Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna insists he has improved his squad following the closure of the summer transfer window.
The Blues boss kept his promotion-winning squad in tact this summer thanks to the permanent signing of striker George Hirst and added to the outfield squad depth with the additions of Jack Taylor, Brandon Williams, Omari Hutchinson and Dane Scarlett, the latter three all on loan from Premier League clubs.
McKenna said yesterday lunchtime that there was the possibility on 'one in, one out' ahead of the 11pm transfer deadline, but no further deals occured.
He explained: "There was an option for us at the start of the day to sign a player and that might have freed up somebody to leave but it didn't happen. That's football. That's the nature of the business. When something goes down to the ;ast day, nothing is a garauntee.
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"Look, the window is shut now and that gives us a nice clarity of the group that we're working with. I believe in the group of players that we have. I know what they're giving every day to compete. We continue on our journey.
"We spoke all along that, as a club, we need to stick to the long-term plan to make sensible decisions and to try and rebuild this football club in a sustainable manner. That's very difficult to do in the Championship. It's really easy to see football clubs who have come into big difficulties or who have had big highs and lows in trying to chase it.
"We've got fantastic support with the ownership group who want to work to a long-term and sustainable plan of improvement. That's what we'll continue to work towards."
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Speaking after Williams, Hutchinson and Taylor all came on to help Town to a 3-2 comeback win against Cardiff this afternoon, McKenna added: "We feel we have improved the squad from last year with the players that have come in. I think you can see that with the impact of the bench today.
"We want to continue with our model of bringing young, hungry talent to the football club that can develop in the same way that players have developed here over the last 18 months.
"It's not always possible to do that and if you can't it's better to stick to your plan, stick to your way of working and believe in what you're doing.
"Every club will have wanted to add more quality to the group. We want to continue to add more quality to the group. I know the club has worked very, very hard throughout the course of the window. I know we're already working very hard ahead of the next window to try and improve the club in a sustainable way and to set the club up for a brighter future."
Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe, who is currently a free agent, is set to join Town on trial over the international break.
“Axel’s a player I know very well, a player of real high pedigree. He’s someone that we’re speaking to at the moment," confirmed McKenna.
"He is not fully returned from his (back) injury yet, so we’re continuing to have discussions with him as that process goes on.
"There’s not too much more I can add at the moment. We’ve got a space in our squad available and Axel’s a free agent and a tremendous player, who has played at higher levels and would be attractive to any club, certainly at this level.
"So we’re speaking with him and we’ll continue to speak with him and see if it’s beneficial for us and the right thing for the player to join us at some stage."
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