PAUL Jewell’s popularity at Portman Road might have gone up in the last seven days.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

 

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

IPSWICH TOWN: Paul Jewell’s popularity at Portman Road might have gone up in the last seven days.

But he knows he is not going to be Mr Popular with everyone when he preaches more prudence in spending Marcus Evans’ millionaires.

Just eight months after embarking on a summer spending spree on big names and big wages – if not always for large transfer fees – Jewell has warned Town fans that things need to change.

With the financial fair play ruling coming into force next season, Ipswich have no choice but to cut their cloth accordingly.

While not ruling out spending good money when the right player comes along, the pursuit of the Portsmouth trio Jason Pearce, Joel Ward and Stephen Henderson proved that, it will mean the Blues won’t always be challenging Championship clubs for top players.

Jewell explained: “Everywhere I see people are losing jobs and taking pay cuts and it is the same with football clubs. We have to work to financial fair play so we can’t pay people as much as we have in the past – it just can’t happen.

“I know fans don’t want to hear it, but we have to get people here on decent money not silly money. We don’t want to be getting into the realms of silly money.”

The new financial ruling places a huge question mark over the future of Grant Leadbitter, Lee Bowyer, both pictured above, and Carlos Edwards.

Among the big earners at the club, the trio’s contracts are up at the end of this season and they all might have to accept reduced wages to remain in Suffolk.

It also puts more pressure on Jewell to find bargain buys like Aaron Cresswell and Andy Drury while Town fans will be hoping to add Ryan Stevenson to that list after the midfielder’s £50,000 move from Hearts.

Football League clubs last year voted to impose the financial fair play rules from the start of next season meaning Championship sides will be allowed only to spend what they earn.

And Jewell revealed that other clubs were equally affected – forcing some into high-risk spending in a bid to get out of the second tier before the ruling is adopted.

He added: “I was speaking to Sam (Allardyce, West Ham manager) the other night and he said they are spending money now because he is thinking if they stay in this league next year, they will have to lose nearly 75 per cent of their players.

“A few clubs are putting all their eggs into one basket and gambling on going up.”

29 comments

  • Bryan Klug is a huge loss to us, and a massive gain for Tottenham

    Report this comment

    Kevin Bailey

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • Brian Betts - Good point well made re Klug. I think you are right also to highlight that Jewell seems to be no fan of our youth system and has very publicly and very recently scoffed at some of the achievements of the academy (FA Youth Cup winners).....Remarkable given that during his illustrious playing career he lifted only one pot - the Freight Rover Trophy !!! Just about sums the man up

    Report this comment

    bluearmy78

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • Owing £70 million to an invisible man just to have a Championship bottom 6 side , its only a matter of time untill small clubs go under if they are run like Ipswich.How long before Lowestoft are Suffolks number 1 club ? maybe they already are.

    Report this comment

    LizzSnot

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • Many of the posts on this site have been calling for the re-establishment of our Academy to 'propagate' our own young footballers of the future. It appears that people have forgotten that it takes considerable experience to, first of all, spot promising youngsters, then to be seen as having a stable and national reputation for developing youngsters and finally provide evidence that young talent will be given their opportunity when they are ready. None of these boxes can be ticked with our current set-up since the departure of Brian Klug and some of his better scouts. I am not detracting from Russell Osman but it doesn't end with him, we are handicapped by the reputations of Jewell and his current coaching staff to whom I would not like to put any son or grandson in their charge.

    Report this comment

    Brian Betts

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • Spartacus....logical and fair points, well made. Percy...please read the comments of Spartacus, and then please tell me on what evidence you firstly state that Jewell has done a solid job, and secondly on why those of us who were pointing out the fact that Hyam should be playing months ago, are whingers? Jewell's record doesn't even bear comparison with Keane's, and if conceding 2 goals a game is your idea of solid, then I won't ask what has to happen before you notice difficulties. IF we are not going to spend, we must have the proper academy. If we have neither, then where are the players coming from, as currently we could not field an eleven for our first game of next season. As for knowing little about football, the comment is not even worthy of a response. Despite the comments of ME, I am very cynical about what will happen after the Olympics. Based on him saying that we would be an established Premiership Club within 5 years, in December 2007, I think I am right to be sceptical. As the CEO said he was joined at the hip to Keane, only to sack him weeks later, despite 2010 being the best calendar year since 2004, I believe that I am also right to take his comments with a pinch of salt. These are two of the reasons, along with the playing record, that cause those of us with a slightly higher capacity for realism to differentiate between supporting the team (that happens during playing time) to blindly following the club to oblivion.

    Report this comment

    Kevin Bailey

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • in no other profession than football - here referring to the stats in I Am Spartacus's initial post - do proven failures get constantly re-employed. Neil Warnock needs a job. He gets teams promoted. He has a decent track record.

    Report this comment

    Macquarie

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • This could be very good news, but only if the club invests fully in the academy. Town were famous for their youth policy, and need to get back to that position. I would rather see a slower but gradual improvement with home grown talent than chucking money at at older Premiership players in the hope of a quick fix. Bobby Robson didn't achieve success overnight, but the improvement could be seen year after year, and mostly with home grown players. It took a little while, but look at what he achieved.

    Report this comment

    nsc283b

    Wednesday, February 8, 2012

  • I agree with those who recognise that PJ's values are not the values ITFC has promulgated for the past 76 years. Sorry the season has been a sad experience, a let down, a disappointment, and at times an embarrasment. This is the first time ever in my 50 years of suppor tfor ITFC that I have to admit that Norwich have the better team, the better Chairman, the better manager....but the fans should be a constant? I cannot believ that I am thinking this let alone saying this almost in public, but it is a fact. I am not a Norwich fan, but how I wish we were where they are now.... apologies guys, just gutted by the let down yet again this season. A couple of wins doesn't make up for £1000 for tickets and such sadness and helplessness.. .I need counselling and therapy HELP!!!!

    Report this comment

    Blue and true since 1962

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Rob, are you for real? Do you really not understand the facts? The "club's" money is Marcus Evans' money you fool given through is company he owns 85% of the club and is the only shareholder to have invested money in the club over the past 6 years or so. I would suggest you try to learn a little about the facts before you try to comment on them.

    Report this comment

    Tom

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Still bored with life at carrow road mr yellow? It says something about your team when you are more concerned about our status in the championship than you are a mid -table finish for your own side ah well...... i dont see the lack of funds as any real drawback to the town as having witnessed many of their performances over the past 2 or 3 seasons , i would suggest we are better off looking at cheaper options with more potential than reputation.

    Report this comment

    KEVIN FRANCIS

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • what are we worried about the club have pulled a master stroke in the main sponser being the chairman all we need now is a manager close the door on the way out pj you had your chance wilkins or warnock or both

    Report this comment

    gutted

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Ah Percy V, where would the club be without supporters like you? Your unfailing support and belief is refreshing. However, it doesn't mean that we 'whingers' care any less about ITFC than you do. And yes, some if not all of us, do know about football - from playing, watching or being close friends or relatives of professionals within the game. By all means, be upset with the cuckoos that invade these threads but give due respect to those blue-bloods that don't share your views.

    Report this comment

    Mike Wyatt

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Percy - I presume the solid job you are talking about means humiliation at the hands of the likes of Peterborough, ex-prem "stars" failing to deliver, falling attendances, contracts expiring, other teams third choice keepers between our sticks instead of an Ipswich player, young talent deciding to leave rather than play under Jewell etc etc ......I'm afraid the fact you see this as a "solid job" highlights exactly what you know about football...

    Report this comment

    bluearmy78

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • It’s interesting that Paul Jewell says that Sam Allardyce has admitted that he has spent a lot of money in order to get out of the Championship to avoid this restriction. Well done Sam, because it looks as though he has spent well, West Ham look a good bet for promotion. But didn’t Paul Jewell also try to buy players that he thought would get him out of the Championship toot sweet? Unfortunately, he went for experience, convinced that these were the type of player that would achieve this objective. As we now know, this has gone horribly wrong, the likes of Bullard, Bowyer and Ellington have been a total failure. I hope that Paul Jewell has learnt a good lesson from his old pal Sam, quality and hunger often supersedes experience. Frank Weston, I think that you have raised a very good point about the Premiership clubs getting further away from us in terms of quality, this is a real danger and would be very unfair on all clubs in the Championship if they were allowed to do so. One question that I would like to know the answer to is, what is ITFC’s definition between decent money and silly money? It should not go unnoticed that prospective transfer deals often fall down with ITFC when it comes to personal terms.

    Report this comment

    NB

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Frank - Premier league clubs are already finding ways round these new rules with vastly over inflated naming rights for stadiums and sponsorship deals etc etc - Man City have done precisely this and have smart lawyers & accountants working on this problem. Like many I would much rather money be spent on the academy and would welcome if these rules meant that was deemed the way forward. You have to laugh at Jewell though when he says “Everywhere I see people are losing jobs and taking pay cuts and it is the same with football clubs" ......As Jewell has proved Football has been completely and utterly isolated from the reality of recession and consequences therof - can this man be more oblivious of what life is like in the real world ?? Here is man who is in all likelihood paid more in a year than most fans earn in their lifetimes and whose complete incompetence in his job has not lead to his sacking !! Unbelievable and more than a little insulting to REAL people experiencing REAL hardship.

    Report this comment

    bluearmy78

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • I don't think this is bad news at all. Most Town Fans realise that Paul Jewell is doing a solid job here and will back him all the way. It's just a few mis-guided Whingers who know little about football that can't actually see that. Percy.

    Report this comment

    Percy V

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Oh dear! oh dear! this is deadful news for all town fans and will result in the town being in the championship or worse for the unforeseeable future. The players on the town books have proven they have not got the quality it needs, to even get in the top half of the table that alone the play-offs. So that will mean jewell picking up bargain buys but who will sign for town with their past record of failure? Apart from old-hasbeens like before this awful season.

    Report this comment

    ged scott

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • The key here is that players like Cresswell Drury & Stephenson WANTED to play for ITFC To earlier lament that other more established players didn't was just an indication that they wanted an easy life - the more hungry players who come to the club to try & establish themseves the better - now we just need to commit to a proper acadamy.

    Report this comment

    Old Timer

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • This perhaps underlines how out of touch PJ and those in charge of the club have become. It was US FANS that were calling for less of the over-priced has-beens draining the money we received from Connor Wickham’s sale. It was US FANS calling for decent signings not big ones. It was US FANS who were calling for our young players to be given a chance in OUR first team. It was PJ who brought in expensive short-term signings and unnecessary loan players whilst farming out promising youngsters to other clubs – and he continues to do that for all his talk (yet more talk). So don’t patronize us and make out that this sorry mess (and despite these two tremendous results that have come about because of a good young hungry team that PJ was reluctant if not fiercely opposed to playing) is anything to do with us when we’ve been telling you this is the way forward since you came to the club.

    Report this comment

    Mike Rotch

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • mellow-yella, talking of small clubs, you'd have first hand experience wouldnt you !

    Report this comment

    Liz Knott

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • After, Jewell giving us all the 'sob stories' during the last transfer window about how difficult it is to sign players, he now drops the latest bombshell of having to cut spending. He was the one who splashed out on the highly paid has beens and loanees, wasting much if not all Wickham's transfer fees presumably aided and abetted by Evans and Clegg. Now does anyone believe those answers Evans gave to EADT's questions ? It has been evident for all to see that Evans wanted Premiership football 'on the cheap' whilst soaking up high rate interest payments on the club's growing debts. It was a sad, sad day when Evans and Clegg walked into PR but I for one will not step foot inside the ground again whilst these two 'jokers' and Jewell remain but it will not stop me from supporting the team as I have always done since boyhood.

    Report this comment

    Brian Betts

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Town fans will surely see the sense and applaud the clubs management for its business nouse. Afterall, it would be very difficult for any small club to sustain Championship wages in League One.

    Report this comment

    Mellow_Yellow

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • I am Spartacus. A succunct and accurate assessment of the club's present travails. I would add that, from the start, Mr Clegg has been a consistent leg-iron to the club's well-being. His continuing presence leaves me unable to be optimistic for real progress. Without him, and with a football AND business savvy CEO, many of the ridiculous and harmful decisions made would not have been considered.

    Report this comment

    Mike Wyatt

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • If only. To date 'Evans' has spent a mere £70million of the club's money according to his own figures and 'invested' precisely nothing. An end to such ruinous spending would be much appreciated.

    Report this comment

    Rob Steroo

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • GOOD! Use the money we would have spent on an overpriced player to upgrade the academy and let's go back to how things were when we were a successful club, home grown talent is the way forward, COYB!!

    Report this comment

    TheKidd

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • all the more reason to save and improve the academy promote our own players like in the past,do not send them out on loan but slowly introduce them into the first team gaining experience for next season.PSget rid of dads army ASAP.

    Report this comment

    david peters

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • all the more reason to save and improve the academy promote our own players like in the past,do not send them out on loan but slowly introduce them into the first team gaining experience for next season.PSget rid of dads army ASAP.

    Report this comment

    david peters

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • Contrary to what Paul Jewell may think, I am of the view that most supporters are realistic and know that Town have to cut their cloth according to the new finaincial constraints imposed on football clubs. Let us hope these stringent rules apply to the Premier clubs too because let us make no mistake here,the gap is getting ever wider and the disparity is alarming.

    Report this comment

    FRANK WESTON

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

  • I'm really pleased we have won twice in the last week or so. I'm really pleased that some of the players many fans have wanted in the team are getting a chance now. I'm even more pleased that we are only around 14 points from safety. I am not, however, in any way more predisposed to Paul Jewell being the ITFC manager. To utilise the phrase of 'good teams can't become bad overnight', 'Bad managers don';t become good overnight'. The last 3.5 years of Paul Jewell's management career have been horrific. It reads: Played 151, Won 43, Drew 31, Lost 77. That is a win rate of 28%. To put that into context, Steve McClaren and Kevin Keagan had England win %'s of 50% and 39% respectively, John Duncan had a 45% win rate at Ipswich- but my frusatrations go further than win rates. No reserve side, minimal youth involvement, contradictory statements (every week), lack of long term actions, formation and selection ineptitude, inability to sign much needed players, hypocracy etc... I sincerely hope he goes on to prove me totally incorrect in my assertion, but I really believe he is a disaster waiting to unfold further at Portman Road. My concern is that he keeps us up this season (I now expect this), ME keeps faith over the summer and then come NovemberDecember the penny drops and Jewell is finally sacked. That will mean 2 wasted years when many of us could have pointed out the folly of his reign right from the start.

    Report this comment

    I am Spartacus

    Tuesday, February 7, 2012

1980-81 The greatest season in Ipswich Town's history. Pre-order your copy here - only £19.81

Homes24
Jobs24
Drive24
MyDate24
MyPhotos24
FamilyNotices24
MyMoney24MyVouchers24

Visit the Evening Star website Visit the East Anglian Daily Times website
Click here to read more of our digital publications