Jonathan Barnett has hit back at criticism from Town fans asking: "Will Ipswich Town want to look after him when he's 40? Will those supporters who are criticising me now be having a whip round for Richard when he's too old to play?"

It seems unlikely that Wright will be needing a whip round wherever his career takes him. It also seems clear that Barnett is trying to manipulate Town into a position where Wright's transfer-listing is inevitable and then acting upset for his client when this happens. Unless Wright signs a longer term deal what else can the club do? Surely neither Wright nor Barnett are naive enough to imagine that David Sheepshanks would risk losing £6 million? Is it also possible that Mr Barnett is naive enough to imagine that fans won't criticise an agent who appears to be manipulating one of their star players into a move? We await comments from Wright himself with bated breath. Meanwhile still no offers...

Away from the seedy world of transfer wrangles some of the other players are getting back to business. Neil Midgley and David Johnson have been back in training for a few days and now Titus Bramble, Fabian Wilnis and Richard Logan are back running about, kicking things and putting their bodies in indecorous positions in preparation for the new season. Gone are the days when your correspondent used to see a certain Scottish striker on his way to the pub mid-afternoon the day before pre-season training started. There seems a different sort steel and commitment from our lads these days. The rest, excepting Richard Wright and Matt Holland (both are let off due to their international commitments) are back tomorrow.

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