Ipswich Town take on Norwich City, at Carrow Road, in the second East Anglian derby of the season tomorrow (12.30pm ko). Here's what Blues boss Kieran McKenna had to say in his pre-match press conference.

 

On knowing what it means to the fans...

“We know it’s another big game. We’ve had so many big games to be honest. Southampton was such a big game. After this one we’ve got Watford and Middlesbrough at home next week, which are both going to be really big games. I think they can all be built up. 

“But you can’t shy away from the fact that some games get built up more. This is a derby. Pretty much all of the boys live local, while some have come through the academy. There’s no getting away from it – they know that a game like this has extra significance. But I think they’ve shown, when there’s been that external pressure in the past, that they can step up really, really well time and again. 

“It’s special for the supporters and what’s special for the supporters is special for the players because that connection is so strong. We’ll be full of determination to make our supporters proud. 

“These are occasions to relish. This a rivalry to relish. We know how important it is to both clubs.  

“Some of the best experiences I’ve been part of have been going away to your rivals and picking up a result in their home stadium. There’s no better feeling than that. We’ll really endeavour to make Saturday one of those."

He continued: “There’s not been too many waking hours where I’ve not been at the training ground over the last couple of weeks, so I haven’t had too many interactions with Ipswich fans. 

“But I live in the area, I understand it and the players do as well. We feel it. We’re fully aware of the importance of it for supporters, for sure.

"The supporters have given us fantastic backing and the players have given the supporters so many memories over the last couple of years. We know winning away to our local rivals would be another fantastic day for them. 

“Look, we can only give what we give to every game and that’s 100%. We can’t give any more than that. I know that’s what we’ll give on Saturday. 

“Doing that and sticking to our identity has served us really well this season. It’s our real wish that we come out with a good result and that the fans can really enjoy it."

 

On Norwich City being a better team than the one Ipswich faced at Portman Road just before Christmas. David Wagner's men have won their last seven home games...

“They’re certainly in good form. They’ve been a strong side all season to be honest. With the squad that they have, and with an experienced manager, you would always expect them to do well in the division.  

“They’ve been in very good home form. They’ve got one of the most prolific strikers in the division back fit (Josh Sargent), so that makes a difference. But I don’t see too much drastically different in what they do. 

“David’s done a good job in terms of bringing stability there, especially with some of the criticism that he probably faced. 

“They are a good side and we’ll give them our full respect. We know we’re going to have to play really, really well."

 

On this being a sixth-v-first clash, with both teams gunning for promotion to the Premier League...

"I don’t think there can ever be extra motivation for this game, but the fact that we’re both still competing for things in the division probably gives a different motivation on top of just trying to beat your local rivals. 

"We know in recent times that Ipswich have been in League One and Norwich has been in the Premier League, so to be at the point where we both are now, of course, we’re happy with that trajectory.

"But we know that we need to continue to work every day and fight in every match to try and continue that. That will be continued on Saturday."

 

On playing the game, not the occasion...

"It’s so important to be consistent. How we prepare for games, how we communicate with the players, how we stick to our processes and always try to improve as a team has served us really, really well. That doesn’t change for this weekend.

"Maintaining your composure and trying to deliver a performance is a big part of it in all games that are externally built up a little bit more as big games.

"I think that’s the thing that pleased me most about the game in December (2-2 draw against Norwich at Portman Road). There was so much external noise around that one, it was the first meeting in quite a few years, and I was really, really pleased with how we played for most of the game. Especially the first 30 minutes or so, the way we just settled into the flow of our game and tried to implement the things we do every week.

"Of course it’s harder to do that away from home in any game, but that’s what the focus has to be going into Saturday."

 

Ipswich haven't beaten Norwich in almost 15 years. They haven't won at Carrow Road since 2006. Will that be mentioned in the team talk?

“I don’t think it will. Look, we know the importance of the fixture. We know it’s a massive one for the supporters. We know Ipswich haven’t beaten Norwich in quite a few years. 

“At the same time Norwich haven’t beaten Ipswich for several years. We’ve been in different divisions for a long time, with them often in the Premier League and us in League One. 

“So it’s not like this group have been losing two games a season to them. It’s not even like a recent group in Ipswich times have lost to Norwich. 

“We know that for supporters it would be a massive fixture to win. Like I said, I really trust that every player in that dressing room understands the significance of that and will give 100% to the team effort. That’s all that we can give. Hopefully that will result in a good performance and a good result."

 

On whether being 23 points clear of Norwich in the table means anything going into this game...

“I don’t think it particularly does in terms of the 90 minutes on Saturday. 

“Of course it’s fantastic to be going in 23 points above. We’d rather that than the other way around. We’re happy with our position and where that leaves us. 

“I don’t know how many points we’re ahead of Plymouth, or Cardiff, or Swansea, or Blackburn... It didn't mean those weren't really, really difficult games. If you maybe used the Blackburn game as an example, there’s more than 23 points between the two teams, but that was a really tough game.

"The margins between everyone in the division are so small and so hard-fought. League positions don't guarantee anything in terms of the flow of the games and certainly not the results.

“It’s going to be another hard game. We have respect them as a football team. I think they do a lot of things well. I think David’s done a really good job over the course of the season. I’m sure they know we have a lot of strengths as a team as well and that we’re going to make it a tough game for them too."

 

On the likely febrile atmosphere in the ground...

“We understand it. I’d encourage it. I hope the supporters can create a great atmosphere. I’m sure Norwich will want their supporters to create a great atmosphere and I know our away fans will be making sure they’re heard – as they are every week. 

“In the build-up it’s important to block out all the external noise, not get caught up in anything that anyone might be saying and just focus on recovery and preparation.

"Match day is different. When there’s noise, tension and high adrenaline levels all round, I think that’s something you have to really enjoy and embrace. I love to be involved in those atmospheres.

"Then, when the whistle blows, I have to be analytical and be ready to make decisions to help the team and the players will have to be composed and do their jobs."


On the pressure of the prize at stake...

"Last year, the football club didn't want to be in League One. It's a really hard division to get out of it. If we hadn't managed it last year there would have been no guarantees we would have done it this year. 

"In some ways it was a bigger challenge for us in terms of some of the styles of play and the pitches we came up against. But getting promotion was something the club needed to do and needed to do pretty quickly. 

"This year the motivation is still very, very high, but we also know that as a club we are way ahead of the trajectory that anyone could have predicted or expected. We’ve already achieved some fantastic things this season and we’ll look to do our very best to continue that over the last six games. 

"Around the group this year, even more so than last year, I feel even more a feeling of enjoyment of the experience that we’re going through. It’s about looking forward to each game. There’s just a determination to make the most of this."

 

On being able to call upon last season's promotion experience...

“It’s something we’ve used all season. We’re a team who really just focus on ourselves and our performances. We never really speak about points totals or our position in the league. We focus on being the best of ourselves. That comes off the back of doing the right things in training every day. 

“We know at this stage of the season that things around the club get a little bit noisier. Every game gets built up to be a ‘must win’ game. We went through this last April when I think we had eight games, some of them against massive divisional rivals, home and away, tough matches, and the team managed to find an incredible level of consistency of performance and mentality. We’ve tried to do the same this year. 

“We know when you have games in quick succession, big games, at the back end of the season, that there can be some highs and lows in there.  

“Last year we were on a club record run of clean sheets and wins and then we conceded in the 90th minute at Cheltenham on a windy Bank Holiday Monday. This year we conceded a couple of late goals at Cardiff. You have to just move on quickly to the next game.

"The team has stuck really well to that ethos. Doing that last year helped us to be successful. This year it’s more difficult, because the games are much more difficult, but we’ve drawn on those experiences over the season and certainly over the last month or two."

 

On whether he dares to dream of being in the Premier League next season...

“No, honestly not at all. I’ve experienced that division (as assistant manager of Manchester United), of course it’s brilliant. It’s a football division. You’re playing against some big teams in bigger stadiums. 

“But representing this football club as well as I can is my only focus, whether that was in League One, whether that’s in the Championship or, at some point in time, whether that’s in the Premier League. I don’t think that would change drastically what my day-to-day life looked or felt like. The job is still the same. 

“The focus is always on the next session, the next game.  

“It’s more in supporters’ inclination to dream and look ahead. For us inside it’s about doing the job the best we can."