Boss Kieran McKenna’s transfer plans for the final fortnight of the window haven’t been altered by his side's impressive start and says that striker isn’t necessarily the position where he will be looking for a new recruit before the window closes on September 1st.

Town have taken 10 points from their first 12 and are top of League One by a point but McKenna says nothing he has seen in the opening games has caused him to have a rethink when it comes to adding to his squad.

“No, no changes on that,” he insisted. “We know what qualities we have in the building and we know what we want to add and that hasn’t changed over the course of a few games or a few results.”

Town are understood to have been chasing Leicester striker George Hirst for much of the summer but McKenna says it’s more about a player’s individual attributes when it comes to making a signing rather than their generally accepted role.

“Not necessarily position, no. We look at attributes and qualities we have in the squad and what we need to add and there are some qualities at the front half of the pitch that we want to be able to add and we are continuing to work very hard in doing so.”

It’s more about what a player can bring rather than their positional label? “I think that’s important in our play, we don’t necessarily define and pigeon-hole players to a certain position.

“Marcus Harness brings us certain qualities that we will try to utilise in the team in different positions and different roles across the season and that’s how we think about it with our recruitment.

"Whether that’s Marcus Harness or Greg Leigh or any of the other players that we’ve signed, we sign them for their qualities and what they can bring to us in this division and we’re continuing to look to do that right until the end of the window.”

McKenna cites his use of Janoi Donacien in a hybrid right-back/right centre-half position since he has come to the club.

“He’s a good example. He brings that athleticism, he brings height and presence, he’s decent aerially and he brings the ability to make forward runs,” he said.

“I’m not interested in defining his position as such, more what he brings and which of those attributes we’re going to need in any given game.”

And the role he plays has then been tailored around Donacien’s attributes? “Not necessarily just around Janoi but I believe in tailoring systems and how we play according to the qualities of the players.

“So he’s one important player for us and we try and play in a way that suits his game, but certainly not just Janoi, it’s also about the people around him that we have in the building and the people that we bring into the building.

“I think it is fair to say that that is a principle here that we try and adapt and utilise the quality of the players and don’t pigeon-hole them into roles that might not suit them so well.”

Photo: TWTD

FrimleyBlue added 15:05 - Aug 18 Louongo.....
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itsonlyme added 15:08 - Aug 18 With greatest respect a striker is paramount.
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Len_Brennan added 15:09 - Aug 18 We need a center forward & KMcK knows it, that's why he has targeted Hirst all Summer. Of course quality & character are hugely important, but he's not going to switch & a sign holding midfielder with the right height, pace & attitude to replace Hirst if he can't get him.
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BurleysGloryDays added 15:10 - Aug 18 The man speaks endless sense and he's bringing a football education to Suffolk that we've been desperate for for years. Fans should listen with both ears before commenting, and that applies to when the going is good, and inevitably when it's bad.
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Suffolkboy added 15:12 - Aug 18 KM daily re-enforces all that's good about his self discipline , fund of acquired knowledge and abilities to communicate clearly and unequivocally about everything ITFC and mam management ! An absolute joy to read and digest , he's bringing Bobby Robson like quality back – smashing ! COYB
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Len_Brennan added 15:14 - Aug 18 Go on then BGD, tell me what I am not able to understand here, if you are suggesting that I can't comment without having your insight?
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BurleysGloryDays added 15:17 - Aug 18 "we need a striker", "We need a centre forward and he knows it" KM is making it so painfully clear: we will benefit from a goal scorer that adds qualities our other goal scorers don't have. It doesn't mean they need to be a striker/CF, etc. If you get a Frank Lampard scoring 20 from midfield you're not suddenly calling him a "striker". He's spoon feeding you guys, i don't mean to be rude but how you're missing the point is beyond me 😅

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joyousblue added 15:19 - Aug 18 Just use both ears oh you obviously didn't len Brennan , see there's the problem
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senduntd added 15:23 - Aug 18 Still like to see M acauly Bonne back with us.
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Rimsy added 15:25 - Aug 18 No matter what BGD says, we all know McK is looking to bring in a striker. Obviously a striker with all the attributes and qualities he's looking for. Which is why we've been chasing Hirst all summer.
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Len_Brennan added 15:32 - Aug 18 You are being rude, & you've followed up with terms like me needing to be spoon fed, so you know you are, but that's beside the point. We have Ladapo up front, a straightforward figurehead to our front line; he is a center forward whose job is to score goals & serve as a focal point for those coming from behind; that is how we are set up. If he were to get injured in 2 weeks time & be out until the new year, what are we going to do until the next transfer window? Are we going to play Jackson & change the style that we have worked on most during pre-season? If we are to sign a 'non centre forward', are we going to play we a false 9, no recognised focal point for the next 4 months? Our biggest concern has been in trying to break down teams who don't come to play us, but shut up shop, letting us play nice football outside the danger area. We need to be able to play more direct in those circumstances & not be praying for a long range Harness strike out of nothing. We do need a centre forward, & having been trying to get one all summer; it now looks like we have failed in that pursuit & don't have a replacement lined up, which is a worry. I hope Ladapo stays fit & on form. I'm sorry for not being of the requisite intellect to understand your deep analysis above.

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Bazza8564 added 15:35 - Aug 18 Well, we seem to be squabbling amongst ourselves again…. My take on this is simple, Ladapo is excellent but Jackson replacing him in that role is ineffective because he has different qualities. (My opinion) We therefore need someone who can play the same or very similar role to Ladapo who is a centre forward. Therefore if we accept that logic don't we, by definition, need a centre forward?

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Len_Brennan added 15:37 - Aug 18 You're only listening with the one ear Bazza!
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itsonlyme added 15:47 - Aug 18 Well said Len and Bazza - it is patently obvious we need another striker particularly when injuries strike and they will. You can't keep relying on midfield to come up with the goods and certainly our defenders don't. I'm not moaning by the way just stating the bleeding obvious.
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pennblue added 15:55 - Aug 18 I would say we are missing a poacher type striker ala Gary Lineker, times their runs into the box well and knows there the ball is going to end up.
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Stato added 15:59 - Aug 18 When pressed further for what mysterious quality KM might be looking for above all others from a new signing he said well ideally one that can get the onion in the bag fairly regularly.
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BudapestByBlimp added 16:03 - Aug 18 Bazza & Len - I interpret what McK is saying as; don't be too focussed on a player's usual position but look at what skills he has. Think how Thierry Henry spent much of his early career playing as a Winger but became one of the greatest Strikers. Maybe he's looking at players who aren't traditionally seen as Strikers but could fulfill the role of being the pivotal player in our attacks.

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WalkRules added 16:06 - Aug 18 Given that he hasn't done too badly so far why don't we just let the person who actually does the job (KMcK in case anybody had forgotten) and stop poking each other.
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oldblue added 16:14 - Aug 18 Goals win matches.. whoever scores them.... It's a game of opinions ain't it !
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baldman added 16:22 - Aug 18 Lucas joao from reading would be good
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Carberry added 16:29 - Aug 18 Len, what were you thinking, having an opinion which doesn't meet the agreement of the herd. McK could say the moon is made of cheese and people on here would be saying how insightful, knowledeable, forward thinking he is. The fact is we have been chasing a striker (bloke whose main responsibility is to score goals) all summer and we haven't got him. Let's not dress it up as something else.

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blues1 added 16:33 - Aug 18 Len brennan. We need a striker, yer. Doesn't have to be a cf tho does he? Just some1,wholl score goals and also can give us other attributes to his game we maybe dont have in the squad right now. We haven't failed to sign anyone. Everyone keeps going on that we've been after hirst? Haven't heard anyone at the club say we want him. Only fans and the media. Why I don't know? He's not a 20 goal a season striker yet everyone thinks hes the best thing since sliced bread. Let's just wait and see before writing ur usual negative comments shall we?

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blues1 added 16:37 - Aug 18 Rimsy. Yes, he's trying to bring a striker in. That's what a forward player usually is aftercare. But eho says we've been after hirstcall summer? The fans, the media. No1 from the club has actually said so. If we can get 3 or 4 forwards in the squad all scoring their share of goals, plus goals from midfield, I dont think the player we need is necessarily another centre forward.

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BobbyBell added 16:39 - Aug 18 I'm not hung up on wanting a striker to score our goals. We need a target man around which the rest of the attack can work. I see a front man as part of the team and not someone who must get lots of goals. A good front man will score of course but will also create space and opportunities for his team mates. John Wark was not a striker but scored so many goals because of the way that Mariner lead the line. If we played like Burton then a 20 goal striker would be essential but with the way we now play goals will be shared around so we need a central front player who suits our style. Many of our squad have the potential to score a few and I believe that KM wants all his players to have the confidence and ability to finish a move by putting the ball in the net. Does the same person need to be on the end of every attack? Surely it's much harder for our opponents if we are fluid and anyone can pop up to finish a move. The more unpredictable we are the better.

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terryf added 16:40 - Aug 18 Everyone is entitled an opinion and should be able to do so without unfair criticism, particularly if after all we are supporting the same Team!! Everyone keeps banging on about George Hirst as if he is going to be the solution to a problem, but how do we know McKenna's thoughts. He may be tracking someone completely off our radar. Afterall we'e seen this before with Ashton's rabbit from the hat trick. Let's just leave the guys at the top to get on with it and be thankful that we are in a financial better than most.

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