DAMIEN Delaney has issued a statement denying national reports that he had been involved in a training ground altercation with Ipswich Town manager Roy Keane last week.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international has not featured in the last two games after serving a one-match suspension following his sending-off at Norwich City on November 28.

He said: “I don’t know where the story has come from, but it’s total rubbish.

“It’s completely untrue. The only fight I’m having at the moment is to get back in the team.

“I need to show the manager that I should be starting games for this football club and the only way I’m going to do that is to keep my head down and work hard on the training pitch and wait for my chance.”

This follows on from Jon Walters’ claim that players are ‘walking on eggshells’ around Keane at Portman Road following his switch to Stoke City earlier in the season.

Keane was also reported to have had a disagreement with young striker Connor Wickham when the 17-year-old was left out of the team earlier in the season, although the Irishman denied that claim.