JORDAN Rhodes' father Andy has left his role as goalkeeping coach at Ipswich Town by 'mutual consent'.Rhodes senior's departure should have no bearing on Jordan's position as a young striker at Portman Road as he recently signed a three-year professional contract and is very much part of Jim Magilton's plans.

Derek Davis

JORDAN Rhodes' father Andy has left his role as goalkeeping coach at Ipswich Town by 'mutual consent'.

Rhodes senior's departure should have no bearing on Jordan's position as a young striker at Portman Road as he recently signed a three-year professional contract and is very much part of Jim Magilton's plans.

Although no official reason has been given by the club for Andy leaving, it is understood one factor was Jordan's lack of involvement in Town's final push for promotion.

Magilton preferred the experience of Shefki Kuqi and Alan Lee to the freshness of natural goalscorer Jordan, who made his Championship debut at Barnsley.

Jordan then scored his first Championship goal in the 1-1 home draw with Cardiff City but only made one brief appearance in the remaining four games.

Rhodes senior is understood to be considering a move back to south Yorkshire, while Magilton looks at other goalkeeping and coaching options.

Magilton said: “Andy been a valuable member of my backroom staff over the last two years but I have decided to freshen things up for the start of next season.

“I'd like to thank Andy for his contribution to the club since I've been manager here. We wish him every success for the future.”

Joe Royle brought the former Oldham, Dunfermline and St Johnstone player as goalkeeper coach in 2004 from his home-town Barnsley.

His son Jordan later followed as a 15-year-old and Town paid the Tykes' youth system £5,000 up front as compensation.

Andy replaced Malcolm Webster, who had followed George Burley to Derby County and then Hearts and Southampton. One option for Magilton now is to bring back the popular Yorkshireman Webster, along with former Town keeper Richard Wright.

Webster developed a good relationship with Wright, and a number of other Town keepers over the years including Kelvin Davis and Andy Marshall.

He was instrumental in getting Wright on loan to Southampton from West Ham to help in what turned out to be a successful fight against relegation.

Despite his help in keeping them up, Webster's future at St Mary's Stadium is unclear as a boardroom squabble leaves the ownership of the club in doubt, and therefore an uncertainty who the next manager will be with Nigel Pearson only contracted until the end of the season.

Wright rejected the chance to join Town last summer and instead went to Upton Park, where he was understudy to Robert Green until he was given the chance to play regular football on loan at the Saints.

It was revealed earlier this month that the Blues were keen on landing Thomas Sorensen who is set to leave Aston Villa and he would still be the number one target but Magilton has already put feelers out for other keepers as he is uncertain about making Stephen Bywater's deal a permanent move.