Former Blues midfielder Tommy Oar says he could return to English football one day but has no regrets about his decision to leave Town after only five months in January.

The Australian international winger, who joined the Blues on a free transfer last summer having left Dutch side FC Utrecht, made only four starts and five sub appearances, scoring his only goal in the FA Cup third round tie against Portsmouth at Portman Road, before his contract was terminated by mutual consent. He rejoined his former club the Brisbane Roar in February.

“I definitely have big ambitions and would love to go back overseas,” the 24-year-old told Australia’s The Daily Football Show. “It’s always difficult to predict where your football career is going to take you.”

“I don’t really want to speculate but if the opportunity did arise to go back to a country like England it’d be something I’d love to do.”

Regarding his Town exit, he added: “At this stage in my career I wasn’t really getting the opportunities at Ipswich, and with the style of play and all these other factors, I couldn’t see myself being successful there.

“In order to benefit me long-term I needed to do something about it and that was kind of a big part of the reason why I went to Brisbane. I’m really happy with the decision.”

Oar previously played down comments from his agent suggesting that Town's style of football was behind his early exit.

Since returning to the Roar, who face Western Sydney Wanderers in an A-League semi-final on Sunday, Oar has made two starts and three sub appearances.

Meanwhile, former Blues defender Chris Swailes has already reached a final with his club, Ebac Northern League side Morpeth Town.

Swailes, now 45 and having come out of retirement for a second time, and Morpeth will face Hereford in the FA Vase final, a trophy he has already won twice in his career, at Wembley on Sunday 22nd May having overcome Bowers and Pitsea at the semi-final stage.

The centre-half came through the youth system at Portman Road but was released and joined Peterborough United in 1991.

George Burley re-signed him from Doncaster Rovers for £225,000 in 1995 soon after taking over as manager and Swailes went on to make 39 starts and three sub appearances before moving to Bury as part of the 1997 deal which saw David Johnson join the Blues.

Photo: Action Images

Dissboyitfc added 10:08 - Apr 23 Says it all!
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BlueNomad added 10:12 - Apr 23 One of the most damning indictments on what is going on!!!
17

DublinBlue84 added 10:12 - Apr 23 Well if nothing else, at least Mick says it like it is and when he gives his opinion he sticks to it, unlike Oar who flips backwards and forwards between reasons for leaving every other week. Better off without him.
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budgieplucker added 10:22 - Apr 23 Two starts and three substitute appearances!!, Either another sick note or not good enough at Ozzy level.
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tractorshark added 10:22 - Apr 23 Don't make Oar out to be a martyr. We all want our club to play better and win more but this guy has the heart of a hamster. Regardless of style, he didn't set the place alight in his albeit limited appearances. He just threw in the towel. I would imagine most English clubs won't touch him.
5

BrettenhamBlue added 10:27 - Apr 23 Wonder if Mick will re sign Chris Swailes. Will give Digby a run for his money. Oar was hardly a world beater. Hardly showed great loyalty either did he?
3

martin587 added 10:42 - Apr 23 In other words,you didn't like the style of play.! Don't blame you. 😡
8

essexboy added 10:59 - Apr 23 Well,you did jump ship even though you didn't like our style of play.
2

essex57 added 11:03 - Apr 23 2 starts and 3 sub appearances says it all really.
1

OwainG1992 added 11:26 - Apr 23 Excuse me Mr Oar! You are not an Ipswich fan you cannot slate our side! That right is reserved to ourselves...Good Day!
2

Knightsy added 11:26 - Apr 23 Struggling for News....this morning. All this Tommy Oar information, is Boring, a bit like MM Football. Chris Swailes news , was a bit part player 20 years ago. What's Next....Graham Harbey News
-4

Dissboyitfc added 11:38 - Apr 23 And that is part of the problem with MM, he says something and he sticks to it, regardless of whether he is wrong. That stubbornness i believe has cost us. And Knoghtsy i think the story is very relevant to our position. in world football. Once we respected the world over for our football, now an average Aussie leaves because of our style, Very sad days indeed!
6

Dissboyitfc added 11:40 - Apr 23 Knightys...oops sorry
0

cartman1972 added 12:08 - Apr 23 Who cares? This is hardly enlightenment.... Better off without him.
0

patrickswell added 12:27 - Apr 23 So in order to be successful, you left a side that was in the promotion race for the Premier League to go back to a league that means eff all in terms of global significance. And you did this after 5 months. You didn't even have the balls to see out the season and try to force your way in. Spineless prick. Not fit to lace Piotr Malarczyk's boots...
4

Dissboyitfc added 12:32 - Apr 23 I dont think he is spineless at all, in fact the opposite he didnt like our style, he knew it wasnt working for him so he e did the admirable thing for all parties, whats spineless about that? I often think we i watch us play, what skilful player would want to join us!
3

BroskiBeen added 12:33 - Apr 23 So all that "I can't settle in England" stuff was all crap? Why lie, if he ever joins another English club he's gonna get so much abuse and it's understandable, why didn't he say this before, then hey we may have tried new things to help him fit into the style? No other English club will gamble on Oar now coz they think he won't be able to settle, if you can't fight for your place and have a tantrum when your not being played your not gonna play, rot in the A-league then if ya want

0

Gcon added 12:59 - Apr 23 Really clutching at straws with this one, Dissboy
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phillo added 13:29 - Apr 23 Truth will out ....
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michaeldownunder added 13:34 - Apr 23 When Oar joined town I said he was not that great, I feel he is at his right level in Australia
1

manualthetisfanclub added 13:37 - Apr 23 Who cares really. Had my doubts about him when he signed, alright good pedigree, good further potential but never showed any of it from his brief cameos,but how come it took till end of August for him to get a club, if he was that good he should have been signed up a lot earlier. No sour or anything and good luck to him, but do doubt he will come back to England

0

Seasider added 14:09 - Apr 23 What Oar says and does is up to him.What I don't understand is McCarthy should want to exclude Jonny Parr from the left back berth,when he had him to replace Tyrone Mings at left back.Instead he buys a rooky for £350k and puts him straight in whereas Jonas I am sure would have been happy to deputise for the Norwegian,who I feel was a much bigger loss.
2

DublinBlue84 added 14:13 - Apr 23 Looking at all of the votes on here, it would seem that some people believe that dishonesty is an admirable trait in a player and are painting a dishonest player as a martyr. The fact is Oar showed no respect at all to our club and only cares about himself and says whatever he wants to portray himself in the best possible light. We do not need characters like him at PR, the fact he was not honest with the club, the fans or the manager suggests he was a bad apple and we are lucky we got rid.

2

Dissboyitfc added 14:16 - Apr 23 Gcon...arent you embarrassed by our standing in world football when an average player leaves because of our style( lack of style ) i know i am.
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MattinLondon added 14:18 - Apr 23 Unless you know the man then nobody truly knows whether or not he is a dishonest person. If I moved to a new job in a new country and if the culture at the new job didn't fit my style then I would want to move sooner rather than later back to something more familiar. Would the bad experience put me off relocating in the future, probably not. I wish him well. Our style of play didn't suit him so he asked to leave. Nothing more than that.

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