Town manager Paul Jewell says he needs to be sure he’s got the right man as he continues his search for central defensive additions to his squad. The Blues boss admits that when he’s signed players he hasn’t been entirely certain about in the past, they haven’t always worked out.

Jewell says that aside from ex-Bolton and West Brom man Abdoulaye Meite joining on trial, there was no new progress as of yesterday’s pre-match press conference: “There’s nothing to report. That doesn’t mean I’ve been doing nothing, just that there’s nothing new.

“The window opened again last Monday and even before the window opened I was more aware than anybody that we need to strengthen, and certainly at the centre of the defence we need some competition in there. And there are one or two other areas where we’d like to bring players in as well.”

Despite Tommy Smith and Luke Chambers being the only two senior out and out centre-halves at the club at present, the Liverpudlian insists he’s not going to rush into a panic signing: “I know everyone is clamouring for us to make signings, but I’ve made signings before in the past when I haven’t been sure and they’ve maybe turned out not to be the right ones.

“It’s easy for me, I’ve got to try and be brave and strong and say ‘I want the right one’. The right one might not be available at the moment, I understand that.

“Some that we’ve gone for don’t want to come or we can’t afford them or people that were being offered aren’t what we need.

“We’re not playing Championship Manager here. We’re playing it for real. When you bring players in they’re on wages and on contracts and even if it’s only until January, I still want to try and do the right things, even if people think we should be signing Tom, Dick and Harry.”

The likes of Stoke’s Matthew Upson and Danny Higginbotham, QPR’s Clint Hill and Swansea’s Alan Tate are understood to be on his wish list but so far none of his targets have been available, however, he says that may not always remain the case: “I’m going to try and be strong and say ‘look, I think the right one will come along’.

"We know who we’d like but at the moment we can’t get them, but that might change.”

Photo: Action Images

Ely_Blue added 06:22 - Sep 19 I hate to say the bleeding obvious Mr Jewell but let's say Smith or Chambers pick up a serious injury or a red card tonight, then you'll soon be making a panic buy to cover for Saturday
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dannyhegan added 06:26 - Sep 19 Bottom line is we can't afford anybody decent! And if we sign poor players we finish in the bottom 6 at best!
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bedsitfc added 06:43 - Sep 19 as far as i am concerned with getting players to come to town over anyone else its the same old story. they can get the same wages up north but the cost of living is less so they can have a bigger house and also its a lot less travelling to most away games and more city's on the door step.
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ramseyn added 06:58 - Sep 19 Tom, Dick or Harry?? Don't think we've been linked with these three yet?? Any ideas if they're any good and how much we'd have to offer??
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Keaneish added 07:02 - Sep 19 If somebody handed me a problem or a challenge at work, it took me two years and after those two years I came out with a statement saying 'I wasn't going to be rushed', not only would I feel incompetent and be out of a job but I'd also feel like I'd failed and be very embarrassed expecting reprisal. So can someone please ratify this statement? I heard on the BBC news last night that, and this is a world first, that there are no central defenders available on this planet! Amazing when you think there's nearly 7 billion of us!! Fair Play ITFC, I see your point... I wonder what would happen if Harry Redknapp walked in. Would he struggle to find a defender? No.

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Wallingford_Boy added 07:20 - Sep 19 Chris Wood
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itfc1981 added 07:22 - Sep 19 "I've made signings before in the past when I haven't been sure and they've maybe turned out not to be the right ones". Why on earth do you manage a football club?
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 07:23 - Sep 19 Is Panic the mystery trialist mentioned on TWTD last week?
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positivity added 07:25 - Sep 19 crystal palace managed to bring in a defender who's worthy of a squad place at ipswich, why on earth did we let delaney go if we didn't have someone signed?
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raycrawfordswig added 07:31 - Sep 19 going to take time then panic, cunning plan.
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Ipswich24 added 07:32 - Sep 19 It is a panic signing though isn't it? We have two centre halfs we didn't sign our number 1,2 or 3 targets so we are looking in bargin bin. Is that not panicking? Can I suggest Craig Dawson on loan with view to buy. England U21 centre half at West Brom hardly gets a game.
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battyblue added 07:34 - Sep 19 i will not be rushed into signing a cb ha ha this year or next maybe because no one who is any good dont want to come to a club with no ambition and who wont pay the wages full stop
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blueandwhitebadger added 07:34 - Sep 19 Vital football are linking us with Mikael Silvestre
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StuartBrett8 added 07:36 - Sep 19 Vital football is a sh*t website.... and Mikael Silvestre is 35 ... not exactly a long term prospect :)
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raycrawfordswig added 08:01 - Sep 19 rather have tweetie pie than silvester.
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walberswick added 08:14 - Sep 19 Don't worry Paul, if you don't sign somone soon you won't be here . And you won't be managing anyone again.
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wkj added 08:14 - Sep 19 I am still behind PJ, just, however, if the loan window closes and we have nothing to show for it, I think my patience as a fan for Evans/Clegg and Jewell (by proxy) with about have had it.
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yorksblue added 08:22 - Sep 19 After he blows it again tonight, will we be putting up with such incompetence? It's time for a major shake up at this club, starting with the 3 main comedians, Evans, Clegg and Jimmy Jewell.
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PimsNumber1 added 08:35 - Sep 19 sILVESTRE is well past his best.i was reading his wiki page. not good reading and released .
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RegencyBlue added 08:47 - Sep 19 There are players out there - its just that we want to pay them peanuts! Heard Jewells interview on Radio Suffolk this morning and even he sounds embarrassed coming out with this rubbish now.
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Kesgraveblue57 added 08:50 - Sep 19 For once I go along with PA no point in a panic signing now! but he has know the problem for a long, don't panic Paul your jobs a stake
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brittaniaman added 08:58 - Sep 19 PANIC !!! Jewellio you have had since June 1st ?? not only that you had all of May to think about it ?? minus your holiday of coarse ......
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farmerlad added 08:59 - Sep 19 There is rushing and then theres rushing and i dont think you know the meaning of either Mr Jewell !!!!!!
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itfc1981 added 09:48 - Sep 19 Be fair, he has a Clegg to work with.
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yorksblue added 09:50 - Sep 19 Does Jewell have Caribbean or Mediterranean blood? That would explain "rushing".
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