IT'S up to Kevin Lisbie, whether he plays for Ipswich Town again.That was the amazing confession of Town boss Roy Keane, concerning his unsettled front-man Lisbie.

Carl Marston

by Carl Marston

IT'S up to Kevin Lisbie, whether he plays for Ipswich Town again.

That was the amazing confession of Town boss Roy Keane, concerning his unsettled front-man Lisbie.

Keane will allow Lisbie to play one last time for Colchester United, in the U's FA Cup third round tie at Preston tomorrow, before recalling him from his loan stay at the Community Stadium.

"It's not up to me. It's up to the player himself," insisted Keane, with reference to whether Lisbie plays for Town again.

"I'd like him to play for us, and I haven't just brought him back to play in someone else's team. But it's up to the player.

"He's not back at the club yet. He will be able to play for Colchester this weekend, because he's cup tied with us, but he'll be back next week."

Keane still has options up front, although they have become more restricted following Jon Stead's four-match suspension, and Stern John's return to Crystal Palace after his loan spell.

Lisbie's return would bolster a strike-force department that currently comprises Pablo Counago, Tamas Priskin, Jon Walters and Connor Wickham, but the 31-year-old Londoner might choose to continue his career elsewhere instead.

The ex-Charlton man, who scored 16 goals during Colchester's second season in the Championship in 2007-08, before his �600,000 switch to Portman Road, insisted earlier this campaign that he didn't like being "treated like a piece of meat" by Town.

Keane also hinted yesterday that other clubs may have expressed an interest in Lisbie.

The Irishman said coyly: "We may have had clubs come in for him.

"Things change from day to day. For instance, I spoke to a manager only yesterday morning."

Weather permitting, Town will be in action at Blackpool this weekend, in the third round of the FA Cup.