Town have scope to add to squad

By Elvin King Wednesday, September 1, 2010
8:51 AM

IPSWICH TOWN: The Blues might not have added to their squad before last night’s transfer deadline, but they have left plenty of scope to bring in loan players between now and January.

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Manager Roy Keane is understood to have named just 20 players in his list of 25 that he had to hand to the Football League last night.

This means that Keane has the capacity to bring in loan players between the time emergency loans kick-in next week and the beginning of January when the next transfer window opens.

Ipswich have found it easy to name the obligatory 10 home grown players in their squad – the ruling being that they had to be registered in domestic football for three seasons before turning 21.

While having to operate within the confines of a 25-strong – plus Under-21 players – squad will not unduly affect most Football League clubs it will lead to managers in the Premier League finding a number of more experienced players surplus to requirements.

Keane will be keeping an eagle eye on those who become available – and he has left himself scope to make loan signings.

No current Town senior player has been omitted from Keane’s 25, which does not include those who are under-21. They have their own subsidiary list.

Although not having the bodies to name 25 senior players Keane will still have plenty of scope to name 18 players before every npower Championship game.

Talented teenagers like Luke Hyam, Connor Wickham, Ronan Murray, Tom Eastman, Troy Brown, Conor Hourihane and on-loan Andros Townsend do not have to be in the 25 as they are all under 21.

Once confirmed players cannot drop out of the list.

In theory the likes of Pablo Counago, Lee Martin and Kevin Lisbie, who are currently on loan away from Portman Road, could be included in a new list Keane will have to announce when the January transfer window closes.

Talk of Damien Delaney interesting Leicester City proved wide of the mark with it taking a bid considerably higher than Town’s valuation of the defender before they would show interest in waving goodbye to one of their most experienced players.

Stephen McPhail is a midfielder that Ipswich have shown interest in, and Cardiff City’s Irish international could well be the subject of a loan bid next week with the Welsh club believed to be paying around £20,000 a week as their part of Manchester City loanee’s Craig Bellamy’s wages.

Town need midfield cover, but will see no gain taking McPhail on almost two weeks before their next game.