Ali Al-Hamadi, the club’s newest recruit and the first Iraqi player, has emphasized the significance of him and his teammates maintaining composure as they continue to fight for automatic promotion this season.
The Blues, who play Birmingham City tomorrow at Portman Road, came close to salvaging a 3-3 draw that may have ultimately proved costly for their hosts on Tuesday when bottom-of-the-table Rotherham converted a stoppage-time penalty.
However, a minute later, home substitute Omari Hutchinson’s incredible goal made it 4-3, turning the tide of the match in a way that manager Kieran McKenna later acknowledged. Town had won on a night when they had performed much below expectations.
“That was a memorable moment and game,” expressed Al-Hamadi, who turns 22 on Friday. “That’s the allure of football occasionally—when a standout play makes the difference.
“The victory demonstrated our perseverance, even though the second half wasn’t our finest.
“I believe we have always had that, particularly in the later stages of games when you have to locate an additional piece of equipment.” Even if it wasn’t our best performance, we were nevertheless happy to win.
The Town supporters put the performance to rest, if not completely forgotten it, in the end. Hutchinson, on loan from Chelsea, made a crucial contribution that quickly changed the tone, and nobody relished the post-goal celebrations more than Al-Hamadi, who seemed to headbutt the goal scorer.
To be honest, I don’t even remember doing that,” the striker chuckled. “Did I head butt you?” I asked him in a follow-up conversation. To be honest, that very much describes me up—just rough!
The striker, who has one goal in his five appearances off the bench so far, thought about what he could offer the Town club. “I think I can bring different qualities to the team and obviously I am having to be a bit patient right now,” he said.
“Since Kieffer Moore has taken over and is playing a great role, I’ve been trying to go off the bench and have an impact.
“Although I’m still figuring things out as I start my career with Ipswich, I have the self-assurance and confidence to want to start games, have an influence on this squad, and help us advance.
“I’m not the kind of person who will be content to simply hang around and watch things unfold. I know that if it were the other way around, the boys would be pushing themselves the same way that I always try to push them while they’re playing.
“There is healthy competition amongst the gaffers for places here; this competition is healthy and doesn’t lead to individuals becoming irritated, frustrated, or furious.
Even if you just play for a short while, it’s more important that you maintain your intensity and your standards high and make sure you make an impact on the game when you come off the bench. Simply have a positive influence on the team, and happily, I’ve been able to do so thus far.
Al-Hamadi continued, “I think it was more relief than anything else, because it would have been a bit of a sucker punch to draw that game,” recalling the atmosphere of the game’s conclusion.
“Right now, we’re just trying to finish the games, and at this point in the season, I think it’s important to try not to get too high or too low with our performances and outcomes.
“We aim to maintain composure and consistency in all that we do. I’ve only played at Portman Road twice, but on both occasions there was a fantastic atmosphere and two excellent games to be a part of, so maybe we can continue our winning streak at home.
The former Wimbledon striker responded, “It’s not long ago that people were saying we were out of it because teams had caught up with us, but I think the most important thing for us as a group is to keep the belief within the team and in the dressing room circle of players, staff, and everyone involved,” when asked if it might be difficult to remain composed in the midst of an intense promotion race with so much at stake.
“All we have to do is shut out all outside distractions, maintain maximum concentration on each game, and avoid looking too far ahead.
“There will be many turns and turns along the way; there is still a long way to go.”
“Winning all 13 of our remaining games would be fantastic, but in football, that’s probably not going to happen.” All we have to do is keep playing one game at a time.
Al-Hamadi is confident that McKenna, the manager, will make sure his team maintains the same level of humility that has carried them this season. “To be fair, the boss has been brilliant,” he continued. Although I was aware that he would be excellent, I’ve been even more taken aback by how well he manages his energy, excitement, and man-management. In addition, he’s a truly decent man in addition to being an excellent tactician.
He’s been excellent with me, greatly assisting with my transition. He’s excellent at maintaining everyone’s composure.
“You just have to follow when your leader is the coolest person in the room; he leads by excellent example. To be honest, it’s been incredible, and I’m eager to possibly learn even more from him as we continue to expand our connection.
The Iraqi international expressed his admiration for McKenna’s meticulous preparation, saying, “I’m probably a bit more used to that side of it when I go away with the national team.” We recently attended a significant tournament, and the system there looked at game phases, set pieces, and everything else, much like ours does.
“With managers at my previous clubs, it’s been nothing like this. The manager here is more detailed in his approach; he leaves nothing to chance.” Even seemingly insignificant details like throw-ins can occasionally be overlooked or at the very least not given the attention they need.
“I believe that’s why he has been so successful and why he will continue to be successful wherever he goes, hopefully with Ipswich, because we tend to cover every aspect of every game.”
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