ROY Keane is looking to send his Ipswich Town players on a gruelling pre-season training course with the Parachute Regiment.

Derek Davis

EXCLUSIVE

By Derek Davis

ROY Keane is looking to send his Ipswich Town players on a gruelling pre-season training course with the Parachute Regiment.

Keane, recently rated the hardest ever footballer, wants his pampered stars to get a taste of the tough military-style training the elite fighting forces endure.

The Blues players are away on their holidays right now and Keane is finalising details of their pre-season work, including team-bonding session and a short trip away.

The Town boss is looking to give his players an edge as they prepare for their promotion push and sees an opportunity to use neighbouring Colchester

Although no definite dates have yet been set the Paras would welcome Keane and his troops to their Merville Barracks training centre in Colchester and media officer for the 16Assault Brigade Captain Jim Crompton outlined what they could expect.

He said: “The courses are designed to promote team-cohesion, develop leadership skills and improve physical fitness.

“That would entail military style training, mental and physical challenges, such as going over an assault course.

“We would tailor a course to suit their specific needs with Army physical training instructors while at the same time ensuring not to impair their sporting strengths.”

The garrison at Colchester is also used for recruitment of young soldiers looking to join the Paras whose motto is 'Ready For Anything'.

Around 1,200 young men take part in a range of training days from a one-day Action Day where they are introduced to the Army and are given an idea of what would be required of them, to a three day course where potential recruits are shown survival skills and are put through their paces physically.

The main 28-day P-Company training is done at Catterick.

If any of the players need an idea of how demanding the Para courses can be, they can have a world with former Army major and now Blues chief executive Simon Clegg who served with 7 Para.

Cpt Crompton added: “We are keen to engage links with sporting and community groups within the area. Having close links enables us to do our job better and we would welcome Roy Kean and Ipswich Town.”

The 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Parachute Regiment form the 16 Assault Brigade, based at Colchester, and they are currently serving in Afghanistan.

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk