Natural Born Leaders

With no activity on the pitch, press attention is firmly focussed on whats going on off it. Roy Keane has already expressed his intention to bring in new signings, with speculation being largely centred around the type of players he is likely to be interested in. And perhaps the player he is most interested in is another Roy Keane.

Perhaps Sir Alex Fergusons greatest Manchester United team was epitomised by the captain he installed in the centre of the pitch. In Roy Keane, Ferguson had a player he knew and trusted, a player who had the same desire and willingness that he himself had.

Keane represented the embodiment of Ferguson, on the pitch. In short, the perfect Captain.

In Keanes first programme notes, for the match with Coventry, he spoke of how "Ipswich have been described as a "nice" team in the past", of the need for the players to "do the ugly side of the game" and for them to "keep going to the end".

All of the above could comfortably describe Keane in his playing days. But even more pertinently was Keanes assertion that he needed "to get some characters into the place".

One look at the Ipswich squad reveals a list of names which arent entirely synonymous with that side of the game. Whilst players like David Norris, Gareth McAuley and David Wright are all players who lead by example on the pitch, they are not necessarily natural leaders.

It has often been mentioned that the current Ipswich side have not been one which has been capable of producing late goals, when a match appears to have slipped from their grasp. As Keane rightly notes, its another trait which marks out the sides which generally perform better over the course of the season, and perhaps has more to do with the character of the team than just good fortune.

Already, Keane has openly acknowledged his preference for signing players he is familiar with, and links with Sunderlands Dean Whitehead and Celtics Paul Hartley appear well directed.

It would be no surprise if Keanes first signing as manager is a player cut from the same cloth as Keane himself.