Al-Hamadi: We must shut out the outside world and…

Al-Hamadi: We must shut out the outside world and remain concentrated

Town newcomer Ali Al-Hamadi, the first Iraqi to play for the club, has emphasized the significance of him and his teammates being calm throughout their ongoing battle for automatic promotion this season.

The Blues, who play Birmingham City tomorrow at Portman Road, averted a huge scare on Tuesday when rock-bottom Rotherham converted a stoppage-time penalty and were on the verge of earning a 3-3 draw that could have cost their hosts in the end.

But barely a minute later, the game changed dramatically when home sub Omari Hutchinson’s fantastic strike made it 4-3, allowing Town to win on a night when they were far from their best, as manager Kieran McKenna later admitted.

“It was some game, and that was some moment,” said Al-Hamadi, who will be 22 next Friday. “That’s the beauty of football sometimes: a moment of quality decides everything.

“We weren’t at our best, especially in the second half, but the triumph reflected our attitude.

“I believe we’ve always had that, especially in later phases of games when you need to find an extra gear. It wasn’t one of our best performances, but it was wonderful to get the win.”

The Town fans put the performance to one side, if not forgotten, at the end, with the mood turning in a split second thanks to Chelsea loanee Hutchinson’s important contribution, and no one relished the celebrations after the goal more than Al-Hamadi, who looked to headbutt the striker.

“I don’t even remember doing that, to be honest,” the striker said, laughing. “I asked him afterwards, ‘Did I head butt you?'” To be honest, that probably sums me up.

Reflecting on what he can add to the Town side, the striker, who has one goal in five appearances off the bench so far, said: “I believe I can bring different aspects to the club, but I am clearly having to be patient right now.

“Kieffer [Moore] has taken over the role and is performing admirably, so I’ve been hoping to come off the bench and make an impact.

“I’m still figuring out where I fit in at Ipswich, but I have the confidence and self-belief to want to start games, make an impact on this team, and help us get promoted.”

“I’m not the type of person who will be content simply being present and watching things unfold. I’m always trying to motivate the boys who are playing, and I know if it were the other way around, they’d do the same.

“It’s really healthy rivalry for spots here, and that’s due to the gaffer; it’s competitiveness in a good way, rather than people becoming annoyed, furious, or offended.

“It’s more about you keeping your levels up and your standards high, and making sure that when you come off the bench, you leave your mark on the game, even if you just play for a few minutes. Just make a great influence on the squad, which I’ve been able to do thus far.”

Al-Hamadi reflected on the end-of-game atmosphere, saying, “I think there was more relief than anything else, since it would have been a bit of a sucker punch to draw that game.

“Now we’re just ticking off the games, and I think at this point in the season, we’re trying not to get too high or too low in terms of outcomes and performances.

“We aim to maintain a level-headed and consistent approach in whatever we undertake. I’ve only played at Portman Road twice, but both times the atmosphere was fantastic, and they were two really exciting games to be involved in, so hopefully we can keep that home form going.”

When asked if it would be difficult to remain calm in the midst of an engrossing promotion race with so much at stake, the former Wimbledon striker replied: “It wasn’t 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 maintain the belief within the team and in the dressing room circle of players, staff, and everyone involved.

“We just need to block out any external noise and stay as focused as possible on each individual game, without looking too far ahead.”

“There’s a long way to go, and there will be some twists and turns along the way.

“It would be fantastic if we could win all 13 of our remaining games, but in football, it is unlikely to happen. We simply need to keep taking it one game at a time.”

Al-Hamadi is certain that manager McKenna will keep his players humble, as they have been all season. He went on to say, “The boss has been amazing, to be honest. I expected he’d be good, but I’ve been even more amazed by how effectively he manages everything – his energy, excitement, and man-management – and he’s a great person as well as a fantastic tactician.

“He’s been fantastic with me, assisting me in settling in nicely. He does an excellent job of keeping everyone calm and focused.

“When your boss is the coolest guy in the room, you simply have to follow, and he sets an excellent example for us. To be honest, it’s been unbelievable, and I’m really looking forward to continuing to cultivate that relationship and perhaps learning more under him.”

The Iraqi international has also been impressed by McKenna’s meticulous planning, stating, “When I go abroad with the national team, I’m definitely a little more used to that aspect of things. We were just at a major tournament, so the structure for phases of the game, set-pieces, and everything was comparable to what we have here.

“The manager here is more detailed in his approach; he leaves nothing to chance, whereas managers at my past clubs have not been nearly as detailed. Even things like throw-ins are important at the highest level, and they are sometimes overlooked or not worked on in the depth that they deserve.

“We tend to cover all aspects of every game and I think that’s why he has been so successful and why he will continue to be successful wherever he goes – hopefully with Ipswich!”