Keane’s Tractor Boys’ tenure reaches crisis point

UNDERFIRE Roy Keane conceded that five successive league defeats is “unacceptable” after his Ipswich side threw away a lead to lose 3-1 at home to Swansea City on Saturday.

Keane’s position looks increasingly perilous with the Tractor Boys down to 17th in the Championship, just four points off the relegation zone, having been one of the division’s high flyers in the opening weeks of the season.

The former Ireland skipper admits that the run of five losses is far from good enough, despite his side defeating West Brom in midweek to set up a Carling Cup semi-final with Arsenal.

“It’s unacceptable. We’d had two or three defeats before and then a couple of league wins in between, but it’s eight defeats in 10 now, which is unacceptable.”

Against Swansea, Keane’s team had looked set for a win, winger Andros Townsend having put the Suffolk side in front. But defensive howlers, including Swans striker Craig Beattie beating former Bohemians keeper Brian Murphy in the air at a freekick, led to the Welshmen claiming all three points.

Keane, who left Damien Delaney out of the squad despite his fellow Corkman being available again after his one-match ban for last week’s dismissal at Norwich, is getting fed up with his team constantly making the same mistakes.

“It’s a bit like Groundhog Day — we’re doing the same thing over and over again and I keep coming up here saying the same stuff. You’ve got to draw the line somewhere on it.”

Referee Andy D’Urso — famously chased by Keane and his Manchester United team-mates after awarding Middlesbrough a penalty in a January 2000 game at Old Trafford — failed to award Ipswich what looked like a blatant spot-kick with the game delicately poised at 2-1, but the Ipswich boss refused to criticise his old adversary.

“The official didn’t cost us the result today. Let’s not try and find another excuse for us losing the match. It would be too easy but it would be wrong.

“I’m a good one to moan, but I’m not going to moan about the officials. What goes around, comes around and I think I remember having a race with Andy years ago!”

While Ipswich fans have increasingly shown their frustrations on the terraces, on websites and on local newspaper letters pages, owner and chairman Marcus Evans has so far remained patient. Keane himself shows no sign of repeating his Sunderland walk out.

“I’m under contract until the summer and I’d love to finish that. We’ve had a difficult few months in terms of decisions like we saw against Swansea, injuries and other setbacks.

“Having said that, we can’t keep making too many excuses and as the manager I take full responsibility and if I’m not given that time I’ll have no one to blame but myself.

“I want to try and see the job out at least until the summer. But if you’re losing matches, the pressure builds and ultimately the person that pays the price is the manager.”

IPSWICH: Murphy, Zuiverloon, Brown, Smith, O’Dea (O’Connor 72), Edwards, Leadbitter, Colback, Townsend (Peters 82), Scotland, Priskin (Fallon 66).

SWANSEA: De Vries, Williams, Taylor, Tate, Rangel, Dyer (Dobbie 88), Orlandi (Pratley 75), Gower, Allen, Sinclair, Beattie.

Referee: Andy D’Urso (Essex).