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McKenna: Third Number Nine the Ideal But There Are Very Few Out There
Thursday, 23rd Jan 2025 15:30

Boss Kieran McKenna says the Blues will continue to look to add to their squad before the Monday 3rd February deadline having signed three players already but admits there are “very, very, very few” strikers available to come in as a third out-and-out number nine and Town may end up going into the second half of the season with only two.

Julio Enciso signed on loan from Brighton this morning, joining Jaden Philogene, who came in on a permanent basis from Aston Villa, and Ben Godfrey, who was loaned from Serie A Atalanta.

Asked whether he planned any further additions, McKenna said: “We'll have to wait and see. Look, we'll go to the last day and try and improve the squad if in any way possible.

“But we have enough depth in the squad, so it's only if we can add players who we think can have a really big impact on the starting XI or a really big impact on the matchday squad and improve us in the remaining games, then we'll do it.

“And if that's not possible, then we have good depth and everyone's on board, hungry and keen to do well.”

If the window were to shut now, would he be happy? “I think when you do your best, you can only ever be satisfied. We've worked hard in the summer, we've worked hard again now and in between a lot of hard work from the club behind the scenes to improve the squad as much as we can.

“That's really, really hard to do from where we're coming from. It's a real challenge and balancing act in so many different things, but I think the club certainly tried to do that.

“Where we are now is we have a squad with good depth and the players, again, a good mixture of qualities throughout the squad.

“And a group of players desperate to do well, so that's a pretty good place to be. I'd say if we can make any improvements that we think can push us to another level, we'll do so. And if not, then we'll crack on with what we have here.”

A third striker is understood to have been on the Blues’ wish-list all summer - with Ali Al-Hamadi appearing on his way out to the Champoionship - and while McKenna says that’s the ideal scenario it may be that Town will go into the second half of the campaign with Liam Delap and George Hirst as their only number nines.


“It’s always a balancing act to have on that between what’s the best for the club, which has to come first and foremost, really. Also what’s best for the player,” he said.

“As I’ve said, ideally I think we’d like to have three out-and-out number nines in the building with the profile that usually starts for us as the number nine.

“But if you have lots of players in the supporting positions who have different types of characteristics and you have two out-and-out strikers fit with other players who have different characteristics who can play the role in different variations, then that’s also a possibility as well.

“We’ve operated the first half of this season with two strikers fit, in the second half of last season George Hirst was unfit for the second half of the season really, so we had at one point just Freddie Ladapo, then we had in the second half of the season Kieffer Moore and Ali together.

“It’s very rare that we’ve had three out-and-out strikers fit and in the building. That’s probably the utopia in terms of the depth, but it’s not always easy to come across that balance and find players who can improve the quality that we have in those positions already.

“If that’s possible to do, then we’ll look at it. If not, if we have the second half of the season and we have two fit centre-forwards and enough quality behind that that can play in different roles, that’s another way to approach the second half of the season as well.”

McKenna says potential number nines are extremely limited in number: “There would be very few, to be honest, very, very, very few. I think that’s for all signings in January.

“If you look at two seasons ago when we brought in Nathan Broadhead, George Hirst, Harry Clarke, Massimo [Luongo], players who could come into the team and within a few weeks are first XI players playing every week and are dominating at the level.

“To do that in January as Ipswich Town [in the Premier League] is impossible, it’s not going to happen. For players to come in and settle in and have that much impact is not possible, and that’s as you go up through the leagues, probably last year we made some signings and the impact was positive but a little bit different in terms of the games and the minutes that they played, and we’ll try and make the best of this year.

“In all the positions, I think it’s really competitive, we’re operating now at the very, very top echelons of the game, so players that can come in and improve your team or even improve your squad in season without a settling in period, aren’t that easy to find and even those who you think will do it, there’s no guarantee.

“Everyone’s competing in that same market and we’ll do so until the very end of the window to improve where we can. But at the same time, I know January signings are always a big story and supporters want to see them and the players want to see players come in and the staff want to see the additions that can help us.

“But at the end of the day, it’s us who are in the building, it’s the staff, it’s the people, it’s the players in the building who have the main responsibility to keep pushing us forward, and if players can come in and help us along the way and give us an extra little push, then that’s fantastic, but at this level, it’s those that are already in the building whose main responsibility is to keep pushing this team forward.”

With strikers being a sought-after commodity, is McKenna surprised no one’s come knocking regarding Delap, who the Blues boss has repeatedly said previously Town have no interest in selling, despite links with Chelsea and Spurs among others, with the players similarly focusing on Town.

“I don't know what doors have been knocked, to be honest, and I don't have any interest. We don't have a doorbell and the music is on loud,” McKenna smiled.

“Liam's doing okay. He's a young striker, still got lots of improving to do. He's working hard here and he's continuing to work hard to keep getting better and help the team improve.”

Regarding outgoings, the Blues need to move on two or three players in order to reduce the squad down to make the requirements of the 25-man squad.

George Edmundson has been recalled from his loan at Middlesbrough but it seems likely the clubs will continue to discuss his permanent move to Teesside, the Blues having turned down two bid.

Al-Hamadi was in talks with West Brom earlier in the week but with a number of Championship clubs, Stoke reportedly among them, also keen, although with the Blues understood to want to recoup a large chunk of the £2 million fee they ultimately ended up paying AFC Wimbledon for the Iraq international.

McKenna has previously said discussions have taken place with Harry Clarke regarding a loan move with Sheffield Wednesday understood to be interested.

“I think there's a possibility for one or two,” he said. “I've had a follow-up update today on every situation.

“I think Ali Al-Hamadi's been having some conversations and quite a lot of interest from different clubs, so it's possible that there might be some movement there if there's the right opportunity for him or for the club.

“George Edmundson, of course, has been recalled, but there have been discussions there. So there's a possibility that it'll be one or two bits of movement and they're working on those things alongside the players.”


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baxterbasics added 15:34 - Jan 23
Even with nobody else coming in, this squad can be enough if injuries and suspensions are kinder to us from here on. KM knows what to do.
11

Cafe_Newman added 15:37 - Jan 23
It doesn't matter, Wolves, Leicester and Southampton are all going down anyway. Our squad unity will pull us through.
6

PortmanSi added 15:43 - Jan 23
“We don’t have a doorbell and the music is on loud” is a great line!!!
19

cressi added 15:51 - Jan 23
One injury and its suicide I'm afraid
-4

Leejames99 added 16:08 - Jan 23
Such a good manager, gives nothing away, there has to be a new striker coming in because Hirst is sicknote and can get injured anytime and it is inevitable Delap will get suspended at some point but Sammy Szmodicks can play there and Broadhead so not a disaster but I think we might get someone in, I'd like see Morgan Whitaker still 5million is a snip for him and as cover for Omari.
I agree with other posters that Southampton, Leicester and Wolves go down this season. A point at Liverpool be amazing but if its a loss, its expected so anything else is a bonus and then like the start of the season our 2nd half season starts proper at home to Southampton.
Worrying nobody is coming in for Burns, Chaplin etc
Exciting times.
COYB
-4

RedDust added 16:20 - Jan 23
What’s that LeeJames? You want Chaplin and Burns to leave the club?
3

Town1Inter0 added 16:26 - Jan 23
Even if we can get someone who can hold up the ball, when we want to kill the game. We threw away our lead against Brighton, partly because Al-Hamadi couldn't control and get hold of long balls.
-4

Town1Inter0 added 16:27 - Jan 23
Oops! Meant Fulham, not Brighton.
0

stiffy501 added 16:34 - Jan 23
Evan Ferguson
2

OldFart71 added 17:01 - Jan 23
To get a forward better than Hirst but maybe not up to Delap's level Town would need to spend 30 maybe 40 million. It's a pity we don't have what seems a great scouting system abroad, but even then as KM says and as we have seen the last two seasons it takes several weeks for a player to integrate into the team. Time we simply don't have.
1

Leejames99 added 17:01 - Jan 23
@redDust
It's not a case of want they have been great but can't seem them playing again with signings we have made which are upgrades on them.
Burns has definately not made the grade and I just think Chaplin will want to play games. Just my opinion if you want them to stay who do you think shouldn't play or be in squad so they can be?
Players come and go it's just football.
-5

Bellevue_Blue added 17:15 - Jan 23
I think there are very very few in English football ... surely there is a developmental striker worth 5/10M playing Internationally though that fits the mould?!
0

blues1 added 17:26 - Jan 23
Stiffy501. For 1. Ec
Evan ferguson isn't gonna come here to play 2nd fiddle to Delap. 2. He's more injury prone than Hirst. So not really a possibility
2

Ipswichbusiness added 17:48 - Jan 23
You have to be realistic; not many are going to want to be third choice striker in a team struggling against relegation. Those that are are likely to have something wrong with them, such as being too old, too young, too injured, not good enough, etc.
0

Cakeman added 17:57 - Jan 23
Hopefully George Hirst can keep fit because I think he’s an excellent player and could save the club money with trying to find someone else.
6

Bert added 18:10 - Jan 23
KMcK is right to lower expectations of another striker. It would be nice but then all clubs are in the same hunt. The new guys add to those who play behind the striker and all are capable of scoring goals. Interesting that Wolves, Leicester and Souhampton are struggling to add to their numbers due to FFP rules or.... they are not attractive enough clubs.
0

irishtim added 18:44 - Jan 23
Would Tom Cannon have been worth a punt?
0

benslifeyt added 18:49 - Jan 23
We desperately need a 3rd st . We are 1 injury away to having Ali play st for us again he’s not up to prem level we neeeeed someone
0

Gforce added 20:06 - Jan 23
@Leejames.....I don't think Whittaker is quite up to premier league standard, if he was other prem clubs would have been in for him by now.
0

Treacle added 21:57 - Jan 23
Was just looking up Rangers striker Cyrirl Dessers, Big and strong with good goals per game ratio… then he scores a cracking goal against Man U.
Just turned 30 & valued at £4m so might be worth a look?
1

TheLoveOfWisdom added 22:01 - Jan 23
Give Buabo a chance. Is he even a striker? Not sure. Kinda joking here. But I thought he looked promising in the games he featured in last season
0

blues1 added 22:04 - Jan 23
The Love of wisdom. Buabo nowhere near pl standard. Not yet at least.
0

blues1 added 22:07 - Jan 23
Thing is, if we,can't get a 3rd number 9, then broadhead could fill the gap if required. Or Szmodics can play up there. Even maybe Encisco. May just have to adjust the way we play up to them tho, as obviously not as physical as delap or hirst.
0

scottish_williee21 added 22:44 - Jan 23
@treacle, not a dig at you everyones got there opinion! But from my perspective absolutely not. Rangers fans don’t rate him. And neither do I from what I’ve seen. Up here he has become a bit of a joke. Maybe good in the SPL but I reckon you and I treacle could get a game upfront up here. Don’t get me wrong there are a few gems in the SPL but I’m telling you he ain’t one.
0

BeattiesBackPocket added 09:49 - Jan 24
People have said they want this physical presence up front who then?? Who do you want that will also as some have put ‘blow you away’ as a signing. People really need to stop playing fifa and be realistic. The most we can hope to get is a championship striker who won’t blow anyone away on here because we are in a relegation fight. Part of me thinks Hirst can do this if he stays fit and we keep the striker money for the summer when IF we stay up we will be able to get a much better and bigger prospect in as we will be established a little more and be more of a pull but no one top notch or from a better prem side like Ferguson will come here yet. I don’t want to waste money on a panic buy that won’t be better than what we already have. I know we’ve been linked heavily with the Brazilian Igor Jesus but will he come until the summer probably not.
0


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