Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell
Old heads are still required, says Ipswich Town manager Paul Jewell
By Stuart Watson
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
5:57 PM
PAUL Jewell says experience will still have a key part to play next season.
The Ipswich Town boss admits that he signed too many players “who were maybe past their best” last summer, with a number of the 30-something, ex-Premier League players whom he brought to the club set to depart over the coming weeks.
Lee Bowyer, Ibrahima Sonko and Richard Wright will all join Ivar Ingimarsson in being released, Mark Kennedy is hanging up his boots, while Nathan Ellington has been told he can ‘move on’ by his manager.
Jewell’s priority is to bring in some young and hungry players who can hopefully form the core of a side for years to come.
However, with at least six signings required to bolster a squad which has suddenly become quite thin on the ground, he has not ruled out the addition of one or two older heads too.
“I think last year I brought in too many who were maybe past their best,” admitted Jewell, whose ageing team at Bradford was once nicknamed his ‘Dad’s Army’. “Now we need to look on the younger scale.
“Never underestimate experienced players though. If you can get two or three in your team that can settle the young ’uns down they are worth their weight in gold. It’s about getting the balance right.”
When sixteen-year-old Byron Lawrence came on for the final 10 minutes of Ipswich’s season finale at Doncaster he became only the fourth non-loanee player aged 21 or younger to make their Town debut during Paul Jewell’s season-and-a-half in charge.
Aaron Cresswell and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas have shown huge signs of promise, but Josh Carson made just six starts this season.
By contrast, former Blues boss Roy Keane gave nine youngsters their first taste of first team football during a similar period of time. Six of those – Troy Brown, Tom Eastman, Billy Clark, Reggie Lambe, Shane O’Connor and Ed Upson – departed under Jewell’s management, while Luke Hyam, Jack Ainsley and Ronan Murray have found game time hard to come by during the current regime.
Joe Whight wasn’t deemed ready to make his Championship bow during his first season as a professional, while Callum Bennett – the only academy player to be offered a pro deal this summer – has turned down the contract in favour of finding a lower league club that might offer him more opportunities, something Caolan Lavery also decided to do.
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15 comments
Two old heads we do not require, belong to Clegg.
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Kevin Bailey
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Well this sums up the state of the club. young players do not wish to play for town. jewell has to be the bigest joker. he double talks. and has no clue what so ever.
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mike benham
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
ITS DEMORALIZING WHEN DECENT PLAYERS DON'T WANT TO SIGN FOR I.T.F.C , BUT DAM RIGHT EMBARRASSING WHEN THE YOUNGSTERS WOULD RATHER GO ELSEWHERE..
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MIGUEL100
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
To be fair to Jewell I don't think his comments are patronising rubbish - he is merely trying to spell out the obvious to clueless EADT journos who then print it verbatim. An accurate translation of the previous week's rubbish might read ' I know we have half a team missing (again) and I will be scraping the bottom of the barrel to try and cobble a team together before the start of next season (again). However, deluded 'supporters' seem to need more... but I would prefer breathtaking news from the world tiddlywinks championships to be quite honest.
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Rob Steroo
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Every time Paul Jewell opens his mouth he allways make excuses for what he should have done or who he should have played now he admits to maybe i took to many older players on.Plus the players contact's what a JOKE .That can only can be describe as shamefull and poor management skill's. Many supporters like myself care and love the club. But for the life of us can not see any clear way for the furture as long as Clegg & Jewell are in charge . As said by me before a very SAD time down at Portman Rd...Bring in people who understand and are PASSIONATE by THE NAME iPSWICH TOWN F.C. If left in it's current state say good bye to any dreams............
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david bradley
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Well, we know that already, and said it last year, as well as saying that the players Jewell had brought in were not exactly exciting, Ellington, Bowyer and Ingmarsson. Like I posted the other day, maybe Jewell knew something we didn't....maybe the experience Clegg spoke of in Jewell was right...Well, it wasn't and we did know better than Jewell. Balance is essential, which is why I am pleased that Edwards stayed, and I hope that Scotland does too. However, Jewell has a track record throughout his time as a manager period of using loans and older players, he does not have a record of developing younger players. Jewell is damned by his own judgement of himself, and his attempts to rewrite history are equally damning and patronising. How much money has Jewell wasted by signing the above three? Certainly in the case of Ellington and Ingmarsson ALL of the money spent was wasted, a little harsh to say that of Bowyer. How much money has Clegg wasted by offering ridiculous contracts to the youngsters and allowing the two players of the year to walk out for free last year, and GL this year. It is the combination of these two aspects which has seen crowds fall by well over 2200 EACH game since Jewell arrived, and this in turn is having an impact on revenue. Jewell is reaping what he has sown, mediocrity, an absence of hope, and directionless, repetitive and below par defending, which is a stain on our club. Other than that, though, it is all fantastic.
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Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Spartacus, you've saved me a post! Everything that this man utters leaves me bemused and depressed. Combine that with the inanities offered by Clegg, and I'm left in the wilderness between tears and hysterical laughter. What is more baffling is why our dearly beloved owner tolerates this Bill and Ben act.
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Mike Wyatt
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
He seems determined to keep returning to the scene of his earlier folly - to try & prove he was right about Dads Army - & that the fans are wrong to want to see younger players given their chance - one of the few bright spots of last season was the vibrant young team that destroyed West Ham - only to be discarded again as soon as his job was safe. Jewell sometimes makes the right noises - but these are always in retrospect & are never backed up by actions - he never truly believes he has made a mistake & thinks his outdated methods will once again bear fruit. In the meantime we have to sit by as our club sinks further into the mire.
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Old Timer
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Kevin, I'm also waiting - with bated breath. But I don't have any great expectations after all the jam yesterday jam tomorrow promises of Cleggie.
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JOHN BURLS
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Typical stuff from PJ. It really smacks of a lack of confidence in his own ability to COACH the younger players, and create his own style of play. His attitude seems to me to be, lets bring in some 'old heads', they should know what to do. Sadly, even if they did know, the younger teams play with much more enthusiasm and ability, and are much more able to play to a plan. Even when the Blues played well last season, you got the feeling that it was more luck than judgement. I for one can't remember being so lacking in confidence in the team since I started watching Bill McGarry's team !
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rover
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Thing that annoys me here is that Jewell states the need to have experienced players as if fans are unaware. Patronising guff. One sole player of note to have ever, in any way, nurtured by Jewell in the last 13 years of his management. If anyone thinks this is really someone that fits the requirement of either the history of ITFC, or the future requirements of ITFC, then I'd be stunned- and would love to read their reasoning. Seeing as we have 9 players aged 27 or more in our first team squad (inc 5 over 30) surely we really need Jewell to trust in the youths we have- which, admittedly, would be a seachange from what he is used to, but might actually both endear him to the fans and regain some credibility?
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I am Spartacus
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Reading some of the guff that comes on this site I fully understand that he may feel things need to be explained to some of you.
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Cyril Baker
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Town need to convince young players that they will be given the opportunity to play competitive football. Is behind closed door matches the answer or should players be sent out on loan for one or more seasons to gain match time. I am sure many clubs are asking the same questions & I don't have the answer Mr Jewell.
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Neil Gedny
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Thing that annoys me here is that Jewell states the need to have experienced players as if fans are unaware. Patronising guff. One sole player of note to have ever, in any way, nurtured by Jewell in the last 13 years of his management. If anyone thinks this is really someone that fits the requirement of either the history of ITFC, or the future requirements of ITFC, then I'd be stunned- and would love to read their reasoning. Seeing as we have 9 players aged 27 or more in our first team squad (inc 5 over 30) surely we really need Jewell to trust in the youths we have- which, admittedly, would be a seachange from what he is used to, but might actually both endear him to the fans and regain some credibility?
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I am Spartacus
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
YOU did bring in too many past their best , and you are old enough to know that without the benefit of hindsight , i really dont expect much improvement from this summers signings , but we wait with baited breath
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KEVIN FRANCIS
Tuesday, May 8, 2012