IPSWICH TOWN: Blues skipper David Norris today defended his manager Roy Keane after claims from former captain Jon Walters that the current squad are always walking on eggshells.

Walters, who left Portman Road to play Premier League football for Stoke City in a �2.75million deal last August, said “When I speak to the lads at Ipswich after they have been beaten and I know what they are going to say.

“I guess what would have been said to them, and I’ve been right. It’s eggshells all the time.”

But speaking personally and as captain having taken the armband from Walters, Norris insisted: “I’ve never had a problem with the manager, and he’s been good to me particularly when I was injured for four months last season.

“I’m happy working for him and I enjoy being at Ipswich Town.

“And I’m looking forward to progressing with this club – and this manager.”

Norris, who unveiled a larger than life-size picture of himself above the booking office at Ipswich Station in a joint promotion between the club and National Express, was backed in his confidence in Keane by chief executive Simon Clegg.

“Jon Walters was a great servant to the club but my focus is on supporting the manager and what the players deliver on the pitch,” said Clegg.

“The spirit in the camp is good and that’s true, and we’re winning more games than last season.

“The results of this season speak louder than the words of a player who played last season.”

Walters, who was rated by Keane as the second best player in the Championship last season behind Blackpool’s Charlie Adam, added:

“Liam Lawrence was at Stoke when I arrived having played under Roy at Sunderland.

“Along with my new teammates he was laughing because they knew exactly what I’d been through.”

Keane said last week that he didn’t expect to lose Walters and Jon Stead in August but offers came in that had to be seriously considered.

Walters was involved in a well publicised altercation with Keane just prior to his departure and it he has been reported to have wanted to leave for some while.

The front player, who was substitute for Stoke’s win over Birmingham on Tuesday, went public last month about how he sent in a photograph of his vomit to prove he was too ill to travel to the Carling Cup game at Exeter on August 10.

He said it was blow to lose Bryan Klug from the coaching staff at Portman Road last January.

“Along with Charlie Woods, who was Bobby Robson’s number two, Bryan was a good person to work for and part of what the club is about.

“Ipswich is a bit unique, and when they got let go it was not the same with the lads respecting them quite well. And that was Roy’s decision.”