IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane today admitted that he needs to do better.The Blues boss leads his team into Coca-Cola Championship action at Middlesbrough today (kick-off 3pm) looking for the opening win of the season.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town boss Roy Keane today admitted that he needs to do better.

The Blues boss leads his team into Coca-Cola Championship action at Middlesbrough today (kick-off 3pm) looking for the opening win of the season.

Despite just two points from their opening five games, Keane remains confident that his side will be in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

But he does accept it has been a less than satisfactory start saying: “If I was an Ipswich fan out there I would be disappointed with how things are going.

“I am always looking at myself, and know that I need to do better.

“Our supporters are intelligent people and they know that the time to be judged is at the end of the season and not after five minutes.

“Our first five games have not gone as well as we wanted, but if you have to have a poor run I would rather it was now than at a crunch time.

“I remain confident that we will be in the mix at the end of the season.

“My message to our supporters is to relax and have trust in the manager and staff.”

Keane puts a lack of goal threat - along with too many goals conceded - as the main reason for the club's second-from-bottom position.

“It has come as a surprise to me that we have not been able to put the ball in the net enough times - and not been a big threat in our opponents' 18-yard box,” added Keane.

“We must put that right and look to gain some confidence and get some momentum going, but there will be some more disappointments along the way.”

“Middlesbrough are a good team and they will be strong but I go into every match looking to win. In my dealings with Middlesbrough they have always been a class act.”

Jaime Peters is back in training after his ankle problem and Connor Wickham has recovered from a groin strain with Keane saying he had 21 players to select today's squad from.

“There is a good chance that new signings Liam Rosenior and Grant Leadbitter will start and they have had the benefit of nearly two weeks of work on the training ground because of the international break.

“We met up with Carlos Edwards last night after his flight home from Trinidad via Miami and London and I will assess his situation before naming my squad. He has not trained with us yet.”

n Keane has picked out England as likely winners of the 2010 World Cup.

But he cannot understand what all the fuss has been about this week over their qualification. He said: “I will take my hat off to England when they beat the top sides in the world; not winning an easy group.

“They have quality in their team and they must now look to go on and win the World Cup. I would not be surprised if they did.”