Ipswich Town striker Joe Pigott has role to play under Kieran McKenna despite lack of games so far
He has largely been left kicking his heels on the sidelines since his summer transfer but Kieran McKenna believes Joe Pigott will get a run of games in his Ipswich Town side – and has backed him to take it.
The 28-year-old was expected to have a big role to play at the Suffolk club following the Blues being said to have beaten off Championship interest to sign him as a free agent after leaving AFC Wimbeldon.
But the Paul Cook signing has found himself kept out of the side by the form and goals return of Macauley Bonne and, more recently, James Norwood.
Pigott, who scored 21 goals from 48 appearances for fellow League One club AFC Wimbledon last season, has just three from 20 appearances (9 starts) this term. He has made just five League One starts for Town and 10 substitute appearances, scoring twice.
He has been on the bench for each of McKenna's six games in charge so far, entering the fray three times in the final stages of games.
It led to speculation he was to depart Portman Road in the January transfer window, but a rumoured deadline day exit to divisional rivals Cambridge United did not materialise.
And asked about trying to keep four senior strikers happy, and the situation with Pigott himself, McKenna was keen to stress all of them have a role to play.
"Obviously we want to have good options in those positions. It is very important to have options up front in this league," he said in this afternoon's press briefing ahead of hosting Gillingham on Saturday (3pm).
"They all have different qualities, like I said, they're all stronger in different areas.
"Kayden (Jackson) is obviously one who is a bit more versatile in his position as well. He can play off the wide areas as well so he gives us that extra option.
"So it is good to have those options for the rest of the season.
"They all know and respect each other that there is no guarantee for any of them to play.
"There is four forwards who have all scored goals in this league and higher. They can all consider themselves to be amongst the strongest forwards in the league.
"So I think there is a healthy competition, there is a mutual respect and we're happy to have them all here.
"Obviously Joe you mentioned hasn't had many minutes so far on the pitch but he understands the situation we have been in. We have been in good communication with him.
"He's been training well and I'm confident he is going to get opportunities over the course of the next few months and I think there is a good chance he will go and take them as well."
QPR loanee forward Macauley Bonne, who grew up in Ipswich and was in the club's academy, is Town's current leading scorer with 12 goals, but he has only scored twice since the start of November.
Attacking wide player Wes Burns, who has recently been deployed as a right-sided wing-back, is level behind him with number 10 specialist Conor Chaplin, both having scored eight times.
James Norwood has four, having only made 10 League One appearances (five starts), form which recently earned him the PFA Vertu Motors Fans' Player of the Month in League One for December.
Meanwhile, the Town boss also revealed attacking midfielder Scott Fraser's departure had been driven by the player but that he was happy they had enough cover in his area of the pitch.
