Keane happy to have got his man

By ELVIN KING Monday, July 26, 2010
8:18 AM

IPSWICH TOWN: Roy Keane is happy to have got his man to Portman Road.

The Blues manager revealed last night that it was new coach Gary Ablett that instigated the arrival of fitness coach Antonio Gomez to Sunderland at a time when Keane was boss at the Stadium of Light.

“They knew each other at Liverpool and Gary put me on to Antonio,” said Keane.

Gomez followed Keane from the North East to Suffolk at the start of last season while Ablett joined the Ipswich staff this summer.

“When ‘Charlie’ McParland said that he could not carry on as coach this season I was happy to go to Gary,” added Keane.

“He had been in the back of my mind anyway after we met on a pro licence coaching course.

“Gary is really up for it and he has settled in well and he has brought with him bags of experience.

“He has worked with Liverpool reserves, which means he has worked with top players.

“And he has managed Stockport County, which means he has worked at club with a small budget and a dependency on loan players.

“He did a reasonable job at Stockport, and I’m pleased to have him onboard.”

Ablett has agreed a one-year contract, which is ready to sign and the paperwork should be completed later this week.

He joins Mike Pejic as a new Town coach this summer with Pejic head of youth coaching and coach education as well as running the reserve team.

Pejic has signed a two-year contract.