Boss Mick McCarthy believes new signing Adam Webster is “hopefully a real star in the making”. The 21-year-old joined the Blues from Portsmouth earlier in the summer with Matt Clarke and a fee understood to be in the region of £700,000 moving in the opposite direction.

“He was a star for Portsmouth,” McCarthy said. “I can’t believe Portsmouth are still in League Two, that they didn’t get promoted, they were excellent against us.

“We watched them a lot last season and I think he could end up being anything. He’s a really talented lad. He can defend but he’s very good on the ball, so that might add a new dimension to our team, let’s hope he does.”

Webster wasn’t involved in pre-season training with the rest of the squad this morning as he is still suffering from the knock which saw him miss the League Two play-offs.

“He came with an ankle injury, so he’s coming back,” McCarthy explained. “He was on the AlterG machine, the machine that can levitate you so you only put 20, 30 or 40 per cent of your weight on it.

“He was on that yesterday, he’s coming back. But he’s a really talented footballer as well as being able to defend, he’s a very good player.

“It’s looking like he might be right for the start of the season. He’s not been brought in for the squad, if he’s better than the others, he’ll play.”

The Town boss admits it was a difficult decision to let academy graduate Clarke, who spent last season on loan at Pompey, depart on a permanent basis.

“It was a tough call but then I’d got two left-footed centre-backs who were in front of him, Tommy and Christophe Berra, and he was unlikely to move them out,” he continued. “I do see Adam Webster as hopefully a real star in the making.”

Despite adding to his defenders, McCarthy isn’t looking to move on any regular members of his backline

“Peter Malarczyk will move on,” he said. “We’ve had a bit of interest in him, maybe on loan. He’s got a year left on his contract, we’ll see what happens with him.”

McCarthy confirmed that Kevin Foley won’t be coming back with skipper Luke Chambers and Josh Emmanuel his right-backs.

The Blues boss says no further new additions are imminent: “We’re just waiting because we’re not going to go out and just select somebody and spend loads of money on them.

“We’ll wait and see what we can get on loan and I think if you look there’s not that much happening. People come back to pre-season and see what they’ve got.

“The teams in the European Championships will all have to give their players probably three weeks off, so any squad players behind those will be used and utilised in pre-season games, pre-season training and probably tours abroad.

“So anybody that’s going to be let out on loan — and we’ll have to take them on a window-to-window or season-long loan — that will be done when they all come back for pre-season, I guess. We’re talking to people, but as yet nothing will be happening.”

He wouldn’t be drawn on claims of his interest in Charlton winger Callum Harriott - “You wouldn’t expect me to comment if I was” — and played down the chances of former trialist Kane Smith signing from non-league Hitchin Town with Chambers and Emmanuel in his squad.

“Chambo is still my first-choice right-back and Josh will be competing for that position, so that’s probably a no.”

Midfielder Kevin Bru was away with Mauritius earlier in the summer and will be back with the squad to join them for next week’s training camp at the Carton House Hotel in Co Kildare, while Daryl Murphy has also been given additional time off and will return to the club on Tuesday 12th July.

Photo: Action Images

Lathers added 12:44 - Jun 28 "he's very good on the ball, so that might add a new dimension to our team, let's hope he does.” Ha ha, at least MM is finally being honest about his hoofball tactics. It will take more than 1 new player to change an entire culture!!!
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Sir_Bob added 12:55 - Jun 28 His first interview of the season & I'm already bored with his boring, non committal demeanour. ''Our back four are great'' ''No one imminent'' ''Do you expect me to comment on that''
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HarryS_H added 13:04 - Jun 28 If mick starts bleating out his intentions of buying players others might come in and out bid us... I always feel like secrecy is the best way to get transfer deals done because as soon as a club knows that a player could be signed a bidding war happens. So if that's how mick wants to do his business then he should do it that way. There's no point buying players for the sake of it, they have to be right or you lot will moan at a bad signing so patiento is key!

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vanmunt added 13:29 - Jun 28 McCarthy confirmed that Kevin Foley won't be coming back with skipper Luke Chambers and Josh Emmanuel his right-backs. - Well there's a kick in the knackers, season hasn't started and Chambers already confirmed as next seasons right back.
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cats_whiskers added 14:12 - Jun 28 We're not going to go out and just select somebody and spend “loads of money on them” SHOCK!! McCarthy's words have never riang truer. A side filled with players who are devoid of any real goal prowess Expect nothing better than a 10-15 table finish with this squad as it certainly oozes mediocrity. We will be lucky to see any foward already here who can break 12 goal barrier for the season

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Wickets added 14:49 - Jun 28 Great to start off in a positive mood chaps!!!
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Kesblue66 added 16:34 - Jun 28 It will be the same old rubbish as last season,so glad i did not renew.
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jas0999 added 16:47 - Jun 28 Very pleased with this signing, but still not sure MM has worked out that our reserve team which played pompey wasn't exactly great and had no real bearing on how good a league two side Portsmouth were! We were that poor!
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manualthetisfanclub added 18:22 - Jun 28 Love big mick, full of promise already!
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planetblue_2011 added 18:53 - Jun 28 Is Emanuel any good then if he's not our regular right back over Chambers. Surely he's gonna break thru this season!!
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braveblue added 19:02 - Jun 28 Mick. They are not that good. The team you put out was awful. And we sat back.
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Bergholtblue added 19:06 - Jun 28 Christ! They have only been back a day and already the season is over for some.
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Surco72 added 19:23 - Jun 28 Chambo is full of passion but in reality a very poor to average right back for thus league . I beg to differ about not much movement also MM Sheff Weds appear to be quite busy but then they are trying to progress where as we don't need to as everyone is great !! Watching England was the same as Town , one game plan , no width , players out of position and left you feeling rather flat afterwards

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virginblue added 19:47 - Jun 28 So after saying at the end of last season that Chambo would be in the squad as a centre half this season, he's already changed his mind. Shock horror.
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Steelmonkey added 20:49 - Jun 28 So is it just me or does MM see this lad as another square peg to stuff into a round hole? Sounds that it's £700,000 been spent on a crocked defender that's not going to play at the heart of the defense, as he's not going to displace Berra or Smith. I guess then that means the money pots dry and once more we will have to bare another season of loans and not good enoughs for any other team in the division to turn us into playoff contenders. Just what has the man been smoking, for years now we have been needing a midfield dynamo that can see a pass and take goal opportunities when they come his way. As yet he shows no sign of this, then its another season of hoofball for us. It didn't work last season or the season before, so why will it work this coming one. Someone at work today said Town could of done better than England against the Icelanders, hmmm I'm not so sure. Although that Icelandic chant could be adapted by our fans, just shout BRUUU instead. Anyway it's only a game isn't it.

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thebeat added 21:19 - Jun 28 "Chambo is still my first choice rightback". Joy.......
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trevski added 22:09 - Jun 28 Chambo at right back again? I'm sure in an earlier interview he said that was one position that needed improving as he saw Chambo more as a centre back (which he is). What changed MM?
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prebbs007 added 22:56 - Jun 28 Chambers first choice RB. Oh dear oh dear Mick you still don't get it do you !!! He's utter cr&p. More dross hoofball more slow non goal scoring midfielders and the donkey up front. Shall I change my mind about renewing. No thanks, MM is a dinosaur with exactly the same bunch of cart horses and inept tactics as last season. We will struggle without change. Good luck to all of you who endure it.

2

pumpee added 23:13 - Jun 28 The joy of reading all our fans supporting comments...... Not! All the "fans" that do nothing that moan and slate the team on here, why dont you cross the border and put on that yellow shirt! Your not welcome here!
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flyingdutchman added 04:20 - Jun 29 Treats not welcome either
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itfccymru added 05:21 - Jun 29 Welcome back ITFC moners! Are people seriously surprised MM see's Chambers as his 1st choice RB? He was NEVER going to move to centre back this season. (1) He said himself he sees himself as a right back now. (2). We saw last season when we put him there it wasn't any better and we didn't look balanced. I am fully aware Chambo is no Dani Alves but he has good qualities as well. Not forgetting Josh Emmanuel, who can really step up this season and make that position his own. Instead of sitting behind your computers waiting for the first pre season story to break so you can complain about why don't we all look forward to hopefully a more progressive season for the team we all love.

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battyblue added 05:50 - Jun 29 Not looking to promising from the start again same shi- from the manager as Normal another season of his verbal and incompetence resulting in a lower to mid table finish again.
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Tomairyn added 08:15 - Jun 29 "He's a really talented lad. He can defend but he's very good on the ball, so that might add a new dimension to our team, let's hope he does." Seem to remember McCarthy saying much the same about Yorwerth. He was strong, fast, he could head the ball, had everything and could actually play a bit, WHICH WAS PROBABLY HIS DOWNFALL HERE. It was that final comment that had me in utter disbelief that a manager of a professional football team could criticise one of his players for having the ability to play the game as it is supposed to be played.

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BrettenhamBlue added 11:23 - Jun 29 See Foley is linked with Brentford, think he would have been a brilliant versatility player next season. Great shame.
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Steelmonkey added 13:16 - Jun 29 Pumpee - if my opinion upsets you then good, if your happy watching the dross that was played last season then that's good too if that's what you like to pay good money out for. I myself would like to be entertained on a Saturday/Tuesday in return for my season ticket price. Any fool and his dog can see what's missing from our team lineup, apart from the people that matter and that's going back some seasons / managers now. This site is for people to air their views and I will not stop offering mine.

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