Skipper David Norris says everyone at Portman Road is under pressure after the recent run of results, not just manager Roy Keane. Saturday’s defeat at Preston was Town’s sixth successive league loss.
Norris said: "When you’re on a run like we are, everyone’s going to be under pressure, particularly the manager. He’s happy to take the flak and deflect the pressure of the results on to himself to take the pressure off us so we can continue to try play our game.
"But we’re feeling it as well, we’re having discussions between ourselves, we know it’s got to change and we’re trying everything we can to try and change it.”
The former Plymouth man, speaking during Tuesday afternoon’s visit to St Elizabeth Hospice, said the Blues boss hadn’t been at that morning’s training session, it not being unusual for Keane to hand over the running of a session to his coaches: "We haven’t seen the manager since the game, we were only in for training this morning, and we’re doing this this afternoon.
"I think the manager was especially disappointed after the weekend. I think it was a good chance for us to turn it around and we haven’t done that. At the moment it’s tough for everybody.”
Norris says the players are still fully behind their boss: "We all get asked to do press and all the lads are saying the same things and backing the manager.
"And if anybody has any doubts about the authenticity of this they only have to look at our recent games.
"No one can accuse us of not playing for our manager. The effort is there, if not the quality at the moment.”
Norris, Gareth McAuley, Jack Colback and Arran Lee-Barrett took part in yesterday’s visits which also continue tomorrow.
In addition to gifts donated by Town, the squad paid more than £2000 of their own money for extra presents for the children they are visiting at Ipswich, Colchester and West Suffolk hospitals, St Elizabeth Hospice and Children’s Hospice (EACH) in Ipswich and St Nicholas Hospice in Bury St Edmunds.
Each of the wards visited will also receive further gifts including portable DVD and CD players, mini camcorders and toys for children who spending time in hospital throughout the year.
Captain Norris says the present-giving is now a traditional part of the club’s Christmas: "The visits to the local hospitals and hospices at Christmas are an important part of our build-up to the festive season and being able to take gifts in to the children and adults we’re visiting is really rewarding.
"We are very grateful for the assistance of Asda Stoke Park in ordering in all the toys that we need as well as donating CD players, DVDs, CDs and computer games from their own stock for the wards to keep.
"Being in hospital is never fun and especially so at this time of year. These visits give us the chance of helping to put a smile back on the faces of the children in the wards and showing our appreciation for the hard-working nurses and carers.”