When, if he dares, George Burley reflects on the wreckage of Ipswich's season,
he will not need many pointers as to where it all went wrong.
The demise of the team that had quickly become the nation's favourite 'other'
during their astonishing first season back in the Premiership was as swift as
its rise.
So much so, that that fifth-placed finish 12 months ago - they only lost out
on a Champions League place on the final day of the season - seemed a distant
memory in midwinter.
Now, the recollection of those dark, fruitless days, some 123 in all, will be
the most painful.
Ultimately it was that hollow spell without league victory which ushered in
relegation.
And Ipswich have become the first English top-flight club to drop in the same
season as a continental campaign since Newcastle performed the ignominious feat
24 years ago.
Reflecting on quite how quickly the Suffolk club fell from grace provides
plenty of pangs.
After all, Burley's team had seemingly repaired the damage with a mid-season
revival, doing their best to alter the cold statistic that no side bottom of the
Premier League on Christmas Day had survived; appearing to have melted it away
in approaching spring in much ruder health.
As high as 12th place, in fact, thanks to an incredible turnaround begun in
the festive period.
With just one August win from 17 league attempts, the December 22 success at
Tottenham pre-empted a run of seven wins in eight matches.
Dismissed from the UEFA Cup by Inter Milan in November, Town now only had
domesticity to occupy their thoughts.
The official party line, of course, had always been that the club's first
European escapade for two decades was not a factor in their league stutterings.
But by the time their second lengthy slump set in, following the 6-0 home
defeat to Liverpool, individuals began to rue the effect the early season
distraction had taken.
Even then, most around Portman Road believed safety was well within reach -
captain Matt Holland had stated publicly that three wins from the final 13
matches would be enough.
His prophecy was proved to be of the utmost accuracy. Three wins would have
been. Just one arrived, however.
Subsequently, a year of the most dramatic swings of fortune, finished with the
pendulum directing Ipswich from whence they came. The Nationwide League.
Burley is the first to admit that last season's fifth-placed finish and his
own manager of the year award were steps taken in too great a haste when one or
two shuffles forward would have sufficed.
But once claimed, the prize of playing on the highest stage was gratefully
embraced.
Therein, though, perhaps lies their biggest downfall as Portman Road finances
allowed Burley to sign one-time Champions League winner Finidi George and spend
a club record £4.8million on a goalkeeper, Italy Under-21 international Matteo
Sereni.
Bought to compete on the European stage, they were not the players to embody a
struggle against relegation.
Nigerian winger George was nothing short of sensational on his home debut, the
3-1 win over Derby, scoring twice when no-one aside from the equally impressive
goalkeeper Mart Poom could have begrudged him five goals.
Nevertheless, it proved the most false of dawns for the former Ajax star who
had been persuaded to switch to England despite the promise of European Cup
football in staying with Real Mallorca.
A fractured cheekbone curtailed his autumn and when he did recapture his form,
returning to inspire the seven swift victories, he immediately departed for the
African Nations Cup.
His own fractious season was parallel to that of his new team as Ipswich
struggled with their transition.
Dealing with the loss of local lads Richard Wright, to Arsenal, and James
Scowcroft, to Leicester, whilst incorporating the foreign bodies of George,
Sereni, Sixto Peralta and Pablo Counago was problematic.
And the man most responsible for getting the Blues to the higher echelons of
English football, the free-scoring Marcus Stewart found his goal flow had dried
up.
Having finished as the Premiership's top English marksman and second overall
with 19 goals at his first attempt, his six this time represents a shallow
return.
Like his team-mates, Stewart has not been dealt the best of luck admittedly.
A training ground accident resulted in a two-month lay-off with a broken jaw.
And a combination of individual mistakes, some late goals and the woodwork have
crucially cost points.
But over 38 matches, Ipswich have been third worst in the top-flight when a
year since they were close to third best.
How ironic their fate was sealed at Anfield, home of the club that pipped them
for that third and final Champions League place back then.
In missing out on that prospect, the club were denied a considerable bounty.
But nothing in comparison to the multi-million pound deficit chairman David
Sheepshanks knows their latest failing has created.
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