Ipswich 4-1 Watford - Manager Reaction
Last updated : 22 March 2004 By Site Editor
Ipswich Town boss
Joe Royle was understandably pleased with his sides display reserving special praise for hat-trick hero Dean Bowditch: "People will put down our first goal to keeper error, but credit Dean for anticipating and being in the right place.
"We have tried to shelter Dean but now the secret is out. He has great natural talent but has had a growth spurt and sometimes looks a bit weak. We have never doubted his natural talent and his eye for a pass is just as good as his eye for goal. He is a level-headed lad and has just done his first television interview.
"It has just been a case of bringing the lad in at the right time, with the drier grounds and faster pitches. We are professionals and know what we are doing at this club and you have to trust the professionals to introduce the youngsters at the right time.
"People who have followed the academy and the reserves will know the talent that Dean had got and now I suppose the secret is out after this game. I was obviously delighted to see the lad score his three goals but it's his all-round play that pleased me as much as anything else.
"He is a clever player that has that knack of working in the space between the midfield and the opposition back four. He is the best striker in the club at that. He also works the line well and is very seldom offside and I like that in a front player.
"There were other good things to come out of the game because it was terribly difficult for the players. Maybe people didn't realise how windy it was.
"We had a ruction at half-time after we switched off and conceded a goal in injury time but in the second half I felt we were comfortable."
Meanwhile Watford boss Ray Lewington was disappointed with his side:"We have an honest team but we are low on confidence. We have young players who will make mistakes.
"It was a day like that for Lenny. I've told him that these things happen and he'll have to get over it. He feels terrible but he's got to be strong and stand up and look everyone in the face.
"I'm not going to slaughter him. He's done well for us and I'm pleased with him. Now we'll see what character he's got and I'm sure he'll come through.
"For the third Ipswich goal the ball held up in the wind. Neither Lenny nor Jerel Ifil are particularly good talkers. Three or four years down the line they won't be making those sort of mistakes.
"It was always going to be tough at Ipswich and we planned a four-five-one formation to try to frustrate them. All that had to change.
"At half-time we felt that Ipswich might panic if we could score a second but instead we gave them another goal. You can't give Ipswich two goals and expect to win. It's no good crying over it. We must just prepare for our next match."
