Hyam Playing for Town Future
Thursday, 22nd Feb 2018 18:03

Fit-again Town midfielder Luke Hyam knows he is playing for his Portman Road future over what remains of the current campaign.

Hyam made his first league start for the best part of two years in last night’s narrow 1-0 home defeat by second-placed Cardiff and with his contract due to expire in the summer his target is to do enough for the club to trigger their one-year option on his services.

He said: “I’m out of contract in the summer and I need to play games. I need to be on the pitch to prove my worth. Like last night, I want to prove myself in more games and then see what happens at the end of the season.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone yet about a new deal. I’ve just been keeping my head down and working hard.

“After being out injured for so long, first and foremost I want to stay fit through to the end of the season.

“It’s nice to be enjoying my football again and I’m very grateful for that. I’m happy at the moment and long may it continue.

“I want to stay here, without a doubt. Any player who happens to be playing for his local club, the one he cheered on as a boy, would feel the same. But you never know what is round the corner so I’ll just play it by ear at the moment.

“It’s a great club in a great town and I’ve got all my friends and family here. I love it here but we’ll just have to wait and see what happens. I play for the club but I’m still a massive fan as well.

“I went regularly when I was younger and the fact that I have family and friends who are fans makes it a bit special for me.

“There’s still a lot to play for this season and it’s not just me. Whenever you go out on the pitch you always want to play your best and do yourself and your family proud. That’s no different for me to any other player.

“If I play I’ll always do my best and as a team we are setting our sights on seeing what we can achieve over the rest of the season.

“The club have got an option and I think they have to let me know by May what they are going to do.

“I completely understand the situation. I’ve been out for a long time and football can be very uncertain.

“Players like to have some security but in my position all I can do is keep working hard and see how things go.

“I’m playing for my future, whether it is here or elsewhere. If I can play regularly between now and the end of the season it will enhance my chances of a new deal with Ipswich or, if that’s not possible, a fresh start somewhere else.

“Having not played for 18 months or so it’s hard and if they say no here I want to be in the best possible place to earn a new deal elsewhere.

“I need a run of games, say four or five, to be at my max and feel I’m back into it again.

“At the moment I’m just happy to be fit and everything else is a bonus. I’m very grateful that I’m back playing again.

“It was great against Cardiff last night and hopefully I’ll get some more minutes on the pitch through to the end of the season.”

Meanwhile, as much as 26-year-old Hyam was disappointed with the defeat by Cardiff he was delighted to be named in manager Mick McCarthy’s starting line-up for the first time since the penultimate game of the 2015/16 season, a goalless draw at Middlesbrough.

He added: “It was a nice feeling to be out there. I played from the start of the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United last month but to get a league start is a bit different.

“It was unfortunate that we didn’t get the result — I thought we were a bit hard done by — but we go again at Preston on Saturday.

“I was a bit tired today but other than that I felt really good. It was just nice to be back out on the pitch doing what I love doing. Players want to play, regardless of whether or not they have been injured and on their way back.

“More than anything else I want to play football and hopefully I’ll get more starts in the weeks ahead. If I’m not in from the start I’ll be supporting all the lads who do play.

“I was pleased with how things went on Wednesday and it gives me a base to build on as well.

“From the team point of view we are looking to improve over the 13 games we have left to play and to finish as high as we can in the table.

“After what happened at Norwich on Sunday and against Cardiff last night — I felt we deserved more than what we got from both of these games — we need a win and it would be great if it came at Preston on Saturday.

“I felt the disappointment at Norwich as much as a fan as a player. It was horrible to be honest because we were so close to ending our nine-year wait to beat them.

“We thought we’d done it right at the death so for them to come back and equalise with the last kick of the game made it feel like a loss. We can’t dwell on it, though, and have to look to the future.”

Photo: TWTD

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lightingblue added 18:25 - Feb 22 Unfortunately along with teddy bishop, personally I'd let these guys go. Great players when fit. It's just that the when fit is in very short supply
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shortmarine1969 added 18:27 - Feb 22 Sorry but Hyam and a getting older Skuse is not going to take the club forward ,even amongst the current playing squad - Huw,s (if ever fit) Adeyami (same again), Nydam , Flyn are the players that will be doing that job..squad back up at best for Hyam , but i would let him go
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Mark added 18:45 - Feb 22

The problem is for Hyam is that Skuse will always start, and the two of them together makes the midfield too defensive (especially when playing ahead of five defenders like last night). With the likes of Adeyemi, Dozzell and Huws hopefully available for next season, it is hard to see Hyam featuring too much if he does stay unless a lower cost deal is done for him to stay as a squad player.

blythburgh_blue added 18:54 - Feb 22 Surely it will be up to the new manager to make these decisions? BTW who is he and when does he start?
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blythburgh_blue added 19:00 - Feb 22 Before we let anymore go, how about a send off for Big Mick.
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TBT added 19:06 - Feb 22

3 goals in 130 midfield appearances, a poor pass completion ratio, not brilliant at heading and he doesn't possess the guile to unlock a defence. I'm sorry but he's one of our own because nobody else would have him. When we last got promotion our box to box midfielder was Matt Holland and his stats read slightly differently!! Nice lad but we won't win promotion With him in central midfield.

jas0999 added 19:13 - Feb 22 Always been a fan of Hyam. However, he is injury prone and pains me to say it, nowhere near good enough. Hope he leaves and finds a decent club - probably in league one - plays and stays fit.
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nineteenseventyeight added 19:44 - Feb 22 i want you to be the fantastic and be proud that you're one of our own but it saddens me to say its not going to happen, just not good enough, maybe be a future at Col Utd
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runningout added 19:52 - Feb 22 Top footballers realise they are always improving. The likes of Messi are self critical even knowing they're full of talent. I'm afraid too many think they have made it way too early
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rfretwell added 20:08 - Feb 22 Lightningblue, Hyam is hardly a "great" player when fit. Now Bush is hugely talented and has pace to burn - how we have missed him but def wouldn't let him go. If Wilshire can get over injuries,so can Bish.
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RegencyBlue added 21:20 - Feb 22 Bottom line is that for this club to move forward we need better than Hyam. He's not that good and he's injury prone. He is also a red card waiting to happen when he does play. Best for both parties he moves on.
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grubbyoik added 21:22 - Feb 22 I thought Hyam played well last night. He gets the ball moving and was aggressive in the tackle and block. If he can stay fit and play along side a creative playmaker then I would keep him. Don't forget that most of his Town career has been under Mcarthy.. where nobody seems to shine apart from our goal keeper!
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Miles added 22:08 - Feb 22 If he can stay fit for the rest of the season and start to make an impact I'd take the option up for an extension. Has the potential to do what Skuse does but just be generally better forward wise.
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ArnieM added 22:29 - Feb 22

Hyam is yet another sick note on the Club's books. We need to get shot of him tbh. He's nothing special anyway. These players always become vocal when their contracts are about to run down. Suddenly they become fit to play..... when they know they are being shown the door or are choosing to leave they become unavailable again. Didsy being the classic example. Waste of effing space the pair of them ! Get shot of them both!

midastouch added 22:42 - Feb 22 I'd prefer to see Flynn Downes given a proper chance next season ahead of Hyam. Hyam has always given it his all but he's had a lot of bad luck with injuries and has unfortunately never been able to be a consistent bread winner for the team.
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norfolkbluey added 22:46 - Feb 22

It has to be a decision for our next manager whoever that is. This summer is going to be critical. Keeping players who have been continuously having treatment or on the bench is not going to get us promotion. Looking at comments in the national press today there was not much between Cardiff and ourselves. Difference., size and experience of players along with cost. Sadly without investment Marcus the club will not make the progress that the fans deserve. Not sure how Mick has kept us where we are but not sure either if he had the money whether we would be a promotion challenger.
In my opinion Luke should go and get experience in another club like many others including Diz who spends most of his time recovering from one injury after another. Sadly there are too few players in the club who merit new contracts. Whoever is in charge next year they will need significant financial backing with a profound knowledge of european players.