Lee Grant makes honest Ipswich Town admission after calling time on his Man Utd spell | OneFootball

Lee Grant has admitted that he is excited to get going at Ipswich Town after being appointed as the club’s first-team coach yesterday.

The 39-year-old opted to call time on his playing career in order to take up this particular role.

Grant was on the books at Manchester United last season but failed to make a single competitive appearance for the club due to the presence of David De Gea and Dean Henderson.

Having worked alongside Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna at Old Trafford, Grant will now be aiming to help Ipswich move forward as a club in his new role.

The Blues finished the previous term 13 points adrift of the play-off places in the third-tier.

McKenna has already altered his squad by cutting ties with James Norwood, Myles Kenlock, Tomas Holy and Tom Carroll and will be keen to draft in some fresh faces in the summer transfer window.

Looking ahead to the upcoming campaign, Grant has admitted that he will be aiming to help to nurture the development of the club’s players.

Speaking to Ipswich’s official website, the former Red Devils goalkeeper said: “I have worked with Kieran and Martyn [Pert] before at Manchester United, and the work, from a playing perspective, was really enjoyable and beneficial

“Now I have the opportunity to be part of their team and I am so excited.

“In terms of my playing career, it has been on my mind for the last couple of years to retire, but I had a good opportunity at United.”

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Grant later added: “The manager has spoken to me and explained the dynamic of the coaching department and it is a really good group.

“My main aim is to help develop the players and I will be working with them in one-to-one scenarios but also in groups.

“I will be looking to help our forward players and our strikers in particular, but we will have more conversations on how that will work practically.

“It’s something I have been working for and I feel well placed, because of my background, in terms of helping those on the other side of the coin who are looking to put the ball in the back of the net.

“I’ll be down in Ipswich and ready to go for day one of pre-season.

“I can’t wait to meet everyone and get started.”

The Verdict

Grant will be able to offer a unique insight for Ipswich’s attacking players in terms of finishing as he garnered a wealth of experience of facing strikers as a keeper during his playing career.

Before announcing his retirement, Grant made 511 senior appearances as he lined up for the likes of Derby County, Stoke City and Sheffield Wednesday.

With Ipswich looking to emerge as legitimate contenders for promotion next season, Grant could be in for an enthralling debut season as a coach.

For the Blues’ sake, they will be determined to make a fast start later this year as their hopes of reaching the play-offs last season were scuppered by an underwhelming run of form in the opening months of the term.