Owens's chance to come in from the cold

Elvin King

OWEN Garvan had a chance to impress manager Roy Keane in a behind-closed door friendly against Chelsea at the Premier League club's training ground yesterday.

Along with the likes of David Wright and Colin Healy, Garvan was under the spotlight of the Ipswich Town management team in a match which Chelsea, who included Joe Cole, won 5-2. Ed Upson and Reggie Lambe scored Town's goals.

The 21-year-old midfielder, who has made 151 appearances and scored 14 goals for Ipswich since his debut as a 17-year-old back in 2005, has been a big disappointment this season.

With four seasons' experience behind him now, the skilful Republic of Ireland Under-21 skipper was tipped to step up and become one of Keane's key players in the quest to reach the Premier League.

But Garvan has made just one start - at West Brom where he was hauled off at the interval after a totally ineffective 45 minutes.

Garvan is taking his current absence from the first team scene on the chin, and insisting he will be doing all he can to fight his way back into favour.

“It's down to me to knuckle down and show that I deserve to play in the first team,” said Garvan.

“The manager is the main man. People can say this, that or the other, but if one man doesn't like you you're going to struggle at a football club.

“I've got to do well in training and show what I can do and hopefully change his mind.”

Garvan still sees a future for himself at Ipswich, adding: “Every player at the club has chatted to the manager. At this moment in time I'm not really in the squad or in his plans.

“I'm surprised that he made that decision, in that I want to play in the first team and have been there for the last couple of seasons. I want to keep my place.

“It's frustrating that I haven't been in the squad for the last few games. That's football, you've got to deal with things and get on with it and that's what I'm doing.”