Ipswich Town fans will never forget the 62-goal cult hero that Roy Keane almost “physically attacked”

Ipswich Town fans will never forget the 62-goal cult hero that Roy Keane almost “physically attacked”

Ipswich Town’s Rollercoaster Past: Roy Keane’s Turbulent Tenure and Pablo Counago’s Cult Hero Status

Ipswich Town have enjoyed a period of stability and success under Kieran McKenna in recent years, with the Northern Irishman guiding the club to back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League. As the Tractor Boys now navigate their Championship return, McKenna’s reputation among fans continues to soar.

However, Ipswich haven’t always had it so smooth. Several past managers struggled to find consistent success — none more notably than Roy Keane, whose time at Portman Road remains controversial.

Arriving with a strong managerial pedigree following his promotion-winning spell with Sunderland, Keane failed to replicate that success at Ipswich. During a rocky 20-month stint, the club floundered in the bottom half of the Championship, and Keane was ultimately dismissed in January 2011 with the team languishing in 19th place.

Keane’s famously fiery personality also stirred tension off the pitch, including a now-infamous falling out with striker Pablo Counago.

Counago had initially joined Ipswich in 2001 after catching the eye of then-manager George Burley. Although he endured a goalless first season as the club dropped out of the Premier League, the Spanish forward bounced back, scoring 21 goals the following campaign and proving to be a key player across multiple seasons.

After a spell in Spain, Counago returned to Portman Road in 2007 and enjoyed a productive second stint, netting 23 goals over two seasons. Fans were thrilled when he rejected a move to Swansea in 2009 — but his fortunes soon declined under Keane.

The striker fell out of favour with the Irishman, and after a disappointing season with just three goals, he was loaned to Crystal Palace before eventually being released.

Years later, Keane reignited the feud in his autobiography The Second Half, branding Counago “dead lazy” and admitting he nearly physically attacked him. Counago, in turn, didn’t hold back in his response — accusing Keane of fabricating stories to sell books and calling him a “complete mess as a football manager.”

“I feel sorry for him,” Counago said. “Behind his appearance, there’s a coward… I just hope he can find happiness.”

Keane’s legacy at Ipswich is widely viewed as a failed experiment, while Counago — despite his ups and downs — remains a cult figure among supporters. While the wider football world may know Counago for his fallout with Keane, at Portman Road, he’s remembered far more fondly for his commitment and contributions across two separate spells.