Boss Roy Keane says he’ll take in a few games at this summer’s World Cup in South Africa. The Blues boss hopes defender Tommy Smith makes the final New Zealand 23 having been included in the preliminary squad of 30.
Keane, who knows New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert having worked alongside him on coaching courses, says it will be a feather in the club’s cap to have a representative in South Africa: "It’ll be great to have an Ipswich Town player at the World Cup and, please God, Tommy will be in there.
"I know he’s in the initial squad of 30, but I know that’s being cut down in the next week or two.”
A trip to the World Cup is on Keane’s summer agenda but unlike in previous close seasons the Town manager has no plans to go on any coaching courses: "I’m sick of courses, I’ve been on the best course for the last 10 months - that’s working here. In the job is the best course you can get.
"[First team coach] Tony Loughlan’s going on one or two, [fitness coach] Antonio Gomez is always doing stuff. It’s good for the staff and my staff are very open-minded and always willing to learn.
"I’ve no plans to go on any courses. I’ve had busy four or five years with different courses and hopefully I’ll be busy this summer, watching one or two matches, having a trip to the World Cup and trying to speak to one or two players [now that the season has ended].”
Fitness coach Gomez is set to run a course at El Instituto Municipal de Juegos y Deportes back in Lorca in his native Spain next month before he returns for pre-season which starts on June 28th.