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Varney Closing in on Fitness and Contract Talks
Wednesday, 25th Nov 2015 06:00

Boss Mick McCarthy says Luke Varney is closing in on a return to action and negotiations regarding a permanent deal at Portman Road.

The 33-year-old, who was released by Blackburn at the end of June, ruptured an achilles while on loan with Town during the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Norwich City in May and has undergone his rehabilitation with the Blues.

Luke Hyam played his first game for the U21s at QPR at the end of last week having been sidelined since January with a knee injury and McCarthy says Varney, who made seven starts and five sub appearances for Town last season, scoring once, is also making progress with his recovery.

“He’s slightly behind Luke Hyam, he always was, but he trained with the first team, just in the Friday morning game. He looks fine, he’s coming on,” the Blues manager said.

While it’s expected that having chosen to undergo his rehab with Town - contractually Blackburn were obliged to get him back to full fitness - Varney will sign a deal with the Blues once he’s over his injury, McCarthy it’s not a fait accompli as things stand.

“It’s not quite as simple as that,” he added. “The process is like any other time, I guess. We’ll ask him if he’d like to sign, he’ll say how much are you offering me and we’ll get somewhere in between and if it’s all sorted out, he’ll sign.

“The really nice thing about it is that I would like to sign him and he wants to stay here and he wants to sign. But it’s not as cut and dried as that.

“But he is coming back from a very, very serious injury which, to be fair to him, could finish a player at his age and he’s done remarkably well.

“I’d like him just to get back so he is totally confident with what he’s doing and playing, and we are with him.

“And if we can agree something with him it’ll be great because he’s fabulous lad and a good player.”

Meanwhile, former Blues winger Stephen Hunt has ended his trial at Rotherham without being offered terms.

Manager Neil Redfearn said: “We can’t do anything with Stephen. It’s just how it’s fallen. With the players we have got in as well, we talked about strengthening other areas."


Photo: Action Images



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Flewitt85 added 06:17 - Nov 25
Will he be fit for Saturday?!! Ha. I'm sure we won't need him cause we are going to stuff Charlton anyway!!
0

parkinshair added 07:15 - Nov 25
What an arrogant and irrelevant comment.
8

Blue_Again added 07:24 - Nov 25
Sounds a bit past it to me. 33 with long term injuries is he worth it?
-7

Len_Brennan added 07:38 - Nov 25
@Blue_Again: "Long term injuries"?
Apart from rupturing his achillies while giving 100% running himself into the ground for us, what other long term injuries has he had in his career?
9

Blue_Again added 07:48 - Nov 25
As in a long term injury at 33 is hard to recover from completely. Hope I'm proven wrong though can't fault him for effort
2

Tractorboy1985 added 07:51 - Nov 25
There really are some tools on here with baffling comments at times! Reg was doing a great job for us prior to his injury.. The sort of player mick loves.. Hard working.. Leaves everything on the pitch.. Not sure where he would fit in currently but worth having around as a squad player.. Let's be honest.. If Giles coke can make the bench varney certainly can! Possibly the most pointless signing we have made in the past 10 seasons is that coke! Hopefully with Luke coming back shortly we will not have to indure another garbage coke performance!
1

Popeye added 07:55 - Nov 25
With Didz, Murphs, Pitman and Freddie i dont see him getting many games tbh. MM letting his heart ruling his head on this one i'm afraid!
1

rfretwell added 08:43 - Nov 25
Great to see Varney on the mend even tho it will be next season now that he can expect to be match sharp. This all goes to enhance Towns reputation as a club that looks after its players well which is Iimportant when trying to attract new signings.
4

HarryS_H added 08:54 - Nov 25
I know this is irrelevant but tractorboy1985 what has coke done wrong?? When he's come of the bench he has not weakened the team in any and I can think of several signings who have turned out worst than him.

As for varney I don't think he lost a battle in the air the whole of his time at the club!! At the very least he can teach our team to head a ball. And he'll be very handy coming off the bench
3

Lathers added 09:26 - Nov 25
I'm not sure where he would fit in to the team. With Murph, Pitman, Sears and McGoldrick I don't see him getting a game. I know he's hard working, but if we are ever going to compete at the top we need more quality in the squad, we've got enough hard workers.
1

BrettenhamBlue added 09:28 - Nov 25
HarryS
Agree with your view on Varney. Looking forward to his return.
Who exactly has turned out worse than Coke? I know he's not had many runs out yet, but apart from his game against Man U he's been a liability. I'd rate Amir Karic before him and Karic wasn't up to much. There's no way he should be in our first team.
1

carsey added 10:10 - Nov 25
I liked Varney for what he did in the short time he was with us last season and was disappointed for him sustaining such a serious injury BUT he is not the future. By the time he is really ready it will be next season and at 34 with the possibility of breaking down again surely Town should be looking to use the funds elsewhere.
1

liam88 added 10:19 - Nov 25
Coke hasn't warranted negative comments from some people, just because he hasn't scored an overhead kick from his own box which has gone in of the crossbar doesn't make him "pointless" or "the worst signing in 10 years." I hope he does score a worldy to shut up the negative atmosphere of most town pessimistic fans!

As for varney.... In the 4-3-3 format (which is our best formation in my opinion) left or right forward/wing/defensive forward, he would be perfect at for the work rate offensively and defensively, winning of headers and to nick a goal or 2
4

Surco72 added 10:23 - Nov 25
I applaud the club for loyalty to a player injured during our watch but personally don't think this signing will add much to the squad , an old striker who has never been prolific in whole career who is coming back from a very serious injury . Certainly not a match winner just another work hard player , would rather see the wages and signing on fee spent strengthening our weak defence that currently ranks bottom 5 of the championship .
3

Tractorboy1985 added 10:35 - Nov 25
My point was why did we sign coke? What had he done to warrant getting a contract at a club who had missed out narrowly to premiership football?? We should have been looking at a higher calibre of player! What have people been watching to think he warrants a space on the bench? He is a journeyman who has never held down a 1st team spot wherever he has been! What I'm trying to say is Ipswich town are better than the likes of Giles coke!
0

Tractorboy1985 added 10:37 - Nov 25
And Liam88 if he scores a worldy I'll buy u a season ticket!
0

liam88 added 10:44 - Nov 25
And better off without you tractorboy1985! Get behind your team and players you mug!
2

Tractorboy1985 added 10:55 - Nov 25
Oooohhhhhh get u.. Mug... Pathetic!!! It's a forum for debate u silly little boy.. It's a matter of opinion! I'm am fully behind the team and will be there at Charlton Saturday
1

Keaneish added 11:08 - Nov 25
Hyam and Varney have energy we need in the squad. Will be good to have them both back. Love to know the stats on how much their work rate forces errors from the opposition.
2

liam88 added 11:14 - Nov 25
Your hardly debating your defending your piss poor judgement on somebody who's played the last 10 mins of a couple of games. Everybody deserves a chance, when they've made 200+ apparences and making the same mistakes from game 1. That's when you say not up to standard, I'd love to meet you face to face... Then we'd see who the little boy was
-1

SouperJim added 11:31 - Nov 25
Ooh it's getting all mockney aggro on the news comments! You're really showering yourself in glory there liam...

Coke is a bang average champ center mid. Like it or lump it, we need 1 or 2 of his ilk to pad out the squad as we don't have the funds for 2 world beaters in every position. To a certain extent Reg is another example of this, although he does bring something a bit different that none of our other strikers do.
1

GiveusaWave added 11:46 - Nov 25
This was originally a story about Reg and Hunt. It's turned into a full scale analysis of Coke.

Regardless of his ability, Coke has showed real Grit with a capital G. He was unpopular at Wednesday, and had bad times at Bolton, Swindon and Bury Town. But he keeps on going. Like a Duracell battery he doesn't' know when to quit. That never quit attitude is hard to train into a player. Yes, I'd agree. He's technically woeful. But he wasn't meant to be the next Taricco or Peralta. He's also been poor so far, agree. But this is a player who has a real chance to rescue his career here and I really think he will come good. He's meant to be a really nice guy in the dressing room and he's a likeable person to have around the place.

Just give him some time. He's never going to be class but he could turn into a sound squad player in the future as long as the crowd doesn't get on his back. There must have been a reason all those years ago that Wednesday offered him a 5 year contract. Maybe he will mature like a good bottle of red.
2

liam88 added 12:44 - Nov 25
Like I give a monkeys what people think of me, when have I said he's a world beater. Pretty sure that doesn't read like that! An exaggeration comment to take the mickey out of a few, which people seemed to have been offended. I'd like to offer apologies to the people who where deeply offended by saying give the guy a chance before you judge lol. Judging somebody's performances from snipets is a bit to far. I thinks lot of people on here need to read the holy Quran
-1

thebeat added 13:18 - Nov 25
You see this is the perfect example of why we are going nowhere. Hull bring in Sean Maloney, while we cant wait for Luke Varney to come back.
If this isnt the biggest example of "job for his mate" from Mick i dont know what is. Varney is bang average.
And while we're on the subject so is Coke.
1

thebeat added 13:18 - Nov 25
You see this is the perfect example of why we are going nowhere. Hull bring in Sean Maloney, while we cant wait for Luke Varney to come back.
If this isnt the biggest example of "job for his mate" from Mick i dont know what is. Varney is bang average.
And while we're on the subject so is Coke.
1


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