Town manager Roy Keane says his priorities during pre-season will be his players’ fitness and getting a settled side. The Blues boss has revealed that there will be no reprise of last summer’s visit to Colchester Garrison or the warm weather training camp in Portugal.

Keane told the club site: "Last year we did a lot of travelling and we pushed the players a lot. We have decided not to go to Portugal this year, there will be no army barracks either.

"The focus of our pre-season will be around the training ground. We've got some good games and are looking at other fixtures. They are well spread out, but we don't want to get bogged down by games.

"We had a lot of changes during pre-season last year. Our priority this time is getting players fit and getting a settled side, particularly the back four."

Town, who start pre-season training next Monday, have already confirmed friendlies at Southend on Friday 9th July, against PSV in Eindhoven on Saturday 17th July, while West Ham are at Portman Road on Saturday 31st July, and a Spurs XI are in Suffolk on Tuesday 3rd August.

The Blues are likely to play two more Dutch sides as part of a tour of Holland.

Photo: Action Images

shaunest1 added 20:27 - Jun 22 ref. bluearmy4life, ur so right, why cant the pro keane supporters see that??????? we dont knock him for the sake of it, we just know he is not, never has been and never will be the right manager for our club
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runaround added 20:30 - Jun 22 Keane doesn't really help himself with some of his comments sometimes. He said he wanted new players in before preseason and was starting the process the evening after the Sheff U match. Then all of a sudden, signings were not going to happen before they returned for training as most players, managers and agents have been on holiday. True enough, we all know that but perhaps he should have said that in the first place! As for a settled side, we all want that, but its RK that picks the team so that is down to him too! Heres hoping for a bit of movement on transfer scene next week as signing players always give us fans a boost

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Blueknight85 added 20:38 - Jun 22 Im starting to want Keane out just so i dont have to read the KAK on here. he is so easilly attackable by some and causes a marmite effect with fans because Lets face it ipswich is a team that will be most peoples "Home team" within the town but alot of people all have their favourite team who they really actually support and the vast majority will be Arsenal fans (God knows why) throw in ya man-city and liverpool supporters and what you get is a lot of people hating Keane automaticly at every oppertunity Of course there will be the odd genuine "ipswich only" supporter who does not like him but the majority are just bias in some way shape or form. He never said he was going to get players in before pre season... He said he wanted to its very rare for any half decent players to move before pre season starts because evry **** player or otherwise is on holliday so grow the **** up

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Blueknight85 added 20:41 - Jun 22 And @ florida boy Tommy smith is no left back.... he can stand in now and then at best but i think Shane o'conner is more than capable of playing every game and well next year i would only get a left back of some description in on loan because of that fact. jamie peters is ok covering either side at full back so in realiity we only really need a good Right back other positions open to debate a a left and right winger

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Mungo added 20:51 - Jun 22 I can see the back page of the red tops tomorrow already: "Irish man states obvious..." Seriously, why is this newsworthy? Surely all pre-seasons are about building up fitness and building a settled team where the players understand each other? Isn't that what they're for? Granted, we didn't seem to bother doing either last year, so I guess this is progress!!! I've said it before and I'll say it again, if there is nothing for RK to say, then he should say nothing. Making pointless comments such as this just invites people to have a pop at him (and each other!)

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Yallop added 21:05 - Jun 22 Keane doesn't choose what the papers write. He simply answers the questions and answering these questions at press conferences is his job. Give the man a break. He's only been here for one season
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Blueknight85 added 21:23 - Jun 22 lol being blamed now for being asked questions ... what would you say if he sat on his ass not saying feck all at press confrences?
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naaridge1coly7 added 21:36 - Jun 22 i reckon he should sign them geezers from the paddy power advert,cheap with option of money back specials,oh yeah also blindfolded so def more likely to come up with more adventurous football than us over the whole of last season......and how about tiddles as a mascot?????
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GlenPennyfather added 23:16 - Jun 22 Sorted... MURPHY McAULEY / DELANEY / SMITH PETERS / O'CONNOR NORRIS / LEADBITTER / GARVAN WALTERS WICKHAM SUBS FROM PRISKIN,STEAD,COUNAGO,LISBIE,CIVELLI,EDWARDS,MARTIN,QUINN,HEALY,LEE-BARRETT
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Mungo added 23:37 - Jun 22 Yallop & Blueknight85 - I thought I was being quite impartial but maybe that didn't come across. I stand by my point though. This is stating the obvious and RK is wasting his time talking to the press if this is these are the sort of questions they are asking at the moment. Yes, speaking to the press is part of RK's job, but usually only when there is something to say...

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generalpublic added 23:45 - Jun 22 i think we should get a" settled" manager in for the new season
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mickeyjb added 07:44 - Jun 23 I too thought the aim was to bring in at least two players before pre-season starts, going to be a busy weekend then. I do understand that its not as easy as going to a player and saying "join us" and he goes "yes". However, it is hard to get excited about the team when its even less of a team than it was last year because we havnt replaced the newly made gaps. Please Roy, less talk and more do!

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Bergholtblue added 08:11 - Jun 23 Souper Jim - just because we criticise Roy Keane it does make it non-constructive. You did have a good point about the ignore button. Your moronic outbursts at anyone who dares to think differently to you, would be the first I would hit the button for. The fact is we were an average side last year and far from strengthening the side, it as so far been depleted with players not being offered contracts and on-loan players returning. Of course people are concerned about it and want to express that concern. But I say don't worry, have faith. By the end of October we will be in the top four of the table, if we are not, then we will have a new manager by then... simples

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brittaniaman added 08:16 - Jun 23 Start of Pre season. OUT. Colback, D.Murphy, D.Healey, R.Wright, D.Wright, Trotter, Baulkstein. NEXT OUT. Lisbie, Bruce, C.Healey. OUT OF FAVOUR. Stead, Priskin, Counago, Martin IN. ZERO !!!!! RUMOURS. Assistant Manager, and 5 Players ?? How is that for a start to Pre season ??????
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Vic added 10:23 - Jun 23 Looks like Roy has learnt something from last years debacle. It's a good start; now lets hope the signings he's lining come good and we'll be OK
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havinit69 added 10:26 - Jun 23 All you Keane haters are a joke !! - You make out like you know it all and you know nothing ! How do you know what goes on behind the scenes ? - moaning that he hasn't signed anyone etc... How do you know that he hasn't attempted. Should he just sign anyone for the sake of it ? - Then you'll moan that they are rubbish signings ! how do you know whether there are funds available ? - ME may have told him to sell before he buys, you just dont know so get off his back ! Keane haters are just soooo predictable ALL the time !

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kirbs added 10:29 - Jun 23 The keane outers don't hate him because of who he is, it's because he just aint got a clue. If we were promoted last year you wouldn't find one person slagging him off! were in a no lose position anyway, if we do good then people will want keane to stay and if we do bad then keane is GONE! this will be his last season anyway :)
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dobbie73 added 10:55 - Jun 23 Kirbs - I disagree. Some I think DO hate him because of who he is, and those opinions I don't listen to (they just annoy the hell out of me). However, those 'outers' that give a valid FOOTBALLING argument as to why he should go - I may or may not agree, but those are generally valid opinions, and form part of the democratic debate. I must admit, I am getting a tad concerned about the lack of incoming players so far. I know that after the World Cup there will be a flurry of activity across the leagues, but I spotted this BBC story yesterday (sorry Phil, shouldn't promote other sites!) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/8754562.stm I also saw that Naaaaaridge have made their 5th signing so far! I know its QUALITY not QUANTITY that's important, but still .... Anyway, like havinit69 says, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but here's hoping! KEEPING THE FAITH .... COYB!!!

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BlueBoots added 10:57 - Jun 23 "Our priority this time is getting players fit and getting a settled side, particularly the back four." Forget about a back 4, and you can save yourself a few bob on full-backs this summer Keano... 3 centre-backs: Smith, Delaney, McAuley (with Grandad as cover) Right wing-back: Peters, Edwards Left wing back: O'Connor, Civelli Should finally provide a bit of width...

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dobbie73 added 11:03 - Jun 23 "Blackpool are set to pull out of a permanent move for striker Stephen Dobbie, who has been on loan from Swansea, as they are not happy with the £500,000 asking price." SIGN HIM UP ROY BECAUSE HE SHARES MY NICKNAME!!!!!!!!!! Lol
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SouperJim added 11:08 - Jun 23 Mr Bergholt it's a bit of a nothing comment from the weekly press conference, yet has generated 3 pages of "criticism" and complete drivel. You're about 100 miles wide of the mark, I openly welcome differing opinions and debate, but there is very little of that on here at the moment, and what debate does come up is drowned in a sea of complete chaff posted by a bunch of knuckle draggers who like the sight of their own typing.

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Stu_Magoo added 11:50 - Jun 23 Well, we could argue about Roy Keane and his merits/failings all day but has no-one considered this - NOBODY WANTS TO COME AND LIVE IN EAST ANGLIA. I lived in and around Ipswich for the first 23 years of my life and struggle to find a reason why these young men earning more than us mere mortals would want to be stuck out in a corner of the country 60 miles away from a City (of any merit) with nothing to do - when not involved in football that is. A knock-about in Christchurch Park making sure to avoid the chavs smoking weed? A slow meander along the shore at Aldeburgh? Maybe a historic drive to take in the Tudor architecture in Lavenham? Fact is none of these 20-something men with wage slips that resemble my phone number give a hoot about our Club's heritage - not like we do - and simply see us as a club out in the farmland miles away from anything. Remember, they have to move here.

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dobbie73 added 12:12 - Jun 23 Good point Stu_Magoo ..... sad, but probably true.
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opinionscount4nothin added 12:20 - Jun 23 I think I red previously that Clegg had hinted that ME wanted players out before anyone new came in. All well n good but who wants any of the sh1t that was on display last season? Also several players that have been linked to us are already else where. Derry - QPR. Bailey - Mboro. Hooper - lots of clubs interested. Even the Hearts player Driver has gone to Mboro as well as McManus. Perhaps we should actually get involved with trying to persue players before they agree terms elsewhere and not say oh we were interested in him too - look at what might have been!! The very mediocre squad of last season has ben ripped apart. We need to add strength to what is left if we are to fare any better than last season, which at present does not look likely. Wake up all you rose tinted Keane lovers. He has a hell of a lot of work to do to make this team promotion chasers and on last seasons performance, I wish him luck because he bloody well needs it!!

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corshamblue added 13:32 - Jun 23 Keano!
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