Long-serving Town coach Bryan Klug has been sacked. Klug, a one-time Blues youth player and academy director, was assistant manager under Jim Magilton until John Gorman’s appointment last Christmas when he moved into a head of football development role, before taking charge of the reserves this season.

Klug was a youth player with the Blues between 1977 and 1983 but failed to make a senior appearance, moving on to Wimbledon (loan), Chesterfield and Peterborough United and then into non-league football.

The 49-year-old returned to Portman Road in 1987, joining the coaching staff and in 1998 became the director of the newly formed academy in an era during which Kieron Dyer, Richard Wright, Titus Bramble and others emerged.

In 2005 Klug, who also had spells as caretaker-manager of the Blues, led the academy to Town’s third FA Youth Cup before becoming Jim Magilton’s assistant a year later, shortly after Newcastle United had approached him to run their academy.

Manager Roy Keane recently added former Notts County manager Ian McParland to his backroom team and with assistant manager Tony Loughlan, specialist skills coach Steve Foley, fitness coaches Antonio Gomez and Simon Thadani and goalkeeper coach James Hollman also on the payroll may have felt his staff needed trimming.

Photo: Action Images

maximoalex added 00:26 - Jan 13 Spot on, BluePG
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Jesney_Havoc added 05:42 - Jan 13 The best Sting looky-likey at the club too !
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 06:33 - Jan 13 Very sorry to read this: a fantastic coach, and Ipswich through and through. A very sad decision. Our loss is likely to be someone else's huge gain if BK continues within football. Good luck Brian, and thanks for all those productive years at the Town.
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tractorboybig added 06:37 - Jan 13 Remember ITFC as we knew it is dead. Marcus Evans corporation runs the show. I hear they are changing the nickname to The Marcus boys.
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Hunterssecondball added 07:31 - Jan 13 Klug's son is one of my son's best mates. Guess I'll find out later today the real reason(s) for the sacking.
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mickeyjb added 08:04 - Jan 13 I agree the term "sacking" usually means he's done something wrong, or else the term would have been "has moved" on or "mutual consent"
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62WasBest added 08:16 - Jan 13 Well Said (Count?) Arthur Strong! What rules does football live to? You cannot sack a man without just cause. Nor can you make him redundant if his role is still in use. So let us know his misdemeanour or if deemed a failure to meet the requirements of the job. He can only work with the talent available. Does he have sole say on who's selected for the academy? Come on. Give us the reasons and an insight as to how our this club is being run.

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peakyboy added 08:58 - Jan 13 but why? because he wasnt keanes appointment. everyclub needs change and better coaches!!
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candyshop added 09:05 - Jan 13 Bryan Klug is a top guy and coached me in the 90's......genuine nice chap and Ipswich through and through. I doubt he earned huge money.....so i doubt that had anything to do with it. Maybe Keano saw him as dead wood???
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ollie_smith2001 added 09:08 - Jan 13 I honestly can't believe this. Maybe it's Keane's way of showing "he's the boss" but this just purely doesn't make sense. The man is a legend. Good luck Brian, you've been fantastic.
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corshamblue added 09:44 - Jan 13 Why people don't get this is bewildering ... We don't need him anymore, surplus to requirements, Keane has already reshuffled the back room staff and new coaches are in place already. It's a case of coming to an agreement and that's that. Great long term servant to the club but we're looking forward not resting on the laurels that we actually sold a few players, who [apart from Bramble] went on far too cheaply anyway. Assisting in winning the FA Youth Cup, amongst other achievements will ensure he's not out of employment for long - I'm sure his severance pay will more than bridge the gap anyway. Frankly, it's a results game and we're not getting them when we've been promised Premiership football in 2 years. We shouldn't be surprised at staff movement, so long as the replacements are better. Brian stepped up from Youth Coaching into a very competitive marketplace and didn't quite make to the New Standards being set. Having said that, Goodluck Bryan and Thank You.

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blue_em_away added 09:44 - Jan 13 My son is at the academy, both he and I reckon Brian will be sorely missed at youth level. Can't say I am suprised at this. "To many cooks" and all that. To my knowledge the sacking is not Brian's doing. Good luck Brian, someone's gonna grab themselves a top youth coach. Please don't go nodge, as they will make you an offer.
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blueblood66 added 09:48 - Jan 13 do any of you know what is going on behind the scenes, NO. So shut up and accept it, until klug decides he wants to tell everyone why, then comment.
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naa added 09:50 - Jan 13 FOR F's SAKE! Spell his name right. It's Bryan! Anyway, still don't think he should have gone. Definitely too many coaches at the moment, but he's proven at youth level, so why get rid? We've got plenty of coaches at the club who aren't proven.
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homer1973 added 09:51 - Jan 13 Thanks Brian hope all goes well for the future was always nice to see you over Southwold common with the youth team,we have a vacant managers job if your interested Sole bay Utd Chairman
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homer1973 added 09:54 - Jan 13 Thanks Brian was always nice to see you over Southwold Common with the youth team
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SW1_Blue added 09:56 - Jan 13 More great journalism from TWTD
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Bergholtblue added 10:02 - Jan 13 Whilst having success with the academy, his job title is(was) reserve team coach. So I can only assume he wasn't performing at this level. But is anyone else as confused as me as to who does what down at PR? I thought Kiwomya was reserve manager or is he U18's? or has he gone now too? Who is in charge of the academy now anyway? Any chance of getting a list of employees and there job titles posted here?

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Bergholtblue added 10:02 - Jan 13 Whilst having success with the academy, his job title is(was) reserve team coach. So I can only assume he wasn't performing at this level. But is anyone else as confused as me as to who does what down at PR? I thought Kiwomya was reserve manager or is he U18's? or has he gone now too? Who is in charge of the academy now anyway? Any chance of getting a list of employees and there job titles posted here?

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pitseablue added 10:14 - Jan 13 Like most on here can not work that one out. Bryan has done a lot for the youth players at the club past and present.This just does not add up. Good luck, Bryan and Thanks.
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PunchNoHopers added 10:19 - Jan 13 It seems to me that the Reserve Team Coach, has been made the scrapegoat in the past, as well, which is a poor excuse when the level of the Reserve League is the real issue!! Klug will be missed, and his forte has always been in developing young players, so maybe he didn't see eye to eye with Keane with regards the sale of Rhodes and Haynes (among others) in the summer!

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cooper4england added 10:28 - Jan 13 "not surprised ,we've got more coaches than Galloways" That's good!!!
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biggerblue added 10:37 - Jan 13 This is very very SAD !! A great coach and man !! He will be surley missed !!
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blue62 added 10:43 - Jan 13 I wouldn't think all the staff hiring and firing is Keane's job. It's more likely that it was done higher up. And you can't just fire someone without a good reason. As always there is more to this than has been made public. Which is as it should be.
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devontractorboy added 11:07 - Jan 13 Sad to see Bryan go, great youth coach and club servant. I also wish him well, he'll soon be running the youth set up at another club. Things are 'a changing' at Portman Road, what I've seen so far this season doesn't yet convince me it's for the better!
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