Kennedy backs Chopra’s Cardiff outburst but will it be enough for the pair to reunite?

Mark Kennedy will bring quality and experience to a new-look youthful Ipswich Town squad.

That is the verdict of Roy Keane who has finally landed a player of “character”, one that narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premiership with Cardiff City last season. On the face of it, the £75,000 transfer of a 34-year-old full-back was never going to be the marquee signing that supporters have craved all summer.

But it could turn out to be a shrewd piece of business with Kennedy expected to be a vocal figure in the back four, if his 45-minutes against Bury Town on Wednesday night is anything to go by. While not having too much to do from a defensive perspective, the Irishman was constantly talking – both to his younger team mates and also dishing out advice to the likes of Gareth McAuley.

The manager himself is certain Kennedy can go someway to solving the problematic left side that has blighted Town’s progression in recent times.

Keane told the club website:  “We have not really had a left-back at the Club over the last year or two. Players have done a good job for me there, young Shane [O'Connor] and Wrighty [David Wright] last season but Wrighty was a right-back and the balance wasn’t quite there.

“I’ve played with Sparky (Kennedy) and he’s got good quality on the ball and he’s a very experienced player and we lack that experience in the group. He can help the young players at this club, like Shane, and I’m pleased we have got him on board.”

Keane’s comments seem a little harsh on O’Connor with the 19-year-old winning admirers with a series of left-back performances at the end of last season. But costly mistakes like the one that gifted Doncaster a penalty and a draw in April has perhaps weighed heavy on Keane’s mind.

O’Connor is a talent and he will surely learn all manner of tips and tricks from a new signing who has played at the highest level with Liverpool. It also gives the manager another intriguing option – pushing O’Connor further up the field.The teenager has already played left midfield for the reserves and anyone who saw his marauding surges down the left wing last season will testify that he has potential as an attacking force.

And in the 1-0 win at Bury Town, O’Connor was given a 20-minute run out in central midfield alongside Grant Leadbitter and the impressive Luke Hyam. O’Connor’s cameo came at the same time as Ipswich’s best spell of the game. His devilish inswinging corner led to Gareth McAuley having a header cleared off the line while he was mightily unlucky not to open the scoring when his 20-yarder was expertly tipped away by Marcus Garnham in the Bury goal.

Regardless of the options O’Connor gives you, he seems to have lost the left-back spot for now with Kennedy giving some much-needed experience to the back four and the team as a whole. As well as vocal on it, Kennedy is just as happy to have his say off the pitch – whether via his own Twitter page or to the local media.

And in comments that will raise an eyebrow in both Cardiff and Suffolk, the Town new boy has defended his old team-mate, Michael Chopra, after the striker’s outburst at the way the Bluebirds were being run. Chopra, of course, has been Town fans’ number one target this season and recently gave a no-holds-barred assessment of the Cardiff board’s lack of transfer activity, even claiming he would quit if things didn’t improve.

Kennedy, who was a players’ union representative at his former club, said: “I read the article and agreed with everything he said. What Chops did was completely off his own back, but maybe he was only saying what others are thinking. I’m a big fan of Chops, I think everyone of us is and fair play to him for speaking out. I think he said it because he thought he was helping the manager, but he had the guts to do it because he is passionate about the club. He showed his frustration, how much he cares and how much he wants everybody to be successful.”

Now if Kennedy can turn his public thoughts into a private word with Chopra about the trappings of Suffolk, Ipswich could be in business.

Amid continuing reports that Ipswich are preparing a fresh bid for the Cardiff striker – possibly facing some competition from Leeds – Keane has backed Tamas Priskin to find his scoring touch.

Although his link-up play was generally good against Bury on Wednesday night, the striker’s nightmare in front of goal continued with a lack of confidence combined with some decent saves from Marcus Garnham ensuring the Hungarian drew another blank. But Keane told the East Anglian Daily Times: “I’m delighted with Tamas. He’s come back after his summer’s break with a new lease of life and he’ll be given his chance.”