Roy drops hint over new deal for keeper

Elvin King

IPSWICH Town manager Roy Keane has hinted that injured Richard Wright is to be offered a new contract when his current one expires in the summer.

The former England goalkeeper was dropped by the Blues manager after the 2-1 Championship defeat at Barnsley on October 3 having conceded 16 goals in the previous six matches.

The 32-year-old was left out in the cold until brought back at Cardiff City on November 29 where he lasted just 22 minutes before suffering serious knee ligament damage.

Arran Lee-Barrett has come in and done well enough to have been offered - and signed - a contract until June 2011 while Irish keeper Brian Murphy is now putting pressure on the ex-Hartlepool man for a first-team place.

But Keane has not forgotten Ipswich-raised Wright, who was signed from West Ham in the summer of 2008 and was a regular in previous manager Jim Magilton's side last season.

Wright is ahead of schedule having originally been ruled out for three or four months and he was in the Town party that travelled to London on Tuesday for the 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers.

He is now on track to return to action late this month or early next, and Keane said: “Good professionals get back earlier than the estimate.

“You learn a lot about a player when they are injured and Richard has proved himself to be a top professional.”

While Wright will relish Keane's comments and look to regain his first-team place before the end of the season, Town defender Tommy Smith has received his first senior international call-up.

He is in the New Zealand squad for their friendly against Mexico in Los Angeles on Wednesday, March 3 as the All-Whites prepare for the World Cup finals in South Africa that start in June.

Smith, who is currently on loan at League One Brentford to gain first-team experience, is 19 and lived in New Zealand from eight until 16 when he moved back to England to join the Ipswich academy.