Defender Gareth McAuley says former manager Roy Keane was let down by some members of his squad. The Northern Irishman believes there are players at Portman Road who aren’t too sorry to see him move on.

McAuley said: “Some players he brought to the club let the manager down for whatever reason, and he has now paid the price.

“There are lads disappointed at the manager going and perhaps those maybe not so. But that’s football. We are left with the squad that we have, and we don’t know whether it will be strengthened.”

The 31-year-old, who TWTD understands has been offered a new two-year deal on the same terms as his current Town contract which is up in the summer, says he has been assessing some of his team-mates during his time out after achilles surgery.

He says some need to up their game if the Blues are to remain in the Championship: “They have not been pulling their weight, and while I’ve been injured I’ve been watching games, saying to myself ‘Is he hiding?’, ‘Is he doing enough?’

“I’m in a position where I can speak in the dressing room but not always out there on the pitch and the gaffer could not be out there making sure that his players put it in all the time.”

The ex-Leicester and Lincoln man says he has a lot of time for Keane, despite coming close to leaving the club last season: “I’ve got so much respect for the man and what he’s done. I’ve had run-ins as much as anyone, but they weren’t scary and he only cared about getting the best out of you and the best out of the club.

“Perhaps I had a different upbringing as I could take it on the chin and realise that it was nothing personal. But some of the younger players did not respond too well. It is part of their education and they have got to realise that it’s a man’s game.

“It’s been fun if not easy and tough, both mentally and physically, but I have total respect for Roy Keane and it is hard to see him go.”

McAuley is expected to be fine for Sunday’s FA Cup third round tie at Chelsea, despite coming off at half-time in the game against Nottingham Forest with a hamstring injury.

Photo: Action Images

ipswichjon added 16:35 - Jan 8 Yup, makes me think back to how telling Shane Supple's comments when he retired form the professional game...
0

Martus added 16:47 - Jan 8 Why the hell are people commenting on Clegg? What more could this man do? He's given a budget on what he can spend on players and their wages, if the players Keane, or any other manager, demand wages above our budget, then what can he do? Sure some ticket prices are ridiculous, but I cant fault him. And as for people moaning at Marcus Evans, this man got us out of debt. He cant throw loads of money in to the transfer budget, he gave Keane a budget which he wasted. He has supported his managers with a tansfer budget other clubs would be jelous of, and both have given Keane alot of time to meet thier demands, which as Keane said he wouldnt get from other clubs, which is the Ipswich way. Cant fault either of them, and glad their are dedicated to the cause. The majority havent got a clue what you are talking about, and dont even know what they do, so hush. UP TOWN

0

spiegal added 16:56 - Jan 8 The EADT got it about correct as it si with their "Big Mistakes" copy. Players fall in and out of favour...but the biggest mistake is surely the owner, who like many assumed that great players make good managers...wrong !! The club needs stability, class and a good tactical judgement, good contacts are equally essential..step forward Mr Curbushley..or evn Roy hodgson..who has all the correct credentials. My Northern contacts tell me a certain Ferguson is still dining out, and chuckling on the fact that he got £1.6m for Martin.

0

lunatic38 added 17:08 - Jan 8 Hope he aint gonna use this as an exscuse to leave the club himself on a free in the summer?
0

WickedBlue added 17:29 - Jan 8 Got to stop reading these comments...now the morons are making claims from a newspaper story about certain players to different players.......like the time RK had the punch up with the Ipswich legend in the dressing room....oh...........
0

brogansnose added 17:54 - Jan 8 Thanks for being so candid Gareth. Players have let down Keane, Magilton and before that Burley and then they say we should get behind the team and pander to their ego's. Fans of any club would give anything for their club and still we have comments from the likes of Edwards last season. Can clearly remember our last season in the premiership players with their heads up their bums thinking we are too good to go down.....well we wern't. Things haven't changed have they?

0

brian_a_mul added 18:25 - Jan 8 When Keane took over, he identified a group of players he thought were trouble makers or lazy. He claimed the club had a soft belly. He shipped these guys out and replaced them with his own. Its ironic that some of the guys he signed are the ones not giving the effort required as gareth suggested. I think alot of the issues are with Keane poor man management abilities. There are alot of youngsters in the squad that could be easily intimidated by Keane and his methods. Keane only seems to be able to motivate a certain type of player; McAuley, Walters (up to a point), Norris. He was just not the man to manage our club which relies on the development of youngsters and the use of creative players.

0

Mark added 18:33 - Jan 8 ipswichjon - some players probably do need to look at themselves, but I still feel Keane acted as though he was punishing players for mistakes. Delaney at Norwich, Smith against Swansea...mistakes will happen, they were not intentional. Players need to have confidence and the backing of their manager sometimes, not just be dropped out of the 18. As for injuries to Hyam, O'Connor and Wickham, that's true but they have been available for a large number of games and just not selected. Others, such as Kennedy, were put in even before they had recovered properly from injury despite rarely playing well.

0

PSGBlue added 18:43 - Jan 8 Tip of the Iceburg I suspect having read what McCauley had to say. It doesn't look like a happy dressing room with perhaps players not even getting on with each other. Who's fault is that, Roy Keane - that's who, thank god he is gone and good riddance, I cannot even think of one good thing to say about him. Keane Out!
0

Taricco_Fan added 19:43 - Jan 8 Some players?
0

dirtydingusmagee added 19:50 - Jan 8 Keane is history , .........time to move on .Good luck to whoever replaces him.COYB
0

Dorsetblue added 20:31 - Jan 8 If they don't sort the contracts out asap we will lose some top players McAuley and Norris. But it's a shame that some players took the money and didn't care... we should get rid of them...
0

AlpineBlue added 20:36 - Jan 8 I am reading quite a lot of comments talking about how the club is in such terrible shape. I don't really see this though. In my humble opinion, the next manager just needs to put round pegs in round holes, and decide ASAP on a favoured 11 and relegation will not be an issue. Keane, like Magilton, could not decide on a favoured 11 even long into a season, and I think this was both of their downfalls. Keane seemed to think that if players knew that they would be dropped for playing badly they would be motivated to play well. However, he was dropping players for very little, and players knew they would soon be back in the team soon when someone else fell out of favour. This probably did the opposite of motivate the players, and likely made him a number of enemies. I would be happy with most of the managers being mentioned. Except for Megson. We need excitement and goals. Allardyce's teams often did play good football, when you look at the circumstances of Burley's recent jobs, his record is not terrible. Paul Jewell has experience and connections, as does Curbs. Hughton would be a great long-term appointment, and if you look at his coaching career he is not so inexperienced!

0

Super_Hero added 20:42 - Jan 8 Just been reading threw some of the Doncaster forums and came accross this http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A79345902 Just wondering if anyone heard/saw O'Drisscoll in Ipswich yesterday? Would be amazing if true. COYB!
0

truebluesince1992 added 20:49 - Jan 8 Ipswichjon I think u have hit nail on head ba. Let's all look forward now a dark cloud has been lifted COYB up the town
0

TractorRoyNo1 added 21:00 - Jan 8 well said............. The ex-Leicester and Lincoln man says he has a lot of time for Keane, despite coming close to leaving the club last season: “I've got so much respect for the man and what he's done. I've had run-ins as much as anyone, but they weren't scary and he only cared about getting the best out of you and the best out of the club.
0

BlueFinn added 21:14 - Jan 8 We've had a dividing manager.Now we need an uniting manager. Simple really´but now we've done easy bit.The hard bit is alaways finding the right one.
0

LollITFC added 21:53 - Jan 8 no excuses from some of you so called fans ... McAuley has it bang on, I'm gutted it didnt work out for Keane ... some of of you should look in the mirror and ask yourselves whether you should really be standing on the terraces with us. Stop living in the past ....
0

bluesman added 00:44 - Jan 9 Lots of good players, no team. Mac might have been big enough to cope with RK but it should be the other way round - a managers job is to be big enough to cope with all the players
0

bluesman added 00:44 - Jan 9 Lots of good players, no team. Mac might have been big enough to cope with RK but it should be the other way round - a managers job is to be big enough to cope with all the players
0

bobble added 06:52 - Jan 9 some players may have let keane down but keane let everyone down including himself...a total disaster just goes to show that he should have been sacked ages ago during the 1st bad run because a leopard doesnt change its spots
0

stiffshorts added 07:50 - Jan 9 Good old Macca. He's as sharp as a razor eh? "Some of the players let the manager down" did they?? Well fill my old boots with lead and call me "lead-footed" why don't you? Master of stating the friggin' obvious or what? Players not playing well and a manager without a clue about how to put it right equals a poor team at the wrong end of a poor league table doesn't it. No wonder we're in the state we're in!!!!!!!!!!!! Clueless.

0

kentblue added 08:14 - Jan 9 Keane was a nightmare ! He caused rifts - demoralised players - ranted and generally caused mayhem . Really delighted he has gone as no doubt a LOT of players and supportes are .
0

BrandonsBlues added 20:59 - Jan 9 Funny thing is after todays game, and from reading a lot of opinions on this site. The most favoured two players at ITFC at this time are MaC & Chuck. Who incidently are two players not signed by RK. Me thinks that if Scowie says he likes Chuck & Macca, and most fans choose these two first, now Maccas comments cement the feeling that RK has purchased some poor quality players, or failed to get them motivated or comiited. So now will we have a new manager that needs to rid the club of RK's deadwood, who incidently got rid of JM deadwood?? I dont think RK did get rid of just deadwood, I think it just proves that a lot of what came in under his tenure was worse then what we had before.

0

oldegold added 23:07 - Jan 10 Thanks RK. I appreciate what you tried to do at Town but it was not to be. Good luck wherever you go.
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls