Blues boss Paul Jewell says he hopes to speak to a couple of transfer targets this week and also receive permission to talk to two more. The Town manager sees adding to his striking ranks as the priority but wants five or six players across his squad, including a replacement for departing central defender Gareth McAuley.

Jewell says adding a goal threat for next season is the most significant task: “That’s the main area of concern, although obviously we’ve got to replace Gareth and we will be bringing in other players in other positions. But the one that we need is that 20-goal-a-season man.

“I don’t know whether there’ll be anyone in this week. We want to speak to a couple of players this week and we’re hoping to get permission to speak to a couple more.

“I’d like to do it as quickly as possible. My experience tells me that that doesn’t always happen, but if we were to get a couple of key signings in early on it would help us get better players in later on in the summer.”

The Liverpudlian has favoured a 4-4-2 formation in the past with his more successful sides, but feels that with most teams in the Championship playing a variation of 4-3-3/4-5-1, you can’t be rigidly tied to one system: “I think we’ve got to be flexible. I did say that the Bradford and Wigan teams we got promoted from the Championship were 4-4-2 teams with two strikers who got 50 goals between them and a wide player that got us 15.

“Whatever system we play we’ve got to make sure we score goals. We’ve conceded goals in the last few games but one of the reasons we are where we are is that we’re not a goal threat enough of the time."

The current squad were debriefed yesterday before being sent away for the summer with personally tailored fitness plans: “The players have been sent away with their own individual programmes.

“I’ve given the players the targets they’ve got to reach physically and if they want to be part of it, great, if they don’t want to be part of it, if it’s too difficult or too hard for you, we won’t fall out about it, knock on my door and come and tell me and let’s move you on.

“To be part of what we want to do next year, we’ve got to improve on what we’ve seen this season.”

Photo: Action Images

suffolkpoker added 09:06 - May 10 sounds like a exciting week infront of us, my guess is we will have Sharp in the building this week amogst others
0

PartyDaz added 09:08 - May 10 Bet Scotland has been told to get his fat ar$e on a treadmill constantly until the end of July!
0

Superfrans added 09:14 - May 10 Like the idea of the fitness targets. But I reckon Jason Scotland just needs to stop wearing the arran sweater he has had on under his kit for the whole of this past season.
0

bluelady added 09:22 - May 10 must admit my first thought was will Scotlands pie intake be limited over the summer! did say last week that a signing was coming this week, now its moved to a maybe. Fingers crossed, with 6 decent signings we stand a chance, less than that and i truely believe we will struggle very badly next season. Its a def make or break for town this summer.
0

parkinshair added 09:28 - May 10 Great to see jewell getting to work on bringing players in straight away. Also a great no nonsense attitude to the players fitness. Much better than the "Take my time" and "Irons in the fire" stuff that Magilton and Keane used to spout
0

Guthrum added 09:53 - May 10 bluelady It was only ever a 'maybe' for signings this week and, indeed, he may have been referring to resolving the Norris/McAuley situations. Still, it sounds like Jewell is taking a fairly brisk (rather than merely hopeful) approach to getting transfer movement sooner rather than later. Also liking his attitude to player fitness/desire to participate. In some ways he's tougher and more ruthless than Keane, but in a better way and without the rumours of unpleasantness. Effective (rather than gratuitous) toughness and ruthlessness are attributes of the more successful managers, so not a bad thing at all.

0

tractorgirl2 added 10:13 - May 10 I love pj, at last a proper manager, may be scotland can be a force next year if he can lose the weight notice i did say maybe. As regards to new signing i still think he is talking about westwood but as we know more clubs are coming in for him, hopefully it can still be done, but we are going to face competition.
0

Thetruth added 10:14 - May 10 Dont believe the hype.......... Our club has not got a great track record at signing decent players that we all want to see at the club. My philosophy with ITFC now and the media garbage is dont believe it until you see the player at the press conference. We will be linked to the whole world, its all just boring....!
0

Matteo_Sereni added 10:30 - May 10 Lets get those signings rolling in!!
0

bedsitfc added 11:01 - May 10 some people are so negative about the club we support in regards to making signings but we have a manager in place that a lot of footballers will want to play for. (well compared to our last manager)
0

andygizmo added 11:10 - May 10 thetruth - it's not boring it's a bit of fun. We may set our sights on Messi and get accrington stanley but after very little excitement since October last year when we started to disintegrate, it's good to want to see what we are or are not doing to bring in players. Ps Just saw Messi getting out of ME's Bentley at Portman Road!
0

AndrewPC added 12:44 - May 10 My mate's brother in law works at Ipswich station and sent an sms saying he just saw Michael Owen get off the train and head for Portman Road Honest truth gov,ner
0

jas0999 added 12:59 - May 10 Jim and Roy both talked about bringing in players early and it never happened. IMO much of the blame lies with the CEO, but none of us really know the facts. PJ is talking a good fight and let's hope he can deliver those players. We need at least 7 or 8 players in my opinion ... but that assumes both Wickham and Bullard will also start next season elsewhere.
0

JoshTheLad added 13:18 - May 10 @AndrewPC, sounds like rubbish to me, though he was apparently considering a move to Derby.. so if he's prepared to drop a league...
0

Lightningboy added 13:46 - May 10 Hope we bring in a couple of new strikers..seriously don't want to be lumbered with Priskin & Scotland again next season. Plus we need a "colossus" at the back.
0

DiamondGezzer added 14:11 - May 10 It isn't only ITFC that at this time of year will be ' linked ' with every player in the world, but agree, only time will tell who we do actually sign. Till then, enjoy the chinese whispers.
0

brian_a_mul added 15:11 - May 10 The best thing now is that the situation with all players contracts (except Eastman) have been sorted. Now PJ can start to build up his squad without any further unnecessary distractions. I think if he can sign up a striker quickly than we can look forward with optisim towards the summer. C'mon Billy Sharpe say yes!
0

ITFC4daprem added 19:34 - May 10 We need either some one to play with Sccotland (can score if supplyed) or sell him and Priskin sign Man us Machada on loan if pos and get lambert Sharp pernemantly. Townsend and pos Danny rose on loan pos Tubs from Crawley Next Season Team (if pos) Fulop Edwards Brown Smith O'Connor Hyam Carson Bullard Dyer Wickham Bench ALb/Cropper Eastman Delaney Peters Townsend D.ROSE Machadar

0

ITFC4daprem added 20:53 - May 10 correction Fulop Edwards Brown Smith O'Connor Hyam Carson Bullard Dyer D.Rose Wickham Bench ALb/Cropper Eastman Delaney Peters Townsend Lambert Machadar
0

h32 added 21:49 - May 10 ... hope to ??? - if you know who you want GET TALKING NOW - otherwise they will be 'on holiday' all summer, and this will again be an excuse come August for not having been able 'close any deals'. Cynical maybe - but it's the truth.
0

penguinsrus added 22:23 - May 10 i think fulop edwards st legar delany o connor carson bullard (another 11 goal midfielder ) wickham sharp boyd deffo top 2 team
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls