Keane: Next Few Days Will Show Where the Club is Heading
Friday, 31st Dec 2010 08:35

Town boss Roy Keane says he will have an idea about where the club is heading in the next few days after holding talks with owner Marcus Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg. The Blues manager says he has identified his January targets but has dampened down expectations of imminent signings.

Keane says the recent injuries to Brian Murphy and Shane O’Connor plus Gianni Zuiverloon’s return to West Brom have caused him to have a rethink regarding January: “The plan was maybe for one or two players, we’re now probably after three or four players that we might to look to get into the club. Some of those would have to be permanent deals, whether we can do that - whether we get the money - we’ll know in the next few days.

“We’ll find out a lot about the club in the next few days — where we’re heading, whether we’re going to invest in these players or keep looking to duck and dive and getting loan players in which short-term can help you out, but we can’t be dependent on players who aren’t contracted to Ipswich. It catches up with you and I think it’s caught up with us now and will over the next few weeks."

The Town manager is due to continue discussions with the men in charge of the Portman Road purse strings in the next few days: “There are talks going on and telephone calls are due to take place with the owner and the chief executive, so we’ll have an idea.

“They’ll obviously digest things and we’re due more conversations today [Thursday]. The Gianni situation maybe changes the dynamics of the numbers of players we’re after, but we’re not talking about six or seven players.

“It might be loan deals and that might involve one or two of our lads going out on loan to release funds. Let’s see, without getting into the nitty-gritty of it, we’ll see over the next few weeks.”

Keane feels that his own contract situation - his two-year deal is up in the summer - may have some bearing on what cash is made available: “Will the club invest in players when the manager’s contract expires in about four or five months’ time? Who knows? There are lots of question marks that we need to look at over the next few days.”

As things stand, Keane doesn’t want fans to get too carried away with thoughts of immediate signings: “Only time will tell, it’s not good getting my hopes up, it’s up to the club to go and get these players. We tried that in the summer and it didn’t quite happen.

“Talk is cheap, you need to be judged by your actions, whether as a player, as a manager or as a chief executive — you’ve got to go out and do the business.

“I’m not here to give the supporters too much expectation, if anything I’m trying to dampen down their hopes so they don’t believe what they hear and read and think there’s X-amount to be spent or two or three players on the way in. There’s certainly not, there are no players due to drive in through that gate in the next few days.

“If anything I suppose I’m coming across as a bit of a Scrooge, but that’s the way things are looking over the next few weeks.”

But the former Ireland skipper believes his targets shouldn’t be beyond the club and says he will push to get the funds he feels he needs: “Basically you all want the same thing and that’s success for the club. We’ve got realistic targets, we’ve not got a list of Rooneys or Ronaldos or even Bellamys. We appreciate where we’re at.

“I’ve got to fight my corner because ultimately if things don’t go right the manager pays the price and people stay in their offices.”

Keane believes that if he gets the players he wants Town will be in a better position to push up the table: “We’re not far away from being a decent team, I’d say we are three or four players away but that’s nearly half a team. So, we’ll keep battling away and we’ll see where that takes us.”

Photo: Action Images

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TractorMan added 08:47 - Dec 31 A very Benitez style rant that resulted in him being sacked from Inter. However true, how many threats can this guy make to his bosses??
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Radlett_blue added 08:54 - Dec 31 3 or 4 players away - isn't that what Roy said after he'd been with us for 2 games? 24 players and £8m or so later, we seem further away than ever.
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nobrain added 08:59 - Dec 31 “Talk is cheap, you need to be judged by your actions, whether as a player, as a manager or as a chief executive — you've got to go out and do the business." Well, something that we can all agree on there, then.
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AFCC added 09:00 - Dec 31 A far from veiled stab at the powers that be but does anyone else have that feeling of de-ja-vu? every transfers window over the past 18 months we have been three or four players short of a decent team. I think we are 1 manager short of a decent team.
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ozzydog added 09:02 - Dec 31

Happy to see the back of Beano as soon as possible

But either he is going to be backed by ME or not.
ITFC will not make any progress whatsoever buying cheap and relying on loans.

ME has to decide if he trusts Beano.
If he does give him the funds to sign the the players he wants if he does not sack him and start again.

Yoof,loans and cheap options will get ITFC out of this league alright, from the Arse end

brittaniaman added 09:06 - Dec 31

We seem to be in one big muddle at the moment, what with Keano wanting to replace half the team, the owner seems reluctant to release funds and a load of players out of contract, plus Keanos contract running out.
No such problems up the A140 with a new signing and flying high in the league,what a difference a year makes with the boot on the other foot as the saying goes.
It does seem as though Keano sounds a bit depressed. I hope it does not spreads through to the team, because we need that win at Coventry tomorrow badly, god only knows what would happen if we lose.
After reading this article it is enough to make anybody depressed, BYE FOR NOW

dirtydingusmagee added 09:10 - Dec 31 ''see where we are heading..'' mmmmmm .At least the weather has conspired to keep you in the job a bit longer,
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bobble added 09:18 - Dec 31

i assume if you keep buying teams sooner or later you might get lucky but in keanes case maybe not.......... whose fault is it this time.. i gave up reading his idiotic rants last year..hes blamed the fans ... the injuries .. the refs ... not buying enough players despite purchasing 2 teams worth..the weather.......the germans ok i made that open up but its all blame blame .... but there is one man picking the teams and deciding the tactics and this is the main person at fault for the last 2 seasons poor performance the egotistic roy keane make it a happy new year and pis- off somewhere else you idiot

svendust added 09:21 - Dec 31 I think Keane is entitled to a rant here, the transfer window opens very shortly and ME and Clegg have yet to discuss with Keane how much will be available. What the hell are they playing at, our rivals are already signing players and we've not even been bothered to get the calculator out!
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51blue added 09:23 - Dec 31 Marcus Evans and Simon Clegg time to back him or sack him, he's called your bluff. I say back him with funds and a new contract now before we lose him.
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bobble added 09:33 - Dec 31 we wont be losing him we will be gaining a better manager whoever it might be
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raycrawfordswig added 09:46 - Dec 31 Had all this carp in the summer.Other teams have got players already.
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legoman added 09:47 - Dec 31

The positive thing we and Keano have gained over the last couple of seasons due to being strangled for cash by Marcus and Keano being on a learning curve is the experience of facing relegation with a bare bones squad. Winning all the time is all very good but what happens when the bubble bursts occasionally? Well Keano has proven to be as tough as old boots and I for one can't wait for him to enjoy some serious success (again). We are safe in the knowledge that we have a manager that can stand his ground. Fight on Keano!

BlueAllOver added 09:49 - Dec 31 Oh come on just sack the clown, if he hadn't wasted so much maybe they would be interested in his 3 or 4 targets. Boring boring Keano.
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trueblue added 09:50 - Dec 31

we need to splash the cash and buy big if we are to stand any chance of promotion this year, seems like we will be spending little just to avoid the drop,
good teams (good not outstanding) can be built on a limited budget, but i fear either keano can't pick the right players or they simply do not want to come and play here. we need more money into the coffers and a manager who can atract the players

bobble added 09:54 - Dec 31 we need to splash the cash on a decent manager the rest will follow
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RYITFC added 09:55 - Dec 31 51 Blue has a good point, If your not going to sack him then give him some money to buy a couple of good quality players. All that Walters money is still sitting there. If you think he's gonna waste it then sack him.
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legoman added 09:55 - Dec 31 Thats true trueblue. We must remember that Ipswich is not a "to die for" location for quality players who can take their pick.
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bobble added 09:56 - Dec 31 sack him sounds like the best option
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bluearmy4life added 10:16 - Dec 31

Evans & Clegg need to get this decision right they can't afford to get this wrong. Keane hasn't helped himself with his tranfers and dealings within the market since he arrived which could be the reason he may not recieve funding. If they don't give Keane the funding we could be serious relegation candidates with a team full of youngsters and loan players and not enough experience it could be a recipe for disaster. Like others on the forum you either back him or sack him forget Keane's contract until the end of the season. Everyone at ITFC Needs to get this club moving it's been a poor 19 months and we are miles away from being promotion team.

jas0999 added 10:19 - Dec 31

I think 99% of posters on TWTD have made it very clear that they have been unhappy with loan signings. I think most people also know we need to improve our squad - and 2 or 3 players seems about right.

So, based on that, I am sure most will agree ME has to back (or sack) Roy Keane. If he doesn't then we will end up with loan signings again and probably continue the way we are going, which in my opinion is unacceptable. Therefore I only see two options for ME:

1. He backs Roy in the transfer window - something he may be reluctant to do based on previous performance by Mr. Keane.

2. He immediately sacks Roy, appoints a decent replacement and gives the new manager funds - a very costly option.

The third option of doing nothing - no money/no change of manager - would be a disaster for the club. So overall I agree with Roy, the next few days will indeed give as an idea as to where the club is heading. Like Roy, I am not at all optimistic!

scottmdp added 10:28 - Dec 31 It's been proven that Keane can't spend the money wisely. Ipswich should have the balls to do as Burnley & Preston have done, to give the new manager a chance in the transfer window rather than struggling on with the Fallons of this world!
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bluearmy4life added 10:34 - Dec 31 If we don't pick up points out of the next two games the club could have a very easy decision to make? I would be happy with 4 points from six but I do think we need a maximum.
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