Ipswich Town: Kieran McKenna praises Liam Delap and speaks on his omission from latest England squad

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna has praised striker Liam Delap and given his thoughts on his omission from the latest England squad.

The 22-year-old is the Blues’ top scorer this season and has found the net 10 times in the Premier League for the newly-promoted side who currently sit 18th in the table.

Thomas Tuchel's first squad as England manager has seen him pick Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspurs’ Dominic Solanke and Aston Villa’s Marcus Rashford - on loan from Manchester United - as his forwards.

Delap has joined Town duo Omari Hutchinson and Jaden Philogene in the England U21s squad for their March friendlies against France and then Portugal.

Blues boss McKenna said: "Look, it's a really good achievement to be in England's Under-21s.

“There's a European Championship in the summer, which is a really big tournament. I know, from an England development pathway, they increasingly put a lot of stock in those tournaments.

"Not to pick Lee Carlsey's squad, I'm sure he'll have his own opinions, but I'm pretty confident that we'll have three of the England forwards in that squad (Delap, Hutchinson and Philogene) which I think is a great thing for the football club and a great sign for the future."

Ipswich signed Delap on a five-year contract from Manchester City in a deal worth up to £20m in July last year.

The English frontman has started 26 out of 28 games in the league for Town and has been subject to considerable interest from a number of Premier League clubs

When asked further about Delap’s omission from Tuchel’s first England squad, McKenna said: "Look, I think there are many different ways of looking at it. I don't think it's always clear cut. I've not been an international manager or a technical director, though I know John McDermott well.

"Was there any big surprise from our point of view? Honestly, we haven't put too much stock in it ourselves and I know Liam's the same, he's just really, really focused on his job this season and doing the best he can.

"He's a young striker, as we've said many times, who's playing his first season of Premier League football and, in some ways, playing his first season as a leading striker for a team.

"He's made fantastic progress, put in some outstanding performances and there's still a lot to come.

"With what he's done for a newly-promoted team, you could certainly make a strong case that merits being in the top band of players in the country.

McKenna added: "On the other hand, I know that there will be a lot of other things that come into it. I'm pretty sure, without speaking for those at The FA, that they've looked at this major Under-21s tournament, taking that seriously and giving their best young players the chance to play in them because they believe that can be productive for them in playing in senior tournaments further down the line, which I believe Liam will do.

"I'm pretty sure there's a good logical argument why a player who's stepped up so well is better served remaining with the Under-21s.

"He's certainly been one of the best centre forwards in the Premier League, but on a big picture scale there are lots of reasons to understand why players get placed in different squads."

Other international call-ups involving Town players include centre-half Cameron Burgess who was named in the Australia squad for their World Cup qualifiers.

Blues pair Dara O’Shea and Jack Taylor have been named in the Republic of Ireland squad for their Nations League play-off ties against Bulgaria, with Nathan Broadhead called up to the Wales squad.

On Wednesday, it was confirmed that striker George Hirst had made the switch from England to Scotland.

Young goalkeeper Cieran Slicker was also called up to the senior Scotland squad for the second time.

Following Town’s match against Nottingham Forest tomorrow at Portman Road, the Tractor Boys are next in action on April 2 away at Bournemouth.