will be ok if we sign bullard permanently, otherwise we may struggle. he was not worth 2+million. very hard working player but needs speed

somebody said he loves the club, lol very funny.

At the end of the day this should have been sorted out long ago and not left until he could talk to other clubs. Evans and Clegg are at fault here and shows their lack of knowledge on footballing matters.

I thought from an earlier article that it was the length that was a problem. we offerred 2 years he wanted 3

It's simple. Norris and his agent know other offers will be forthcoming and they are applying gentle pressure to town to see if they will give him a three year deal. But the club are holding out and it's a wait and see situation. The player and his agent want the better deal and the club are trying to pay little as possible.
I have to say it would be a shame if Norris went as he may not be a great leader he certainly puts the effort in, not like some in the team. We just have to wait and see what the summer brings. It all depends on the wage structure, too big a gap between players and you get unrest, so it's certainly a hard job to run a football club, but it would appear the leadership there could do with some better advice! a lot of money spent on players and wages and for very little return. Plus a reduced number of season tickets so money will be tight and maybe the other offers will be better... the wonderful world of football.....

Let him go and get Harper in from Hull.Has a lot energy and more vocal.Would also be a good captain

Keeping Norris & Leadbitter and adding to the squad - I can really see both of these players wanting to be on the subs bench as we look to strengthen, we are Ipswich (bottom half of the Championship) not a Premiership team, I think this will just add to them not wanting to be at the club or lose interest trying to get into the starting 11. Even if Leadbitter is a different player it makes no difference he HAS still had a poor season and should be considered to be let go - just a reality check folks!

Would be a shame to see him leave - but he's not irreplaceable. Getting on a bit now. However, maybe we can read into this and say that either Dyer or Bullard is getting a permanent move?

Gareth McAuley for skipper.

Offer him a contract as soon as possible, he's vital to the team. How can people say he's not good at all, he gives 110% in every game, has a never say die attitude and is a very good captain. His goals at the start of the season were vital to us. Get rid of Leadbitter who is unbelievably awful and sign up Bullard to create an immense partnership

we have a number of midfielders and with PJ more than likely wanting to add his own to the pot and the possibility of Bullard staying i guess somone has to go. Leadbitter has played a holding role most of season so is never going to set the world alight, however i think he has potential and at only 25 is surely the better bet to retain? That said i do like Norris and would be sad to see him go. Dyer contract, spells disaster, cant keep fit more than 5 mins........

Motm for our first 5 matches 4 of which we won - he must be rubbish!! People on here fickle as always.

chripswich: blub!

Please define "a serious attempt to keep him" as you clearly must have insider info on what his demands are and what is being offered to be able to talk so confidently. Are you recommending we enter into a bidding war with other clubs?

The situation is what it is and it's not PJ's doing. We offered him two years, he wouldn't take it. We're trying to negotiate with him, but he will have other offers on the table. If he decides to go elsewhere, then thats the end of it, he is not important enough to our team that he should be able to hold the club to ransom.

no bothered if he does go

kangaroo good steady decent player he is, vital he isnt...... he is replaceable. im a big fan, but even i can see he is not indispensible if he wants more than is reasonable.

What ever is said, ITFC can't afford to give him a 3 year contract, that is what he seems to be after and that rather than the money is probably what he is after.

Probably better midfielders out there who will play for less than we are paying Chuck. No question that he gives 100% and scores some goals, but his record of bookings and therefore missed games and injuries speak for itself.

Prefer him to Leadbitter, but I think PJ will offload him as well given an opportunity

Norris is an above average player in an average team and I think he still has a lot to offer in the seasons to come..Give PJ some credit, he's no RK. If he's good enough the club will find a way to keep him. If PJ doesn't believe that he is good enough or doesn't have enough to offer he'll let him go.
Signing Bullard would be the breath of fresh air that we need..He's an infectious character who would do justice to some of the great players of the past.

What is it with People stating that Norris is the 'be all and end all' because of his "never say die attitude" etc, go to a Non league Club and they will have there favourite Player who has the "never say die attitude". His attitude and commitment are to be desired but that does not make him good enough for a promotion pushing team and because he is one of our biggest scorers in the last two seasons dont make him good it shows how sh.t Ipswich have been.

Norris 'down the road' is good news for this Club, we need quality now if we are to seriously challenge for the Premiership, and that comment is also mentioned in regards to a few other Ipswich players who are quiet honestly 'SH.T' !

lunatic38.. have to agree that there are a few players that are not the grade and hopefully PJ will sort this out when the 21 contracts come up for renewal..

If he leaves then shame on Ipswich! How can we let a £2.5M player leave on a free? If he wants to go then we should have recouped in January.

Bottom line is I agree with Roy and PJ - who were both quoted as saying these deals should have been signed last year.

Bluelady Agree with everything you wrote

Hasn't been that great, can be replaced. Never worth all the money we paid. No pace and can't pass, at 30 I expect he wants a 3 year deal and a lot of money. Can't understand why fans would rather see Leadbitter go? his still fairly young, agree hasn't had the best of seasons, but he his skill, just need the right balance in midfield a 4-4-2.

How can people not want him to sign up? Watford and reading the striker had no support and this is what Norris gives us. Against Scunthorpe he made runs that supported the striker and drew midfielders out of position leaving Bullard in tons of space to dictate play. He might not be great in the ball, except when he scores, but his movement off the ball is a very important clog in our side and if we keep Bullard could be the player who can make that space available for him to run the show

If Mr Norris wants more than the club thinks he is worth, then he has the right to look elsewhere, however, a 2 year deal at this stage of his career if that is what has been put before him seems fair enough to me. His family may also be hankering to move to the south coast also, so therefore happiness comes into the equation for all those immediately concerned. If he does decide to play his football at another club, i say thanks Chuck for giving your all to ITFC, if not, i,m glad you are staying. Please can certain people please stop having a dig at Grant Leadbitter, he was instrumental in helping us stay up last season & was head & shoulders above most other players. ALL players go through lean spells & he has a big future at our club in time, especially if Chuck does indeed leave us.

Norris. Well I didn't used to like him. I didn't really think he brough much to the club. But I then realised in that horrible run last year, that it was his energy that we were missing. Then with 9 fantastic goals this season, he is now a fans favourite if we want promotion, then Macauley, Delany, and Norris along with the likes of Dyer and Bullard are the players we need to sign up.

Hmm, a ticklish problem this one. It is galling that a player can just walk away without us recouping anything but that's the modern reality of who holds the power in the employee / employer relationship within football. Yes, ideally, some sort of deal could / should have been sorted last summer but who says he would have signed anything then any more than he might be prepared to sign anything now?

As others have observed, it is not within our gift to sign him up or let him go. The club can simply offer a deal and the its up to him. With GMac I would support the club pushing the boat out and offering the very best deal it can to keep him here. With Norris, hmmm not so sure. 3 yrs ? on better terms ? On balance , I think the clubs approach is right on this ie yes, stay by all means but we're not breaking the Bank for you.

There is no doubt that our midfield is in serious need of re engineering. Pre Bullard, it offered endeavour but was horribly slow and one dimensional. Time aafter time we have lost out totally in the middle of the park. Post Bullard, it has still looked like that but at least we have now a bit of quality and real threat from dead ball / strining range distance.

We have got to be way more mobile, tenacious and domineering in the heart of the pitch. Other teams have managed it with pretty much zero expenditure on players most of us would say "who?" to. I think there are other players out there or even within that can give us what Norris does (which is ok but not great) at a fraction of the spend - Jewell's challenge is to find them and spend the cash saved on unwinding the disastrous post pikey legacy. He needs good luck and judgement in equal measure.