DAVID Wright insists the Ipswich Town team will not let the protests against Jim Magilton's reign disrupt their preparations for tonight's game against Nottingham Forest, while Alex Bruce says the players deserve the stick more than the manager.

Derek Davis

DAVID Wright insists the Ipswich Town team will not let the protests against Jim Magilton's reign disrupt their preparations for tonight's game against Nottingham Forest, while Alex Bruce says the players deserve the stick more than the manager.

Wright said: “We just have to be professional about it. We know there is a bit of unrest outside the club but around the lads everything is fine.

“We know what we need to do against Forest. We know we need to be patient, relax a bit and the results will come.

“If we are to get where we want to get to we all have to pull together. The dressing room and the fans all need to do that.”

Fellow defender Bruce believes the players are responsible for what the supporters are seeing on the pitch.

Bruce said: “I see first hand that the manager does everything he can. He works every hour possible and you won't find a more passionate manager.

“When we are not performing it is the players that deserve stick, not the manager. He has been out on the pitch and been a success.”

Bruce, whose dad Steve is currently in charge of Wigan but has had troubled times at Birmingham City in the past, added: “It is a joke now the pressures that are on managers in the game today. I have seen close up what it can do with my father and it can have an effect on the family.

“It seems that is the way it is now. Look at Phil Scolari. A World Cup winner loses his job after seven months. It is crazy.”

Bruce rejected a new, improved contract offer from Magilton in January and is expected to leave the Blues in the summer.

Wright insists Town can still make the play-offs but admits they need to be more clinical in front of goal.

He said: “Our play up to the box was decent but once we got into final third the passing and crossing was not quite good enough and that is where we need to improve.

“We know we can move it around because, for Tommy's goal on Saturday for example, there were 17 passes leading up to the goal.

“This league has shown anyone is capable of beating everyone so it will be a tough old game but we need to concentrate on ourselves. We know what we need to do and we need to be brave enough to do that.

“We have more than enough quality to go on a run and even though we are seven points off if you go on a decent run you soon eat into that.”

Jon Walters has recovered from a stomach bug and should be fit although Kevin Lisbie remains a doubt with a back problem.

Tonight's squads

Ipswich Town: R Wright, Supple, D Wright, Thatcher, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein, Shumulikoski, Miller, Garvan, Norris, Quinn, Haynes, Civelli, Walters, Counago, Stead and Bowditch.

Nottingham Forest: Smith, Gamble, Chambers, Moloney, Morgan, Wilson, Heath, Perch, McGugan, Cohen, Sinclair, Tyson, Garner, Thornhill, McCleary, Breckin and Newbold.