Town boss Mick McCarthy says work-rate isn’t why on-loan Manchester City youngster Bersant Celina has made only two Championship starts for the Blues so far but trusting him to make the the correct decisions in the right areas of the field. McCarthy says the 21-year-old, who is with Town for the season, is a “lovely young fella”, who has "terrific ability" and has been no trouble to manage since joining the club in July.

“I’ve had a good conversation with Bersant and it’s not that he doesn’t work hard, it’s trusting him,” McCarthy said of the 21-year-old, who curled a stunning 89th minute freekick to win Saturday’s game at Burton, his fourth goal for Town, having come on as a sub for the seventh time in the Championship.

“Yes, he can win us a game, but equally I don’t want him to lose us a game by trying to dribble out of 18-yard box and losing it there and it ending up in the back of our net.

“It’s not about him not working hard because he works hard, he loves his football, it was great he came on and scored.

“And it is about, yes, trusting him not to run around and do it but to do the things in the right areas.

“If he gets Jonas Knudsen going up on his outside and he decides to ignore him and cut in on the inside and he loses it then he causes us a problem. But he has terrific ability, there’s no doubt about it and it was lovely for him on Saturday.”

McCarthy says Celina, who spent last season on loan at FC Twente, has been no trouble to manage.

“None at all, he’s a lovely young man,” he added. “He trains really hard every day, loves his football, wants to stay out and do more.

“He is always practicing his skills and his freekicks, to be fair to him, so you can see where it came from on Saturday. He’s a lovely young fella, I really like him.”

Saturday’s game saw Kevin Bru, who was told he could leave in the summer and initially wasn’t given a squad number, make his first appearance of the season from the bench.

“Kevin coming on settled it down a bit with his ability to get on the ball,” McCarthy reflected.

“What changed [regarding Bru] that was the fact that Tom Adeyemi, Luke Hyam, Teddy Bishop and Emyr Huws are all injured.

“Had they been fit then it’s pretty unlikely that he would have been playing. But he’s been fabulous in training, he’s been great. He’s been great around the place, he’s never any trouble.

“But as I said on Saturday, he wasn’t ostracised out of the squad either, he’s not been made to train with the U23s, which happens at a lot of places. He’s trained every day with us. He’s trained really well. He’s had his games at international level.

“He’s just been great and he’s our player, he’s being paid by us so he’s there to be made available. He was good.

“He’s kept going and there might be a little element of good management in there, with Santie and people like that, to come on and make the right reaction, it’s great.

“I think Flynn [Downes] and Tristan [Nydam] are going to be really good players, I think they are good players, but there comes a time for 17 and 18-year-olds when it’s getting a bit tough and you need a bit of experience and Kevin gave me that on Saturday.”

Photo: TWTD

braveblue added 15:55 - Oct 30 What a load of rubbish. He has built a team full of favourites who constantly lose possession. He really does need to think through what he says.
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jabberjackson added 15:59 - Oct 30 Really sorry Mick, I almost forgot what a brilliant manager you are Until you reminded us for the 1000th time ...
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MattinLondon added 16:04 - Oct 30 I went to Burton and it was obvious that they are a really poor team. A bit of quality and style would have won the game for us by half-time. I get that you need to trust younger players who may well be a bit selfish on the ball. But surly you need to have trust in the established players that they can settle with the ball instead of panicking every time. MM seems to be a be blinkered in terms of seeing what he wants to see.

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casanovacrow added 16:11 - Oct 30 Mick wants us to concentrate on defending even with the ball. That's not Celina ..or the club.
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blue75 added 16:14 - Oct 30 Must be a different player to the one I've briefly seen yes he likes to run with the ball but I e seen pass wide when that was the right option, and sometimes it's better to run the ball outta defence than lump it up to the opposition defenders. I think McCarthy's taking tosh Celina is possibly the sort of player Ipswich like he might not be, we'll only find out if he's played he his natural position and we know how McCarthy likes his round pegs in square holes!! So I expect Celina to start a game at right back!!

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rexron added 16:21 - Oct 30 I trust McCarty on this 1. He knows the players weaknesses better than the fans. as for Bru, competition is very important. He has got a contract and aint going nowhere. He deserves to be given a chance. Its better for the other players aswell.
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irishtim added 16:23 - Oct 30 Who heard of Celina before Mick brought him in? Not a division for carpet football. Get behind the team and manager. Win our game in hand and we are in a playoff position. Look at some other clubs in this division. Hull. Fulham.
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therein61 added 16:24 - Oct 30 Why sign him then if you don't trust him, also re Bru talk about a contradiction from what you said a few weeks ago!! that coupled with your post match Burton conference when yet again you slag off the fans(who pay your inflated wages) yet again show what an arrogant man you really are who thinks he's untouchable by his employers.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 16:28 - Oct 30 you're an idiot McCarthy, what a pathetic thing to say about a player who has a bailed you out a few times already this season!!!
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BlueBlood90 added 16:32 - Oct 30 What a total idiot. More concerned about losing than trying to win as always. What a small time, sad mentality. Celina has proved almost every time he's played that he's capable of a bit of magic that can win us a game, the same as Lawrence did last season. He apparently can't trust him to make the right decision but he's happy enough to play Freddie Sears out of position to run like a headless chicken and provide absolutely nothing before being dispossessed. Do us all a favour and leave!!!!

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Green_Army added 16:34 - Oct 30 It's been a while since I did a stats post, but was looking over Celina's given the anger amongst fans that he isn't handed a regular starting place. So how does he stack up against over other options in similar positions this season? [All statistics are per 90 minutes played] GOALS: Celina: 0.92 Waghorn: 0.83 Ward: 0.12 Sears: 0 ASSISTS: Ward: 0.49 Waghorn: 0.24 Celina: 0 Sears: 0 TOTAL SHOTS: Celina: 3.67 Waghorn: 2.74 Sears: 1.20 Ward: 0.49 SHOT ACCURACY: Celina: 78% Waghorn: 55% Ward: 33% Sears: 0% TOTAL PASSES: Celina: 34.9 Ward: 28.34 Waghorn: 17.74 Sears: 17.37 KEY PASSES: Celina: 2.14 Ward: 1.58 Waghorn: 1.07 Sears: 0.75 PASS COMPLETION: Celina: 76% Ward: 76% Sears: 68% Waghorn: 67% CHANCES CREATED: Celina: 2.14 Ward: 2.07 Waghorn: 1.31 Sears: 0.75 If we allocate a scoring system for each stat (e.g. 4 points for top through to 1 point for bottom), here's the scores per player: 1. CELINA (30 points) 2. WARD (21 points) 3. WAGHORN (19 points) 4. SEARS (10 points) The above statistics are those on which I felt attacking players performance will be based on, therefore left defensive statistics to one side. Somewhat conclusive.

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IpswichToon added 16:39 - Oct 30 It does sound like MM has no plans on staying on after the end of the season. A bit of a shame, he's been good for us but if he's lost his desire for the club then it is time to move on I suppose. Brenner is asking some pretty good questions there, following up on some comments after the Burton match. Then right on cue, Stuart comes in with his idiotic crap as per usual. Sometimes he's not even asking a question - he just poses a statement like a question?

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OohOohSamassiAbou added 16:52 - Oct 30 Green_Army, good stats, am I correct in understanding that Sears has not had a shot on target all season?!
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TimmyH added 16:53 - Oct 30 There are a few others which haven't been proved that trustworthy that you continue to play - McCarthy's Achilles heel since he's been here is getting the most out of players out wide, he generally tries to narrow the field or play incorrect positioned players out wide. What you'll find he's not interested that much in quality out wide as long as you track back and put a shift in. I had my reservations for Celina before the season started compared to players like loanee's Lawrence/Fraser as he hadn't had any previous Championship experience i.e. doesn't know how to 'rough and tough it' - no doubt Mick's thoughts.

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Lesta_Tractor added 16:58 - Oct 30 You can see MM's point... Celina played well, scored a goal and then got booked for taking his shirt off.
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Seasider added 17:09 - Oct 30 Well done Green Army for taking the trouble to work out the above stats.It must have taken some while to compile,and shows what an asset he is. From what little Mick has allowed me to see of Bersant Celina,I don't think that he has made any more defensive mistakes proportionally than any other players. This season Mr McCarthy has been critical (by name)of both our young full backs Kenlock and Emmanuel,who I feel are no worse than Iorfa ,Spence and Knudsen;and Bersant Celina has also had criticism. HE would never however criticise Skuse or Chambers,and they have also had poor games in the past;or Tabby and Douglas when they were here,and I am not sure if either have managed to find permanent clubs yet? I don't know;but I am heartened by the fact that Mick refers to Santie above;so this could mean that he has been accepted,although doesn't mean he will be an automatic starter tomorrow like Chambo and Skusy ! Hope Ipswich will start with the team that finished on Saturday;but with Didsy in place of Joe Garner,who has gone off the boil of late I feel. p.s.hope this wont be printed 26 times lol

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meekreech added 17:20 - Oct 30 Green army you have made a mistake in the way the stats are calculated, celina has not played as much as the others so his figures are skewed. If he had played more the chances are his figures would be lower ( law of averages )
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Green_Army added 17:49 - Oct 30 meekreech - you are incorrect as it was stated that the statistics are shown per 90 minutes (not raw data or averages per match). Therefore it does not matter the amount of total minutes any of the players have played. If I were to show original data per player this season, of course he would have lower stats as he has played less minutes, but by filtering by 90 minutes it gives a better understanding on what he is capable of compared to the other players.

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Cloddyseedbed added 18:43 - Oct 30 I seem to remember it took MM a while to trust Lawrence last season. Celina gives the ball away no more than anyone else in the team, it is a fact no one can keep the ball and we can't dominate possession. That is the way MM teams play. Little possession, but get the ball into danger area's quickly. Celina needs to be played in the Eric gates of old role as stated by older supporters in the past. You didn't see Gatesy back defending much but in the final 3rd he was the very important link and part of a team that worked. I don't buy into all this defend at all costs, everyone attitude. It just encourages teams to dominate possession and keep coming back at you. In a few seconds of us having the ball in our defence and firing it forward it is back in our half and another attack by the opposition is forming.

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Bert added 19:25 - Oct 30 Beginning to want MM to leave but his thoughts about Celina are more or less spot on. The lad can be a very exciting player but he loses the ball more often than not hence the concern about a counter attack. Mm's behaviour is still outrageous but let's concentrate on backing the team out on the pitch
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hampstead_blue added 19:33 - Oct 30 It seems as if Celina is taking time to gain MM's trust. Fair enough. I think his explanation is both fair and good. Am happy with that. I still don't think MM is the answer but he's certainly NOT the worst manager we could have.
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Westy added 19:57 - Oct 30 While we are on the subject of team selection, McCarthy said that he would not use Bru again, yet he came on against Burton and had a positive impact.
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cat added 20:24 - Oct 30 By the sounds of today's fabulous interview the Dino don't trust flair players or the youths. Loved the comment about Celina maybe losing possession on the 18yd line when he's usual suspect favourites have been doing this for years. If your face fits in MM land it's all good, regardless of ability.
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oldegold added 20:25 - Oct 30 McCarthy can go on as much as he likes but the simple truth is that his way of playing football is outdated and dreadful...and not of a winning kind. He could be simpatico or hated at the same time but his brand of football is just simply dreadful and this more than anything is what has driven people against him. His acknowledgement that he won't change is fine as I don't listen to him anyway so it's water off my back but if Town fans were to watch a Town performance of say the play off at Wembley 2000 and see what can be had from an attacking verve then they would have another opinion of him.He is not going to change and his approach will always be to nullify the opposition and bore everyone to death..he is simply too arrogant to admit that his style went out with Haley's comet...but that is not the point. Marcus Evans should relieve him off his duties as he is clearly not up to the current demands of the job and avoid another season of just lingering in the Championship...hearts and minds must be won now and get the enthusiasm back.His abject conferences are an exercise in the study of body language and emit clear signs of a tired and inward looking figure who knows he is blundering but is not man enough to admit he is not the man to take Town further.

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Elto added 20:49 - Oct 30 Rubbish Cat. MM signed Celina. He'll play him when he thinks he's ready, maybe tomorrow. Your line re. youths is nonsense - Downes, Kenlock and Nydam have all featured regularly this season and if Dozzell hadn't been injured he would have been starting most games no doubt. He trusted virtually a whole team of youth at Palace and they didn't let him down. I get you don't like MM but the evidence is there that he does believe in youth and is doing a reasonable job easing them in.

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