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

bluemay77 added 21:48 - Sep 25 Even if a new manager came in he could not do anything with the squad till January he would be stuck with the current rubbish squad we have so we might as well wait till mid dec and see where we are then
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Lukeybluey added 21:52 - Sep 25 i say, when we play Cardiff at home, we make portman road a cauldron of noise. Lets bring back 'fortress' portman road! COYB's!
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Lightningboy added 22:00 - Sep 25 It just feels like the last few months of Keane's time here at the moment - Dead time - like we're all waiting for someone to put Jewell (and ourselves) out of his/our misery.. Even if we win the next couple of matches , as soon as we lose a couple all this will kick off again and again etc... I only hope that there are major goings on behind the scenes at the moment 'cos the last 3 years have been totally unacceptable for a club with our history & potential.

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Tiggs added 22:04 - Sep 25 Clegg, your comments are laughable. Mr. Jewell is simply not up to the job, or indeed ever was. Current record at Ipswich speaks for itself; P 80 W 29 D 16 L 35 - Win Ratio 36.25% Roy Keane's record - P 81 W 28 D 25 L 28 Win Ratio 34.57% Crowds under Mr. Keane circa 21,000. Under Mr. Jewell currently 16,500. mmmm, only one thing to do Mr. Clegg......
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Lightningboy added 22:15 - Sep 25 ME knows he's going to have egg all over his face if he has to sack another of his appointments,that's why he's desperate fot PJ to turn it all around...face it Marcus,you made a bloody big balls up in getting rid of Jimbo.
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Bob7881 added 22:22 - Sep 25 Bluemay77 totally disagree the change has to be ASAP so the new guy can steady the ship get us into a safe position giving him time to look at what and who he needs in. I say forget instant success a build a team and squad to acheive longer term goals ie yes as always get to the premiership. No more loans, no more over the hill pros looking to top up the pension. I dont know who should be the new guy thankfully thats not my job.

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runaround added 22:25 - Sep 25 I guess it is laughable that Harry would want to come to ITFC, after all we have a CEO who alienates fans(who are the club)everytime he speaks and an owner who wants players to accept the national minimum wage! We all know that Clegg would not say the PJ had 1 game to save himself, but he must be aware a large number of the fans have lost faith in PJ and the recent results suggest the players aren't being motivated by him either. A change in manager is needed but also a change in direction from the club, to keep PJ in the vain hope he could turn it around is dangerous to say the least. One thing for sure, if things continue like this the club will lose more fans, more matches and sooner or later its championship status. Mr Evans, please wake up

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kerryblue added 22:42 - Sep 25 CLEGG AND JEWELL =OUT
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TownLad21 added 22:45 - Sep 25 as long as he is at the club we should get behind him and the players to give them confidence to turn the results around and get this club to where we want to be
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nitroblue1970 added 23:00 - Sep 25 So the Harry rumours are laughable?.....Or is it that the club appraoched harry over the weekend and he knocked them back?...so now...4 days later captain clegg rolls out of his comfy office to declare that PJ can turn it around. If he wasa that convinced why wait 4 days to back his manager??????
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EatonBlue added 23:11 - Sep 25 Oh my sides are splitting with laughter just as they were after the usual 100 mile round trip last Saturday.
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portmanteau added 23:26 - Sep 25 you have to wonder how qpr manage to pay their huge wages and make big money signings on their crowd income which must be similar to ours. ok not doing so well up to now but good to watch. same goes for stoke who I would watch any day rather than england for instance. is it just because they spend and have great managers and we don't?
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BuckieBlue added 23:32 - Sep 25 Looks like PJ is getting more time, so I agree with you TownLad21. Anyway Harry would have been more short termism, let's build for future, with whoever ME decides is to be in charge.
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OrkneyBlue added 00:16 - Sep 26 I'm one who likes to give the manager time, however I firmly believe that the time will come in the next couple of weeks where by a decision has to be made, if not sooner. I get frustrating by comments like "We are only 7 games in, give it time" etc. I believe that the frustration isn't purely based on those seven games so far, it's based on the PJ's whole term in charge, I mean we have hardly set the league alight have we. Couple that with Keane's time and that equates to why people are reacting in the way that they are. Yes, it is a difficult league and any team can find themselves mid table with half a dozen games to go and can sneak into the play offs but also get dragged into a relegation fight. I don't expect us to be challenging for the title when the season starts every year but I would like to think we should be there or there abouts the playoffs with a few games to go. I believe that if we were a team who performed to that level every season and played some decent footy then most real ITFC fans who be generally happy, even if we missed out on the play offs eventually? Clegg and Evans don't help and are part of the overall problem but they don't train the squad and it's not their job to get the players to perform. Either way it's a very difficult and horrible situation for all of us.

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casanovacrow added 06:56 - Sep 26 only thing laughable is Jewell still being here when he's not improved the performances on the pitch in his entire time here and isn't trying anything new to change that. Cue backlash from fans who were trusting ME and SC to sort it out.
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werderbremenblue added 07:41 - Sep 26 they are just delaying the inevitable, unless we have a miracle in the coming 2/3 weeks he has to go. as much as id love to see harry down here i just cant see it, another mediocre appointment such as megson or mccarthy and we will still be in the relegation fight. having said that we always blame the manager but we have to look at the players on the pitch who are not putting in the performances when money is tight these days and fans are forking out £30+ each week to see that things need to change big time

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MattRichardsOfficial added 08:24 - Sep 26 If we leave this much longer we will be the next coventry or preston! Im all for giving managers time but even the most optimistic fan can see that we are a sinking ship
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BillBlue added 09:50 - Sep 26 Abullardnightout - an emphatic 'no' to that thanks but agree 100% with both of your statements. COYB
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tractorblue added 12:25 - Sep 26 Mr Clegg,please,enough really is enough,you are so out of your depth,you have not got a clue how the fans feel,you simply don't understand football full stop,we really are becoming a laughing stock. After Saturday i really believed that Jewell would of been out,after his comments after the result Saturday and on Monday,i saw a totally beaten man,nowhere to go,just waiting for the inevitable,but Mr Clegg,no,u come out and say that Mr Jewell can turn this around,but wait for it,there is a tipping point,what a total mess. If we do manage to beat Barnsley Saturday,this situation with Jewell will not go away,he has lost the changing room(Dont really know if he has ever had control of it),he has clearly lost the majority of the supporters,performances are dreary,tactically he has completely lost it,he has gone down a cul-de-sac,and really is stuck,it is obvious to the majority(not all),that this has to stop,what happens if we lose to Barnsley,what will we all be posting Saturday/Sunday on here,it will all be the same,with maybe a few more Jewell supporters drifting to the OUT side. Will it be,ME still backing a dead loss. Where is IPSWICH TOWN FC really going,it really does hurt as i watched us in the late 70's onwards,and at the moment this is the worst i have ever known my great club,we are really slipping and falling lads,Real DARK Days Ahead.

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LordMamu added 13:14 - Sep 26 Isn't part of the problem that the journalists aren't asking the right questions? Surely at the press conferences some-one has to ask the difficult questions (what is the plan short term and long term, are there transfer constraints, are Clegg and Evans out of their depth in a sector they do not understand?) and voice the frustration of the fans. Tell Clegg most of the fans going through the (immaculate) turnstiles think he and Evans do not have a clue about appointing managers or running this once great club.

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bluetractor73 added 20:38 - Sep 26 ignore all the rubbish that comes out of cleggs mouth as he talks more rubbish than there is at my local landfill site so i don't believe anything this man says lose on saturday and jewell could well be out
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Tractastic added 22:55 - Sep 26
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skyway added 15:18 - Sep 27 What we need is clearly is a new owner that has some real !! money to invest, a new chairman that has a football back ground and knows what he is saying and doing and most certainly a manager that can manage a team to play some good football and get some results. This rubbish that has been played lately is totally embarrassing to this club which has had such a great passed and produced the players we have (and sold so cheaply I must add) not mentioning the 2 best England managers the country has ever seen or had. Just get out Jewel, Clegg & Evans

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