Town boss Paul Hurst says Gerard Nash, manager of the Blues’ table-topping U23s, has spoken to him about the reported interest from St Patrick’s Athletic but wouldn’t confirm whether there had been contact from the League of Ireland Premier Division side.

Reports in Ireland last week claimed Nash, 32, was one of six candidates to have been spoken to by the club based in his native Dublin.

“With Gerard, he came to see me about that situation,” Hurst said. “He's someone who is very well thought of with the [FAI] from him doing his courses and his work over there.

“So I think it’s only natural that he’s going to be linked to jobs. But certainly at the minute, he’s part and parcel of Ipswich Town and obviously doing very well with the U23s at this moment.”

Asked to confirm whether contact had been made by St Pat’s, he said: “I don’t think it’s for me to say realistically on that front, that’s more for Gerard to comment on.”

While Nash is receiving recognition in the form of the apparent interest from the Saints, Kieron Dyer, the assistant manager of the U18s, who are also top of the Professional Development League Two South, was rewarded by being called on to the staff of the England U20s last week, working under Paul Simpson.

“Kieron was away with England, it’s great that he’s got in there, it’s great experience for him,” Hurst added.

“He could also see how our players [Andre Dozzell and Flynn Downes, Trevoh Chalobah having been withdrawn due to injury] were doing in that age group.

“We had eyes on them so we know exactly how they compare to the rest of the group, which is great, who’s impressing.”

Since coming to the club Hurst has sought to instigate a common manner of playing from the academy through to the first team and he says he pays a lot of attention to the Blues' younger sides.

“I always try to get to as many games as I can,” he said. “I’ll be at the U18s game on Saturday and will watch the first half before getting down to Portman Road.

“You get to know the lads. Daft as it sounds, there were a helluva lot of people so just to even get to know names [was difficult] when I first came in but I think we’re there now.

“But we said all along that’s what we want, we want the teams to play in a very similar fashion when possible with players that they’ve got available to them.

“I spoke recently and said it’s fantastic that they’re both top of their respective leagues and while at the minute you could look and say it doesn’t really matter because the first team aren’t, but if it can breed a winning mentality and an attitude to the profession, that’s what we want.

“We speak with the coaches, I’d like to think that it’s one group. I might have the title [of manager] but I don’t class myself as being any higher than anyone else.

“You get on with the job, you’re just in a position where sometimes you get to do what you want to do or you get the horrible side of it and everything’s your fault. But I’ve got broad shoulders, that’s part and parcel of the job.”

Photo: TWTD

brittaniaman added 20:16 - Oct 18 Well done with your circulation around the club, and no Silly nick names ???
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