Town’s recruitment policy is second to none — that’s the view of goalkeeper Dean Gerken, one of many players to enhance their reputations since arriving at Portman Road.

Manager Mick McCarthy has spent little in fees in more than three years in charge, yet still assembling a side who made the play-offs last season and are handily placed right now to repeat the feat this time around.

The latest new arrival at Portman Road is former Luton, Wolves and Republic of Ireland full-back Kevin Foley, who did enough to impress McCarthy, the man who took him to Molineux, in an U21 trial game against Charlton in midweek, to earn a contract through to the end of the season.

Foley, who can also operate in midfield, joins a squad depleted by the departure of Jonny Parr, who returned to his native Norway to join Strømsgodset, and the 31-year-old will provide valuable cover for the remainder of the current campaign.

Gerken said: “Christophe [Berra] played alongside Kevin at Wolves and speaks very highly of him. He’s actually got him staying at his house with him at the moment.

“He’s well known for being a very good player from his Wolves days and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do. His arrival gives a little bit more competition for places in the team.

“The gaffer does a brilliant job the way he does it. He doesn’t bring people in without knowing their background. He does his checks, speaks to people and will never make a move on a whim. He won’t risk someone unsettling the group, no matter how good they are.

“First and foremost you have to be a good personality to get into this group because we’ve got ourselves into a situation where we’ve now become a top-six team.

“People fear us in a way and it’s through our personalities, mental strength and togetherness. If he’s bringing people in they have to fit a certain criteria and he’s been brilliant in recruiting people like that.

“If you asked any manager last year whether they were looking forward to coming to Ipswich I bet you they would have said they weren’t. Fans of other teams may not give us the credit we deserve but people in the game, who know football, know we’re a hard team to play against.

“Anyone who plays against us knows they’ve had a game and I doubt if it comes as any sort of shock to them.

“We’re doing well and it doesn’t matter what the result is, every opposition team will come off the pitch after 90 minutes knowing they had to earn that result.

“It’s about the way we are, the way we play and the way the manager drills it into us to be at it for every minute of every game.

“It’s no secret within football but maybe people on the outside will have been surprised by what we can do. They might be going ‘Bloody hell, Ipswich have done it again’ but in the game we’ll be known as a good team who do the basics well.

“Every time I come up against a player I know — like Johnnie Jackson of Charlton, who was with me at Colchester, for example — they admit they don’t look forward to coming to Ipswich. I’m talking about last year so those people won’t be shocked to see us going along so well this season.

“No one really wants to play against us because we’re such a hard team. First and foremost, if you want to beat Ipswich, you have to match our work-rate 100 per cent for 90 minutes and I don’t think there are many teams who can do that.”

Photo: Action Images

rfretwell added 12:58 - Jan 15 Reading wont be exactly quaking in their boots when they come to PR Gerks. All our players were certainly "at it" in the 1-5!!!
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ArnieM added 13:25 - Jan 15 Town's high energy especially in the 2nd half against Leeds absolutely nails it regarding Gerks comments above. Leeds couldn't live with the tempo our lads set. I think this is why Leeds manager was such a sour-puss after the game.
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Wallingford_Boy added 13:51 - Jan 15 Not sure if I agree that "Town's recruitment policy is second to none".. but Mick does well with the limited resources he has, although obviously has had a fair few misses as well as hits! Imagine the buzz if we did shock everyone and sign a Kemar Roofe or a George Moncur though.. then we would be able to compete with the Derbys and Boros and push on for auto promotion! (IMO)

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homer_123 added 14:18 - Jan 15 @rfretwell - that Reading game was the culmination of MM trying to play a more expansive type of game - we came up against a rampant Reading who heavily turned us over. MM has reverted to a more tried and tested approach for Town since then. Reading will be facing a very different team at PR. Gerks comments are spot on in this regard.
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BackTheBlues added 14:23 - Jan 15 @rfretwell - great negative comment! One team out of 23 others won't be 'quaking' then? #MORON
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Beattiesballbag added 14:54 - Jan 15 “First and foremost you have to be a good personality to get into this group because we've got ourselves into a situation where we've now become a top-six team. I would have said that at this end of the league ability was equaly important. As he has signed a couple that their personality alone didn't add anything to the team.
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Penguinblue added 15:16 - Jan 15 There speaks an average keeper (sure he's a nice bloke) about a manager who picks 'personalities' i.e. his favourites, before ability. MM revels in the mystique that is ITFC's transfer policy. Suspect it suits him not to stake his 'reputation' on players who would command a fee. IMO creative modern footballers would not wish to play for him anyway (Sears excepted - but he was looking for a step (back) up.

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afrodids added 19:10 - Jan 15 Still think we need to strengthen, I see roofe scored another brace for Oxford a goal scoring CM hmmm...........
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Crawfordsboot added 19:18 - Jan 15 Penguin what an idiotic comment!! I take it you don't like MM! All this talk of favourites - one keeper was the "favourite" then he has to miss a game, his replacement does well and keeps his place, and now Gerks is described as the "favourite". Then Tabb was being described as the "favourite". But when MM drops one of his so called "favourites nothing is said. Where is the untouchable Tabb now? MM wants to win. Professional football is a hard and unforgiving environment. He is measured by success not by having a group of favourites. As for transfer policy. In the Championship a significant fee is very much the exception. Salaries on offer are perhaps more important. Offering decent salaries we get to keep the likes of Didz and Murphy You don't keep a squad together without offering half decent salaries - thats where our money goes. You can't criticise lack of transfer fees without considering what alternative we offer in the way of salaries. Football finance is not a simple transaction like buying sweeties!!

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