McKenna on Ogbene injury, resilience and facing Leicester
- Published
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leicester City (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Chiedozie Ogbene is unlikely to play against this season after surgery on an Achilles tear. McKenna said: "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."
On the reaction to last weekend's defeat at Brentford: "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 continued: "We have been through things like this before as a group. I know the group are pretty good at staying even on those things."
Those "experiences" are how they are building resilience as a team: "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."
On opponents Leicester: "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 added: "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."
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