x

Town Travel to Germany For Second Training Camp - Ipswich Town News

The Town squad travels to Germany for their second pre-season camp today with the Blues facing Bundesliga sides Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hoffenheim in friendlies on Friday and Saturday.

The squad will be based in the Munich area around an hour from each game with the first friendly against Borussia on Friday at the ATS Sportpark in Heimstetten (KO 2.30pm CET, 1.30pm BST).

On Saturday, the Blues take on Die Kraichgauer at the Kufstein Arena on the border of Austria and Germany, (KO 1.30pm CET, 12.30pm BST).

The short trip is the second of the summer, the squad having spent a week at Sportzentrum Landskron in Villach, Austria, concluding with a 1-0 victory over Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk in their first public friendly of the summer.

Speaking on Saturday following the 2-1 defeat to another Bundesliga side, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Blues boss Kieran McKenna was hoping to added to his squad before the trip, however, no new additions have been made.

Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics seemed the most likely but that deal continues to rumble on, despite expectations that last year’s 27-goal Championship top scorer will eventually be confirmed as a Town player.

"I think we all really enjoyed the first one,” McKenna said regarding the Austria trip. "Every part of it, the training, the off-the-pitch and the game as well, so it’s good to have another one again.

"It’s important for the group and we’d like to have maybe a bigger group or more players in that we can integrate, so let’s hope that there could be some movement before we travel on Wednesday.

"But other than that it’s going to be great to go away with these boys again, with the boys that we have brought in and continue to get stronger on and off the pitch, so we’re looking forward to it.”

McKenna ideally would like to field two different senior teams in each match but with a number of players sidelined - although Omari Hutchinson posted that he had returned to training after a minor niggle on social media yesterday - says he may not be able to do so.

"We hope so because the games are pretty close apart,” he added. "But we don’t have the bodies for that in terms of senior players at the moment, so we’re going to have to have a look at it and try and find the right balance between stretching and pushing the boys with minutes but not over-pushing them. In an ideal scenario we’d have two separate XIs to play the games.”

Youngsters Finley Barbrook and Leon Ayinde are again likely to be involved having been with the squad throughout pre-season up to now.

Elsewhere, former Blues midfielder Jon Nolan, 32, is on trial back at Shrewsbury, the club he left to move to Town from in the summer of 2018 in a joint-deal along with Toto Nsiala.

Nsiala, also 32, rejoined the Shrews, who are once again managed by former Blues boss Paul Hurst, earlier in the summer.

What to read next:

Palmer: Sunday Not About Getting One Over Leicester
Town's clash against fellow relegated side Leicester City this Sunday carries no extra motivation, according to Blues goalkeeper Alex Palmer.
[Podcast] The Naked Football Show - Listen Again
This week's Naked Football Show is now available online.
Blues Legend Stewart Departs Yeovil
Town legend Marcus Stewart has left his role as head of player development at Yeovil Town.
Burley: Love I've Felt From Town Fans Has Been Unbelievable
Blues legend George Burley says he feels very lucky having been given the all-clear following treatment for cancer and says the love he has felt from Town supporters has been unbelievable.
Wardley: Change of Opponent But Same Outcome
Ipswich-born, Town-supporting boxer Fabio Wardley says the opponent may have changed for his June 7th interim WBA World Heavyweight title fight at Portman Road, Australian Justis Huni having replaced American Jarrell Miller, but other than that everything will be the same, including the outcome.
Blues Trio in Ireland Squad
Town trio Dara O’Shea, Jack Taylor and Sammie Szmodics have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their June friendlies.
Youngster Pitts Handed First Malta Call-Up
Town youngster Josh Pitts has been named in a provisional full Malta squad for the first time ahead of their World Cup qualifiers next month.
Peskett Named FAWNL Southern Premier Division Player of the Year
Ipswich Town Women’s forward Sophie Peskett has been named the FAWNL Southern Premier Division Player of the Year for the second successive season.
Manchester United 'In Pole Position' For Delap
Manchester United are reportedly in pole position to sign Blues striker Liam Delap in the summer.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.