

 

[blunted]

Come on, if you think Haji Wright and Ellis Simms have the same cult status as Liam Kelly and Marty Godden I’m not sure what to say. The “L2 to PL” dream died with Robins this is a new thing now and the likes of Wright and Simms couldn’t care less about the club, Lampard either really, we’re at that level where we’re a stepping stone now.

Can't agree with that. Every club is a stepping stone and we always were.
I would say that Frank's choice of tactics does not favour Wright or Simms and they may leave as a result.
It is well documented that we have a brilliant dressing room camaraderie.
Any player or manager will go higher given the chance. Hence Vic, Gus and Callum leaving. Liam and Matty would have been no different. Doesn't mean they don't love the club or their old mates.

 

[blunted]

Can we just get rid of this "unlucky" tag for coventry please?

Throughout footballing history defensive styles have won over other styles, notably Herrera in the 60's who won 2 x European Cups and 3 x Italian titles; euro 2004 - Greece who won the euros and of course Mourinho with Porto.

It is a legitimate way to play and I'm sorry but if the opposition cannot break that defence down and concede on the counter then they have been done like a kipper.

Coventry had 75% possession both games and could only score 2 goals in total - Sunderland had 25% possession both games, scored 3 goals and won.

Tactically Lampard has been done good and proper by Le Bris; no doubt about it - and even when Sunderland basically told you how we were going to play in the second game - the first clearly caught coventry by surprise - you couldn't beat us.

Sunderland lined up - gave you the ball for 75% of the game, were happy to do so - and there was nothing Coventry could do about it. We did the same with Sheffield United at home earlier on in the season and beat them as well - they couldn't break it down.

We might as well try it at Wembley and see what happens.

All the non-Sunderland commentators said Coventry were the better side and deserved to win and yes we were unlucky.
You won the tie because we made two ridiculous errors in the first leg not the way you set up. Twice the ball bounced badly for Rudoni from a few yards out. Haji had a really poor game.
Several crucial things happened some games ago. We lost Dovin our first choice goalkeeper. When came into the team, we won virtually every game.
Torp, and Eccles sustained injuries leaving us unable to change games from the bench. We gambled on Eccles, he was brilliant but got injured again. Sheaf our best player for several seasons and Mason-Clark were not 100% after serious injuries and could not last the pace.
Wembley is a different ball game. Defensively you may hold out, but my money would be on Sheffield. Hamer was voted the Championship player of the season for a reason. You leave him to play through the lines, he will kill you.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

All the non-Sunderland commentators said Coventry were the better side and deserved to win and yes we were unlucky.
You won the tie because we made two ridiculous errors in the first leg not the way you set up. Twice the ball bounced badly for Rudoni from a few yards out. Haji had a really poor game.
Several crucial things happened some games ago. We lost Dovin our first choice goalkeeper. When came into the team, we won virtually every game.
Torp, and Eccles sustained injuries leaving us unable to change games from the bench. We gambled on Eccles, he was brilliant but got injured again. Sheaf our best player for several seasons and Mason-Clark were not 100% after serious injuries and could not last the pace.
Wembley is a different ball game. Defensively you may hold out, but my money would be on Sheffield. Hamer was voted the Championship player of the season for a reason. You leave him to play through the lines, he will kill you.

Equally if you want to go down that road the great Ajax side of the 70s and the AC Milan side with the Dutch guys were fabulous attacking sides for example who won things. Add on Barca with Messi , Xavi and co.

 

[blunted]

If we don't get a rich owner in the next few years. then there is a strong possibility we will fall away and not be challenging.
Prefer the Championship. Better atmosphere better games but money rules and TV money rules most.

 

[blunted]

Equally if you want to go down that road the great Ajax side of the 70s and the AC Milan side with the Dutch guys were fabulous attacking sides for example who won things. Add on Barca with Messi , Xavi and co.

Absolutely, a great attacking side will always be remembered better than a miserabilist defensive sides like Burnley. Effective but boring. Celtic winning the European Cup final was brilliant example.

 

[shmmeee]

Can't agree with that. Every club is a stepping stone and we always were.
I would say that Frank's choice of tactics does not favour Wright or Simms and they may leave as a result.
It is well documented that we have a brilliant dressing room camaraderie.
Any player or manager will go higher given the chance. Hence Vic, Gus and Callum leaving. Liam and Matty would have been no different. Doesn't mean they don't love the club or their old mates.

I think there’s a difference between a L1/2 club and the players and staff it attracts and an upper champ/PL team.

 

[Skyblueabo1111]

It's not all bad, for those who haven't seen Roy Keane play, take a look at this tackle.

When you say "play?"