IT’S come to the point where no news is good news for Roy Keane.

IT’S come to the point where no news is good news for Roy Keane.

And that’s because Ipswich Town owner, Marcus Evans, when he does next speak to Keane, is more likely to sack his manager, than back his manager.

Keane’s Portman Road job is certainly hanging by a thread, to such an extent that the Irishman will count himself very fortunate to still be on the hot-seat for the trip to Chelsea this Sunday.

The odds are stacked against him still being in charge on Town, at the end of this important month – the transfer window season – even though his current contract does not expire until the end of the campaign.

Keane’s angry gesture towards a few vocal supporters, as he walked off the pitch towards the tunnel following Monday’s 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, proves that he is feeling the strain.

Keane, Evans, the supporters, all are close to breaking point.

The majority of Town fans have remained loyal to Keane, throughout his 20 months at the helm, but that support is now waning. Most think that it is time for a change.

The situation is getting desperate – seven defeats in nine league games, a slender three-point gap between themselves and the bottom three and, most depressing of all, no signs of any improvement.

Most of Keane’s past signings have disappointed, highlighted by the plight of �1.6m winger Lee Martin (on loan at Charlton) and �1.7m striker Tamas Priskin (stuck in the Reserves).

Mr Evans might therefore believe it is a risk too far to give Keane more money to spend over the next few weeks.

A manager exchanging heated words and angry gestures with a supporter or supporters is not unusual.

But the timing of Keane’s spat on Monday, coming as it did with the doubt increasing over his own future, was poignant.

Reacting to a torrent of abuse from a small group of fans, the Town boss replied with a hand gesture, suggesting that they were ‘all mouth,’ before reportedly signing off with a dismissive wave.

Emotions were running high, but this will not help Keane’s cause.

The only immediate solutions seem to be a change of manager, or to give Keane some money to spend in the transfer market.

Tellingly, Mr Evans has given no indication that he is going to back his manager.

So the phone call, when it comes, might constitute Keane’s final chat with the owner.