PABLO Counago completed a double whammy over Swansea City, but he still wasn't in the mood for much celebration as the winless run continued.

Carl Marston

By Carl Marston

PABLO Counago completed a double whammy over Swansea City, but he still wasn't in the mood for much celebration as the winless run continued.

Counago slotted home his first goal of the campaign to at least salvage a point in a 1-1 draw, ironically against the team whom he snubbed over the summer.

The Spaniard could have moved to the Liberty Stadium, and his agent held talks on his behalf, but no move materialised.

Swansea's loss was Ipswich's gain, as Counago rubbed salt into the Swans' wounds with his 14th minute equaliser.

“I believe in this club, which is why I stayed with Ipswich,” confirmed Counago.

“I didn't join Swansea because I wanted to stay here. I feel comfortable here, and I'm happy with everything around me. You don't always need to change.

“I didn't have talks with Swansea; I have my agent to do that. But it was never my intention to sign. When a club comes in for you (a fee was agreed), you have got to talk.

“You have to make choices in life, and I chose what I wanted. I don't know what would have happened if I had gone the other way. I did what I wanted to do.

“I feel better off at Ipswich, even though Swansea have more Spanish players. I am happy with the English!” joked Counago.

The Town No. 9 has spent more than six years at Portman Road, in two different spells. He had bagged 59 goals before this season, but he has had to wait a long time to chalk up senior goal No. 60.

A pre-season injury did not help his cause, since when he has been restricted to just four league starts. But he is not blaming manager Roy Keane for this lack of action.

“I do not think about it. We have more problems to worry about than this,” said Counago.

“If you are top of the league, then it's usually the same X1 all the time. Nothing needs to be changed.

“But it's not easy to have a settled side when you are at the bottom. Then managers are always looking for a changed team. They look for different options.

“We have to be realistic. We are bottom of the table, which is a problem. There are always a number of reasons why you are at the top, or the bottom. There are many things. We have no wins in 12 and we need to change this.”

Counago's three previous starts had been the home game against Preston, and the away trips to Middlesbrough and Doncaster.

Otherwise, the 30-year-old had appeared as a second-half substitute in Town's last three matches, with Keane instead opting to operate with Jon Walters and Tamas Priskin up front.

“I've had chances to score goals before this season, so it was nice to get my first one,” continued Counago.

“I haven't been scoring goals, we have no wins and we're at the bottom of the table, so it's frustration-time!