Ipswich chief Clegg gives embattled Keane vote of confidence

IPSWICH chief executive Simon Clegg last night insisted Roy Keane still has his backing and that of owner Marcus Evans despite his club dropping to 17th in the Championship after five successive league defeats.

Clegg, speaking at the club’s AGM last night, said he and chairman and majority owner Marcus Evans are still fully behind the former Ireland skipper.

“The owner and I are absolutely joined at the hip regarding Roy. If we weren’t supporting Roy he wouldn’t be here now.

“We all know that Roy is a very driven individual, a very focused individual not used to accepting failure and if there’s anyone who can turn it around, Roy Keane can.”

A report yesterday claimed Saturday’s visit to table-propping Preston would be the 39-year-old’s final game in charge, but Clegg says there is nothing in the story. “I have spent quite a lot of time reading stuff which is nothing more than pure speculation and it causes me much hilarity and amusement,’’ he said.

“There really is no mark in the sand when the owner and I have agreed that we are going to address this issue one way or another. It’s just not there.”

Clegg says the immediate task is to arrest the bad run which has seen the Tractor Boys lose eight of their last 10 in the league.

“We all recognise that form has got to improve. You can’t only take six points from 10 games based upon two wins and sustain that position through to the end of the season. If you do sustain that until the end of the season you’ll get relegated and this club has no intention of getting relegated.”

By no means all the club’s shareholders were quite as supportive of their manager as Clegg, one making his lack of confidence in Keane clear: “You said you’d get us promoted in two seasons, so is this your last AGM?”

Keane, in typically honest style, admitted that might well be the case, and not just for him.

“Possibly so, but it might be yours as well! When I first met the owner he offered me a three-year contract but me being me I said ‘I’ll do it in two’. I do set myself high standards.

“In hindsight it might take a little bit longer. I set the bar high and if people think I’ve set myself up for a fall, I’ve no problem with that. There’s a good chance this will be my last AGM. If we don’t get results I will lose my job.”

Whatever happens between now and June when his contract is up, Keane says he will have no regrets regarding his Suffolk adventure, which began in April 2009. “If I leave in a few months or if I leave next week I certainly won’t regret taking the Ipswich job.’’

Despite the current position, Clegg is confident that Keane and Ipswich can still be in the shake-up come May.

“Absolutely, we’re only eight points off the play-offs and we’re not even halfway through the season yet.

“There is no reason why we can’t aspire to be in the play-off zone this season.”