Defender Gareth McAuley says former manager Roy Keane was let down by some members of his squad. The Northern Irishman believes there are players at Portman Road who aren’t too sorry to see him move on.

McAuley said: “Some players he brought to the club let the manager down for whatever reason, and he has now paid the price.

“There are lads disappointed at the manager going and perhaps those maybe not so. But that’s football. We are left with the squad that we have, and we don’t know whether it will be strengthened.”

The 31-year-old, who TWTD understands has been offered a new two-year deal on the same terms as his current Town contract which is up in the summer, says he has been assessing some of his team-mates during his time out after achilles surgery.

He says some need to up their game if the Blues are to remain in the Championship: “They have not been pulling their weight, and while I’ve been injured I’ve been watching games, saying to myself ‘Is he hiding?’, ‘Is he doing enough?’

“I’m in a position where I can speak in the dressing room but not always out there on the pitch and the gaffer could not be out there making sure that his players put it in all the time.”

The ex-Leicester and Lincoln man says he has a lot of time for Keane, despite coming close to leaving the club last season: “I’ve got so much respect for the man and what he’s done. I’ve had run-ins as much as anyone, but they weren’t scary and he only cared about getting the best out of you and the best out of the club.

“Perhaps I had a different upbringing as I could take it on the chin and realise that it was nothing personal. But some of the younger players did not respond too well. It is part of their education and they have got to realise that it’s a man’s game.

“It’s been fun if not easy and tough, both mentally and physically, but I have total respect for Roy Keane and it is hard to see him go.”

McAuley is expected to be fine for Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie at Chelsea, despite coming off at half-time in the game against Nottingham Forest with a hamstring injury.

Photo: Action Images

bedsitfc added 14:04 - Jan 8 I think he is talking about leadbitter
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Blue041273 added 14:05 - Jan 8 Sounds like a happy and united squad. What's the odds now on Macca and Chuck moving on for nothing in the summer. The new manager has got a real job on his hands to assemble a squad that will get us out of League one next year.
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itfc1981 added 14:06 - Jan 8 on the same terms! he's off then! Clegg needs to go, he is the rotten core at our club!
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hulltractor added 14:07 - Jan 8 You could quite easily throw a blanket over the team and take your pick To be honest.
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bedsitfc added 14:13 - Jan 8 Sounds like we could have an unhappy squad on our hands and thinking about what chris houghton did with an unhappy squad at newcastle (bringing them together) maybe he should be our first choice.
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itfc1981 added 14:14 - Jan 8 Edwards too Priskin recently
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floridaboy added 14:15 - Jan 8 Why would McAuley be off in the summer, he has been offered a 2 year deal on the same wages - good deal if you ask me Sorry but he is a very good championship defender but he is most definitely NOT a premiership defender. He would get absolutely slaughtered. Same as Norris. Good championship player and that is all. I would have thought that both will stay. Who would buy them?

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captain_fantastic added 14:20 - Jan 8 Gareth I completely agree with what you've said, and congratulate you on your honesty. One can speculate on which players he is referring to, but I'm sure Priskin wasn't too sad to see Keane depart! The new manager whoever it may be, has alot of work to do to convince McAuley and Norris to sign new contracts. I really can't see certain players buying into someone like Megson and possibly even Jewell......

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dubblue added 14:34 - Jan 8 Lets just hope the new manager can get the players working together, speculation as who is to blame for Keane's exit won't help.
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Blue041273 added 14:49 - Jan 8 Floridaboy No-one needs to 'buy' them. They're out of contract in the summer. They will be available for nothing and able to command higher wages as a result. They cost us millions and we are prepared to let them go for nothing. Brilliant executive management!
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Mark added 14:53 - Jan 8 I suspect that with all the chopping and changing, especially when players have been dropped right out of the 18, there are several players who feel they have been treated unfairly. I feel sorry for many of them so I am sure they were not happy at times. Civelli - not even getting a substitute appearance after recovering from injury. Delaney - dropped out of the squad after Norwich (despite scoring). Hyam - great start to the season then left out for months. Livermore - brought here then hardly played (so why sign him?). O'Connor - not given a chance for so long after doing so well last season. Peters - left out for weeks despite being a good player for Ipswich. Priskin - was improving and then dropped right out the squad recently. Smith - defence had done well, but dropped for the last match. Wickham - I got the impression he felt he hadn't had a fair chance this season. Let's hope the new manager can get the best out of all the players not just keep praising favourites such as Colback and Leadbitter. All players must be made to feel wanted and be encouraged to believe in themselves. I am sure sometimes it is right to have a go at them when not trying, but I suspect a more balanced approach is needed.

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dirtydingusmagee added 15:01 - Jan 8 enough said Gareth, looks like end of road as a unit. The players you refer to obviously wont take to kindly to you telling the world, however the truth hurts as they say, hope a new manager will get us back on track and you stay on and continue to give it your all.I still think Clegg is a waste of space and things are not going to improve whilst he has a finger in the pie .

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petermorris added 15:14 - Jan 8 McA might be off but he might also be elbowing his way back up to the top of the pecking order. Wasn't he our Captain once?, didn't RK say he'd 'never play in an Ipswich shirt again?'... or was that all part of the same bad dream?
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jas0999 added 15:18 - Jan 8 Do you honestly think Ipswich are the only club in the country where players are happy to see a manager leave? Some of Liverpool'swillbe delighted today and there were even reports of some Aston Villa players celebrating when O'Neil left (and look at his record)! A manager can not pick every player every week. It's disappointing that certain players didn't give it their all - can't blame anyone other than the player concerned. Roy would have been right to drop these guys. People also fail to pick up on that several players were SAD to see Roy leave. I also agree with Gareth when he say's it's 'a man's game' - in football you have to take it on the chin. I would be disappointed if our manager congratulated the players and certain individuals after some poor showings.

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petermorris added 15:34 - Jan 8 Agree jas0999 but even recently we saw Peters, Townsend and to some extent (once or twice) Priskin play really well then no sign of 'em next outing. And getting hauled off after putting in a good 60 mins can't be too good for any player can it? RK seemed right to drop players sometimes, and if they hadn't got injured getting fitter our squad certainly had more stamina.... but he got it wrong too many times and pissed a lot of people off in the process - no doubt about that.

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h32 added 15:43 - Jan 8 If what McAuley says is correct, and we have no reason to believe otherwise, and players have not been given their best for the club - I hope the new Manager gets them OUT of the Club post haste. This is a mans game - and the sooner perhaps some players get this into their heads the better. Portman Road is no place for anything less than committed people.
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WREXHAM_BLUE added 15:43 - Jan 8 Get a life itfc1981; stop playing guessing games.
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h32 added 15:54 - Jan 8 ...... I get the feeling that certain people are at last beginning to realise what a state this Club is currently in - and what a task for any new Manager ? - he'll need to be bl--dy good at his job from the moment he's appointed. No place for another Manager needing 'to learn the trade', for sure.
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_Mhs_ added 16:02 - Jan 8 with all the controversy surrounding keane and his management styles, hopefully it gives us a chance to start again now. New manager, couple of fresh faces, and it also gives the players a new start such as wickham, priskin, o'connor etc who didnt seem to be given a great chance under keane. We've got a good team with good players, we just need that team spirit back which has been lost over the last couple of months. Hopefully the fans will forgive and forget, and push the team to kick on this season!

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itfc1981 added 16:04 - Jan 8 yes as Wrexham is a hive of living!
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ipswichjon added 16:05 - Jan 8 Civelli - not even getting a substitute appearance after recovering from injury. Delaney - dropped out of the squad after Norwich (despite scoring). Hyam - great start to the season then left out for months. Livermore - brought here then hardly played (so why sign him?). O'Connor - not given a chance for so long after doing so well last season. Peters - left out for weeks despite being a good player for Ipswich. Priskin - was improving and then dropped right out the squad recently. Smith - defence had done well, but dropped for the last match. Wickham - I got the impression he felt he hadn't had a fair chance this season. Mark, Civelli's been poor in the reserves, O'Connor, Wickham and Hyam have all been injured for considerable periods this season, I'll give you Priskin and the others but bear in mind Smith's calamitous clearance against Swansea, Livermore's headless chicken display at Hull and Peter's lack of positional sense (that said I like him as a winger) these players maybe need to look at themselves as well.

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WREXHAM_BLUE added 16:10 - Jan 8 On yer bike itfc1981... didn't you say you lived in Sheffield? Say no more. Despite you getting personal about the whole thing (and I couldn't care less!), try saying something positive for ONCE in your life. I was initially remarking on your comments as opposed to your home town. I also assume you've never once stepped foot in Wrexham so I'd imagine you're not best placed to judge.

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AJblue added 16:13 - Jan 8 ipswichjon...was going to say the same thing, but couldn't be bothered,irelised some people dont let facts get in the way of a biased rant
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ipswichjon added 16:22 - Jan 8 Yeah, I've had someone reply to me in an argument about football with the phrase; "You can prove anything with facts but my opinion's still valid" I just ended up shaking my head and giving up. Whatever the individual player's feelings about Keane going (and there's really no point any of us on here speculating) they still have a huge responsibility for the position we're in. I'm really hoping we get Sean O'Driscoll as at least we'd get back to playing decent possession football with a bit of flare. The most disappointing thing during the Keane's reign was the lack of a recognisable footballing philosophy. Everyone knows that Coventry are long ball, QPR are attacking, Scunthorpe defensive, Swansea play possession football etc but we've been not one thing nor the other.

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AJblue added 16:32 - Jan 8 I, rightly or wrongly, believe my eyes. I watch the players chosen, week in, week out, and i'd like to think i have been watching football long enough now, to know when a player is or isn't giving 100%. Judging by some of the comments around me, I am by no means the only one who notices these less than honest players, and YES they have to shoulder some blame. The thing is i am in the firm belief that as long as these players are paid their salary, they couldn't give a rats ass about fighting for our beloved club, and any amount of berating that you or I do is not gonna make a jot of difference. McAuley in my opinion is right in what he says...but i am afraid it will mean nothing to thoise players that are not prepared to bleedblue as we do.

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