Grant Leadbitter takes aim against Crystal Palace
Paul Jewell ‘very hopeful’ that best player Grant Leadbitter will stay
By Dave Gooderham
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
8:55 AM
PAUL Jewell believes midfielder Grant Leadbitter has been Ipswich Town’s best player since his return to the side at the start of last month.
But while remaining confidence Leadbitter will commit his future to the Blues this week, Jewell admitted he won’t have any hesitation in not playing the 26-year-old should he choose his future lies away from Suffolk. A decision on Leadbitter’s future is expected to be made public this week and Jewell yesterday said: “I had a good football chat with Grant on Friday and I am very hopeful that he will decide to stay. But if he doesn’t, that’s his prerogative.
“We would really like him to stay. He has probably been our best player lately, he has done really well and it looks like he is enjoying his football.
“When we do press on Thursday, I am hoping to have some news. But for now, he is definitely available for selection.”
Jewell also reiterated his hope that in-form striker Jason Scotland will agree to a pay cut and sign a new one-year deal with the Blues.
Speaking 36 hours after the experienced frontman scored a Town goal-of-the-season contender at Crystal Palace, Jewell said: “We like Jason and he definitely has a part to play, whether coming off the bench or playing for an hour.
“We know he is not going to play 90 minutes on a Saturday, 90 minutes on a Tuesday and 90 minutes the following Saturday, but he can have an impact and he has been good for us.”
Despite Jewell’s comments, it would be a big surprise if Scotland lost his place in tonight’s home match to Birmingham City (7.45pm ko) having scored in two consecutive matches.
Jimmy Bullard and Richard Wright are the only absentees and the keeper faces an uncertain future with his knee injury expected to keep him out for the rest of the season.
But Jewell revealed that he didn’t expect Wright, a free agent in the summer, to end up in America after he spent a few days training with FC Dallas in January.
The Town boss explained: “I had a brief chat with him the other day and he doesn’t think America is going to happen. There is a possibility he might stay here.
“He is one of those lads out of contract and we need to make a decision.”
More Ipswich Town news
- Ipswich Town target Jay Tabb released by Reading
- Ipswich Town will face Barnet and Chippenham
- Mick McCarthy can build team around defensive duo
- Ipswich Town legend compares Blues’ defender to Allan Hunter
- Tommy Smith signs new Ipswich Town deal
- Mick McCarthy seeing red as new Ipswich Town kits are launched!
- Aston Villa prepared to offer £4.5m for Ipswich Town defender
- Ipswich Town gates are down but there is room for optimism
- Ipswich Town: New kits leaked on Twitter
- Bryan Klug can deliver academy success again, says former Ipswich Town youngster
ADVERTISEMENT
11 comments
Frank, Keane sold Jordan, and it was a mistake. He also then brought through Connor Wickham, who the club sold for £12M. Had Jewell been here then, neither of them would have played, neither of them would have been sold, and both would have left on free transfers.
Report this comment
Kevin Bailey
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Frank - obviously Keane wasn't that bad a mnanager - because when people want to critisise him they always trot out the Rhodes thing - if there were numerous other blunders you wouldn't have to rely on the same tired lines. Of course selling Rhodes was a mistake - nobody disputes that - but at least the lad is doing well - enjoying his football & entertaining the crowd - had he been here under Jewell he would have been rotting in a non existant reserve team - having his confidence undermined by being dropped instantly if he did ever get a game - presumably on the grounds of being too tall - to thin - or not having blue eyes. Of course Jewell would be able to watch him in the hallowed sanctity of training - something that would be denied to the majority of fans.
Report this comment
Old Timer
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Remind me again...who was it that sold Jordon Rhodes?
Report this comment
FRANK WESTON
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Old Timer, all points I agree with. In fact, the biggest problem with Keane, was that he was too eager to blame himself, and take responsibility, and would have benefitted from being able to have someone to work with alongside him. If you recall, he tried to persuade his friend Brendan Rodgers to help, who is now impressing everyone with the work he is doing at Swansea. Maybe it would have worked out had Gary Ablett not been unlucky enough to become ill.
Report this comment
Kevin Bailey
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Kevin - I was certainly in the minority that thought Keane would get it right in time. The owner - as is his right - thought he had had long enough & terminated the contract. From what we get from ME there doesn't seem to be any time limit on Jewell - yet the league position has not improved. Keane famously said when things were going badly & he was getting booed that he did not blame the fans & were he one he'd boo himself as well - & there was never even a hint that he thought he deserved respect simply because he was such a good player. Jewell on the other hand seems to talk down to fans & gives the impression that thinks we don't understand & that he knows best. There has never been a convincing explanation as to the treatment of Hyam Carson Smith etc - simply the implication that it's all decided at training when he is the only witness. He only took notice of the fans when an EADT poll indicated that 72% had no faith in him & his selection policies - whereby he saved his job by selecting the younger players who turned things around - only to revert to Dads Army as soon as this had been achieved. Keane made many mistakes - but invariably acknowledged then - & accepted from an early stage that he needed an 'experienced number 2' - which never happened & may again have been his fault. I mention this simply because Keane seemed to be aware of his shortcomings. You will say I'm sure that there have been recent instances when Jewell did admit getting things wrong - only to carry on doing the same thing for the next match - again empty words - designed presumably for fans who are too stupid to notice. I suspect the main reason Keane did not last too long was because he refused to be a yes man to Clegg - unlike Jewell. But we should not forget that he did believe in youth & the Ipswich way which is the biggest critisism of the current set up. So yes I do think we have gone backwards under Jewell - & I'm not sure that it is a minority any longer - suspect there was never 72% against Keane - who even now has not critisised the club & certainly not the fans. Replacing him with Jewell was indeed a retrograde step.
Report this comment
Old Timer
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Get a Life of Brian st?
Report this comment
Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Can some of the people who inhabit this forum please rearrange the following words to get a well known phrase. A GET LIFE.
Report this comment
bristan
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
I have always as said on here many times been in the 'minority' and we will still be proved right. If RK was still here we would now be challenging for promotion with the local youth now another 2 years experienced and alot less spent on wages!!!
Report this comment
Brian Wren
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
EADT reported Grant Leadbetter had until yesterday (Monday) to decide whether to sign a new contract. It seems the goalposts have now been moved to Thursday.
Report this comment
Sandy Brown
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
I, and from what I have seen and heard, and the majority of supporters are equally hopeful that Grant will go. Brian is also right in commenting on the chaos caused by Jewell's need to continually spout something, usually different to the comment he made previously on the same topic. I still am in the minority on feeling that we have gone backwards since Keane left, although it is a bigger minority than it was.
Report this comment
Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Why does Jewell continue to be so contradictory? Last Friday the deadline for Grant Leadbitter's decision whether or not to stay was 48 hours and yet today Jewell says he hopes he will stay. Why keep bothering about a player who really appears uncertain about his future, if we can't sell him let him go AGAIN for nothing as with other better players previously. We only want players or indeed managers that want to be at Ipswich, so how about you moving to the area Mr Jewell ? On second thoughts perhaps not !!!!!!!
Report this comment
Brian Betts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012