IPSWICH Town have become "victims of the their own phenomenal success."That was the claim today from former Portman Road skipper and defensive hero Jason Cundy at a time when his old club are three from bottom of the Premiership after finishing fifth last season.

By Dave Allard

IPSWICH Town have become "victims of the their own phenomenal success."

That was the claim today from former Portman Road skipper and defensive hero Jason Cundy at a time when his old club are three from bottom of the Premiership after finishing fifth last season.

The ex-England Under-21 international insisted: "Their task this season was Mission Impossible after last season. In all honesty they were never going to improve on that.

"As it is, they have had a particularly disappointing league start with only one win so far in the Premiership. There is unrest among some of the supporters, but there are fickle fans everywhere.

"A couple of wins can make all the difference and they will soon come I'm sure. I know that expectations were so very high in some quarters at the start of the season, but I said from day one that if they finished fourth from bottom it would be a success."Teams are far more wary of Ipswich Town this season. They frightened so many with their football last season as they qualified for Europe.

"The lads have shown in spells this time around that they can still play that brand of football now and I'm sure it will see them rise up the table soon.

"There's a long way to go. We're only just into November. Unless you are one of the really big clubs, a season like Ipswich had after promotion was never going to be sustained.

"They have become victims of their own phenomenal success."

Cundy, signed by the Blues from Tottenham, was reluctantly released by the club in the summer of 1999. He joined a Portsmouth outfit where he immediately became skipper but has since been forced to quit due to a knee injury.

The 32-year-old west Londoner Cundy, who began his career at Chelsea, spent time with Town manager George Burley, together with the coaching and backroom staff, at the team hotel in the capital last Saturday night.

The following day at Stamford Bridge the Blues lost in heartbreaking style as Sam Dalla Bona struck with a goal in injury time.

Cundy added: "All the determination, experience and know-how is at Ipswich to get it right in the league again.

"George Burley has shown that he is a manager of the highest order. He knows the club inside out and will guide the to a higher position.

"They are still in the UEFA and Worthington Cups. Their exploits in Europe have been a credit so far and I feel this will, in the long run, help with the league challenge.

"Confidence can sometimes take a bit of a knock, but Ipswich have the character and resolve within the club to restore that. They showed in that stirring second half against Helsingborg that they can still knock the ball around as well as anyone."

On a personal note, Cundy is hoping to break into a coaching job soon. He will soon be taking the UEFA B licence course.