Despite the most hectic of summers, Matt Holland is chomping at the bit for another dose of domestic football with Ipswich Town.

The Blues skipper - fresh from a heroic World Cup campaign with the Republic of Ireland - leads his troops into battle at Walsall tomorrow as they launch another escape act from Division One.

Bouyed by the dream of promotion - not to mention more adventures in the UEFA Cup - Holland is more than ready to pull on his boots again, despite a summer of high drama in Japan and Korea.

And he is also looking forward to seeing his name in the news again for reasons on the pitch, rather than being linked with yet another Premiership club.

Just about half the sides in the Premiership most recently Aston Villa and West Brom are reported to have been clamouring for his signature, especially in light of his Far Eastern heroics.

But, according to the man himself, those rumours are nothing more than paper talk anyway.

He told the Evening Gazette: "I can say with my hand on my heart that I haven't been approached by any other clubs.

"Speculation comes with the territory as a professional footballer but it can be unsettling, seeing your name touted around here, there and everywhere.

"I've always stressed that I'm very happy at Ipswich. I've still got four years left on my contract and I want to honour them."

Published Friday August 9, 2002

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