Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Keane: Nothing New on Stoke Target Walters
Keane: Nothing New on Stoke Target Walters
Tuesday, 10th Aug 2010 08:52

Town manager Roy Keane says he has heard nothing new from the various clubs interested in skipper Jon Walters. Stoke City are understood to be the frontrunners for the 26-year-old’s signature with QPR and other sides also interested.

Keane said: “It’s very quiet on that one. Thank God for that, though. I thought Jon was outstanding on Saturday. Some players can get affected by speculation, but the top people and the top players deal with all that nonsense.

“When you get out on that football pitch, you want to play, you want to run, you want to get stuck in and when Jon’s here as the captain of the team I know we’ve got a chance.

“Jon will be involved against Exeter as one of the senior players. Jon at the front in the tunnel brings a bit of comfort to me. I know we’ll be OK.”

The Blues boss says Walters won’t be going anywhere unless Town are offered the price they have in mind: “That goes for any player, Connor Wickham, Gareth McAuley, whoever it might be. We have a value on our players, and I think they are realistic values, we’re not playing silly buggers like other clubs.”

Keane expects further developments on Jon Stead’s situation soon, but says that while the striker is still at the club he will continue to be involved: “There might be news on that in the next few days, but Jon’s in my plans, Jon’s involved, he trained this morning.

“He spoke to clubs, but if a club comes in for any of our players and we agree a fee with them, then they can go and speak to them. There’s no harm.

“Jon went and spoke with Blackpool, I don’t know whether he met up with Bristol City, and he came back and he scored a goal for us. That’s a footballer’s career, a footballer’s life. Just because you get offers, it doesn’t mean you have to go.


“We saw on Saturday that he came on with a good attitude and a desire to do well, just like he did against Spurs on Tuesday night.

“When Jon came off the bench on Saturday it was no surprise he scored because he nearly scored five minutes before that. He’ll be involved on Tuesday night.”

The Town manager outlined where he feels his squad requires strengthening: “We need to bring a couple of attackers into the squad and we need another midfielder and certainly another defender. If we got another injury in our back four, like if Kennedy is out for a while, we’ll be in trouble. We’ve struggled at left-back anyway.

“Mark didn’t have too many minutes under his belt in pre-season and I know it’s easy to be clever after the event, but maybe we should have taken him off with 10 minutes to go, as that’s when he injured his hamstring.”

Keane is leaving the money side of potential signings to chief executive Simon Clegg and owner Marcus Evans, having reduced the wage bill by moving on the likes of Owen Garvan, Alex Bruce, Kevin Lisbie and Lee Martin: “I’ve done my part of the deal.

“It’s not up to me to negotiate with these agents and clubs. I think being the manager of a football club is pretty time-consuming anyway without me getting involved in that.

“Sometimes I do, sometimes I think I have to have my say in it, but if I speak to the player and feel that he wants to come to the club and I’m happy with the chat, then the people who do the number crunching have got to produce, because I think we produce on the other side.”

Keane feels that so far he has received the support he has been after from Town’s money men and is aware why deals take time to be completed: “I think so, but as you know, I can be quite impatient sometimes. However, we have to negotiate like every other club on the planet.

“Just because we’ve got all these injuries it doesn’t mean we’re suddenly going to be desperate and start giving people £15-£20,000 a week. It’s not going to work that way.

“I think as a manager you learn about manage your players but you’ve got to learn about the financial stuff of the club. I know we have been trying but we need to get the deals done, but I also know we need to get the right players in. We can’t bring a player in in the next few days and then regret it in two months’ time.”

Keane says the Blues pay relatively sensible wages at present and says the club knows from bitter experience not to pay over the odds: “We’ve got some good players here, they’re on decent wages, but to me they’re not ‘silly wages’. The club doesn’t want to go down that road because they did not many years ago when players came to the club on big, big money and didn’t try a leg. That’s not a road I’m going to go down.

“Even if I go up against Burnley on Saturday with the squad of players I currently have available or we go with 11 players from the youth team last year, I’m fine because I know they’ll give 100%.”

Ultimately, despite his current frustrations, the Blues boss is hopeful of getting his targets, but if not will work with the squad he’s got: “From a footballing point of view, I’m fairly confident that the players want to come, they’ve told me that, but you’ve got to get over the finishing line.

“Players have got to look at their contracts, length of contracts, the money they might want to receive, the money they might want to receive from the clubs they are leaving. It’s complicated, but we’ll see. Maybe by tomorrow or by Friday night that might have changed, who knows?

“I’m quite relaxed about it. I’m happy with the players I’m working with as much as I’m short. They’re good lads and we'll go into the game having a right go, which is all you can ask of players, win, lose or draw.”

Meanwhile, Cardiff midfielder Stephen McPhail has also been the subject of conversations between Roy Keane and Dave Jones, according to reports in Wales. Yesterday, the Blues were reported to be ready to move for Ross McCormack, having failed to land Michael Chopra.

Elsewhere, reported Town target Scott Sinclair has joined Swansea City from Chelsea for a fee of £500,000.


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



Karlosfandangal added 09:03 - Aug 10
Good to see. If we get a Scotland or Chopra then no problem if Jon Stead goes as I feel these players are better than Jon. Still think he can do a job for us would perfer Counago to go than Stead.
Looks like Walters will be here until Jan and if we are up ther with the rest then I cant see Walters going
0

alfromcol added 09:08 - Aug 10
I am a supporter of RK but does he have to come out with all this babble? Why don't the PR media people keep him away from the media a bit more, it all gets a bit boring. Is there a need to give a briefing every day? It would seem much more sensible to brief the media when there is something of importance to say.
0

PhilTWTD added 09:09 - Aug 10
Alfromcol

For the record, Keane speaks to the media pre-game and post-game and not at all other than that, so probably less than any manager we've had apart from Jim Magilton.
0

sonian_blue added 09:14 - Aug 10
After the game saturday and the positive vibes from Keano I am really confident of a good season. The players team spirit, maybe in question last season, looked class throughout on Saturday and the kids coming in was a bonus.
Havent felt so good coming away from a game in a long long time and the long journey meant more time to wallow in it!
Lets get behind the team (this includes the manager ) and give it a real go this season. There are no standout teams in this league and a good start will set us up nicely. We play many of the fancied teams early doors so if we are top 6 come the end of next month, the season could be a cracker.
Come On You Blue Boys !!!!!!!!!!!
0

alfromcol added 09:15 - Aug 10
Phil

Thanks for your reply, it just seems like every day!
0

JohnScales added 09:17 - Aug 10
I just have a sneaking feeling should we sell Walters for 3plus Million we could see Scotland, Chopra and McCormack, What force we'd be then.
0

PhilTWTD added 09:47 - Aug 10
alfromcol

There is a tendency for quotes from press conferences to be used (here and elsewhere) across the week on days when there isn't any other news, which may be why there is the impression that RK is talking to the press more regularly than he is.
0

bluewarrior added 09:47 - Aug 10
The word is that McCormack was in Ipswich yesterday to agree terms but not sure if Stead will go the other way. The Scotland deal looks just about cooked as well apparently. I know it's a cliche but this is from a 'good source!'
0

Singapore_Blue added 10:00 - Aug 10
Am i the only one who thinks Stead is actually a bloody good player. No, not a world beater, but well worth keeping and as good if not better than most (if not all) of what we've got ??

I don't get to see many games from the other side of the world, but was at PR for the QPR game last Christmas and he was absoloutely superb. Scored 2 great goals and really unlucky not to get a hat-trick.

I will bow to the expereince of those who have seen him more, but every time i've seen him he's given 100% and looked to be a really decent player. Great as a back up if nothing else.

Am i missing something ?
0

cornishnick added 10:25 - Aug 10
McPhail? What is it all of a sudden with Cardiff City players. Cardiff must be the new Sunderland
0

bluelady added 10:27 - Aug 10
singapore-blue you summed it up exactly. a good sqaud player, not a world beater but one who will give experience to the younger players, one who plays with his heart on his sleeve, and one who clearly does not want to leave and enjoys wearing the town shirt...... i can think if worse reasons for keeping a player! with such a small sqaud why rid of someone who has goals in him? Also Walters and QPR - really? i can see him going to a premiership club, why not but QPR and Warnock, hmmmm and would they pay 3 million plus, i doubt that very much!
0

tomos91 added 10:42 - Aug 10
I really hope stead doesnt go. Watching him come on, on saturday he ran his legs off. Hopefully keane's youre on the transfer list attitude has made him realise. And i hope walters doesnt go. To be thinking of a being a prem side we should be keeping the depth screw wages evans is loaded he should stop being so tight bring in two or three players and bam i reckon we have a chance.
0

Karlosfandangal added 10:48 - Aug 10
Singapore Blue and blue lady.
I agree however if the sale of Stead means a Chopra or Scotland or McCormack coming in then let him go. It the same as when we sold Dyer the money from that sale help us buy 4 players and the rest is history.
If we have to sell Walters to get all of the three above I would say yes.
I the only one I would not sell is Wickham as he seems to be a great prospect.
I dont want to see either of them go, However if we went up this year I cant see Stead scoring many in the Prem, as for Walters I feel he may have what it takes to set up, but it would be a big possiblity that we would sell them at the end of the season if we went up
0

Holdsteady added 10:52 - Aug 10
Singapore Blue, well said!!

Stead always gives it 100% and would score a lot more goals if given a run in the side.

0

bluelady added 11:07 - Aug 10
Karlos agree but Keane has already said we are down to the bare bones of a squad so even if we bring one of those players in then why sell stead? we have off loaded so many players this year it must have free'd up some wages? Pablo yes agree he can go and dont agree he should travel - saw him last tuesday and he was truely awful.
0

dobbie73 added 11:55 - Aug 10
Singapore - I'd like to see Steady stay. Certainly he is no superstriker, but a good squad player and a potential match winner on his day.
0

Karlosfandangal added 12:02 - Aug 10
Bluelady

If you count the loan players thats 12 players less than last year, 3 three signed. If you say an average of 10k week you are looking at a saving of around 5 Million a year. so I agree why let Stead go. The only thing I can think of is if we are about to bring in 2 strikers (McCormack and Scotland) then there is no place for Counago and Stead.
As Stead seems to be the one that teams are showing an intrest in, then they will let him go, We will have Wickham, Priskin possible Walters and two new strikers (Possible) and with the fromation we are playing 4 strikers will be enough.
Agree we are down to the bare bones, However the players who have gone has given the younger lads a chance. Wickham, O'Conner started to feature more at the end of last year. This year they will feature more as will Smith, Hyam and Cevilli so when (when) fit we will have numbers similair to last year.

This is only my opinion and how I see it at the minute.
0

bluelady added 12:37 - Aug 10
spot on Karlos - oh and what is the news of Cevelli does anyone know? i do worry he will never get back to ful fitness but hope i am wrong.

i was one of the numpties that paid £15 for last tuesdays friendly and know what it was great - passionate young players who really want to wear a town shirt and have something to prove - whilst they cannot do a full season it is great to see them playing a part. for me Troy Brown is the one to watch, not sure if he can play at right back too? he is a classy intellegent player who reads the game better than some senior players i have seen at senior back.... again that is only my oppion :-)
0

Seasonticketsteve added 12:45 - Aug 10
Just seen that Cardiff have signed Olofinjana this morning, could this be in preparation for losing one of their players-McCormack or McPhail???
0

Lightningboy added 13:40 - Aug 10
Totally agree Singapore_Blue..feel sorry for Stead,always seems to get bombed out of wherever he is..I for one hope he stays put and is given a chance.

As for McPhail,he'd be a great signing..probably get the role Hyam's been playing behind Norris & Leadbitter...as promising as Hyam is,we do need more cover in the middle.
0

denhamblue added 14:16 - Aug 10
your a load of dreamers,we wil have nobody in by the end of the week.Were to tight,and wont indulge in any kind of auction.We may have had a great result on sat,and may continue for a while,but our squad is so threadbare,we will get found out long term,no doubt about it.
0

bluelady added 14:24 - Aug 10
oh jolly old you denhamblue rather a glass half empty attitude? i agree we need to add i agree its frustrating but i also know things take time so lets see shall we and then all moan if and when it goes belly up - just enjoy the moment of saturday!!
0

Seasonticketsteve added 14:33 - Aug 10
Any truth to the twitter rumours that McCormack was in Ipswich yesterday for talks-Phil???
0

bluelady added 14:45 - Aug 10
well season ticket Steve on the Cardiff blog they are all resigned and not too happy to see him go - apparantly him and Jones are not on best terms so cleary time for him to move on. Bit of a live wire from what i have read so Keane would be ideal to sort him out! Interested to see if he was around yesterday.. also any news on Civelli?
0

Seasonticketsteve added 15:44 - Aug 10
I am truly excited by the prospect of signing McCormack, considering he was being linked with Premiership clubs 12/18 months ago. I think he would be an inspired signing for Town and at a young age is one to build the team around. For the money being talked about as well, if this deal comes off then it could be the signing of the summer.

Bluelady-no new news on Civelli at present I believe, sure I can try and find an update from some where though :)
0


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024