Ali Al-Hamadi (left) and Harry Clarke (right) will spent the rest of the season on loan in the Championship
Ali Al-Hamadi (left) and Harry Clarke (right) will spent the rest of the season on loan in the Championship
Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has stressed that Ali Al-Hamadi and Harry Clarke can both play a part in the club’s future despite their recent Championship loan moves.
Al-Hamadi, who was signed from League Two side AFC Wimbledon last year, has joined up with Stoke City, scoring on his debut away at Hull City last weekend. The striker has found it hard to adapt to life in the Premier League and will hope to gain some confidence in the second tier.
Clarke, on the other hand, will spend the rest of the season with Sheffield United. Chris Wilder’s side are chasing promotion back to the top flight, and the right-back has already impressed fans following his maiden appearance away at Derby County.
McKenna has been keen to highlight that the Blues will be watching both of them closely in the second half of the campaign, with an eye on re-integrating them into the squad ahead of next season.
“They are good opportunities for them,” McKenna said. “They are players who have done well here and players who still have a future at the club.
Kieran McKenna is hoping to keep a close eye on the pair
Kieran McKenna is hoping to keep a close eye on the pair
“But we always try and find the right balance between making sure that we have enough cover and enough competition in the squad without having too much, and also letting players progress in their careers – both for themselves and their ambitions, but also for a football club to keep developing our assets as well.
“We feel like this is the right opportunity for both of those two boys is to go out and play.
“They are both still young and, of course, we’ll keep in contact with them and keep a good eye on them.
“Hopefully they will have a good second half of the season in the Championship.”
George Edmundson’s departure to Middlesbrough was also confirmed ahead of Town’s defeat to Southampton. The centre-back, who spent the first half of the season on loan at the Riverside, made a permanent switch for an initial fee of £600k which can more than double with add-ons.
Although his exit felt inevitable, he played an important part in Ipswich’s journey and was a brilliant character behind the scenes, which McKenna was quick to recognise.
“A very, very popular player,” he said about Edmundson. “He did some great work in the community as well, with the disability aspect of the Ipswich Town Foundation.
George Edmundson left the Blues to join Middlesbrough on a permanent deal
George Edmundson left the Blues to join Middlesbrough on a permanent deal
“He’s a very good person, very well-liked by his teammates. He had a big contribution on the pitch.
“He had some injuries as well over the couple of years, but when fit, he was always an important player.
“He had runs of playing in the team and doing very well, and even when he wasn’t playing every week, he was always ready to step in with some big performances – no more so than at the very end of last season against Coventry.
