THERE is no point in any Championship club trying to persuade Pablo Counago to help them in their promotion quest, writes Derek Davis.The Spaniard has already turned down at least one club who wanted him on loan, and last night he told the EADT he intends staying to help Ipswich reach the Premiership.

THERE is no point in any Championship club trying to persuade Pablo Counago to help them in their promotion quest, writes Derek Davis.

The Spaniard has already turned down at least one club who wanted him on loan, and last night he told the EADT he intends staying to help Ipswich reach the Premiership.

Counago rejected a chance to move to Preston North End, who last night signed Patrick Agyemang for £350,000 from Gillingham, while a number of other clubs have kept tabs on the Spaniard.

He said: “I could not see any point in going to Preston. I feel I can do better here at Ipswich. I know this team, the fans want me here, I want to stay and I know I can play in this team.

“I have played for them before and I can do so again in the future. I will stay here and wait for my chance and, when it comes, do my best.

“I would not go to any other Championship club and I would not want to go to a Premiership club just for one month.

“This is the group of players I want to play with, this is the team I want to play for and it is this team I want to help get into the Premiership.”

The Blues' top scorer with 19 goals in the season before last and second- top striker last season with 12, is confident enough that he can still do the business for the title-chasing Town.

He has been on the bench for nine of the past 10 matches but insists it should not need an injury crisis for him to get a game.

He said: “It doesn't need for there to be injuries or suspensions. I'm good enough to play in this team in my own right, just as the other strikers are good enough. But we all need to be on the pitch to be able to score.”

A Bosman free signing from Celta Vigo by George Burley, Counago has hit two senior goals this season and has hit four in eight reserve outings and insists his confidence is high.

He said: “I don't need a goal in the reserves for confidence because, when I play, I can score goals.

“The problem is not the goals, it is not playing. If you don't play you can't score.

“It is frustrating when you know can you can play and, when I was playing, I was doing well and scored a couple of goals.

“But there has not really been an opportunity for me to play lately.”

Things are not likely to change much on Sunday either, with Counago destined for the bench at Sunderland.

n THE Regent Theatre will play host to the Ipswich Town AGM tonight at 7.30pm.

With almost 3,000 shareholders now part of the club, the theatre was chosen to ensure there would be enough room for everyone, although nothing like that amount of people are likely to attend.