x

Assistant Appointment on Back Burner - Ipswich Town News

Boss Roy Keane says adding an assistant manager to his staff has been put on the back burner. The Blues manager announced that he was looking for a new deputy at the end of last season.

Keane told the club site: "It's not been a priority for me this summer. I've put it on the back burner for now. I spoke to one person who I felt I could have worked with and we had some good conversations, but he has ended up getting a job himself.

"I've been too busy with other things at the moment. I want to focus on trying to bring in one or two new faces to the squad and also concentrating on the players here already and getting things right for the new season."

New Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers, a close friend of Keane’s, was strongly linked with the job prior to landing his position with the Swans.

The Blues boss says the current pre-season programme is a very different to last year's: "Perhaps more by accident than design, because we ideally wanted another game or two in Holland, our preparations this time have been like chalk and cheese compared to last summer. But it’s working OK and is far better organised.

"Last year it was hectic to say the least with a new manager, new staff, new players, hours of travelling, house and school hunting and no canteen with our training ground being renovated.

"We also picked up injuries, which apart from Damien Delaney, we have managed to keep clear of this time.”

One of the planned games in Holland was against Town’s 1981 UEFA Cup final foes AZ Alkmaar, local policing concerns scuppering the fixture.

What to read next:

Ipswich Town v Fulham - Predictions
Have you predicted the Fulham score yet? Seventy seven per cent of TWTD members are forecasting a Town win today, 17 per cent a draw and six per cent for an away win. The most commonly predicted result is a 2-1 win to Town with Emersonn our first scorer but what do you think?
U21s Draw With West Brom
Frankie Runham scored twice as Town’s U21s drew 2-2 with West Brom in the Premier League Cup at the JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester.
O'Neil: Fulham in False Position
Town boss Gary O’Neil believes Fulham are in a false position as the West Londoners visit Portman Road as the Premier League resumes after its three-week break.
O'Neil: It Feels a Long Time Since We Last Played
Town manager Gary O’Neil says the three-week break has been productive for the players who weren’t away with their international squads, but admits he didn’t enjoy it as much as the traditional shorter break.
O'Neil: I've Not Given it a Second's Thought
Blues manager Gary O’Neil says he’s not given the furore surrounding Manchester City a second’s thought.
O'Neil: Diop and Lukic Still at an Incredible Level
Blues manager Gary O’Neil says he’d be very surprised if Saturday’s opponents Fulham allowed Town duo Issa Diop and Sasa Lukic to move on in the summer due to their levels of performance.
Diop: Always Special Against Your Former Club But No Extra Motivation
Town defender Issa Diop is excited to return to Portman Road this weekend but insists facing former club Fulham provides no extra motivation.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
O'Neil: Everyone Should Be Proud of New Training Ground Building
Boss Gary O’Neil says everyone involved should be proud of the new training ground building at Playford Road, which the club made public earlier in the week.
O'Neil: Everyone's Fit
Town boss Gary O’Neil has a fully fit squad going into Saturday’s return to action at home to Fulham with only the suspended Abdul Fatawu unavailable, while the Blues manager is assessing how to utilise the players who returned late from international duty.