Kennedy Will Add Vital Experience - Ipswich Town News

Blues boss Roy Keane says Mark Kennedy, who completed his £75,000 move from Cardiff on Wednesday, will add valuable experience to the Town squad. Kennedy made his fist appearance for the Blues as a half-time sub in Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Bury.

Keane says that while youngster Shane O’Connor did well at left-back in the final few months of last season, Town need more senior players to augment the promising youngsters: "Young Shane’s done well, but what we’ve lacked is one or two experienced players in the group.

"He gives us that bit of experience we’ve lacked and particularly we’ve not really had at left-back for the last year or two.

"Players have done good jobs for me there, young Shane’s come in as a young player but it’s unfair to expect him to play 40-odd games for us. Wrighty did a good job for us last year, but obviously being right-footed it wasn’t ideal for the balance of the team.”

The Town manager says his former Ireland team-mate will be a good influence on the Blues’ youngsters: "You saw tonight he’ll give us that bit of experience and he’s got a bit of quality on the ball. I’ve played with Sparky and he’s a decent lad and the experienced lads tend to instruct the younger players around them.

"Tommy Smith is still learning his trade, Shane can look and learn from him, even though Shane’s done really well. He’s a good experienced player that we’ve added to the squad. We’re very pleased we’ve got Sparky and we’d like one or two more in."

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