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Baptiste Set for Further Trial
Baptiste Set for Further Trial
Thursday, 4th Mar 2010 09:02

Trinidad international Kerry Baptiste has revealed that Town have asked him to come back for a further trial in the summer having returned home after his initial spell with the club earlier in the week.

The 28-year-old says boss Roy Keane was impressed with him despite him not playing a match during his eight days at the club: “The manager likes what he saw from me, even though I did not get to play any matches.

“When I arrived in England last week I had to take some time to recover from the long trip and then the weather forced two reserve team matches I was rostered to play to be postponed.”

Baptiste was ineligible for reserve league games but boss Roy Keane indicated last week that the Blues were considering organising behind closed doors friendlies in order to see the striker or right midfielder in match action.

Currently with Joe Public FC in his home country, Baptiste was impressed with Town and with the Portman Road crowd, but not the weather: “The trial was well organised and I trained with the Ipswich first team all the time during my stay. The weather was cold.

“I watched the club’s match against Bristol City on the weekend and there were about 20,000 fans yelling and I said to myself 'I can’t wait to score a goal and run into this crowd'.

“Before I left, Keane told me he really liked what he saw in me and he was very impressed. He says he wants to see me in some match situations and I will be returning to the club before the start of next season with the aim of securing a contract.”

An international team-mate of Carlos Edwards and former loanee Stern John with 43 caps and eight goals, Baptiste was previously with Trinidad clubs San Juan Jabloteh and North East Stars.

He is the all-time top scorer in the TT Pro League, Trinidad and Tobago's top division, having scored 102 goals, 48 of them last season.


Photo: Action Images



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BYRNE_16 added 09:09 - Mar 4
Ok....I guess he has made an impression if Roy wants to organise behing closed door matches.....But i read just now he is going home! Strange!
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peakyboy added 09:15 - Mar 4
whys it strange? he plays for Joe Public.. only on trail from another club, he isnt a free agent.
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BYRNE_16 added 09:32 - Mar 4
Clearly I know nothing Peakyboy!
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Blueknight85 added 09:46 - Mar 4
clearly
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yarmoblue added 10:01 - Mar 4
yeahman
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bluepeter added 10:20 - Mar 4
He looks a big old boy to run into the crowd after scoring, I have only just come out of hospital after Herman Hereideson landed on me in the front row of Chuchman stand.

My physio has changed my seat to bobby Robson upper now.
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xrayspecs added 10:25 - Mar 4
Sounds more like a player talking himself up than real interest from us.

If we had really wanted to see him in matches, then we could have kept him here for a couple more weeks and arranged some friendlies for him.



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dirtydingusmagee added 11:41 - Mar 4
mmmm sounds like dont phone us we'll phone you !
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dubblue added 12:21 - Mar 4
and he does not like the weather!
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bournemouthblue added 12:46 - Mar 4
Could be the pacey guy we're looking for

Obviously he has a prolific record admittedly at a low level but he's also scored important goals for Trinidad & Tabago against decent sides

We've obviously seen enough to look at him again in the summer and see how he performs for us in a few friendlies

Don't write him off yet
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legoman added 14:17 - Mar 4
Good to read that we are still a club trying to turn potential into magic.
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mightytown added 16:48 - Mar 4
Ok guys, bit off topic but since there was an international last night, thought i'd see if i could gauge what people think in terms of England and the world cup.

be great to get some feedback and see what fellow fans think, as for the first time in a long time, i genuinely excited about the prospect of watching England play!

i think the main point is that Lampard, Barry and Gerrard do not work well together in midfeild. If we are playing 4-4-2, which i think we should, then Gerrard can happily play on the left and still be effective. The thing that became clear last night is that Lampard, although great for chelsea, does not merit a starting place in the team.

I believ Carrick is the missing link, I think he would be our best option in the centre, paired with either Gerrard or Barry. The question is, which one? A Barry, Carrick central pairing would work well, in the same way Carrick and Fletcher do for United but if youve got Gerrard and assuming Lampard is resigned to the bench, then why not play him in his favoured position?

I feel Milner and Wright-Phillips can take over the wing positions in the starting eleven, with anyone of J.Cole (if fit), Lennon or Beckham playing understudy. I think this world cup, like the last, is still a bit too soon for the likes of Walcott — I'd put Ashley Young ahead of him at this point too.

However, if you play gerrard out wide then the temptaion to put Lampard back in rears its head. however, i feel this should be resisted, Carrick and Barry or Carrick and Gerrard in the centre is the way to go. with Lampard making up the 4th central midfeild option and, would there be a better player to bring off the bench in the whole tournament then Fat Frank?

In terms of the attack, Im happy to go with Heskey. Rooney is our most important player and playing someone alongside him to enable him to be at his best is more important then having someone who can score goals aswell. The midfeild is more then capable of scoring, as we saw last night and Rooney, in form, is truly unstoppable. I like defoe but feel he is too direct and would be best used as an impact player off the bench. Crouch also fits this role and perhaps would be best off the bench. The players realise now, that being in the starting XI isn't vital, unless you are a Rooney, Gerrard, Terry, Ferdinand or dear i say a Carrick?

I think the defence showed we are strong at the back but the difference between being at full strength, (johnson, terry ferdinand, cole) and with cover makes us less of a threat. At full strength, I put our defence as one of the best in the world, no doubt.

for me, this is how we should line up:
GK: GREEN
DEF: JOHNSON, TERRY, FERDINAND, A.COLE
MID: WRIGHT-PHILLIPS, CARRICK, GERRARD, MILNER
ATT: ROONEY, HESKEY

BENCH: CROUCH, DEFOE, BECKHAM, LAMPARD, BARRY.

perhaps im being harsh on Barry as he has hardly put a foot wrong, in this case, switch Barry for Milner and put gerrard out wide on the left. In any case, Milner can make an impact from the bench, as he proved last night.

having a bench as strong as your starting XI can be a real key at international level when looking for success. it's important not to try and force a group of star playes to operate as a superstar team. allow your most important players to play at their best, not every position has to have a superstar player, otherwise what do you have in reserve to make the difference should you need it?

C'MON ENGLAND!! and C'MON YOU BLUES!!!!!
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stinkiusminkius added 16:49 - Mar 4
Quiet news day, then?
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RedDust added 17:10 - Mar 4
This guy would sound good but havent we got enough attacking options from the right already?
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Mungo added 19:19 - Mar 4
Wouldn't be able to sign until the summer anyway, so this makes good sense. I maintain that there will be a bit of a shake up in the summer, and this guy could potentially be a real bargain if he is up to scratch. Sounds very keen, but will have to accept that almost everywhere is colder than Trinidad!

Mightytown - Yes, very off topic! My sense of optimism that I had shortly after the draw took place decreased spectacularly over the first half! Realistically, it is unlikely that Ashley Cole will be fit, which gives us serious problems at left back, as there is no obvious replacement. In short, I think we have had a few too many injuries/dramas surrounding key players, so I think we will come up a bit short again, but I hope to be proved wrong!
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bournemouthblue added 22:20 - Mar 4
I'm sure the potential pay package would warm him up!
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blueoveru added 00:18 - Mar 5
on trial ?,why what's he done.
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Jesney_Havoc added 05:47 - Mar 5
Outrageous, what ever happened to double jepordy ?
Another legal loophole I suppose. Remember innocent until proven...
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jh123 added 13:25 - Mar 5
just to comment on mightytowns post:
I doubt anyone will agree with me but,
i prefer frank lampard over steven gerrard.
Against egypt steven was shocking, the only reason he has a high profile is becasue he shoots all the time an occasionally scores, which is bound to happen for any player. He always tries things that are difficult and they do sometimes come off, but normally they don't and the move breaks down, i agree he seems to have moments of genius for liverpool, but thats becasue everytime he gets the ball he tries to produce these moments of genius so its bound to work sometimes!
anyway, thats my rant, you can all disagree now!
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