Ipswich Town Manager Kieran McKenna Discusses Ogbene’s Injury, Team Resilience, and Leicester Match

Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna addressed the media in advance of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Leicester City, scheduled for a 15:00 GMT kick-off. The main points from his news conference are as follows: Chiedozie Ogbene is unlikely to participate for the remainder of this season after undergoing surgery for an Achilles tear. McKenna stated: “The operation went well, he is a positive guy anyway so he is already focused on his recovery and coming back strong. That will be a long way away but we will help him along the journey and he will get all the support he needs. The character he has, I’m sure he will come back strong.” Regarding the team’s response to last weekend’s defeat at Brentford, McKenna commented: “It’s been really good, it’s been a good week here at the training ground, everyone that we have like that it is important to spend the time together. There was so many positives in the game, so many things to take belief in, but of course there are things we need to do better. But, you add all that in and it changes the perception of what would have been a really good point.” He further added: “We have been through things like this before as a group. I know the group are pretty good at staying even on those things.” McKenna explained that these “experiences” are instrumental in building the team’s resilience: “The whole group hasn’t been through it but a core group have been through it before, but there are good characters that have come into the building. They know these things are part of the game and you do everything you can to avoid it. It’s part of football and it’s the response that matters.” Addressing the opposing team, Leicester, he remarked: “They’ve added to their squad and signed some good new players, but most of their tactical things are pretty similar. On the ball and in possession they have similar shapes and positions that they take up on the pitch. They’ve varied it a bit through the season but in general it’s a similar template. They still have the strengths and qualities of last year.” He concluded by saying: “They are a good side but every team in the Premier League is and we believe we are a good side as well. At home we focus on ourselves and we will deliver the best performance we can. We trust that, if we do that, we’re a good match for anyone and it will give us a chance to win.”