IPSWICH Town have been invited to pit their skills against top sides from Italy, Germany and Austria in a pre-season tournament.Blues boss Jim Magilton is keen to compete in the competition near Graz in Austria and is hoping to finalise details in the next couple of days.

By Derek Davis

IPSWICH Town have been invited to pit their skills against top sides from Italy, Germany and Austria in a pre-season tournament.

Blues boss Jim Magilton is keen to compete in the competition near Graz in Austria and is hoping to finalise details in the next couple of days.

The test would be a prelude to a showcase home friendly against Tottenham Hotspur towards the end of July, although that game has yet to confirmed.

Magilton admitted he was doing something of a U-turn by taking his side abroad but feels it would be worthwhile.

He said: “As a player I never thought going on a tour for the sake of it did much good and I did not intend for us to go away this pre-season. But this would be different because it would be two games in four or five days against good opposition.

“We would be up against a side from Serie A, another from the German Bundesliga and a top Austrian club.

“That is what I want - competitive games at that stage of the pre-season. We will start with Burton Albion and build up, hopefully, to Spurs at home.

“We will still play plenty of other games and have invited Woodbridge Town and Leiston to come and train against us to make it competitive.”

Magilton also denied he was interested in signing Burnley duo Danny Coyne and John McGreal.

He added: “Danny has never been on the radar. We were interested in John a year ago but now, especially with Fabian doing so well at centre-half, I feel we have that area covered.”

Meanwhile, Chris Casement has been called up to the Northern Ireland Under 21 squad to face Scotland and Moldova.