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Keane predicts 'very difficult' promotion bid
Ipswich Town, 12:40, April 21, 2010 ,
Roy Keane claims Ipswich's bid for promotion next season will be made even harder by increased parachute payments for relegated sides.
The Town boss was frustrated at the Premier League's recent proposal to hand clubs relegated to the Championship £48million spread over four years, rather than the current £32m over two seasons, as he feels it will hand the likes of Portsmouth and possibly Burnley and Hull a much bigger advantage of an immediate return.
Keane told the East Anglian Daily Times: "It's going to be very, very difficult.
"I'd like to know what clubs voted for that. The bottom three must have definitely voted for it, so it's going to be extra hard I have to say.
"You look at the teams that have gone up this year. Obviously West Brom came down, and Newcastle, so they'll always be strong anyway, but now they are given these extra few years and the extra money, so the longer you are out of the Premiership, its just going to get tougher and tougher.
"It's not just Ipswich, but it applies to all the other clubs who have been in the Championship for a long time.
"But that's why we do it, because it's the challenge - can we do it?"