Paul Jewell
Town’s deadline day – a rush of excitement or a damp squib?
By Dave Gooderham
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
8:06 AM
Stick or twist.
That is the decision facing Paul Jewell and Town owner Marcus Evans today as they must weigh up making a big deadline day swoop against waiting for the loan market to reopen next week.
The Blues boss yesterday told fans that there could be surprises on the final day of the transfer window – but equally supporters are bracing themselves for a depressing day of inactivity.
Talks with Portsmouth over trio Jason Pearce, Joel Ward and Stephen Henderson have moved painfully slowly and Jewell had yesterday resigned himself to missing out on one, two or all three of his top targets.
But in another twist in the transfer saga between the divisional rivals, the South Coast club last night revealed they had not paid their players and staff this month – but whether that strengthens Town’s case remains to be seen.
Despite growing more and more frustrated with every passing day, Jewell has refused to rule out any last-gasp moves before his hopes of improving his confidence-hit squad are restricted to the loan market.
He said: “It is going to be difficult, but that’s not to say people won’t come in tomorrow. We are working on a couple of deals that might come off. If they don’t, I don’t know what else we can do.
“It is amazing how things happen. We might get a couple of phone calls out of the blue for a couple of players and things fall into place – that is the nonsense of it really.
“Everyone is working against the deadline and everything seems to be crammed into the last 48 hours. I would say don’t be surprised if there are surprises.”
Jewell, who yesterday ruled out a bid for Crawley striker Tyrone Barnett, appears to have conceded defeat in his bid to get players in for tonight’s visit of table-topping West Ham – new midfielder Ryan Stevenson is unlikely to be risked.
And it remains to be seen whether today’s final chance to buy players turns out to be an exciting one or something that drifts into a damp squib.
That would leave the loan market as the only avenue open to the Blues boss – something that is unlikely to appease concerned supporters.
He said: “It has been going on for weeks now and it is getting a bit critical as the window closes tomorrow.
“I still think Ipswich is one that people regard as a big club. There are a lot of boxes that it ticks, the one it doesn’t at the moment is our league position.
“We are hoping people can look beyond that and Ipswich will still be an attractive proposition.
“We do have alternatives for the loan market, but I want to bring in players who can be here for the long run.”
n Keep checking this website for all the latest Town comings and goings on today’s transfer deadline day.
More Ipswich Town news
- TRANSFER LATEST: Ipswich Town have not given up hope of thrashing out a deal with Celtic for Daryl Murphy
- Grant Leadbitter ‘relaxed’ about finding a new club
- POLL: Would re-signing David Norris be a backwards step for Ipswich Town?
- George Burley looking forward to Cypriot challenge
- The myths surrounding Ipswich Town’s season
- Tommy Smith signs new deal at Ipswich but admits: I almost quit
- POLL: Is West Ham’s Sam Baldock the right man to boost Ipswich Town’s attacking options?
- Ryan Stevenson’s praise for midfield rivals Byron Lawrence and Jimmy Bullard
- Grant Leadbitter close to securing move to Middlesbrough
- SIMON CLEGG INTERVIEW: Ipswich Town won’t employ a high-risk strategy
16 comments
Clegg showed how much he is prepared to pay when we paid the enormous sum of £50,000 for the young boy from Hearts.... We were never gonna get the Tyrone lad from Crawley - we would have offered Peanuts - Even Posh offered £1.75m for him and another player and that was rejected - Clegg would not have offered anywhere near that amount. Lets face it Clegg has not got it in him to negotiate transfer deals - I wouldn't want him to negotiate deals at a Car Boot Sale for me - Thats how much confidence I have in him..
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oilburner1978
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
All's gone quiet on the streets of Crewe about the future of their teenage wonder boy. Frank, what is the latest ?
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Brian Betts
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Where is this Murray Wallace then ?..Huddersfield I hear.... and Jason Pearce and his fellow Pompey Sailors ?... Guess they have had second thoughts.. Oh well at least the new paint on the turnstiles will brighten things up..
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Al K Hall
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Kevin, as Evans claims he is the boss and makes the final decision this might be the time he is reminded that his authority stops at the newly painted turnstiles. One decision he is unable to make is to realize that he cannot dictate how many people pass through these turnstiles. You know, those people prepared to hand over their hard earned money to watch 'the team that Jewell built' Rows of empty seats are the way to invoke changes !!!!!!
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Brian Betts
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Sooooooooooo predictable. No signings but you kept the fans interest going for a few weeks. Well done you!! Probably won't get printed - seem to bloke my posts these days. Ah well, truth always hurts doesn’t it?
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floridaboy1
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Carroll for Chops. Word on the street.
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Frank's contact at Crewe
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
neil warnock will take over shortly after ipswich gets beaten tonight against west ham
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clive23
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Still would like an answer to the RK question as the facts are 2010 under RK W22 D12 L19.( most successful calendar year since 2004) and semi of major cup comp and past the 3rd rnd of Fa Cup !!!! The publicity and commercial pull plus the fact that the opposition raised their game against us because of RK factor , I think shows that he was doing a decent job and was correct in saying 'I was getting it right'. 2011 under PJ W19 D7 L28 - 2012 W0 D1 L4 . Anyone like to comment?? PS RK F62 A65 PJ F72 A93 (2011) F5 A13 Add your comment | Report this comment Brian Wren
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Brian Wren
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Expecting it to be pretty quiet....The only thing that may get the blood of Town fans racing is seeing Jordan Rhodes join Norwich - he's 12 on to join them and the bookies are seldom wrong !!! That would be a proper kick in the teeth.....Incidentally Fulham are concluding a deal for Ryan Williams of Portsmouth so clearly if you have the determination, savvy and are offering realistic fees for players they are more than willing to sell - curious
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bluearmy78
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
And Billy Smart has gone to Southampton. How on earth did they manage to do that when we are led to believe that securing transfers is seemingly impossible? And our savants don't know who to talk to at Portsmouth. How about that chap with all the bells and whistles, the cheer leader? I'm sure that he knows a thing or two.
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Mike Wyatt
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
For all the earlier talk, calls for positive thinking and all the drum beating, it has I'm afraid only resulted in a very poor and totally amateurish campaign, that was, in all reality, doomed from the very start. Town fans would have a right to feel absolutely livid; however one would discourage feeling too disheartened just yet - afterall the loan market is open again next week.
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Mellow_Yellow
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tick, tock, tick, tock.........Times ticking Mr Jewell.. I firmly believe that your job rests on getting in new players today because i cant see where our next win would come from...
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TraaakorBoii
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
( QUOTE) of the day. It is amazing how things happen. We might get a couple of phone calls out of the blue for a couple of players. And things fall in to place-that's the NONSENSE of it Really. UnQuote... Lets see........ But i cant see any what so ever desire by Evans Clegg or Jewell to push the boat out to get any decent player's in....Plenty of empty promise's so far and no meat on the bone.. Thinking to myself what this season would have been like if the likes of a certain Jason R. & connor W. were with us now. Million of pounds wasterd over the past year or so and for what northing we can be proud of.. Mr Evans you had plenty of time to FIX this mess and so far you have failed big time Clegg is a useless c.e.o. Jewell it seems is afraid to speak his mind . So unless you do something about it be prepared to see our proud club SINK FURTHER again your call..
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david bradley
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
If it is anything like the Marcus Evans comments from yesterday it will be damp squib. Basically he is the boss, and Simon Clegg is doing a outstanding job. Nothing else to be said, really, is there?
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Kevin Bailey
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
From past experiences a very damp squib me thinks...
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FRANK WESTON
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Looking outside it seems to be raining - so dampest of damp squibs it is then. Call me old fashioned but wouldn't it be a better idea to prepare for a dull match against dull West Ham, rather than spend the day trying to asset strip a club of players who clearly do not want to come here.
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Rob Steroo
Tuesday, January 31, 2012