Boss Roy Keane says he appreciates that club owner and chairman Marcus Evans has been patient with him up to now, but feels that his side need to put in a run before the end of the season if he is to continue to receive that backing. The Town manager says he deals with chief executive Simon Clegg on a regular basis, while meetings with Evans are rarer occurrences.

Keane said: “The owner’s been fairly patient with me so far, but we need to get results to get to the summer to take real stock of where we are and where we’re short.

“We don’t speak on a week to week basis, which suits me, I’m not a great one for talking. It suits the owner, obviously I know he goes to the games and we have a chief executive here.

“You’d hope there’s understanding there, but you see what happens with other managers, top, top managers and good people losing their jobs, depending on players if they fancy it on a certain night. It’s amazing that you have to work in that environment, but that’s why they say you have to be mad to be a manager, and you do.”

Keane says that contrary to a report yesterday, no meetings have so been arranged with Evans to discuss any summer plans: “No, not yet, but we know how it works at the club. I speak to the chief executive and I’ve been delighted with the support.”

The Blues boss was also dismissive of reports that Alan Curbishley has been a regular watcher of Town in recent days: “My job is not depending on what the media have to say, who’s watching the match or which managers have been linked with my job.

“That’s all the media are prepared to write about. Even though they are supposed to be writing match reports, they’re more keen on writing about who’s watching the match.”

The Town manager is less than impressed with the way some of his players' approach matches when the Blues are on their travels: “It’s the away games that are the problem. Some of our players don’t like travelling, they miss the home comforts of their dressing room.

“You look at our away record compared with our home record. The results will tell you that we’re a home team. It’s a comfort zone when you’re at home. Strange, but we’ll get it sorted out, don’t worry.”

The former Ireland captain feels the problems go back even before his time in charge at the club and understands why ex-Town boss Jim Magilton had a less than harmonious relationship with some members of his squad: “I’d like to chat with the previous manager who was here. There’s players here that I believe the previous manager fell out with and I can understand why 100%.”

Keane kept his team in the dressing room for 90 minutes after the Watford game and says on occasion things need to be brought out into the open: “Sometimes you have to get it off your chest. We’re all big boys. I’ve had a manager punch me before and he [Brian Clough] was dead right, absolutely dead right. The best thing he ever did to me.

“I can understand Brian Laws fighting with [Ivano Bonetti when he was Grimsby manager] and breaking his jaw, I can understand why Brian Clough hit me. Players drive you crazy.”

The Town boss says the more established members of his squad should be playing a greater role at the club: “I look at some of the senior players who have been here for a number of years because they are the ones who know the ins and outs of the club. I look at Pablo Couñago, Gareth McAuley, Jon Walters. These type of players have to lead the way because they know the fabric of the club.

“They should have an understanding of why the team has not pushed for the play-offs over the last few years. It’s clear we have talented players but talent alone won’t get you in the top six.”

Meanwhile, George Burley says he’d quite fancy the Bristol City job, which became vacant when Gary Johnson left by mutual consent yesterday: "They're a great club who are looking to get to the Premier League, but obviously there are a lot of people looking for jobs in football at the moment.

"However, anybody with ambition and experience would have to say they're a club which would interest them."

Photo: Action Images

roytheboy added 00:17 - Mar 20 I am looking forward to tomorrow's game and believe, (win or lose) hopefully win ! that there will be a much greater effort shown by the team, in particular certain players who have clearly under performed recently, if I am correct, then it will be largely and mainly due to the 90 minutes in the dressing room following the Watford game and should be credited to the Manager, who clearly is trying to get the team playing with the same passion that enabled him to become such a great player and Captain for such a massive club, for such a long time, Roy Keane should be given maximum support from true ITFC supporters, we all want the same thing ultimately but cruel comments on this site will help nobody, he will continue to get my total support and respect, for his committment, his honesty and his passion for our club, please let's not try to force him out, he has not had enough time to produce the goods yet, I can still hear in my head, the unpleasant calls for the sackings of Jim; Joe and George, remember too how Mr Cobbold kept his faith in Sir Bobby, thank God that he did ! enough said ?

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