FA Cup provides 'change of focus' - McKenna

Ipswich Town boss Kieran McKenna says preparing for their FA Cup third-round tie against Blackpool has provided the squad with "a nice change of focus".

Town are second in the Championship after taking 10 points from four games prior to their 4 January postponement against Portsmouth.

They reached the fifth round last season before losing to Nottingham Forest on penalties and McKenna is hoping for another good run in the competition.

"It's so different for every club - if you ask Crystal Palace fans, it's still the best [cup] competition in the world," McKenna told BBC Radio Suffolk.

"If you ask some of the lower league clubs who progress through the rounds, they'll think it's the best competition in the world.

"For teams that have maybe got big goals in the league, or are competing at the top or bottom of a division, it's probably something that has had to share space in the calendar, and in the mindset of those clubs because of other priorities.

"For me it's a really special competition, we always want to do well in it. We were a bit unlucky to go out against Nottingham Forest on penalties - that would have been quarter-finals if we got through.

"We always go to try to win the first one, and then the next one, and if you win a couple, then you never know. There's no getting away from it that the league is the outstanding priority this season but some good performances and results in the cup usually help that."

Ipswich have only met League One side Blackpool once previously in the FA Cup - winning 2-1 in 2010 with goals by Jack Colback and Owen Garvan.