McKenna: There Are Going to Be Quite a Lot of Late Calls
Thursday, 1st May 2025 14:46
Town boss Kieran McKenna says there will be a lot of late fitness calls ahead of Saturday’s game at Everton with the squad still hit by injury as well as suspension.
Leif Davis and Ben Johnson are unavailable due to their red cards, while Wes Burns (ACL), Chieo Ogbene (achilles), Jaden Philogene (MCL) and Aro Muric (shoulder) are all out for the season.
Conor Townsend (hamstring), Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring), Nathan Broadhead (thigh), Sammie Szmodics (ankle) and Kalvin Phillips (achilles) also all missed last week’s match at Newcastle, while Omari Hutchinson (hamstring) and Jens Cajuste (managing ongoing issue) were on the bench but would only have been used in desperation.
“To be honest, I'm not going to go through so many individually again, but last week we said we were in a really difficult spot and it's not very dissimilar,” McKenna said.
“There are going to be quite a lot of late calls, genuinely, because we've got quite a few players who are going to be close for this week, if not this week then a really good chance for next week.
“I think certainly by two games’ time we'll be much closer to where we'd want to be. This one's going to be really tight. We've got quite a few players who are close and we're going to make a late judgement call on them all.”
McKenna admits the lack of players is impacting how he goes into games rather than any wider aims: “At the moment, the approach is dictated by availability.
Last week, this week, we've had 13, 14 senior players available in training. So, approach is always dictated a little bit by availability.
“I think our mindset has been to get as many points to the end of season. I still think it has to be that. Try and pick up as many points as we can. Try and perform as well as we can.
“The option to look at one or two different relationships or partnerships or different positional things on the pitch, it would be nice to be at that point, but to be at that point we need to be closer to availability, to be honest, and having players back and ready.
“Then we can maybe look at one or two pairings or relationships or little tweaks that we'd like to have a look at in the last few games. To be honest, we're not there at the moment.
“Our position at the moment is find a way to go to Goodison and compete. We're coming off three really, really difficult games.
“We've got to find a way to go there and get a side and a squad together to go there and compete tomorrow.
“The overriding goal still has to be in terms of the games to pick up points and perform as well as we can.”
Photo: TWTD
Leejames99 added 23:36 - May 1
@blues1 I still think my points are thought out as are yours, we all support the same club, I said midway through season that Mckenna had bought players with the Championship in mind and did the right thing getting the stadium, training ground etc Prem ready so when we go back up investment can be made on players. It is for this reason I do not think Hutchinson, Delap or any of them have relegation clauses and especially not at 30 mill and if he is Man City will want him back which Delap doesn't have to do if hr doesn't want too and can stay at Town, it's the same as the Phillogene Villa situation. 30 million for a player tipped to be the next Harry Kane not going to happen I dont think and I don't think.Ashton or Man City would of done that deal. Nobody expected Delap to get the plaudits like this. I looked and all the same stories were out about Adebayo last Summer. I think Liams Dad will tell him to stay, what club is he going to start at, defo not the top teams, Halland, Solanke, Bowen, Cunnah, Mateta, Hoijlund, Wissa, Isak, Evanilson, Jackson,Trossard,Watkins, Jimianez,Pedro, Nunez, Beto? I dont think he would bother going to a newly promoted team, Everton I don't think is a step up for him, I just really think he loves playing football and would rather play with his mates at Town right now only 22. If I was his agent Id be looking at Town to give him Prem wages still and remove the 30 mill release clause, in fact Ipswich could pay Delap 10 million sign on fee in new contract and change the release clause amount which i think they might, Delap is worth more to Man City and Ipswich by staying put. Even if he stayed until Christmas they could renegotiate. If your 22 and offered to renegotiate with big sign on fee to play every week and possibly get a Championship winners medal or go and sit on bench at Chelsea and get 10 mins and cup games I think he would stay. It's the same with Cajuste and Hutchinson rather than sell, renegotiate with who we have, if they renegotiate with Delap they could even give him 20 mill and put a release on of 60 mill for next season. I would be happy for Mckenna to stay better the devil you know, I just think we need a reset now and see no point in keeping Burns, Chaplin etc for their sake and ours. We have 3 windows to bolster the squad before a return to prem which if we kept all the new signings we would walk the Prem. We don't need to be rude or use bad language towards anyone it's just opinions and im sure a bit of yours and a bit of mine will be where we end up. I just think Mckenna has a golden opportunity to make Ipswich a really good team and playing together in the championship and getting a winning mentality can only be a good thing. I think Delap will stay. Id love Davis to stay but I just cant see why he can't convert to midfield behind Clarkeand in front of Townsend what a left hand side that would be. Let's see what the Summer holds, midfield is crucial. I really would like fans give muric a chance his stats for Burnley in Championship were insane but I also get a feeling Slicker might be number 2 and will have quite an influence on Delap as will Sheeran. Think Palmer might go. My ideal 11 come July Muric H Clarke O'Shea Greaves Townsend Cajuste Humphries Szmodics Hutchinson J Clarke Delap Humphries will either be great or not ready, still looks sleight to me, love Finn Azaz. Apparently Town were looking at Eric Dier. Anyway all good let's just keep to footie chat |  |
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