Skipper David Norris says everyone at Portman Road is under pressure after the recent run of results, not just manager Roy Keane. Saturday’s defeat at Preston was Town’s sixth successive league loss.

Norris said: “When you’re on a run like we are, everyone’s going to be under pressure, particularly the manager. He’s happy to take the flak and deflect the pressure of the results on to himself to take the pressure off us so we can continue to try play our game.

“But we’re feeling it as well, we’re having discussions between ourselves, we know it’s got to change and we’re trying everything we can to try and change it.”

The former Plymouth man, speaking during Tuesday afternoon’s visit to St Elizabeth Hospice, said the Blues boss hadn’t been at that morning’s training session, it not being unusual for Keane to hand over the running of a session to his coaches: “We haven’t seen the manager since the game, we were only in for training this morning, and we’re doing this this afternoon.

“I think the manager was especially disappointed after the weekend. I think it was a good chance for us to turn it around and we haven’t done that. At the moment it’s tough for everybody.”

Norris says the players are still fully behind their boss: “We all get asked to do press and all the lads are saying the same things and backing the manager.

“And if anybody has any doubts about the authenticity of this they only have to look at our recent games.

“No one can accuse us of not playing for our manager. The effort is there, if not the quality at the moment.”

Norris, Gareth McAuley, Jack Colback and Arran Lee-Barrett took part in yesterday’s visits which also continue tomorrow.

In addition to gifts donated by Town, the squad paid more than £2000 of their own money for extra presents for the children they are visiting at Ipswich, Colchester and West Suffolk hospitals, St Elizabeth Hospice and Children’s Hospice (EACH) in Ipswich and St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.

Each of the wards visited will also receive further gifts including portable DVD and CD players, mini camcorders and toys for children who spending time in hospital throughout the year.

Captain Norris says the present-giving is now a traditional part of the club’s Christmas: “The visits to the local hospitals and hospices at Christmas are an important part of our build-up to the festive season and being able to take gifts in to the children and adults we’re visiting is really rewarding.

“We are very grateful for the assistance of Asda Stoke Park in ordering in all the toys that we need as well as donating CD players, DVDs, CDs and computer games from their own stock for the wards to keep.

“Being in hospital is never fun and especially so at this time of year. These visits give us the chance of helping to put a smile back on the faces of the children in the wards and showing our appreciation for the hard-working nurses and carers.”

Photo: Action Images

bluelady added 15:16 - Dec 15 know what Whoppit if you were a true fan turning out in the cold to every game i would give you some credit, but your sarcastic remarks at the team, manager and other posters on here come from a distance and i feel having nothing to do with how you feel about ITFC but just an excuse to vent the bitterness clearly inside you.
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:33 - Dec 15 at a time when the football is crap,the weather is crap,the economy is crap,it was at least nice to see smiles on kids faces who are in hospital when team visited.At least ITFC hasnt lost that seasonal gesture WELL DONE LADS,
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MAVERICK added 15:37 - Dec 15 Nice touch dirtyding, it could be worse !
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bluelady added 16:08 - Dec 15 hear hear Maverick, a lovely touch. Guess Keane didnt go for fear of scaring them all??!!!
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:31 - Dec 15 Many a true word is spoken in jest bluelady !
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JayT added 16:42 - Dec 15 Shouldn'y keane be leading training and trying to get us out of the free-fall were in and haven't i heard this before...... oh wait that was on a post of dwight yorkes autobiography yesterday and that went on to his depature within a couple of weeks... well all we can do is hope i suppose...
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bluelady added 17:04 - Dec 15 :-)
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TractorRoyNo1 added 18:35 - Dec 15 Phil - how about a new thread "if you have hated Keane since day one, or just jumped on the bandwagon please feel free to vent your spleen here" then the rest of the readers can comment on the issue in the current headline.
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fourth added 18:56 - Dec 15 How much does he earn every week? To do what? How tiring it all is We need another emphasis. O'Neill WILL come
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runaround added 19:30 - Dec 15 I think its wrong for Keane to not be at training. He should be there showing the players he is serious about turning things around, geeing them up & keeping morale high. As for people saying he might be in meetings, I'm sure its been said he keeps in contact by video conference & office was upgraded at training ground? Its just giving the wrong impression and not being the type of manager required. If he's absent for family reasons then fair enough otherwise not good enough

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Raedwald_625 added 19:54 - Dec 15 Keane doesn't turn up to work! Phil: Can we have another Chuckileak tomorrow?
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WarkyWonderLand added 21:59 - Dec 15 Have sat at work reading these posts with great interest. Personally I have got to say that I was totally shocked to read that our club captain has not seen the manager since Saturday. We are on our worst run in how long, low in confidence and need real leadership and the players so good bye to the boss on Saturday evening and won't see him to speak to him again until Wednesday?? We need real leadership at the moment and Keane says that everyone is in this together!! So its down to McLaughlin and McParland to lift the players, install some confidence and show leadership. Keane is the manager and is paid handsomely to do this. The manager is the rudder of the ship yet we have no rudder and will end up crashing into the rocks or worse still sinking. Sounds a bit like Simon Cowell and the mentors who leave their mentees with the trainers and turn up on a Friday to see them!! I saw that someone mentioned budget and the players Keane has brought in. Look at the money he spent on Leadbetter, Edwards, Priskin, Martin, Scotland and Fulop alone and how many of these are always in the team. One has been sent away on loan and one was last season!! He has brought in 22 players in total, spent circa £10M and where are we?? Look what happened at Narwich and all the loan players they brought in when they went down. I would suggest that people look at the league table dated 19.12.09 and compare it to the latest one. Interestingly, played 21 games, scored 22 and let in 30 with -8 GD. Exactly the same and that was with a good start this year. The only difference is that we have 3 more points this year but if we don't get nothing from our next 2 games then we will have the same points. I worry about Saturday given the goals Leicester are scoring and who they have playing for them. We have then got Watford, Doncaster and Coventry. If we lose Saturday and Keane is at the healm then we will go into 2011 in the bottom 3. Negativity, no realism. A new manager would have to be brought in to get something out of the xmas period and for something to build on. Our fans have given Keane patience and time and after he has been manager of our club for 69 games he still doesn't know his best 11, doesn't know his best formation, doesn't know his best tactics. I would be interested if anyone knows how many games we have gone on to win after going a goal behind. Not many I bet and when he sets his team up not to lose we will always struggle under RK. This shows his lack of tactical awareness and experience. Fed up with his excuses, fed up with his soundbites and overall fed up with him. I am at a loss as to how people can defend what he has done in the time he has been here. Walk on Keane. PS, what will the attendance on Saturday be?? Less than Swansea I bet.

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WarkyWonderLand added 22:05 - Dec 15 PS, just seen that O'Driscoll is being linked with Sheff Utd job. Does anyone think that ME has someone in the wings already lined up??
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dirtydingusmagee added 22:07 - Dec 15 warky ,its all looking prity ugly.
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devontractorboy added 23:38 - Dec 15 Well done to the team,True Christmas Spirit, made me feel proud to be a fan again. Agree with earlier poster why put it in a news item about on field things, but thanks Phil for the Anglia News Clip, us foreigners don't get that channel in Devon!! Norris seems a really nice guy.
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