ROY Keane wants to bring in three new players before the end of the month or Ipswich can forget about promotion.

Derek Davis

ROY Keane wants to bring in three new players before the end of the month or Ipswich can forget about promotion.

The Blues are second-bottom with just one point, nine points behind the top three and while Keane knows he can rocket them up the table, as he did at Sunderland, he doesn't believe his current squad is good enough.

Keane said: “It can be done but we need two or three players to get back to winning ways and get a run going because at the moment we are not good enough to chase down those teams near the top.

“I always knew it was going to be difficult but it is going to be a massive challenge over the next few weeks. It is going to be sink or swim for the players.

“West Brom are a team that have every chance of being top three or four but you look at us and think we can forget any chance of promotion.

“We don't look a goal threat and we are giving goals away and that is a recipe for trouble.

“But we have to believe we can turn it around and it can be done.

“The beauty of the Championship and the play-offs, is that if one or two teams get away from you don't have to worry about them too much and focus on the team in sixth position.

“At the moment we are nine points behind them but over the course of the season we can get up to speed, although we need to do it sooner rather than later.”

The latest player to be linked with Town is Wigan's Ben Watson, with Cardiff City also reported to be after him.

Keane won't go into specifics but admits it is not easy to bring players to Portman Road, especially when they are third from bottom.

He said: “It is going to be tough to improve. We have probably been playing it down but we are certainly short of two or three players.

“There has to be a reaction from this both from the players and from myself in terms of getting players into the club.

“You want quality and trying to attract decent players to the club is going to be difficult. It might be different if we were near the top of the table so it is going to be a tough few weeks.

“I have players in mind. I can't be accused of not giving players chances. I have and they have not taken them. Something has to be done when people are doing the same thing week-in, week-out.

“Results suggest we need to make changes.”

Keane plans to meet with chief executive Simon Clegg this week and talk with owner Marcus Evans about releasing more funds.

He said: “We will have a conversation in the next few days but I have to say I have had no complaints since taking over the job. There has been support not just in terms of players but with the training ground and with pre-season.”

Keane was unhappy that his side once again conceded goals so cheaply.

He said: “It was disappointing. We gave a couple of bad goals away and Wrighty had to make some very good saves so we need to do better.

“I wouldn't say we got taken apart. West Brom are a very dangerous team as we have seen in the games they have played already.

“We gave them a helping hand with the couple of goals we gave away and we can't do that.

“There was a reaction after half-time but we are 2-0 down and we have done that too often - in pre-season then at Coventry and against Crystal Palace.

“It is going to be a hard season without us giving teams a helping hand and we have to sort it out.”

On-loan Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback drew praise along with Richard Wright but many others did themselves no favours.

Keane said: “We have another game Tuesday and there might be more changes.

“You have to try different players and some lads might stake a claim to stay in the team while others may not take their opportunity.

“Jack Colback did in the second half and he has put his hand up to play on Tuesday.

“Wrighty was outstanding, along with Jack and the other players know they have to do better.”

Connor Wickham is expected to be involved this week after being withdrawn from the England Under 20s tournament.