Town owner and chairman Marcus Evans has revealed that he drew up a shortlist of 12 managers before finally deciding that Paul Jewell was the man to take over from Roy Keane. Evans was speaking in an extensive interview in the programme for tonight’s Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal.

Evans said: "My shortlist started with as many as 12 managers and before picking up the phone to any of the potential targets, I went through a process of elimination including talking with people that were close to each person and comparing their records of success.

“I have also been lucky enough to have had the benefit of some detailed and impartial advice from some of the most respected names in the English game."

Aside from Jewell, Doncaster’s Sean O’Driscoll, Gary Megson and Alan Curbishley are all believed to have been amongst those in Evans and chief executive Simon Clegg’s thoughts.

Evans says that the midway point in the season was the right time to assess Roy Keane’s progress as boss: "A half-season always seemed a fair period to reflect upon and is long enough to ensure bad luck and good fortune evens itself out, and once I had decided on a change I felt that it was important to allow a new manager time to focus on the transfer window in January."

Evans, who has reiterated his commitment to the club, is clear that Jewell's initial task will be to steer the club away from the lower reaches of the Championship: "To stabilise the squad and take us away from the relegation places is the first target.

"And yes, he will be backed in this and other transfer windows as I have done with the past two managers."

The Blues' owner says he has learnt a lot since taking over at Portman Road in December 2007: "I am definitely a little football wiser than I was three years ago and the criteria I have put in place for appointing our new manager has been reached by taking on board what I have learnt since I bought the club. This experience will also be used in working with the manager in the years ahead."

Photo: Action Images

StowTractorBoy added 11:47 - Jan 12 Nice to hear from the man now get Wally Downes in and I'll be happy
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bluelady added 11:49 - Jan 12 he was busy last week then wasnt he, 12 names down to 1 in a few days! Joking aside good to hear from the owner perhaps he has learnt that more of this and he will gain a far higher respect in fans eyes. i also heard he discussed Keanes man management style and how it didnt necessarily work with all players.
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bobble added 11:53 - Jan 12 so jesus has come out at last let me guess ..peter ..paul..john..luke..spartacus was it ?.. and ummmthe other bloke who turned against him and another 6 who's names escape me now oh yeah thomas was there a thomas ?
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Blue_Fred added 12:00 - Jan 12 Nurse! Come quickly! Bobble's out of bed again. ;)
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Seasonticketsteve added 12:06 - Jan 12 Seriously hope the rumours of Megson are not true, the daily mail reckons he was interviewed as he got West Brom promoted twice, hence why he was on the shortlist but I would like to think the men in charge also knew about his Norwich connections and why no ITFC fan would ever want him here. A statement distancing themselves from Megson would be nice too Mr Evans/Mr Clegg please :-)

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AriesUK added 12:14 - Jan 12 If PJ was top of Evans list, I dread to think who else was on it.
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:15 - Jan 12 Nice to see that the decision was made carefully. I have high hopes for Jewell, as long as we keep our expectations low this season. Avoiding relegation would be fine for me.
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petermorris added 12:18 - Jan 12 So, now even Mystery Marcus admits it - 'stabilise the squad'.... the squad was unstable. The dressing room was in disarray - ITFC was going down (we weren't 'moaners' after all were we). I like what I'm hearing... PJew already watching other players, probably sorting Mac and Norris out one way or the other.... hell, McP even had Civelli on the bench at Chelsea - meaning Civ' is up to it and it was all personal with RK.... the clouds are lifting!! Lift the lads tonight.....COYB!!

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Ipswich24 added 12:30 - Jan 12 Who were the twelve please?
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TractorRoyNo1 added 12:41 - Jan 12 who cares? focus on what we have got and support him Ipswich24 added 12:30 - Jan 12 Who were the twelve please?
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JetaimePeters added 12:46 - Jan 12 Prove it
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itfcbam added 12:50 - Jan 12 Good to hear from the owner. Would now be good for him to evaluate somebodyelses position, namely Mr Clegg. Given ME's other business interests its inevitable that the large bulk of the day to day running of the club will be done by a chief exec but I really question the job that Clegg is doing (or not as the case maybe). My understanding is that he will be the one to sort out the finances. Surely the renegociation of contracts, achieving the deals for players isnt just down to the manager? I just hope he is more successful at doing the dals on PJ's 1st choice of players rather than rushing at the end of the transfer window doing deals. The same last minute thinking seems to have caused McAuley to have turned down the Blues despite saying he is happy here. Here's hoping PJ doesn't have the same problems otherwise it may not matter which manager we have in charge. Hope I'm wrong. COYB!!!!

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MyBlueHeaven added 12:56 - Jan 12 It's a pity that ME didn't speak to 'some of the most respected names in the English game' before appointing Keane. Would've saved us 18 months of being in a circus. Whoever the new manager would've been the main thing was that it stops us being simply a vehicle for the media's obsession with Roy Keane. Now we can get back to being a football club. More so if ME means what he says about learning about football in the last 3 years.

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petermorris added 12:58 - Jan 12 12 Apostles, Dirty Dozen, 7 Dwarves… who gives a sh*t — ME owns our Club and we've now got PeJew and that has got to be better than the last bloke. Get down there and sing your hearts out.
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Basil_Smallpiece added 13:02 - Jan 12 Morning GITS! (copyright B Smallpiece 69). Idiotic drivel from the dreadful owner. He is trying to sound like someone who knows what he is talking about, but fails miserably. FOE! Up the Town!
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timmy2guns added 13:05 - Jan 12 He Speaks!
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Eireannach_gorm added 13:07 - Jan 12 Damn. Thought it was players
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Paulc added 13:20 - Jan 12 Who gives a shiney sh1te who the 12 were or if one of them was gary megscum (seasonticketsteve). There is no scum at our club and that is the most important thing! Now back the manager (and that includes all the keane haters that started whining after 2 months).
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bluepeter added 13:24 - Jan 12 Thank you Marcus for saving our club, I am sure that we will all be changing our tune in the near future. I for one support you.
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byebyesheepshanks added 13:30 - Jan 12 He consulted Paddy Power, William Hill, Fred,Stan James & Victor Chandler. PJ went to 4/5 before keano was even sacked so when did the other 12 get an interview!!
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BurleyForever added 13:33 - Jan 12 ME only had 12 names on his list? What with 44 managers out of work? Wonder if one of them was Burley?
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PunchNoHopers added 13:34 - Jan 12 Well said Paulc, who cares who was and who wasn't in the twelve! Lets get behind the new manager and the team starting tonight!
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fifeblue added 13:39 - Jan 12 12 is NOT a short-list.
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Seasonticketsteve added 13:55 - Jan 12 I just think that it was a tad worrying if Megson was interviewed for the position, why did he even make the shortlist was what I was getting at-do our board no that little about football and Megson and his Norwich connections??? I am fully behind Jewell and have already stated I am 110% behind him and I will be renewing my season ticket yet again for the 20th year in a row! Big fat Jewells barmy army!!!

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Back_The_Boss added 14:01 - Jan 12 Decent appointment, only time will tell, COYB!
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