Ipswich Town defender Liam Rosenior has made a startlingly optimistic claim that is likely to raise eyebrows across the football world, insisting the rock-bottom Championship side will finish the season in the play-offs.
A Defiant Stance Amidst Dire Form
The on-loan Reading full-back, 25, has dismissed mounting fears that Roy Keane's struggling team are already destined for a gruelling relegation battle. This comes despite a truly dreadful start to the campaign where Ipswich have failed to win any of their first 11 games, amassing a paltry five points from a possible 33.
Rosenior, however, remains utterly convinced of an incredible turnaround. "I don't regret my decision to come here one bit. In fact I'm delighted with it," he stated. "I'm at a better place, I'll improve as a player and this is a bigger club. Come the end of the season I'll be proved right because I'm 110 per cent confident that we will end up in the play-offs."
Drawing on Past Experience for Hope
To support his bold prediction, Rosenior pointed to a remarkable comeback from his time at Reading the previous season. "At Reading last season it took us five weeks to make up a 12-point gap on Wolves, who ended up as champions," he recalled.
He believes the same feat is within Ipswich's capabilities this term. "We are capable of doing that as well and if we are on the edge of the play-offs by Christmas we are more than good enough to be a top six side come May," Rosenior added, outlining a path to redemption that seems improbable given their current position.
No Panic at Portman Road Ahead of Key Fixtures
The defender insisted there is no sense of alarm within the camp ahead of two vital home games. Ipswich host Swansea City at Portman Road on Saturday, followed by another home match against Watford just three days later – fixtures Rosenior identified as the potential catalyst for their season.
"There is no panic here – not from the manager nor any of the players," Rosenior insisted. "We know where we are but this type of situation separates the men from the boys. We are not happy with it and we have had a few meetings between ourselves and also with the coaching staff and the manager. Hopefully you will see the fruits of that on Saturday and over the rest of the season."
He suggested the recent international break, which forced the squad to reflect on their predicament, may have been beneficial. "Because of the international break we have had to stew for two weeks and think about the situation we are in. Maybe that's the best that could have happened because we have built up a lot of motivation to put things right," Rosenior concluded.
