Jimmy Bullard meets some young Ipswich Town fans at the end of last season
JIMMY BULLARD EXIT: Paul Jewell is already searching for another central midfielder
By Stuart Watson
Friday, August 10, 2012
9:44 AM
IPSWICH Town are expected to announce Jimmy Bullard’s departure from the club today – and already manager Paul Jewell is searching for a replacement.
The Green’Un understands that the Blues are on the verge of concluding a mutual agreement with the 33-year-old midfielder regarding a release from his contract one year early.
Hailed as the returning Messiah by supporters this time last year following an impressive loan spell, the dressing room joker has endured a spectacular fall from grace over the final 12 months.
And with the veteran desperate to play football, a compromise deal – similar to the one which saw Ivar Ingimarsson, Tamas Priskin and Colin Healy leave the club early last season – is set to be struck.
Starting only 13 games in 2011/12, last summer’s “free agent” could end up costing the club around £750,000. He is not expected to feature in this morning’s official squad photo.
The departure of one of the club’s top earners will give Jewell some extra room for manoeuvre in the transfer market though, with the Blues boss still keen to add at least two or three more new faces to a squad he feels lacks strength in depth.
And despite already having Luke Hyam, Massimo Luongo, Andy Drury, Ryan Stevenson, Byron Lawrence and potentially triallist Cheick Kourouma as centre midfield options, Jewell says that is an area he is looking at adding to.
“Luke and Massimo have been exceptional in the last two games and at the moment I’m very happy with those two,” said the Blues boss.
“I want competition for places, though, and that’s one area where I’m looking to improve the squad.”
Jewell has consistently reiterated his desire to add some physicality to his side, with imposing 6ft 5in tall Senegalese international Papa Bouba Diop – a free agent after being released by West Ham – the latest name to have been linked.
– Paul Jewell is set to speak to the press about Jimmy Bullard at today’s Open Day. Keep an eye on his website for all the latest news.
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- Ipswich Town chief scout Dave Bowman talks budgets and blueprints ahead of what could be a busy transfer window
- Marcus Evans’ salary cap plans scuppered as the Premier League once again flexes its muscles
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7 comments
said it before say it again. On the whole i think PJ has done well with transfers. Chops and Cresswell great siginings and i think sonko was too- He sufferd with injury but was a good solid defender, drury, JET and setevenson all look like good buys. Plus I ( and i realise this is just me) think bowyer wast to bad either, He added steel and scored some important goals. I just think he was below the high standards expected of him, but thats not to say i think he was bad. Yes the Duke has been a flop and bullard hasnt worked out but everyone thought he was the messiah and screamed for us to get him so the fans need to take a look at ourselves there. I think Hewitt will prove shrewed and loach is a good GK- Everyone seems to agree on that. Lugano looks class, in spite of half the reader on here compaling about another loan signing the boys looks like he has a bit about him and I bet his wages are not v high. I dont see the point in the club siging players for the sake of it. Is it not better to get the correct righ backi rather than any old RB? That has now been done- It takes more than 18months to overhaul a squad- Which is what was needed. We now need 1x cb, ideal versitlie for cover across the back for. 1 x striker ( but mayber Ronan Murry will make the step up) and ideally a bit more steel in midfield then i say bring on the season. Smith and chambers dominating the back with cressie and hewitt racing up the lines providing support and loach watching over it all sounds good to me. The team that started against west ham looks to playing well with one another and that again proved to be the case in the 1st half against colchester. So we are 3 players short of a decent squad. I think a far bigger concern right now is tieing Lee Martin down to a new contract. As a man who was signed for not a small sum god only knows what he though when RK sent him to Charlton. His response to PJ bringing him back ( and telling him what was what after a stupid red card) has been top draw and we are now starting to see the best of him. Sign a new contract Lee and carry on where you left of last season!!!!! with Smith improving weeek u[pon week ander PJs guidance and Scotland actually looking capable under him I think we all need to cheer up
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TrueBlue
Friday, August 10, 2012
I wasn't specifically aiming my comments at Bullard. Jimmy did gives us one decent season. If fact in his time he was an influential midfielder. But when you take into consideration the others who either have given us nothing or very little it does bring into question why we went for so many older players. Of course you need experience, but without youthful exuberance aided by experience Town won't achieve their aims.
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whymarkmariner
Friday, August 10, 2012
This is a sensible decision for all concerned. PJ was right to sign Bullard at the time, given Bullard had just had a very strong finish to the 2010-11 season. Sadly, for a number of reasons, it hasn't worked out for Bullard on a full time basis. As for the comment from Whymark, you are applying hindsight to a decision made after Bullard had been our best player of the season and was voted so by fans. Quite why you feel the need to bring "normal working class people" into this is beyond me. In any case, football management is probably one of the MOST precarious jobs there is, given that contracts are fixed term and PJ only has another 12 months on his, and look at the number of managers sacked each season. So I am sorry but your judgement is way off the mark.
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Tom
Friday, August 10, 2012
@ whymarkmariner. Oh come on the signing of Bullard was almost universally heralded as a brilliant move after his loan spell. It's not Jewells fault he went off the rails on and off the pitch. If it is it's as much the fans fault for pleading with the club to sign him. I think towards the end of the season we did very well and I think the team has strengthened since then and could have more cohesion than before. I do agree though he needs to be within a reasonable distance from the playoffs and in the top half for sure come the end of this year as he has had a few seasons to make the money stick.
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redhotitfc
Friday, August 10, 2012
I am agreement with steroo and whymarker.What a shambles this club has become.You say Jewell is already on the lookout for a replacement?The same manager that took over a year to find a right back,a goalkeeper,and who has still failed to form a squad for the start of the season like he said he would.
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mark.ager@sky.com
Friday, August 10, 2012
Wake me up when Town announce the early departure of Paul Jewell. Giving space to the lunacy of the wasteful way ITFC is now run whilst the olympics is even more spurious than usual.
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Rob Steroo
Friday, August 10, 2012
If most normal working class people had made as many errors in their job as PJ has they would have been looking for another job long ago. We would have been able to secure the services of at least one decent player with all the money wasted on these veterans that have been put on superb contract and then paid off because they are no good. Yes, everyone makes mistakes, but this many? With the season fast upon us can we really say we are in a better position squad wise than before last season. I doubt it. PJ needs to pull his finger out and sharpish, otherwise by Christmas we'll be playing catch up again.
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whymarkmariner
Friday, August 10, 2012