x

Delaney: Keane Would Destroy Me After Games But Still Picked Me - Ipswich Town News

Former Blues defender Damien Delaney has been reflecting on his time at Portman Road under Roy Keane.

The ex-Town boss admitted in his book, The Second Half, that he had been tough on centre-half or left-back Delaney during their time together with the Blues.

"Damien Delaney came in and did OK,” Keane wrote. "I was a bit hard on him sometimes, probably because I knew him and he was from Cork. But I went over the top.”

Speaking to Off The Ball, Delaney said he doesn’t hold any grudges towards his former boss.

"It is as probably close to an apology that you get from him!” he said. "He probably wouldn't say sorry for anything - but it's fine, man.

"He did what he thought was correct at the time and he managed the way that he thought was correct, and I was on the end of a lot of it... an awful lot of it, if I'm honest with you.

"It wasn't fine at the time, as it grinds you down. I have laughed when people said this before - but if Roy Keane has said he was too hard on you, can you imagine what I had to go through?

"It was tough enough and he did used to favour coming for me. But again, you try and take it on the chin and focus on the game.

"The only thing that kept me going was that he picked me. If a manager is having a go at you and you're not in the team, or even worse he is not talking to you and not picking you, then he doesn't think very much of you.

"But I think I played nigh-on every game for him, bar a game or two here and there when I was banished for a mistake. But nigh-on every game.

"That is the only thing that consoled me: he can't think I'm that bad because he's picking me. So he would destroy me after a game, not speak to me for a week, and then named the team on the Saturday and I'd be in it!”

Keane, who was Blues boss between April 2009 and January 2011, signed the Irish international defender from QPR in July 2009 for £750,000.

Delaney, now 38, ended his playing career last year when with Waterford in the League of Ireland.

What to read next:

Ipswich Town 2-1 Blackpool - Highlights
Highlights of this afternoon’s 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over Blackpool at Portman Road.
Charlton Targeting Clarke
TWTD understands Charlton Athletic are the club in discussions to sign Blues right-back Harry Clarke on loan.
Town Among Clubs Eyeing Wilson
TWTD understands the Blues are among the clubs eyeing West Ham United striker Callum Wilson.
Greaves: Enjoyable Win and On to the Next Round
Town defender Jacob Greaves felt the Blues were more than deserving of their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup after their 2-1 victory over League One side Blackpool at Portman Road.
Evatt: Ipswich Will Go On to Be Promoted
Blackpool head coach Ian Evatt tipped the Blues to win promotion back to the Premier League this season following his side’s 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat at Portman Road.
McKenna: Clarke in Loan Talks
Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed that right-back Harry Clarke is in talks with a club regarding a loan move.
McKenna: A Really Useful Game For Us
Town boss Kieran McKenna felt there were plenty of positives to be taken from the Blues’ 2-1 FA Cup third-round victory over League One Blackpool at Portman Road, his 200th game in charge of the club.
Ipswich Town 2-1 Blackpool - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Ipswich Town 2-1 Blackpool - Match Report
A goal in each half from Jaden Philogene and Jacob Greaves saw Town to a 2-1 victory over League One Blackpool at Portman Road and into round four of the FA Cup. The Blues had already had plenty of chances before Philogene’s 10th goal of the season gave them the lead on 35, Greaves nodded the second on 87 as the game continued in a similar manner after the break, before Ashley Fletcher netted an injury time penalty for the visitors, but Kieran McKenna’s side weren’t to be denied a victory in his 200th game in charge of the club.
Ipswich Town 1-0 Blackpool - Half-Time
Jaden Philogene’s 10th goal of the season has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead in their third-round FA Cup tie against Blackpool at Portman Road.