Keane: some players will never play for me again

ROY KEANE has lost patience with his Ipswich team and has vowed that some of the players involved in the 2-0 defeat at West Brom on Saturday will never play for him again.

Ipswich languish at the foot of the Championship with just one point from four games and Keane refuses to give some of the squad any further opportunities.

Keane had said he will not be buying any more players before the deadline but it appears he will now look to the loan market for a further two or three players to add some zest to a side that could have lost by a greater margin but for the heroics of goalkeeper Richard Wright.

“There are one or two players who played at the weekend who will not play for me again,” said Keane. “Eventually you have to make a decision on one or two and say, listen, ‘I don’t like what I’m seeing’.

“That is not based on last Saturday but the end of last season, pre-season games. You can’t keep waiting and you have to say enough is enough.’’

Despite Ipswich’s poor form this season Keane, who takes his side to face fellow Championship outfit Peterborough tonight in the second round of the Carling Cup, insists he is relishing the challenge ahead.

“The problem has been for us that we have had to deal with high expectations since we have been back and I’ve played a part in that.’’ Keane said. “I’m an ambitious person and have talked about taking the team to promotion.

“We have to deal with those expectations but as bad as results have been, I think we are two or three players away from being a decent side and being back in the mix.”

Former Ipswich Town player and coach Bryan Hamilton gave Keane his backing.

“I still think Roy is the man for the job at Portman Road. He is a winner and he has credibility,” said the former Wigan, Leicester and Northern Ireland manager.

“But when the whistle goes it is about players. Ipswich need a Roy Keane on the field – a leader and Roy was a fantastic leader in his playing days.

“This is what Ipswich need and new captain Alex Bruce is closest to it.”