SOCCER: NEWS:WHILE THERE are certain to be many British-based Irish footballers hoping the recent speculation linking Roy Keane to Australian club Melbourne Victory is true – viewing it as an opportunity to spend some time plying their trade Down Under – those left behind at Ipswich Town after his departure a couple of months ago have been busy this week trying to resolve their own futures.
The Corkman left 22 players at Portman Road on course to be out of contract at the end of the season and, having taken a while to assess what he has inherited, his successor Paul Jewell has been frantically dishing out contract offers and bad news to various squad members over the past few days.
Quite a few of the players involved are Irish and Jewell has confirmed at this stage that Brian Murphy, Damien Delaney and Colin Healy have all had the terms for new deals put to them.
Alan Quinn said last week, after a season ravaged by a groin injury, that he does not expect to be given the option of staying on at the club.
The position of young striker Ronan Murray, meanwhile, remains unclear with the well -regarded under-21 international currently on loan at Torquay United.
“It’s lunacy, to be honest,” observed Delaney who has attracted interest from other Championship clubs, including Crystal Palace.
“It’s crazy that it’s been allowed to come to this at a club at this level, but there are many different factors behind why it has,” added Delaney.
“Roy Keane did the job the way he felt was best and this is what we’re left with. Paul Jewell came in and picked up the pieces, but these contracts really should have been sorted out 12 months ago.
“Paul Jewell has been pretty good to me. He told me from early on that he wanted me to stay, but I think the delay in offering contracts was because the club wanted to hold off until they felt we were safe from relegation.
“I’ll take my time, though, make sure I’m happy with everything in the contract and then I’ll sign it. I wouldn’t expect there to be any issues, but you still have to be careful because this is an important contract for me.
“I’m realistic enough to know that this is going to be my last decent contract.
“As you move into your 30s you obviously can’t expect the same contracts you got when you were a lot younger.”
Asked about Healy and Murphy, Jewell was enthusiastic.
“Colin is a terrific lad and a good player. I know he wasn’t in the picture much before I came here, but he’s done well and I’d like to keep him,” he said.
“Brian has been injured and it’s always tricky when a new manager comes in and a player has been injured.
“There will be a deal on the table for the both of them and we’d like them to stay but whether they are here next season is down to the players.”
In the absence of a firm denial by the club, meanwhile, Keane was still being linked with the Melbourne Victory job last night, although he had earlier told reporters he was in the country on a family holiday and that the visit to a Sydney FC Asian Champions League game with his son was purely recreational.
