IPSWICH Town chief executive Simon Clegg insists the timing is right to part company with manager Roy Keane.

The Irishman’s contract was ‘amicably terminated’ following a phone call with owner Marcus Evans yesterday.

The decision comes with the Blues 18th in the Championship and just three points off the relegation zone following a run of seven defeats from nine games.

Ipswich are however still in two cup competitions, with the Suffolk side travelling to Premier League giants Chelsea in the FA Cup third round on Sunday before hosting Arsenal in the first leg of a Carling Cup semi-final just three days’ later.

Coach Ian McParland has been put in caretaker charge of the team for now, with Evans and Clegg set to interview candidates for the job over the weekend before making an appointment at some stage next week.

With two big games coming up, Clegg insists that the timing of Keane’s departure is right though.

He said: “We have reached the halfway point fo the season and decided that the opportunity was right to try and improve the club’s position in the Championship table.

“We’ve always said that we would review the situation at the halfway point of the season when you obviously need to give a new manager the opportunity of a number of games and the rest of the transfer window.”

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