NEWCASTLE UNITED are reported to be weighing up the possibility of a bid for former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international goalkeeper Stephen Henderson, who has impressed since moving to Portsmouth from Bristol City during the summer.
The Premier League outfit had the Dubliner watched at the weekend when Portsmouth lost 1-0 to West Ham and are said to be hopeful that Henderson might be available for a cut-price fee given that his employer is currently in administration.
Portsmouth manager Michael Appleton, though, is likely to be keen to hang on to the 23-year-old, who has kept five clean sheets in 18 appearances for the Championship strugglers so far this season.
Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell has all but conceded defeat with regard to his attempt to sign Ireland defender Seán St Ledger, who had agreed personal terms with the Portman Road club last week only to be recalled by Leicester City due to the absence of other defenders due to injury or international duty.
“He played on Tuesday for Leicester against Forest in the FA Cup, so it looks like he might be in their plans,” said Jewell. “We thought we had something done last week but it hasn’t happened and for whatever reason that’s probably gone now.”
Ronan Murray has secured a new one-year deal with Ipswich, although the young striker has now gone back out on loan to Swindon.
“I’m delighted about the new contract,” he said, “and excited to be going back to Swindon; they’re in a good position in the league and hopefully I can play my part in taking them up.”
Alex McLeish has said that he will not be rushed into starting Robbie Keane but says that the striker’s performances in training have given him “food for thought” ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Irishman’s former club, Wolves. “We are just assessing him fitness-wise,” said the Scot. “He will be very eager to play in this one but he is the kind of lad who wants to be involved whoever the opposition is.
“Robbie has been looking sharp and has struck up a good rapport with Stephen Ireland, but we’ve got another couple of days of training to go and I don’t want to give anything away in advance of the game.”
Alan Kelly’s increasingly demanding schedule in the build up to the European Championships has forced him to step down from his role as goalkeeping coach at Preston North End a month after he had stepped in to help the club out.
“I was meant to stay until the end of this week,” he says, but I’ve had to come over to Ireland as part of the planning for the Euros – we’re having the first of our planning meetings now.
“The last four weeks working at Preston have been absolutely brilliant.”
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