Town boss Kieran McKenna says young striker Tyreece Simpson will get a chance to stake a claim for a first-team place during the second half of the campaign, however, the 19-year-old, who scored 11 times when on loan in League Two with Swindon before being recalled recently, has four senior players in front of him.

Simpson was brought back to Portman Road with discussions continuing regarding a new long-term deal, while the Robins were keen for him to return to the County Ground if those terms were agreed in time. However, negotiations remain ongoing.

McKenna was asked whether ideally he’d have like Simpson to have gone back out on loan to play games in the second half of the season.

“It’s not impossible that he can play for us, so it’s not impossible that he doesn’t play first team football in the second half of the season,” he said.

“He’s been training with us a good amount this week. He’s going to be playing some minutes with the U23s at times as well in the next week or two.

“It’s a situation between the club and Tyreece’s representation and Tyreece where there are discussions going on about his long-term future and his role at the club going forward.

“Obviously, we hope those discussions can progress well. We want Tyreece to be here in the long term.

“It wasn’t possible in the end for him to go out before the end of January, so it gives us another good player in the door and gives us a chance to have a closer look at him and to work with him in training.

“And we’ll make sure he still gets some match minutes, and it’s up to him then while he’s in the door to stake a claim for minutes in the first team as well as he can.”

If he is going to break into the first team, Simpson will have to get in ahead of 12-goal top scorer Macauley Bonne, James Norwood, Joe Pigott and Kayden Jackson.

“We want to have good options in those positions, it’s very important to have options up front in this league,” McKenna said.

“They all have different qualities, all are stronger in different areas. Kayden is one who is a little bit more versatile in his position as well, can play off of wide areas as well, so that gives us that extra option. It’s good to have those options for the rest of the season.

“They all know and respect each other that there’s no guarantee for any of them to play. There are four forwards who have scored goals in this league and higher and consider themselves to be among the strongest forwards in the league.

“I think there’s a healthy competition there, there’s a mutual respect. We’re happy to have them all here.

“Obviously Joe hasn’t had so many minutes so far on the pitch but he understands the situation, we’ve been in good communication with him.

“He’s been training well and I’m confident that he’s going to get opportunities over the course of the next few months and I think there’s a good chance that he’ll go and take them as well.”

Photo: TWTD

Ham_and_Eggs added 16:24 - Feb 3 Eggscellent future ahead of you, do us a favour and sign on the dotted line
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ipswichdave added 16:28 - Feb 3 Might not be out best striker but I think he is our best option after Bonne, if the manager plays 1 up front.
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Bazza8564 added 16:46 - Feb 3 Feels like an agent pushing for a bit too much maybe? Id really like to see him get a run, even if its an an impact player off the bench. And with the greatest respect to Jackson, we should be looking at him before a guy who is OOC in June.....??
6

BaddowBlue1 added 16:49 - Feb 3 I should imagine that the players agent is trying to get a bumper deal for him either here or somewhere else. Might be our impact player to come off the bench.
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broseleyblue added 16:50 - Feb 3 Is this a repeat of the Downes situation when he took on a new agent?
1

Wallingford_Boy added 16:52 - Feb 3 Jacko ahead of him..?! Oh dear!
2

brassy added 17:16 - Feb 3 I really really dislike agents
3

abandon_hope1978 added 17:41 - Feb 3 Simpson must be absolutely gutted being recalled to play U23 football and have 4 strikers ahead of him OR he's incredibly foolish to throw away a full season of 1st team football, always starting and scoring goals, for the want of an improved contract. If it's the latter, these kids should appreciate what they have and be a little patient. A full season at Swindon, possibly 20 goals, and then think of his bargaining power. However if this is Ipswich using him as 4th choice backup, it seems very unlikely he's going to want to stay, as this could seriously damage his progress.

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BlueRuin69 added 18:05 - Feb 3 Has a little way to go before being anywhere near 1st team, sign or jog....
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KiwiTractor added 19:21 - Feb 3 McK just go back to playing two up front - it was working well with Bonne and Nors, before you reverted to Bonne with 2 in behind.
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Linkboy13 added 19:21 - Feb 3 It was such a shame he couldn't have stayed at Swindon for the rest of the season. He will be assessed in training if he's up to first team football yet that's how it works.
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KiwiTractor added 19:21 - Feb 3 McK just go back to playing two up front - it was working well with Bonne and Nors, before you reverted to Bonne with 2 in behind.
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grinch added 19:27 - Feb 3 Can't blame the agents call the time if you want to play football which your lucky to do as a career then play and tell your agent to do one. He is not as good as Jackson and has to wait his turn he would have gone back out on loan if his demands did not outweigh his current stature within ITFC sometimes these youngsters need to shake there head. Either sign a deal with the club that has taught you everything or stay in U23s with minimal time on field show some respect to the club that gave you your opportunity.

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ringwoodblue added 20:22 - Feb 3 Put him on the bench and bring him on for the last 20 mins. Deserves it more than Jackson.
3

Jonaldo added 05:02 - Feb 4 I'd like to see him on the bench and get 30 mins soon. Non of our strikers have set the world alight in the last couple of months and that would send the right message.
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mojo added 10:42 - Feb 4 This is a young man in form (albeit at a lower level). Deserves a chance for that alone in my opinion.
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Razor added 12:41 - Feb 4 This guy is begginning to a little like previuos managers-----this guy has proved himself at Swindon so you brought him back----now PLAY him, that is the only way you will find out if he is any good. Nozza and Simpson up front-----some power there!!
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Carberry added 13:49 - Feb 4 Of the teams above us only Sheff Wed have a worse goal difference and only by 2 goals so we really need to start winning and hitting the back of the net with some regularity. If we have 4 strikers who are recognised goalscorers at this level and above we need to see them perform in a system that works.
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