Town manager Mick McCarthy says he plans to extend keeper Dean Gerken’s contract beyond the one-year option the Blues took up last week.

“We were always going to trigger his option and we’re hoping to extend his contract further,” McCarthy said.

“It was a year’s option and there’s a date when you have to trigger that and that’s May 1st so we’ve done that, so he’s got another 12 months for next season but we hope to extend it further, if we can.

“If not, if he doesn’t want to, if he just wants to see his year out, he can do that, although I don’t think that’ll be the case.”

Gerken, who joined the Blues in the summer of 2013 following a trial after leaving Bristol City, was the subject of interest from Cardiff City during the January transfer window.

McCarthy says the 31-year-old ex-Colchester man has been unlucky not to play more than the three cup games and one Championship match he has featured in for Town this season.

“He’s been very unfortunate,” the Town boss added. “If anything happened to Bart and he got in for five, six, seven games and he played like he has in the past, he’d end up being first choice because that’s always been the case.

“Not two games, you don’t step in for two games, do well [and claim the shirt] when somebody has been doing as well as Bart, but if he got in and had six, seven games and we had a few clean sheets and he played well.

“Bart knows the rules as well. He’s got to get back in, then Bart would have to back him up like he’s done it for Bart. He’s kept Bart on his toes because Gerks is terrific.

“It’s vital [to have number two keeper doing that]. If the first-choice keeper keeps looking at the number two thinking ‘He’ll never get in in my place’ he’s not going to be very motivated, is he?

“If you’ve got competition for your place and there’s only one place you better make sure you do it right, and do it right every day.”

Meanwhile, McCarthy added that there are no new developments regarding skipper Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra’s contract situations.

The central defensive pair are both out of contract in the summer but with the club having an option to keep them for a further year. Owner Marcus Evans was understood to have begun talks with Chambers regarding new terms last month.

Photo: TWTD

TractorCam added 18:47 - Apr 12 When will this nightmare end? What on earth is happening at this club, talking about signing a reserve goalkeeper's contract beyond next year when he's only just signed his last extension, with a manager speaking like he's going to be here for another 2 seasons. I hate this.
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12th_Man added 18:48 - Apr 12 Bart leaving McCarthy staying oh great
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SuperTommySmith added 18:56 - Apr 12 I'm happy with this as he's an average championship keeper and a decent back up to have. I like Dean. HOWEVER jfc, if we sell bart and he becomes our first choice.. like Mick said he did well when he came in and replaced him. I just imagine where we might have finished if Bart had gotten his place back as soon as he was ready following his family tragedy. Dean was at fault for at least a few goals during those games..

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ITFC_Cotton added 18:56 - Apr 12 Goodbye Bart, we really have become a sorry seller club.
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sixtyblue added 18:58 - Apr 12 Giving options on contracts is one of the worst traits of this football club.It just makes players lazy and going through the motions.Without this stupidity doggie would have not been. Here this season but Mick gave him the option of another year which made it so that he had to honour this.Options on contracts do not work,the only player who has been in the team for more than this season who deserves to have his contract lengthened is baikowski.Reading between the lines giving Gerken another contract for one year or intimated seems like our star player is to be sold,so up yours will be Mick with two fingers up at supporters.

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TractorCam added 18:59 - Apr 12 “Not two games, you don't step in for two games, do well [and claim the shirt] when somebody has been doing as well as Bart, but if he got in and had six, seven games and we had a few clean sheets and he played well". Excuse me? What about last season when Bart's dad passed, Gerken came in, conceded 3 against Brighton, 5 against Reading. Bart was then available, but did he return to the starting line up.... no, Gerken played for the next 6 months. So upsetting reading all these lies

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Blue_badge added 19:39 - Apr 12 Sends a negative message to Crowe and any other keeper coming up through the ranks - "no room here for you to progress". Unless , as others say, Bart is going ... which is another negative message to fans!
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howdonblue added 20:56 - Apr 12 No disrespect but Gerkan is utter bollox !! We should be getting rid of crap like this ! McCarthy typical McCarthy!!! #atacompletelossripipswichtown
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christiand added 21:15 - Apr 12 Such a difference of class between the two, that's another reason MM needs to go. There's loyalty, then there's blind loyalty - MM does this far too often!!!
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bigolconnor added 21:25 - Apr 12 Virtually every goal that I have seen Gerken let in leaves me thinking Bart would have saved that! I hate when McCarthy spouts nonsense about ... well basically he's insulting Bialkowski
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jas0999 added 22:18 - Apr 12 Deliberate ploy to annoy the fans further? Gerken is okay. No more no less.
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Dissboyitfc added 22:36 - Apr 12 With MM some players will always be nailed on to start regardless of form, i reckon MM is gutted he cant get "proper bloke Gerks" back in between the sticks! MM out and take your favs with you!
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vanmunt added 22:54 - Apr 12 Don't worry Gerksie I will get the fans favourite out the club in the summer and the shirts yours.. I always thought you were the better keeper.. said Mick Mugabe and absolutely nobody else ever..
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ipswich4life added 23:55 - Apr 12 not sure why everyone is saying all these bad things about gerks,we just fans we dont know anything about football,if mick says hes terrific then hes terrific,how dare you all judge him on performances,we dont get to see him in training where it counts,we dont get to have a good old chat with him talking about proper bloke stuff,we just there to pay over the odds on crap football and cheer regardless because mick saved us from relegation once upon a time,when we lose we all need to take a long hard look at ourselfs footballs won in the stands Not on tactics/team selection

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battyblue added 06:15 - Apr 13 Dino lining up his Number 1 for when Bart moves on great.
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cat added 08:16 - Apr 13 I feel nervous when Gerks is between the sticks, god only knows what the defence must feel like. You can judge players from what you see during game time, what happens in training etc from the fans point of view don't count for JACK!!
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MadDog added 08:45 - Apr 13 Good luck Bart-can't blame you if you leave. You've kept us up this season & deserve an ambitious club! Such a shame our club lacks any ambition!
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OohOohSamassiAbou added 09:21 - Apr 13 Good news, he's a decent number 2, who can do a reasonable job if Bart was to get injured. I'm more concerned that we still haven't signed Chambers or Berra to an extension at this stage, and no real news about progress. We need to keep at least one of them for next season, can't have Taylor as a no3 CB with his elastic band hamstrings.
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Bluewelshman added 09:52 - Apr 13 I thought we were swapping him for Emyr Huws?
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ClausThomsen added 10:15 - Apr 13 Spot on TractorCam. Bialkowski is the only player I can think of to keep his place ahead of one of MM's favourites - and look how f*cking well he's had to play to do that! The fact MM thinks our 2 keepers are comparable is embarassing. But what about MM isn't these days?
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Michael11 added 12:02 - Apr 13 If Gerken was our number 1, we'd be in Rotherham's position. What an utterly pointless contract offer and god forbid he plays any league game again.
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ChrisFelix added 14:36 - Apr 13 Doesn't control his box, reluctant to come for crosses. But the worst nightmare would a new contract for Douglas who after all is different to nearly all in this division
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Ferguson added 14:45 - Apr 13 I quote from above "If you've got competition for your place and there's only one place you better make sure you do it right, and do it right every day.” He's not doing it right. but sadly, currently, he has no competition for his place.
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goat_man added 15:11 - Apr 13 To be honest, Mick has been furious with the fans since we voted Bart player of the season last year after Mick inexplicably left him out for two thirds of it and ended up looking like a mug.
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Seasider added 17:12 - Apr 13 Mr McCarthy says that if anything happened to Bart and Gerks got back in,playing like he has in the past;then he would end up first choice. Yes Mick we know he is your favourite as this happened when Bart had compassionate leave,and he had to wait until Gerken was injured before he could get back in. McCarthy even seemed reluctant to heap praise on Bart when he won the player of the year title last season,as I recall that he had to get a mention of Gerks in then. Hope this doesn't mean that once again we shall see a sale of one of our best players at the end of the season,as a pattern seems to be developing of this happening each year.

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