Keane's coming of age could put Ipswich in contention

ENGLISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP:THINGS SEEMED a little surreal on the banks of the Tees. For a start, there was the sight of Jon Stead, supposedly a washed-up, strictly no-frills striker, executing a perfect Cruyff turn.

The press box was filled with Scottish reporters grimly detailing the failure of the six former Celtic and Rangers players in Middlesbrough’s starting XI to adapt to the pace of Championship football. Then, afterwards, we had two managers in full-on confessional mode, Gordon Strachan admitting the thought of losing had not crossed his mind, while Roy Keane accepted blame for a key strategic error last season.

Stead’s moment of trickery aside, the game’s abiding image was probably that of Boro’s manager literally scratching his head in the technical area as, a few feet away, his Ipswich counterpart stood, hands in pockets, suppressing a smile. Strachan’s players were supposed to set tartan flags flying by showing off their promotion credentials while also emphasising why Keane is the bookmakers’ favourite to be first Championship manager to leave his job this season.

Instead, a puzzled Strachan was left reflecting on a stalled start after Scott McDonald’s close-range header had given his side a slightly flattering lead.

“I didn’t think about losing today,” he conceded. Keane, meanwhile, looked affronted at suggestions he is “under pressure”.

“There’s been a lot of lies about me,” he said. “I see stuff that’s written about my relationships with the players, with the owner, with the staff, about my family, all the time and I take it all with a pinch of salt. I do love the game of football, though, people keep missing that point. It gets lost in all the other stuff.”

In the past, however, Keane has more than done his bit to help fuel the “other stuff”, not least when he suggested promotion should be a cakewalk for Ipswich last season.

“There was too much talk about promotion and a lot of it came from me,” he acknowledged. “Maybe the fact we’re not even being mentioned this year might help us.”

On Saturday, Ipswich did what they failed to do last term and polished off their chances. After having a strong penalty claim rejected when David Wheater – whose game has regressed – sent David Norris tumbling, Tommy Smith advanced from defence to see a shot deflected home.

Tamas Priskin swiftly nodded in a Carlos Edwards cross and then Stead stepped off the bench to thump a volley into the top corner after being cued up by the excellent Grant Leadbitter.

“If your goalscorers don’t put the ball in the back of the net you’re knackered,” Keane said. “But today ours did.” Disorganised defensively, leaden-legged in midfield and wasteful in attack, Boro offered Priskin and company ample encouragement.

Ipswich’s manager hopes to make the Cardiff striker Michael Chopra one of “maybe three” Portman Road imports this week.

“I could have signed 10 players if I’d wanted to but we’ve got to make sure we get the right ones.”

And if they do? “We’ve got a chance,” Keane said, cautiously, before opining this could be the “closest” Championship promotion race for years.

“Last season Newcastle and West Brom were clear favourites. This year, we’ll have to wait and see.”

Admitting to uncertainty and preaching patience are not typical Keane traits but perhaps a man who turns 39 tomorrow is finally growing up.