Keane sets Ipswich top-six target

Last updated : 06 August 2010 By BBC Sport

Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane has set his side the target of finishing in the Championship play-offs this season.Town had to settle for 15th in Keane's first full campaign in charge, a position that failed to fall in line with the club's expectations.

He told BBC Look East: "We certainly need to do better than last year, obviously there were high expectations.

"We got nowhere near what we hoped. We certainly need a better start and I want to be in that top six."

Keane was under pressure at times during the last campaign when fans expressed their frustration with a start that failed to produce a win in the the first 14 games.

"The pressure always comes from within anyway," he said.

"You know when you don't reach the targets you set out and we didn't do that last year, there's no hiding from that.

"We've got some very loyal fans who keep coming back and when they're dissatisfied it obviously puts pressure on the manager."

There's usually fun and games with negotiations as you would expect, particularly with certain clubs, particularly with certain managers, so I'd expect this one to drag on a little longer

Roy Keane on Stoke's offer for Jon Walters

"I enjoy that side of the game, I've been involved with football for many, many years and I know particularly if you don't get the results pressure builds."

Keane has not overseen the overhaul many envisaged during the summer, a few have been released while Alex Bruce and Owen Garvan were sold to Leeds and Crystal Palace respectively.

Three have come in, but 19-year-old Conor Hourihane, by Keane's own admission, will be spending time in the reserves before he is seen in a first-team shirt.

Striker Jon Walters, who Keane described as the second best player in the Championship last season, could be set to leave.

Keane confirmed Stoke were in talks over a transfer fee for the 26-year-old.

He said: "I think it will be the next week or two, the Premier League doesn't start for another week.

"There's usually fun and games with negotiations as you would expect, particularly with certain clubs, particularly with certain managers, so I'd expect this one to drag on a little longer."

Walters will be available to Keane for Saturday's season opener at Middlesbrough, but he will be without long-term injury concerns Damien Delaney and Connor Wickham.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport