Arran Lee-Barrett
Ipswich Town might have to borrow a local keeper on Dutch tour
By Dave Gooderham
Monday, July 16, 2012
12:57 PM
ARRAN Lee-Barrett is running out of time to prove to Paul Jewell he can be the Blues number one next season.
The Town boss has spent the entire summer searching at home and abroad for a new man to replace Lee-Barrett.
But with just five weeks to go until the start of the new season, the 27-year-old remains the only keeper in the first team squad.
The club flew out for their pre-season tour of Holland yesterday where they will play two matches in three days.
This leaves Jewell with the grim scenario of having to borrow a goalkeeper from either a local team or even the opposition or turn to an outfield player if injury should befall Lee-Barrett.
While the games against Helmond Sports tomorrow night and then Den Bosch on Thursday are merely training games, this situation is far from perfect.
But it does mean Lee-Barrett should play every minute of the first two pre-season friendlies knowing he needs good performances in games and training.
Jewell last season never seemed completely convinced by the Ipswich-born keeper and his efforts to bring in a replacement – headed by Tomasz Kuszczak before he signed for Brighton – suggest nothing has changed.
It would be something of a surprise if Lee-Barrett starts the season in goal – though he will use the tour and any other friendly as a chance to prove people wrong.
Jewell continues to work tirelessly to bring in new faces with the arrival of Luke Chambers making a new keeper the number one priority.
Talk last week that Tom Heaton might join up with the club in Holland were wide of the mark and as time ticks along, the chances are the Blues will again turn to the loan market – although for a season-long loan without the 24-hour recall clause.
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13 comments
Kevin, that's true, though 1 month away is not panic stations because ALB is fit. Let's review it when the season starts.
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Tom
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
While everyone seems to have reservations about ALB I'm not convinced he wouldn't make a good number one, he just needs more field time and more trust put in him. While we're at it though, why not recall Cropper? If our goalie situation is as bad as the club says surely there must be a clause in the contract somewhere that allows for a recall in the event of these types of issue's, and if not why not? Others did it to us when their goal keeping problems arose. I just hope that whatever happens now, we start using the youngsters we already have.
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Jerry1961
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
I have to agree that Cody Cropper should never have been released. But I am baffled, why on earth have we not snapped up Scott Loach? He's had experience with England, Watford don't pay high wages (Well they might now!) and he WANTS to come to Ipswich and I seem to remember every single time he comes to Portman Road he plays a blinder. Still, we have about a month until our first game but please Jewell, please sign a keeper by then.
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Paul The Alien
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Tom, not sure if you realise when the new season starts. We play in the league cup in less than a month's time, and the first league game is a month tomorrow, so in 6 week's time, we will have played Bristol Rovers, Blackburn at home, and Watford and Blackpool away, which is precisely why the current situation regarding a lack of Keepers is unacceptable, particularly when Cropper would have been a great third or second choice keeper for this season.
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Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Whilst they are looking perhaps they can borrow another manager as a stop gap until we finally get rid of Jewell.
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SussexTractorBoy
Monday, July 16, 2012
Well put Tom, I am confident the situation will be sorted by the start of the season.
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Cyril Baker
Monday, July 16, 2012
Let's not get carried away. It's mid July, not mid-December, the season hasn't started yet and it will be good for ALB to get some match practice in. If we're in this position in 6 weeks, yes, that's a real problem.
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Tom
Monday, July 16, 2012
I AM BEGINNING TO SEE HOW MR EVANS MADE HIS MILLIONS NOW ( WHY SPEND WHEN YOU CAN LEND )
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MIGUEL100
Monday, July 16, 2012
spot on Cyril- I bet its Clegg's fault as well
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Philip Wright
Monday, July 16, 2012
This situation is now a joke i dont see the problem there are keepers available just go and get one even if its just a back up keeper for Lee Barrat at least then they have someone to fall back on.
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max ward
Monday, July 16, 2012
Why stop there? Jewell sees nothing wrong with borrowing someone else's cast-off for the entire season
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Rob Steroo
Monday, July 16, 2012
This is a result of getting rid of Cropper, a talented keeper, who is now on trial at Southampton. Pretty stupid to only have one goalkeeper on the books, with less than 5 weeks until the league season starts. Obvious to anyone with any sense at all.
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Kevin Bailey
Monday, July 16, 2012
You can always rely on the eadt to give you the negative stories.
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Cyril Baker
Monday, July 16, 2012