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Jewell: Long-Term Approach Not Abandoned
Friday, 19th Oct 2012 06:00

Town boss Paul Jewell insists that this summer’s much-vaunted look towards the long-term has not been abandoned, despite the total of loan players having risen to eight. He says that he would have preferred to bring players in on a permanent basis during the transfer window but for one reason or another deals — including those for some of the players he has now brought in on loan - couldn’t be done.

Jewell believess that sometimes it’s better for younger players to have the pressure taken off them when a side is struggling but says they won't be forgotten: “It’s not abandoned. We tried to get players while the window was open. I would ask the question ‘what do you want me to do now that the window’s shut?’ Not bring anyone in?

“We are in a difficult situation. We’re in a situation where we’ve got to put some daylight between us and the teams at the bottom, and if you put too many young players in, it can do more harm than good, both to them and to the team.

“We think Massimo Luongo’s smashing, we think Luke Hyam [is as well], but it’s a pressure situation we’re in and we’re just trying to get some players in who can deal with the situation to try and get us over this sticky spell that leads to a longer-term plan.

“But we’re happy with Luke Hyam’s progress this season," he added. "He picked up an injury which has knocked him back a bit. Massimo Luongo’s going to be a good player too.

“Sometimes when you’re in a situation like we’re in now, you can do more harm to the young players. Sometimes you’ve got to take them out and give them a bit of a rest, so that’s what we’ve done.”

He says that while his immediate priority is arresting the slump that has seen the Blues drop to 23rd, even that’s with a view to the longer term: “At the moment, we’re second from bottom of the league, so we’ve got to improve.

“Whatever we’re doing, however we’re playing - and I’ve looked at all the stats and we’re playing better football than we did last year, we create more opportunities, we’re passing the ball more - we’re losing games.

“So, we’ve got to try and get over this [spell]. To go long-term sometimes you’ve got to go short-term [in order to get there].

“Ever since I’ve come here there’s been a long-term plan. Every time we think we’re making strides, something happens, we get a knock-back.


“We’ve got some good young players here and we don’t want to harm them by putting them into game situations which they haven’t got the experience for.

“I know what people will say — you’ve got to learn. But if we can take them out of the firing line for a little bit and get experience and get results, then we can look further on.”

The Liverpudlian says that some of the nine players that have come in on loan or on a short-term basis were previously — and ultimately still are — permanent targets: “They’re not just here as loans. I tried to sign a couple of the players, and a lot of [other] players, before the window closed.

“But the Premier League clubs were saying ‘No, we’ve got to get ours in’, then all of a sudden at 12.05 after the deadline those players become available.

“It’s difficult for supporters to understand but sometimes it’s down to money, sometimes it’s down to other clubs, sometimes it’s down to players.

“Without going into each and every player individually, that’s why we find ourselves having to loan players. It’s not ideal. But the loan players we’ve got here are good people.

“We’ve got six domestic and two cross borders. It’s not ideal but we’d like, if it was possible, for those players to become Ipswich players. It’s not as if they’re ships passing through in the night.

“They’re good players and the couple of weeks' training that we’ve had, and the week we’ve had since the new guys have been here, have been really good.”

Ideally he says he’d like to get younger players in but says it’s not always possible: “We’d love to get a Danny Higginbotham at 23 but I have to tell you we’ve searched high and low for young centre-halves, ever since we’ve been here.

“Everyone’s looking for them and can’t find them. We’ve got Danny, who’s got the experience.

"You look at John McGreal and people like that who have been at this football club, Jason De Vos, they can play at the back for a bit longer. We wanted younger and hungrier players. We’d love to be getting Reo-Coker at 21 and DJ Campbell at 22, of course we would.”

He concedes that Spurs only sent Massimo Luongo to Town for the season in order that the Australian could gain first team experience, while Richie Wellens is here for just a month.

However, he says the Leicester man was someone he had previously been after and felt he was worth bringing in even if it was just temporarily: “Richie’s only come in for the short-term to play games. He’s a quality footballer and I don’t think anyone would doubt that he’s a quality footballer.

“We tried to buy him, we couldn’t buy him, then he got injured, then he became available. What do you do, do you take him or not take him? We’ve taken him.”

As for the other recent additions, Jewell says that although they are experienced, they’re hardly at the end of their careers “Reo-Coker’s 28, that’s not ancient, DJ’s 30, he’s sharp. I understand exactly what the fans must be thinking, but nothing’s been abandoned, however we have Plan B.

“It would be great to have a team which was 23 or under, but at the moment that’s not going to happen.

“But we do want to look long-term. We don’t want to fill the club with loan players. We don’t want to fill the club with 35-year-olds, we don’t want to do that, but for the situation at the moment, to lead us to a brighter future, I think we’ve got to go with quality players who have proven their quality at the level.

“The next question will be that we did that with Lee Bowyer, Jimmy Bullard and Keith Andrews. But with respect, [the players coming in now are a bit younger] — DJ’s 30, he’s quick, he’s strong, he’s got 100% record. Age becomes an issue only when results go against you.”

He says the striker is one he hopes might prove to be a longer-term signing: “DJ Campbell, his contract’s up in the summer, I’m hoping there might be something we can do there."

The three-month loan of Bilel Mohsni is another one which could become permanent and Jewell says was a good chance to assess the Frenchman over a longer spell: “He’s come here and it’s too good a deal not to have because he can play left wing, he can play right wing, he can play up front, he can play centre-half, he can play anywhere. He’s different and he can get six or seven goals.

“Guirane N’Daw, he’s here for the season. Then there’s Danny Higginbotham, who we will try and sign permanently, Daryl Murphy’s here for a year.”

Jewell dismisses rumours that Senegalese international N’Daw threw his toys out of the pram after being left out of the 18 for the Cardiff match: “He hasn’t thrown them at me anyway! Someone said he wasn’t at the game, but I saw him after the match.”

The Blues boss says that Marcus Evans’s funding of the recent deals shows that he still has his backing, despite the poor start to the campaign: “The owner has been right behind me, he’s backed me in really, really difficult circumstances and by bringing these players in has shown people that he has faith in me long term to do the job.”


Photo: Action Images



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Blue_Dwarf added 06:25 - Oct 19
Mmmmmm long term approach not abandoned.... Lets see if Hyam is playing on Saturday then!
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roysboys added 06:43 - Oct 19
You can't abandon something which never existed.
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bigolconnor added 06:46 - Oct 19
He's basically said that Hyam won't be playing in the article. So I doubt it.
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BlueySwede added 06:53 - Oct 19
“Everyone's looking for them and can't find them." Wow. Does that mean that Cardiff, Leicester etc are playing without centre halves?? Of course there are centre halves out there, maybe not so many that are the finished article, but that is what good managers are for. To nurture and teach them.
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itfc1981 added 07:11 - Oct 19
Paul all it shows is that Evans doesnt want to give a new manager a League 1 club.
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delias_cheesy_flaps added 07:15 - Oct 19
I can't recall too many of our youngsters featuring in our 'bad run' so I fail to see how your comments on pressure is relative.
Why don't you just walk away PJ so we can get a man with a plan in charge, I'm sick and tired of hearing you spout nonsense day after day.
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WarkyWonderLand added 07:18 - Oct 19
How can you ever trust what comes out of his mouth and can he actually remember what he has previously said?

Fast forward 3 months and how many of Campbell, wellens, reo Coker, Henderson, mohsi will be here?

Funny how none of these players were ever mentioned pre season or linked with. The trouble is they are not match fit.

Last throw of the dice for you Mr jewell cos if you can't get results now that has to be it.

Will support the team but have lost all faith in you.
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Duncan added 07:24 - Oct 19
Ironically it was young Luke Hyam who when brought into the team last season only due to injuries and at the point in the season when the pressure was at its highest that results started to turn around - surely this would show that he has what it takes to deal with the pressure. The problem I have is it's hard to love these players when u know the vast majority at the end of a game we lose think oh well soon be back at my club
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itfcjoe added 07:29 - Oct 19
Just full of contradictions yet again, rent-a-gob just says what he thinks people want to hear.

Actions speak louder than words
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DurhamTownFan added 07:34 - Oct 19
To be fair I applaudp for coming out to answer these criticisms. However, for me, his signings speak of panic, and suggest pj has no faith in his ability to coach and to manage players like hyam, smith and loach. Don't seem to remember burley loaning them in each time wright, bramble or dyer had a dodgy spell!
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hairbear added 07:47 - Oct 19
CLOWN OUT!!!
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oscarwhiting added 07:51 - Oct 19
All I can hope for jewell is that some of these loans become permanent in January or all of this would have been pointless.
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ericclacton added 07:57 - Oct 19
Trying hard not to sound negative, I think J R talks a load of inane nonsence.
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Mr_Jingles added 08:05 - Oct 19
Desperate times !
When we lose to Hull at the weekend he'll say 'we need time to gel all the new players'
Different to the same old excuses so far this season I suppose... but still annoying

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TimmyH added 08:08 - Oct 19
More cobblers from Jewell, I listen to very little of what he comes out with lately!
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TrumptonBlue added 08:18 - Oct 19
"I would ask the question ‘what do you want me to do now that the window's shut?' Not bring anyone in?"

Yes, that's exactly what I'd like you to do. Coach the players you have, improve them, be patient with them and mould them into a team.
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ericclacton added 08:23 - Oct 19
J R = Jewell Rant.
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Norwichbeater added 08:27 - Oct 19
There is no long term approach or plan. That is the problem. If there was we wouldn't have 8 players on loan. The transfer mistakes from last year have been repeated again. So has Paul Jewell's comments. He is a nice amiable man however i can't see any signs of progress since he was appointed. Correct me if i am wrong but i find attending football matches at Portman road more frustrating and soul destroying than ever before. However i do still have a season ticket and i do still support the team. I have even started taking my 6 and 7 year old children and they actually enjoy going! They haven't seen us win yet!!!!!!!!
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Legend added 08:29 - Oct 19
The big question that should be put to Jewell is "Do you know what you are doing" because it sure as hell doesn't look like it!
And to think that Keane was sacked for a lot less than this clown, and he also had a better record! And that record was awful!
Personally i think ME is losing interest in ITFC, if he ever had any in the first place!!
I'm a firm believer in actions speak louder than words, so lets see some action!
Lets see this plan you have for ITFC Mr Evans?
Infact the same question should also be put to Evans "Do you know what you are doing"
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TrumptonBlue added 08:29 - Oct 19
"Age becomes an issue only when results go against you.”

Average age of Town teams this season:
Blackburn 24.1 - draw
Watford 24.2 - win
Blackpool 25.0 - loss
Huddersfield 25.0 - draw
Middlesbrough 26.9 - loss
Wolves 26.1 - loss
Charlton 26.3 - loss
Barnsley 28.1 - draw
Brighton 27.7 - draw
Cardiff 28.3 - loss

So, basically, as the team gets older, the results get worse. You're right, PJ, age *does* become an issue when results go against you.
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algarvefan added 08:36 - Oct 19
Clueless, rudderless, useless.....winless!!!!!!!
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brendanh added 08:45 - Oct 19
I could post links to when PJ has uttered these words previously. They are empty, he is a hypocrite.

"What do you want me to do now that the window's shut? Not bring anyone in?" Other than a CB, yes Paul, that's exactly what we wanted you to do. Build a team not loan in mercenaries. You stumbled onto the right formula in Feb this year but instead of having faith in those players, our players, you abandoned them and the Ipswich philosophy. Just go you liar.
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Karlosfandangal added 08:52 - Oct 19
Hyam better than Wellens and Reo Cocker then according to the post on here.
Loach a better keeper than Henderson because he is Ipswich fan

Wonder how many happy fans we would have if we went down with all the youngsters playing at least Jewell could say they have experience now.

Edwards is our best player at the minute and he is 34. Martin not old but not at his best, Cresswell is rubbish as is Smith but are good players do we need to rest them. Cresswell has had a full season so should be better than last year.

Does the club sell any player who get to 28 as they are too old
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dugoutdave added 08:57 - Oct 19
Right - now here comes the largest number of minus points ever. I actually think there is some truth in what he says. Do one thing you're dammed do another you're hanged do nothing and you're drawn and quartered. The loans he has got are good players and we would have welcomed them in the close season.If they blend and play well and he can get some of them to stay then I think most of us would have to agree they are good signings. Bring in the youngsters and blood them bit by bit but we need esperience to get us out of this mess. Sorry but remember without different opinions there's no point of having a comment section.
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ericclacton added 09:03 - Oct 19
Good point dugoutdave, good point.
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