Keane hammers himself

Carl Marston

ROY Keane's biggest critic is ... ROY KEANE!

Ipswich Town's outspoken manager pulls no punches, when it comes to criticising himself.

And Keane is in no doubt that he, rather than just his players, were to blame for Saturday's FA Cup exit at Southampton. Now he and his team will be looking to put it right, against high-flying West Brom tonight.

"I was not happy with my own performance, for a number of factors. I need to do a hell of a lot better myself," insisted Keane ruefully.

"Forty-eight hours after the game and there are a few things I'd look at about myself.

"Its all part of learning, I guess. I need to do better, there's no getting away with it.

"If you want to be successful, you always have to be critical, and I've always been like that, both as a player and a manager.

"It's very easy for managers just to look at their players. But I think my players have been good over the last two or three months.

"I think most managers do analyse what they do. I've always been criticised for hammering other players, but trust me, I'm very quick to hammer myself as well.

"I always look at myself, and I should have done better on Saturday,"

added Keane.

Tonight, Town face a team who are expected to make an immediate return to the Premier League, following relegation last season.

Keane certainly knows that his team will have to be at their very best to stand a chance against third-placed West Brom.

"The Southampton game showed me exactly where we are, and we are a hell of a long way from being a decent team," admitted Keane.

"We have a hell of a long way to go to get up to the likes of West Brom and Newcastle."

Joint leading scorer Jon Stead is set for a return after serving his four-match suspension, although fellow leading marksman Jon Walters is a definite non-starter due to a hamstring injury.