Boss Roy Keane says the summer will be just as much about keeping his core group of players at the club as adding his four or five targets to his squad. The Town manager cites skipper Jon Walters and boy wonder striker Connor Wickham as amongst those who he wouldn’t countenance selling during the close season.

Keane said: “We talk about my intentions to bring players into the club, my intention is also to keep our best players because there’ll be interest in not just Connor, but other players as well.

“I’ve already had enquiries for some of my players who I’ve no intention of letting go. I don’t want to be bringing players in and letting one or two go and thinking, we’re taking one step forward and two back.

“We’ve got a core group of players we have no intention of letting go, my captain being one of them.”

The Blues boss says that for all the season’s woes, there have been positives: “There have been pluses, people like Shane O’Connor coming into the team and the biggest plus will be Connor, as we saw again last week.

“I think Jon Walters has been amazing this year, his captaincy has been excellent and he’s been a joy to work with - his leadership skills in the dressing room when we were under the cosh and last weekend, aside from his goal, he was outstanding.

“There will be plenty of clubs — there are already — who would be keen to take Jon Walters.

”I’m not going to kid myself that I’ll just be bringing players in, I’m going to have hard work keeping some of our players.”

Keane was tightlipped regarding any offers for young star Wickham: “I’m not going to discuss it. Take from that what you want!

“I know if I was a manager in the Premier League with one of the big teams what kind of players I’d be looking at and that would be young, talented players.

“We’ve seen Theo Walcott go for big money, Gareth Bale as well, and these boys had played only 15 or 20 games. I think there are managers out there looking for young, hungry players, but if we’re on about good news, thank God for us, Connor signed his contract not long ago.”

Photo: Action Images

ashleylewis10 added 09:07 - May 1 Not to mention Murphy, McAuley, Delaney, Leadbitter, Norris - build on this for next season and I see no reason why we can't push for automatic let alone playoffs. In Keane we trust, COYB!
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NorwichBlue138 added 09:18 - May 1 Murphy RB McAuley Delaney O'Connor Walters Leadbitter Norris Civelli Wickham ST Bench: Lee-Barratt Garvan Counago Peters Smith D. Murphy ?? Edwards Buy a striker and a right back (now Rosenior's loan is done and David Wright has been released) and that squad (plus the other guys we have) could easily get us top 8 and maybe into the play off lottery.
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JayITFC added 09:20 - May 1 “I think Jon Walters has been amazing this year" Has he been watching the same player that we've all seen this season? Roy should have seen Jon 2 years ago, he was on fire then!
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ashleylewis10 added 09:50 - May 1 Why does everyone assume that Civelli is guaranteed a place back in the side? He's had a horrific injury and it will be amazing if he ever gets back to the fitness levels shown beforehand. not only that, did he really ever impress in the handful of games he did play? O'Connor has potential but wouldn't say he's a strong enough defender to play week in week out at this level as yet, as shown by his mistake vs Donnie. Garvan and Counago will be amongst the first out the door I should think. Not Roy Keane type players in terms of commitment and attitude are they? And Jon Walters has had a pretty good season, he is our top scorer from right midfield, not bad. He's obviously helped the youngsters out behing the scenec and displayed good leadership skills to hold down the captaincy for the majority of the season. In Keane wet trust, COYB!

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Mark added 11:22 - May 1 Jon Walters has been "amazing" and "outstanding"?! I like Walters as he is a hard worker, but this praise is a bit over the top I think given Walters' performances much of the season.
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Pique added 11:46 - May 1 I think both full back position will need to be looked at quickly. O'Connor has a lot of potential, but I'm not sure he's the answer for a full Championship season. As for right back...who knows? Wright and Rosenior are apparently not good enough, but I wouldn't want a season of relying on Peters (who I do rate), Edwards or Bruce.
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Surco72 added 12:39 - May 1 Walters has had his worse season since he joined us this year and as for top scorer from right midfield he has played more up front than anyone in the squad this year and has scored 8 including penalties very poor rate . We now need a right back ,left back,passing midfielder if Garvan goes ,left midfielder and a striker much like the end of last season
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corshamblue added 12:40 - May 1 Amazing? Outstanding? Putting on Weight? Lost? Should have sold him last season? I'm not sure which ones fit and which ones don't I'd look at extending McAuley whilst he's enjoying his football and give him even more confidence going into next season; for me my player of the Season. Looking for 8 Goals next year?
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ITFC_Singapore added 12:41 - May 1 My old man is a season ticket holder and he said to me Walters has been a pile of poo 90% of the time. And before any Keane haters jump up and down, one of the few games i managed to get to in recent years from the other side of the world Magilton played Walters at right back !
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MoscowBluesSon added 12:51 - May 1 Keane only says that Walters' performance was good last weekend. When he says he has been amazing he is obviously talking about him being the captain and showing leadership. Anyway, he isn't gonna say that Walters has been useless, I doubt it would be bad for morale, plus it would be another thing for you Keane-haters to go on about even though you all think Walters has been rubbish.

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ioannes added 13:20 - May 1 only on an ipswich town message board would half the posters log in to quibble when their manager calls one of their players outstanding..!
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OnlyOneSirBobby added 18:29 - May 1 well said joannes....some people really need to stop complaining about every little thing keane says, we dont actually know what goes on in the changing room and during the week, so when keane says he has been an excellent captain, and helping the team through when we were under the cosh, im going to tend to believe him...afterall he is probably the most honest manager iv known!!

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JayITFC added 19:37 - May 1 Walters is not a natural leader, same as McAuley wasn't. Look how much better Gareth has played with the armband off. Jon has had his worst season in a Town shirt and could do with the same treatment.
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bennyblue added 01:03 - May 2 is roy the gordon brown of suffolk ?
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edd16 added 21:40 - May 2 Murphy RB McAuley Delaney O'Conner Walters Norris Garvan Peters wickham Counago this team will win us games next season
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barnesey added 14:22 - May 3 We now have a club run be peole who know nothing about football. In one season and £20million later they have destroyed ITFC and it's future. The 'core' went months ago, Jordan Rhodes Shane Supple, the Irish Billy clarke, Pim Balkestein Ed Upson and now David Wrirght and the star of them all Owen Garvan now told he has no future with the club. The Academy is in the hands of an old Buffoon in Sammy Morgan who destroyed Norwich's Academy in his last job and the true blue Coach with an International reputation for creating stars of the future Bryan Klug told he was no longer required when a few months earlier he's been assured his future was safe. Morale behinds the scenes has never been as bad and the terraces must now sense that we are a club going for aother relegation battle next year. Pity there are fans who still think Keane is God. When will they learn? About next September I reckon!!

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