Magilton is philosophical

8:05am Monday 5th May 2008

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JIM Magilton was in philosophical mood after Ipswich Town missed out on the play-offs - despite pipping third-placed Hull.

His side finished eighth in the table and the Blues boss said: "All we could do was concentrate on winning our game, so from that point of view it was very pleasing.

"It gives the players something to think about over the summer.

"Right now, we've got a bitter taste of disappointment in our mouths and, overall, our season has been one of ifs and buts, like if our away performances had been better.

"We did fall short and we're not where we want to be, but that gives the players something to think about, work on and correct next season.

"There's a chink in our amour but we're getting there and, as manager, I'm certainly ambitious. I want to take this football club back into the top division."

Of his side's last-day victory, Magilton added: "It didn't surprise me that we dominated.

"We've dominated against all the top sides at home this season and our record at Portman Road has been up there with the best."

Magilton payed tribute to three departing players - retiring skipper Jason De Vos, long-serving Dutchman Fabian Wilnis and French midfielder Sylvain Legwinski.

"We're losing three outstanding individuals - magnificent professionals - and their contribution over the years has been immense," he said.

"They'll be hard to replace but that's my job as manager and we've got to make sure we bring in the right sort of characters."

Of the rebuilding job in general, Magilton said: "We're going to bring in better players and get rid of those who are not going to take us forward.

"It's a building process and we're getting there. No-one said it was going to happen overnight."

Tigers boss Phil Brown said: "It was a poor performance by us.

"Both sides played with attacking formations but we were disappointing in the final third.

"To be disappointed to only finish third in the table is testament to how far we've come and we go into the play-offs in a positive frame of mind. I'm always confident."