End of term report
Well the last home game of the season ended with a 0-3 defeat by Sheffied United. Ipswich played some good football in the first half, most of it started in midfield by Owen Garvin. For a home game Roy Keane opted to play five in midfield, leaving young Connor Wickham to battle on his own up front. Sheffield United went in at half time one goal up and early in the second half when Tom Eastman, who was making his debut, was sent off, the game was over. 
Roy Keane reckons his job starts now, but I thought he was supposed to have started a year ago ! What has he been doing then, having a laugh at the supporters expense. The season has been rubbish with very few good points. The emergence of Connor Wickham spurred me into renewing my season tickets. I do hope no stupid deals are made as banded about in the press of Tottenham buying him and then loaning him back to Ipswich for a season. If he can score twenty odd goals for us next season it might propel us into the Premiership and then he will become a Premiership player with Ipswich. Roy Keane talks of wanting four or five other players. What is going to happen to the huge squad he already has ? I know he has already released a few but a lot more need to be cleared out. David Wright not having his contract renewed was a major surprise, but perhaps he has too much to say to the press ! He could finish up with the Canaries.
Roy Keane’s expensive signings have been dreadful. I am sure Sir Alex Ferguson conned him when he told him what a good purchase Lee Martin would be, much the same as George Burley and David Sheepshanks were conned by Sven Eriksson into believing that the Italian goalie (name escapes me) we had was a good buy. Tamas Priskin just never looked interested. So what is also to become of the following :- Alex Bruce, Pablo Counago, Jon Stead, Colin Healy, Alan Quinn, Kevin Lisbie and possibly Owen Garvin. Owen Garvin is the only creative midfield player we have at the club but he has been in and out of the side like a yo-yo. He is not Roy Keane’s type of midfield player which is a shame, or is there another problem which we do not know about. If Liam Trotter has any sense he will move on and not accept a new deal. He will then be assured of playing regularly. Carlos Edwards has been disappointing and was another bad buy.
So what are we left with of those we have seen on the pitch this season ? Goalkeepers :-Brian Murphy and Arran Lee-Barrett . Defenders :- Damien Delaney, Gareth McCauley, Shane O’Connor, Tommy Smith, Tom Eastman and Troy Brown. Midfielders :- Grant Leadbetter, David Norris, Jaime Peters and Billy Clark. Hopefully Luciano Civelli will be back from injury at some point next season. Strikers :- Jonathan Walters and Connor Wickham.
My old school reports use to say “must do better”. The same applies to Roy Keane. One wonders with all his wealth, is he motivated enough ?