Boss Mick McCarthy says new keeper Dean Gerken has something to prove after an under par spell at Bristol City. The 28-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Blues last week having left Ashton Gate at the end of last season after a four-year spell in which he made only 60 appearances.
The former Colchester keeper joined up with the Town squad in the first week of pre-season and was in the party which travelled to Ireland for a training camp earlier this month.
McCarthy was very impressed with the Rochford-born glovesman during his trial: "He showed real commitment to want to come in and play.
"I was impressed by him because he himself said he didn’t do himself justice at Bristol City when David James came in.
"He lost his place by default, David James came in and he lost his spot, and I think it irked him and he didn’t get back in, and he probably wasn’t ready to get back in and didn’t play well.
"I like the fact that he’s got something to prove and he’s annoyed because he was always a highly rated keeper when he was at Colchester. I’m glad we’ve got him. I like players who have got something to prove.” The Blues boss says Gerken and current number one Scott Loach will be his only senior keepers this season with academy second-year scholar Michael Crowe, 17, their back-up: "I’ve got young Michael Crowe and if I have to have one sit on the bench, I’d have him sit on the bench, and if we have problems I’ll have to get one on loan.
Overall, McCarthy is very pleased with his summer additions: "I’m delighted with my signings, absolutely thrilled with them. "The ones that we kept from last year, Murph’s started like a house on fire, I think Cole Skuse is a really good player, Tabby, delighted, really good to get him, David McGoldrick. I’m delighted with the ones I’ve got.” He says Championship clubs are all after the same targets, but says that’s the case at every level: "We’re always all chasing the same players. If we had £10 million to spend and 10 other teams had £10 million to spend, we’d be chasing exactly the same players. "What’s nice is that we’ve been able to sign some quality when everybody tells me that players don’t want to come to Ipswich. That’s nonsense.”
Current number one Scott Loach
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