Tunnicliffe: I'd Love to Stay On
Friday, 18th Oct 2013 06:00

Ryan Tunnicliffe has given the thumbs-up to extending his loan at Ipswich but knows the final decision will not be his.

Tunnicliffe, who will make his eighth successive first team start when league leaders Burnley come to Porman Road this weekend, is due to return to Manchester United in January.

But Town boss Mick McCarthy has already spoken about the possibility of the 20-year-old midfielder staying on for the entire season and Tunnicliffe is not against the idea.

He said: “I’m enjoying it and I’m playing — if I wasn’t I wouldn’t want to — so I don’t see any reason why not. It’s up to the boss back at United and what he wants to do with me so I’ll have to leave it up to him.

“I speak to [Manchester United's U21s manager] Warren Joyce a lot. I’m close to him and he rings me all the time. He asks how it is going for me and gives me a few pointers because he comes to a lot of the matches.

“If another young player at United had a chance to come to Ipswich on loan I would recommend it because it’s a great club, first and foremost.

“It’s a big club and there’s a great manager here. I would definitely recommend it and the style of football we play is getting better and better. We’re passing the ball more and it’s working for us.”

Tunnicliffe was given his first league start when McCarthy rang the changes for Town’s visit to Birmingham at the end of August and since then has helped to collect 12 points from a possible 21.

He added: “Obviously playing is better for me but I knew I would have to work my way into the team. I had to be patient for my chance and now I’m in I just want to keep my place.

“It’s a new team for me so I have to learn how people play as well. It was hard for the first few games but now I’m getting to know everyone much better. I’ve been here two and a half to three months and I think I’ve been doing alright but now I want to kick on and get even better.”

Tunnicliffe believes he has progressed considerably since loan stints in the Championship with Peterborough — he was a second-half substitute in Town’s shock 7-1 defeat there in August 2011 — and Barnsley.

He said: “I was only young when I went to Peterborough and I was basically there for experience. But now, I think, I’m a more mature man and I can handle playing every week — Saturday and Tuesday if need be — and I just want to do that.”

Photo: Action Images

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MitchtheITFCman added 08:10 - Oct 18 This is good news it would be even better if you joined on a permanent!!!
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Michael11 added 11:05 - Oct 18 I can't see him being good enough gor Man Utd but certainly more than good enough for us so I don't see why Moyes wouldn't let him stay, unless they go on a league cup run and use their young players.
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