Skuse: Play-Off Fight Still Alive
Saturday, 22nd Feb 2014 06:00

Town midfielder Cole Skuse is adamant the fight to claim a play-off place is very much alive.

Top scorer David McGoldrick could miss the remainder of the season and last week’s goalless home draw cost Town two valuable points in their quest for a top-six finish.

But Skuse said: “We’re still in there fighting and there’s no way the manager would let us give up. The lads are so buoyant, it’s a close group and we’ll try our utmost to get in the play-offs.”

Skuse believes the fact that Town are rated as underdogs in what is developing into a very competitive race to try to overhaul sixth-placed Reading might even help Town.

He added: “If people are banking on you to get in the top six it’s an added bit of pressure. From day one we’ve not really been tipped as a top-six team, which is a bit unfair on the lads because we’ve got a great group.

“There are no easy games. We went to Barnsley away from home and went 2-0 down when people were saying ‘You have to go there and wipe them aside’. I know a lot of people say it, but there isn’t an easy game in this league.

“There are no games that you can call as a nailed on result, although we are at Leicester this week and that is definitely a tough place to go. They’re flying high so we need to go there and nullify them.”

The much-talked about team spirit is one of the major plus factors at Portman Road and Skuse said: “In amongst the dressing room all the lads are very close. There is no ill-feeling amongst anyone. They’re all very good lads.

“No one has come in and upset the dressing room and the lads try their utmost for each other. I’ve been in dressing rooms in the past where you hear little bits and bobs and there are little groups, but there is none of that here, none at all.”

The recent four-day trip to the sunnier climes of the Algarve will have done the camaraderie no harm but Skuse pointed out: “We didn’t go to Portugal and all lie around on sun loungers drinking cocktails!

“It was far from that. We had a couple of days of hard training, we played a bit of golf and had a meal out. It was well deserved, I think, because we’ve got quite a small squad and have done well this season. It was nice to have a change of scenery.”

Skuse has been ever-present in the Championship this season and has grown accustomed to lining up in central midfield alongside several different partners, a situation that is currently ongoing with Luke Hyam sidelined with a hamstring injury.

But he said: “There’s nothing you don’t deal with. You get injuries in football, while lads lose form and drop out. I really enjoy playing with Luke — he’s a great player, a very talented boy.

“When Tabby came in we played a three — me, Tabby, Hunty — and they are not bad players. They are international footballers and it makes my life easier. They make me look like a better player!”

Meanwhile, Skuse added his congratulations to team-mate Daryl Murphy on his recall to the Republic of Ireland senior squad five and a half years after he won his last cap.

He said: “I do rate him very highly. He doesn’t go massively unnoticed, but perhaps sometimes he does go under the radar a little bit.

“He takes bumps and bruises. His hold-up play and aerial threat is very, very good. I think he deserves his call-up. He’s not been in the squad for five or six years so fair play to him.”

Photo: Action Images

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