Town chief executive Simon Clegg has dismissed weekend speculation that Harry Redknapp was set to take over as manager of the Blues as “laughable”. Clegg says he is confident that current boss Paul Jewell can turn things around despite the disappointing start which sees Town in 23rd in the Championship.

Reports prior to kick-off on Saturday claimed that some bookmakers had suspended betting on Redknapp joining the Blues, although at least one of those cited was still offering odds of 20-1 at the time.

Clegg, speaking in a lengthy interview with Ipswich Player, says that there is nothing in claims that Redknapp — or any other boss — has been talked to about the Town job: “I can absolutely assure you that there have been no conversations with any other managers. The stuff about Harry is laughable really.

“People put two and two together and made about 27. Harry went out [to the Sir Bobby Robson Classic golf tournament in Portugal in the summer] as part of the Ipswich Town team. He’s done that in previous years. It’s not something we’ve made a big shout about, but all of a sudden people see Marcus and Harry together.

“Marcus and Harry have known each other for a number of years and it’s well known that he is one of the many people that Marcus consults with from the football family when making decisions.”

The chief executive says he is confident that Jewell can get the Blues moving in the right direction: “No doubts at all [that Paul is the man for the job].

“He’s the manager and it’s business as usual. We’re desperately trying to turn this situation around. Paul’s more conscious than most people in terms of what needs to happen.

“He’s a man who puts huge pressure on himself and I’m confident that we are going to turn this season around.”

However, he admits that if things don’t improve, a change would eventually be made: “We live in a dynamic and very fluid environment and of course there’s a tipping point.

“There’s a tipping point that comes with every manager but I’m not going to tell you when that tipping point is because it will depend on a number of factors which have to be taken into account as we go down this particular road.

“I continue to have every confidence in Paul and his ability to turn things around, and I hope that he will do.”

Photo: Action Images

IpswichTownFan1 added 17:22 - Sep 25 EI EI EI O, Down The Football League We Go, When Lose and get relegated This Is What We Sing, We Are Ipswich We Are Ipswich Sack Paul Jewell now! EI EI EI O, Down The Football League We Go, When we lose and move to League 1, This Is What We Sing, We Are Ipswich We Are Ipswich We are also S**t Sack Paul Jewell Now!
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wkj added 17:24 - Sep 25 Clegg's impact to the club is the only thing I find laughable- However here Clegg goes again, doing what he does best, sapping any hope out of many of the fans... again
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Gazelle added 17:25 - Sep 25 It's been said more than once that Jewell is a poor motivator but we supporters have the same responsibility and judging by some of the comments we're not so good at it either.
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Blue_Meanie added 17:26 - Sep 25 Mr Clegg, do not take us for 'plebs'.
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Bluewelshman added 17:29 - Sep 25 FOR GODS SAKE!!!!!! We a rotten from the very top to the very bottom of this club. We have an owner whos only interest in the club is to get a manager who can make humerous after dinner speeches or can play a decent game in charity golf tournaments. We have Mr Clegg...where the f**k do I begin, someone with no football experience whatsoever, someone who thinks we will appear in the Premier league as if by magic, a laughable cheif exec who could not seal a deal even with help from ro-hypnol. PJ...a man who's record as manager is not that good, apart from getting promotion with Bradford his record is dreadfull ask any Sheffield Wednesday fan. From poor signings to poor tactics, even his backroom staff leave a lot to be desired, how long have the defence been struggling...training...training...what no improvement. PJ has said that we have problems with our finishing...training...traning...what no improvement. I love this club and it breaks my blue and white heart to see these staff and players take advantage of the supporters faith in them and loyalty. Its time for a change..yes, but do anyone of us have faith in the clubs upper management to make the right decision...unfortunately I don't. COYB

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Mystified added 17:32 - Sep 25 Please remember Mr Clegg that without a fan base you dont have a club! Stop treating the good ITFC supporters as idiots. Please leave ITFC and take Mr Jewell with you. The fans have had enough now.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 17:32 - Sep 25 Bluewelshman - think you may have forgotten Wigan promoted to PL too.
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naa added 17:36 - Sep 25 Bluewelshman: it's been said but yes what about Wigan from league 1 to prem and final of league cup? Not too shabby. Get your facts straight before making judgements
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Stewards_Enquiry added 17:40 - Sep 25 DEAR MR CLEGG YOU ARE A CLOWN ! BETWEEN YOU AND PAUL JEWELL YOU ARE DESTROYING OUR GREAT CLUB ! MR CLEGG YOU CAN'T NEGOTIATE AND THAT CLOWN YOU EMPLOYE CAN'T SEE A DECENT PLAYER JUST LOOK AT MOST OF HIS SIGNINGS ! JOKERS
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Stewards_Enquiry added 17:45 - Sep 25 Simon CLEGG is a clown is a clown He's taking Ipswich down down down Get this muppet out of town town town Before its to late and were down down down
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naa added 17:48 - Sep 25 Please list all of Jewell's signings and give a success/failure/undecided against them. Personally, I think he's made a number of decent signings and a number of failures, as most managers will do. His failures have been a lot cheaper than Keane's, he has also got Klug back to the club, undoing one of the MANY mistakes Keane made, some of which we can't undo (eg. Jordan Rhodes). Sure, things aren't good at the moment and I'm undecided as to if he should stay or not but surely we can learn from the last two times we all clamoured for the manager to go can't we? How did they work out for us? Were we in a better or worse position before Magilton was sacked? Those desperate for another sacking should realise that success is far from guaranteed. The one thing that is different is that the club is in a slightly less terrible state now than when Keane left.

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Lightningboy added 17:50 - Sep 25 It's a wonder he didn't say " Harry speculation is laughable you plebs".. Are you confident that Jewell will turn things around like you were confident Keane wouldturn things around Clegg? I can only hope that when PJ does go,Marcus Evans is sensible enough to get rid of you at the same time so we can all start afresh.
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Tractorboysi added 17:52 - Sep 25 Did n't clegg give the same speech, before Keane was sacked, I can only hope history repeats its self and he's gone soon. If I performed this badly in my job I would have been sacked months ago and I would have got no compensation either.
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yorksblue added 17:54 - Sep 25 Can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. It continues to be a large black hole. We need protests such as the ones which ultimately got rid of Lyall and McGivern. Sadly, we can't get on the pitch thesedays, but there's plenty of alternatives.
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WarkyWonderLand added 18:00 - Sep 25 He got out of jail last year at barnsley but don't think he will this year. It's not far for him to go home to west Yorkshire from Barnsley. Familiar words from calamity clegg in terms if tipping point etc before keane was sacked. Given Barnsleys win against Birmingham fearing a 3 nil defeat. If the club keep coming out with the messages they do then they will definitely be losing the faithful support. He should have gone after the Burnley debacle last season. Still hasn't created a team and never will. At any other club he would have gone by now.

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SouperJim added 18:02 - Sep 25 Looks like it's time for a few bedsheets then
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upthewallpaul added 18:04 - Sep 25 The only laughable one here is you, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB! What kind of muppet recruits a CEO with no experience, knowledge or qualifications in their industry. This guy obviously has nothing but disdain for ITFC fans, hence why he has alienatined most of us and just doesn't listen.
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ITFC4daprem added 18:11 - Sep 25 His is he man to say to say that, how much does he know except that there are 11 players on a pitch
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essexitfc added 18:11 - Sep 25 Clegg is an idiot, how can he think Jewell can turn this around, knew the Redknapp rumours were too good to be true. We should be calling for Clegg and Jewell to go. How did he get the job in the first place? Never had a job in football before, I fear for us this season with these clowns in charge.
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paulcooperisgod added 18:12 - Sep 25 A waste of time clegg doesn't give a sh#t about what's written on here and he cares about the club even less!! FAN POWER AT THE NEXT HOME MATCH
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RaymondovicBlue added 18:13 - Sep 25 Keep it simple - PJ wanted 10 games. ME does not want to waste the money he HAS put in with signings and staff changes and so MUST give it time ... but only 3 more games to be fair to all .. including those whose minds are already made up. That leaves time for a temporary boss to hold the fort whilst we get the right motivator and tactician in before January to fill gaps with ME wallet open again once the new boy has made his case well with a good few game analyses to prove his point. Players - it is not just PJ's future we are considering due to under-performance, it is yours too ...

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cat added 18:13 - Sep 25 Clegg your a joke, until today i had no issue with him. Just when you think it cant get anymore negative he comes out with this crap. Jewel should have gone after the peterborough thrashing of last season. Why dont we just waste another few months waiting for Jewel to fail. We are tactically inept with no direction. Losing the match 6 nil to Blackpool is hardly playoff material so get the waste of space out now.

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warbeat78 added 18:16 - Sep 25 Mr cleg are you sure PJs background checks are ok or is he a double agent for the lot down the rd Haha!!
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blues1 added 18:20 - Sep 25 upthewallpaul, how many ceos can you name at football clubs who have experience in the game?not many i would guess. even people like kenyon at chelsea knew nothing about football when he went to man utd. hes a businessman doing the job of running the business side of a club, as is clegg here. a business which is on much safer foundations than before he & m.e. arrived here. yes, he says some daft things at times, hes not the greatest c.e.o ever, but hes doing the job thats expected of him by m.e. and despite the constant ridiculous comments of people on here that he cant complete deals, hes completed more deals in the past 5 years then any other c.e.o/chairman of this club had in the previous 10 years. hes completed 21 in the last year alone. what i would say to you people is fine, criticise him for things he deserves criticism for but at least get your facts right before spouting spurious facts. as for this statement, hes said pretty much what anyone, in his position, would have said. but gets vilified for doing so. what i suggest is you read between the lines. he hasnt given unequivocal support to pj, having suggested there is a tipping point for hi to be removed. my guess that tipping point is close.

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gazzer1999 added 18:21 - Sep 25 We appear to have spent 4 years since they sacked jim trying to turn things around, I think most people would have been happy to just flirt with the top six in that time. Lets face it we do not have a settled side with the current turnaround of players. I for one do not blame Evans or Clegg they have tried to sign players that Jewell has identified, its just the wages that they require are way above what we feel able to give, Oh for the days of Sir Bobby when we nurtured our own players through the ranks, and then when Sir Bobby signed a player it felt really special.

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