IPSWICH TOWN: ‘It is going to be a long fix’ is the message today from Blues manager Roy Keane, who confirmed a summer doctrine at the club to go with youngsters.

“Instant success is not going to happen,” said Keane, who takes his team to play Hull City at the KC Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

“A decision was made in the summer to go with younger players – instant results are not going to happen.

“I have said and I knew from the start of season that we would face a big challenge when we suffered injuries to our senior players.

“We are in the table where we deserve to be and when the club allowed senior players to leave – and I did not expect Jon Walters and Jon Stead to leave – we were always likely to be in apposition we found ourselves last Saturday with not enough senior players to support our youngsters.

“Four of the team that finished the game against Barnsley were in the youth team last season, and that was not a team that pulled up many trees.

“Being asked to work with youngsters helps the club in that it keeps the wage bill down but it will lead to inconsistent results.

“But we will battle on and all the players are doing well and are all giving 100%.

“They should not be expected to listen to nonsense like last week when they are learning their trade and I’m delighted with them.

“They was they are going they should be applauded not booed like 17-year-old Connor Wickham when he came on for Tamas Priskin, who many fans could not wait to see go out of the door a few weeks back.”

Keane revealed that Kevin Kilbane is a player that interested him and added: “Hull have had to adapt to a new league and have taken time. But we will need to be at our best to beat them.”