CHRIS LAKEY Peter Grant believes his side's performance at Portman Road yesterday has proved that his criticisms of the team, even in victory, were justified.

CHRIS LAKEY

Peter Grant believes his side's performance at Portman Road yesterday has proved that his criticisms of the team, even in victory, were justified.

Grant came under fire in some quarters for his comments after victories over Cardiff and Sunderland in particular, but said the no-show at Ipswich illustrated the point he was making.

“I have said we are not good enough to get complacent,” he said. “Even with the games we were winning, people said I was a bit critical of the team, but now it shows you today why I was critical. I can see things all the time, I don't get carried away with results. It's about how we perform all the time -­ results can hide a million things.

“People were talking about us coming into form here and Ipswich not being on form and I said, 'I wouldn't say we were in form either, but we're getting results'.

“I think we were doing okay, but we have a million miles to go yet - but I said that a few weeks ago and everybody thought I was being very critical after beating Cardiff, beating Birmingham, beating West Brom, beating Sunderland. But we are still not good enough.”

The problem Grant now faces is having to turn the team around quickly enough to get them into the promotion picture and then take them up to the promised land, where money appears to be no object.

Spend even one season in the Premiership and it's worth £50m - a guaranteed minimum £30m for the first year followed by £10m a year for two years if they are relegated. But it's exactly that sort of money that will cause Grant problems should he want to bring in new players - something he surely must be hoping he is allowed to do in January.

“Time will tell, players cost money, players cost a lot of money, even reserve team players in the |premier League, which is where I want to work,” he said. “Even reserve team players in squads there - try to get them out and you look at the monies they are on and it is near impossible.

“The gulf between the Championship finances and the Premiership finances is massive, and we are obviously in that predicament. If you don't go up this year you have that £7m downfall as well, so there's obviously going to be picking and choosing.”

Grant says he won't bully and frighten his players - but says they have to play by his rules.

“I am not one of these guys that frightens players and tells them I'm going to change this, change that,” he said. “I know we have good, good players here, but if they don't do the basics well, they will not be in my side.

“They can have all the ability in the world, but if they don't do the basics properly they will not play.

“I don't give a monkey's who they are. If it means I can change people I will. If I can make the team better I will make the team better and that's what I'm trying to do.”