New Blues boss Paul Jewell said it was great to be back in management but wasn’t so pleased to be talking about a defeat after his first match with Town ended in a 2-1 Millwall victory. The result leaves the Blues in 20th in the Championship.

Jewell said: “It’s great to be back as a manager but it’s not great to be giving a press conference having lost.”

The Liverpudian even seemed pleased to be reunited with Millwall's fans after his two years out of management: “It’s a tough place to come, lovely supporters behind the dug-out, I’ve missed that at Millwall!

“Kenny Jackett’s got something going here, they’ve got a goalscorer in the team and they are a good side, there’s no doubt about that. Every credit to Kenny and his team.”

Jewell was happier with some aspects of his side’s performance but less so with others: “We need to improve in all areas, but that’s not to say it’s all doom and gloom, the effort and the workrate is there, but we need a bit more nous and a bit more quality when we get in those certain areas.

“We’re panicking a little bit, and that comes when you’re losing games. I think that’s nine out of the last 11 and that’s what happens. We’ve got to try and overcome the fear factor of losing games.

“When we’re 1-0 up, instead of going 2-0 up maybe we’re just trying to hang on. I want to be a team which goes on the front foot and once they’re one up tries to go for the second goal.”

The new boss, who has been promised funds by owner Marcus Evans, says he’s inherited some decent players from Roy Keane but will look to make signings if he can: “We’re not in a great position at the moment, but we’ve got some good players. You could see today that they are lacking a little bit of confidence. I know they won on Wednesday but I think Wednesday was a bit of a one-off.

“They’re a bit anxious in certain areas, we need to try to get them to relax a little bit more and try and have a little bit more belief.

“I will be looking to strengthen the squad if at all possible. I think any player at any football club wants his manager to try and improve the team that he’s in. Whether we can do that, I don’t know. Like every manager, if I can bring in better than what I’ve got, I’ll try and do that.”

The former Wigan and Bradford manager isn't going to base his judgement of his new team simply on this week's two performances: “I think it’s important not to take too much out of Wednesday’s game and too much out of today’s game. You look at where we are in the league and we are where we are because of the way we’ve played.

“The players have given total effort, there’s no way anyone could say there’s a lack of effort because there certainly isn’t. We’re just lacking a little bit of confidence, a little bit of quality at vital times.

“They’re game-changing things. If we go in 1-0 up at half-time and it’s a different ball game. Them scoring just before half-time gives them a great lift, gives the crowd a lift and kicks us in the stomach a little bit.”

Jewell was also disappointed that Tamás Priskin didn't net a second of the afternoon after Jaime Peters's cross had hit the bar: “It would have been nice to have a two-goal cushion, but it wasn’t to be and we’re disappointed in the manner we conceded the goal.

“It’s obviously been a recurring theme, that’s why we’re in the position we are and we’ve got to pick up some results quickly.”

Jewell has no problem with the heated first half fall-out between Márton Fülöp and Mark Kennedy after the Irishman had reacted angrily to an error by the Hungarian keeper: “I think they’re both passionate guys. Márton’s made a mistake, but the best thing is that they shook hands seconds afterwards.

“That’s the way football is, that’s the way it used to be. You can fall out on the pitch, but in the right way. It shows that you care and you move on very quickly, there’s no problem.”

The new boss similarly felt there was little in a second half incident where he and Millwall goalscorer Steve Morison exchanged views: “I was trying to get big Gareth McAuley away from it, that’s all I was doing. Steve Morison must have thought I was trying to get involved with him, which I wasn’t.”

Photo: Action Images

dubblue added 09:21 - Jan 17 "They're a bit anxious in certain areas, we need to try to get them to relax a little bit more and try and have a little bit more belief" I think it's going to be a long season!! Let's see what players he brings in.
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bluelady added 09:23 - Jan 17 horray! a manager that doesnt think we can play defencive football then 'grab a winner' a manager that wants to see us attacking!!! Also Keane would probably have dropped the two guys for falling out yet Jewell see's it as a positive - a passion for the game. Have to agree Fullop wears his heart on his sleeve, cannot believe someone on here yesterday said we needed to replace him!

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truckertractorboy added 09:31 - Jan 17 Hopefully with a couple or 3 new recruits we can turn these bad results around. Will give them the benefit of the doubt this weekend pj aint had them for long and wed night must have drained them.come on lads lets get a good win on saturday cheer everyone in pr up
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Marcus added 09:36 - Jan 17 We're a striker short now so I suspect he's got someone lined up. I wonder who?
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BlooooCD added 10:04 - Jan 17 This guy has the absolute 'midas touch' when it come to speaking sense to supporters. Please let this knowledge and honesty transpire to the playing field. I am loving what I have heard so far and have the belief we will see results too! Oh what a refreshing difference to Keane! COYB's! I hope we can all raise the roof on Saturday (Maybe a few of the extra supporters that came to watch the Arsenal game will come along too???) for him and the lads... Bloooooooooo Army!

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Lightningboy added 10:18 - Jan 17 That's the problem..they've had it drilled into their heads for the last 2 years to sit on 1-0 leads (not that we've had many leads) rather than attack and go for more. Nice to hear some positives & common sense on here on a monday morning from the manager.
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naa added 10:37 - Jan 17 Best things I've heard in ages when Jewell said he didn't want us to sit on a lead. Wonder why the players tried to do that... In the same way that he says we're not confident in posession, Keane played a spoiling game - no need to have the ball at your feet when you want to play that. Contrast this: Roy says he wants someone to foul a bit and kick the ball away at the end of the game. Jewell says he wants us to look for a second goal when we're in the ascendancy. Wonder who's comments I feel are more in-keeping for a manager of my club...

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osborne1nil added 10:53 - Jan 17 Couldn't expect a sudden change in form although we have beaten Millwall twice this season they have been on a good run of form and have confidence in their side. Unfortunate to leak that goal just before half time but nice to have scored first. Agree with most of the posts in that PJ is trying to inspire some of this confidence throughout the team and get back into winning ways. I think starting with the winning cup team was good sense and there were probably some tired legs towards the later stages of the game. he now has a week to work with them and maybe add another face to the squad before Saturdays game. Looking forward to the rest of this season now as i feel the football is likely to more attack minded and a better passing game, which in turn will hopefully start to be reflected in the results. With consistency in the side and a manager who puts an arm around your shoulder rather than a boot up your rear end the morale should improve too. COYB

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pitseablue added 11:38 - Jan 17 The more he talks the more I like him. As has been said before, sounds like we will attack more, which hopefully will brings some goals that will bring some much needed points.
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Vic added 12:31 - Jan 17 'We need more nous'. Now where did I hear that before? Didn't we have another manager sometime back who said we need to be a bit more 'streetwise'. Must have been good if he agreed with PJ!!!
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bluelady added 13:29 - Jan 17 Vic i agree with both managers actually., You just had to watch Arsenal last week, any possibility of a free kick and they fell over, yet even when its a real foul we get up and play on. we need to be a little less 'nice' in such situations... Also not to assume that a player is offside, how many times have we been caught like that??! So as long as PJ brings this as well as confidence, skill and width we are onto a winner!

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JewellintheTown added 13:32 - Jan 17 I hear Benty's put in a transfer request @ Sunderland - I'm sure he wants in back at Ipswich ;-) Cue the Sunderland player comments - oh, hang on, Keanes gone now so we dont need him.
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StowTractorBoy added 13:39 - Jan 17 Paul - make sure it is a craftsman in midfield that you sign. Messi nor Ronaldo would score if they were up front in our team as there is no service.
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Brazilian added 15:23 - Jan 17 We need a good clean out at take bids for Wickam
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Back_The_Boss added 17:14 - Jan 17 Onwards and upwards, COYB!
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Calmingwind added 21:17 - Jan 17 hopefully, he will bring in an attacking mid/winger that can put a quality ball into the box - edwards has been poor all season and gives the ball away far to much. once o'conner is back id like to see him on the left, failing that civelli id love to see back in the 11 sometime soon.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:00 - Jan 18 "Go for the second goal." That's magic to my ears. It's so negative to sit on a lead, and it hands over the initiative to the opposition. And it's frankly pathetic to see players running into the corner with the ball just to waste time. The positive attacking approach to being in the lead may drop you in it sometimes, but I bet it has more than a 50% success rate. COYB.

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bobble added 08:58 - Jan 18 a few of you are pumping him up to mega manager proportions already i see .. its good to see some people are just consistently consistent but why not back off a bit and save the praise if he really is as good as we hope don't turn the bloke into another bloody roy ....@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@2222222222212121212121
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bluelady added 10:22 - Jan 18 bobble agree but love what i am hearing so far, just hope he an deliver. at least what he is saying is more realistic than any old idiot can reach mid table and i want all the fans to hate me cause im not here to make friends (ok maybe not quite that but you know what i mean)
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