Ipswich Town caretaker boss Bryan Klug says he will call on several players and staff for advice and guidance – including captain Luke Chambers.
Klug will be in charge of the Blues for the final four games of the Championship season, starting at Nottingham Forest today, after Mick McCarthy left the club following Tuesday night’s 1-0 home win against Barnsley.
The long-serving academy supremo has selected young coaches Gerard Nash and Chris Hogg as his official assistants, but admits he will take all the help he can get.
MORE: Evans is searching for ‘right kind of manager for how we want the club to develop’ - Klug
“In the last five or six years, certainly the last 18 months, a big part of my job has been developing coaches as well as players,” said Klug, who made it clear he has absolutely no designs on the job longer-term.
“It would be a real dream for me for us to not only produce young players, but also young coaches who understand what this club is about, how we go about things and can guide it in the future.
“Those two lads (Nash and Hogg) have been here a few years. They are ex-players, and we have a few of them working in the academy, so they understand the club. They are modern, not an old fossil like me!
MORE: Homegrown defender Chris Smith recalled from loan spell with Chelmsford
“It’s a great opportunity for them. We’ve also got the skipper (Chambers) who wants to be a manager. He’s going to help me out and deal with the senior players. He’ll learn from this situation too. And he’ll certainly be able to help me.
“Over the last year or so I’ve probably, as a supporter, only seen four or five games a season because I’m out watching the boys on loan at the likes of Tilbury, Bromley and Aldershot.
“I need as much help with putting a good programme together as possible. He (Chambers) has got a lot to offer, as has (Cole) Skusey and the all the senior lads.
“They are all, at the moment, buying into it – though that might not be the case when they see the team I pick for Saturday!”
With well-known former players like Geraint Williams, Alan Lee, Kieron Dyer, James Scowcroft and Titus Bramble all working behind the scenes, Klug said: “We have got loads of people who care about the football club and who want to get involved.
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“Geraint has got great experience, but he’s only really working two days a week with the younger players. He was a big part of Wales’ success story (at Euro 2016). He’s a really, really good coach and I’m trusting him to look after my job at the moment.
“At various times when I come under more stress he’ll be there as a crutch for me I’m sure.”
Opposition lowdown
Manager: Aitor Karanka (Jan ‘18: P16 W3 D5 L8)
Average league attendance: 24,710
Last game: L 1-0 Brentford (h)
Form: LLLDD DWWDD
Home league record: W8 D2 L10 F20 A26
Last five finishes: 21st, 16th, 14th, 11th, 8th (all Championship)
Most league starts: Osborn (38), Dowell (31)
Most league assists: McKay (7)
Top-scorers: Dowell (10), Murphy (7)
Margins of victory: 1 (x10), 2 (x3), 3+ (x2)
Margins of defeat: 1 (x9), 2 (x11), 3+ (x3)
MORE: ‘If something is starting to knit back together then that will be a success for me’ - Klug
Last meeting
Ipswich Town 4 Nottm Forest 2
Date: Saturday, December 2, 2017
Town cut loose in the second half to win a six-goal thriller. Goals from Callum Connolly (7) and Dominic Iorfa (37) were cancelled out by Kieran Dowell (29) and Tyler Walker (43), before strikes from the excellent Martyn Waghorn (53) and Bersant Celina (67).
Ipswich Town team news
– Homegrown defender Chris Smith, the 20-year-old former Kesgrave High School pupil, was yesterday recalled from a loan spell at National League South side Chelmsford City. He’ll provide cover with Luke Chambers (ribs/shoulder) and Adam Webster (hamstring) sidelined.
– Dean Gerken, Dominic Iorfa, Tom Adeyemi, Emyr Huws, Andre Dozzell, Teddy Bishop, David McGoldrick and Joe Garner remain sidelined.
– New rules, designed to protect the integrity of the competition at the business end of the season, mean clubs must include at least 10 outfield players that were named in their last match day squad.
– Youngsters Tristan Nydam and Ben Folami were on the bench in midweek. Teenage striker Ben Morris could come into the squad.
Nottingham Forest team news
– Ex-Town striker Daryl Murphy has scored seven goals in his debut season for Forest. The 35-year-old has missed the last two games with a calf injury.
– Ex-Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka was appointed in January and quickly made seven signings – Jack Colback, Adlene Guedioura, Joe Lolley, Lee Tomlin, Costel Pantilimon, Ashkan Dejagah and Tobias Figueiredo.
Stat attack
50% – Aitor Karanka has lost half of his 16 games in charge at Forest
6 – Games without a goal for Forest
7 – Goals for ex-Ipswich striker Daryl Murphy this season
Opposition key man
Joe Lolley
The direct-running winger arrived from Huddersfield mid-season. Plays with pace and purpose. Most likely to make something happen in a team that has drawn six successive blanks.
Odds
Nottingham Forest 9/10
Draw 11/4
Ipswich Town 19/5
Referee
Darren England (Yorkshire)
Games: 34, Yellows: 127, Reds: 2
Stu’s prediction
Forest 0 Ipswich 1
Hosts are struggling for goals. Town should play with freedom.
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