Chairman and CEO Mark Ashton says the Blues will be looking at recruiting a different type of player with the physical attributes required to compete in the Premier League.

Having been relegated after one season in the top flight, Town will be looking to make an immediate return in the campaign ahead.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Ashton was asked what lessons can be learnt as the club aims to win promotion from the Championship and then secure a longer-term stay in the Premier League next time around.

“I think it’s recruitment, recruitment, recruitment,” he said. “One of the things that we learnt was that gap in the physicality, the physical attributes of players that are required in the Premier League.

“When we look to recruit players now in the Championship, we have to adjust and amend how we recruit players. We need to look at players with the physical attributes because the reality is [manager] Kieran [McKenna] can coach them, but you can’t develop the physical attributes to the level that you need to compete.

“So it’s an evolution for us. We have to look at recruiting a different type of player, a player with a different set of physical attributes.

“But let’s be under no illusions, if we get back to the Premier League, it will be equally as tough. We have to take the learnings from what was a very tough season.”

Ashton reiterated that McKenna, who speculation but little more linked with the Brentford job handed to former Blues loanee Keith Andrews earlier today, is fully committed to the club for the campaign ahead.

“Kieran and I talk on a daily basis,” he continued. “I gave him his opportunity when we took him from Manchester United, he took it with two hands and he’s done extremely well.

“Success brings challenges, he’s been coveted. We sat down right at the end of the season at my house one night, we looked each other in the eye and I said, ‘Are you in? Are you in for this, Kieran?’. And he was very clear, ‘Absolutely, Mark. I’ve got a job to do, I want to take us back up’.

“There’s always going to be noise around him but there also has to be a bond of trust and he’s looked me in the eye and said, ‘I’m in, I want to rebuild this football club’. We work very closely.

“There will always be noise around him, that’s the nature of the beast, but he’s a man I believe has integrity, he’s told the fanbase he’s going to be here and he wants to get us re-promoted.”

Photo: TownTV

mrmorisato added 16:33 - Jun 28 Centre midfield comes to mind....Morsy is past his best IMO.
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BlueNomad added 16:46 - Jun 28 Whoops! I said the word “ridiculous” twice in the same sentence. It’s either the heat or the ridiculousness of some people that made me do it!
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gosblue added 16:58 - Jun 28 There is nothing fair about FFP. Newly promoted clubs do not compete on an equal footing with established PL teams. We can't offer 5 year contracts on PL wages and agents insist on release clauses. We simply can't attract PL quality players. The system is broken not ITFC.
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Rimsy added 17:14 - Jun 28 I don't agree with all this physicality stuff. In general, the players we bought were just notood enough for the PL. That's not to say they were not an upgrade on who we had prior. Pick your top 10 players ever and I'd wafer very few are massive physical specimens, just great players.
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pragmatic added 18:04 - Jun 28 The corruptness of the cartel created by that crook Masters may enlighten a few posters!!
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braveblue added 18:10 - Jun 28 ‘The best players in the league (Premier) are tiny’. You read some daft comments on here but that takes the biscuit!!
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 18:41 - Jun 28 Bazza - well said. Some people don't deserve a successful team.
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Carberry added 23:00 - Jun 28 ... and we don't have one.
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