Boss Paul Jewell says the Blues are “in there fighting” to bring former loanee Jimmy Bullard back to Portman Road having spoken to his agent on Friday. The Town manager continues his search for new players with centre-halves remaining top of his list.

Jewell, who talked to Bullard himself on Thursday, said: “I spoke to Jimmy’s agent [on Friday] and he told me that there are two Premier League teams in for him and another Championship team. He’s officially free on Monday and we are in there fighting.

“We do need a couple of centre-halves like you can’t believe. Not just a couple of centre-halves as well.

“I was sitting there in pre-season thinking we were a couple of centre-halves away from being all right. But now I think we’re a couple of centre-halves and a couple of other positions away from just being all right. I’ve said before there’s a lot of work to do and that view has only been enhanced by [Saturday].”

Bullard, whose contract is set to be terminated by Hull City, has been mentioned in connection with QPR, although that potential switch appears to have broken down, Wigan, West Ham, Bolton and now Wolves in addition to the Blues.

The Blues’ boss says his failure to land central defenders this summer is not down to a lack of effort: “I wish I could bring some of you in and get you to sit in my office and drive in my car and see the amount of time that I’m on the phone trying to bring in players. Even [Saturday] morning I was speaking to a club about a player.

“It’s the most frustrating time of my managerial career as far as trying to get players in goes. We need to do it and we need to do it quickly.”

Jewell says his remaining players were on a hiding to nothing in the second half: “No disrespect, everyone can play when they’re 6-1 up and against nine men. I’m looking at when it was 1-1 or when we were 1-0 down or even when we were 1-0 up. You’ve got to get together.

“The second half was nine against 11, that was tough. It was the 12 minutes before that which cost us the game. We were winning 1-0, we were doing OK and then 1-1 and you think 'let’s just try and [keep it tight]'.”

The Town manager was again left shaking his head at his side’s defending: “The goals we give away, you can’t legislate for them, can you? But how many times have I said that, and I guess Roy said that and Jim said it too.

"When we go over the white line, everyone’s got instructions, but when they cross the white line some people decide to make decisions we haven’t been talking about all week and it costs us. Whenever we come under pressure we collapse.

“Every time there was a 50/50 we got brushed off of it. The seventh goal just summed us up — he went through three tackles. There’s an awful lot of work to do, not just defensively but all over the pitch.”

Jewell is determined to turn things around: “Ultimately it comes down to me and I’ve got to make sure I can get the right players in here who can take this great club where we want to be.

“We’re a long way from there. I think people realise that. But there won’t be any lack of fighting and trying by me.”

Jewell was at Upton Park yesterday to watch Saturday's opponents Leeds draw 2-2 with West Ham.

Photo: Action Images

thurstongarage added 12:29 - Aug 22 Rather than keep reporting the same old same old reports on Bullard and lack of signings, its about time TWTD started a campain to get the 1365 fans there money back for there wasted trip to London road on Saturday as the club seem to have gone very quiet especially that clown called Clegg
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1979blue added 12:33 - Aug 22 Can Jimmy play at the back!! Let hopes this happens as we still do not look like creating much from midfield and please Jewell drop Leadbitter.
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baznsez04 added 12:45 - Aug 22 I find it quite funny when I read Roy Keane saying that Knowbody wants to come and play down here in Suffolk, Then I read that people hailing Jewell and Clegg for proving Keano wrong ( with all the quality signings this summer ) Now I am reading from the same supporters who rubbished Keano's comments that this Is infact the case...Really some of the people on here are so pathetic... Stop moaning get behind your team and put your faith in the squad and management. We are only a few games into the season, we ARE actively seeking new defenders, We DO have money to spend and WE WONT be held to ransom because of this. Please think back 5 years before Mr Evans SAVED our club and think where would we be without him and his backing. In Jewell we trust. On another note I think It would be a good gesture If the Players who took to the field on Saturday gave up their wages for the week to refund the travelling town fans their ticket prices... Just to show everyone on here that THEY are hurting every bit as much as all of us.

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ipswich_is_the_best added 12:51 - Aug 22 Bowyer was injured on saturday a slightly tight hamstring
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arc added 12:57 - Aug 22 If Bullard signs, he won't be in match shape for a month.
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sharvey22 added 12:59 - Aug 22 Regardless of what some of you are saying I think Bullard is exactly what we're looking for at the moment.. Our midfield is so inept and often incapable of holding onto the ball a lot of the time (bar Andrews) and with Bullard in the mix we might actually be able to create some half decent opportunities for Chopra who seems isolated a lot of the time. One thing that has been bugging me a lot lately is what does jewell actually see in Leadbitter and why is he captain? He's useless, all I want to see is players at least showing some pride when they put on the Town shirt...

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WoodfordTim added 13:06 - Aug 22 Jimmy must be in a state of shock after being bumped out by Hull. Smacks of constructive dismissal, which was Hull's only remaining option with him representing 21% of their wage bill. If we are up against two Premier League clubs and presuming they are not in the top 6 or 8, they will be always mindful of possible relegation, so they will not pay the earth. Keith Andrews was on a reported £21000 p.w. at Blackburn, so can't see Wolves wanting to pay more than that. We could be in with a good chance. Really hope he comes back to PR

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denhamblue added 13:25 - Aug 22 yawns ,roll up roll up its the bullard saga.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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stiffy501 added 13:37 - Aug 22 Get rid of Leadbitter & Edwards! Sign Bullard up ! Reading are after Robinson from Millwall, Get in there and outbid them he,s a good C/H !! ( Captain ) How about testing the water with palace about getting David Wright back ? good in this league and can play C/H if needed !! DO SOMETHING MR JEWELL / EVANS !!!!!
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Keaneish added 13:41 - Aug 22 20k a week, appearance bonus, goal bonus, assist bonus, massive lump sum if we get promoted, captain's armband and leadbitter's boots.... Throw the cash at this one at all costs!
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nitroblue1970 added 13:45 - Aug 22 so we're back on the Bullard roundabout again.....unless .....can he play at Centre half?
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blueblood_soldier added 13:52 - Aug 22 I think the biggest problem is confidence!! went to Southampton match and its the 1st time i have ever watched a side lose 5-2 but still be able to take positives- JET Looked good, Cresswell looked good, Chopra didn't stop running and for the majority of the game we were the better side?? BUT!! when we concede we expect to concede more! the defence lose confidence in their own ability and it all goes down hill from there! peterborough i didnt take any positives and against hull we hardly created a chance so BULLARD has to be a must for his creativity!! 2 CB'S MORE IMPORTANT THOUGH!!COYB'S Turn this dreadful start around!!!

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Titters added 14:12 - Aug 22 The players we buy seem to suffer from Sam Parkinitis. They come with a good reputation and just bomb out. Perhaps the fans are just too nice to them and should dish out more stick during a game. This ridiculous applauding when they manage two passes in our own half then pass back to the keeper seems to give them a cosy feeling of 'We are doing just enough to keep the fans happy' attitude. Even players who arrived with a certain urgency are just going through the motions ie. Leadbitter, Edwards etc. we have turned into a complacent one pace (which is slow!) side. I don't think I have ever seen Martin beat a defender as he flatters to deceive on a regular basis therefore Keane was right about one thing he is not good enough.

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4dy added 14:47 - Aug 22 i think mr clegg must be (who rightfully remains quiet on past games)must shoulder a large chunk or the responsibility. when we signed bowyer and igamarson i thought to myself for the age and length of contract they have we might as well of given norris and macauley the contracts they asked for.and as i said before in past posts how disrespectful to those two who actually were a big part of keeping us in the championship,and they obviously wanted to stay for the rest of their careers.looking back now how much money would that have saved us.we've dumped on our youth by not showing faith in them.how much difference would a big midfield man e.g. liam trotter have made when p'boro where walking through our midfield.i also think troy brown would been able to track the pacey attack p'boro, soton have.having clegg in charge reminds me of the post office.they put a bloke in charge who used to run asda who had to learn the ropes whilst trying to make big decisions at the same the.not a good combo!so i ask simon clegg are we a football club with football aspirations or is he just like all these ceo's who think they can rip the spine out of an organisation then bugger off with ridiculous pay offs.i think the person we should be asking questions to is clegg.what we've seen over the last few weeks is the result of business descisions not footballing ones,we pay to see good footballing decisions and if we have to pay one or two players over the odds to progress then i call that investment.if we scrimp and scrape we can expect to be a mid table to relegation team,who players will use as a stepping stone to go to a club with better prospects.

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chripswich added 15:03 - Aug 22 Dear Mr Jewell spin spin spin...clutching at straws.. and even if its true its simply an effort to get a crowd that is growing restless with you now (very) back on side..you are a popularity seeking media man..thats why you betrayed your guns and went two up front with the worst midfield ever to take to the field in towns history versus southamton..you bowed to the critics and paid for it with 45 mins of uselessness only outsurpased by the norwich home game last year. its irrelevant anyway.. the players brought in "your players" are sh!te..and jimmy is not a one man team. defence - where is it? bowyer - where is he? ellington - a poor scotland? chops - was coming anyway ingarmasson - sick note, anybody could have told you that the rest - average seems you got lucky with cresswell..one out of 8 aint bad mate.. no longer can you "talk the talk" about relegation avoidance being what you were brought here for..yes you did that..but actually so could megaphone man...lets face it the best town performance we watched last season was versus Arsenal at home when you were in the stands...in a semi final of a cup that you so blindly got us drubbed out of a fortnight ago..even the most basic of managers at our level keeps a winning team to some degree..ever heard that it breeds confidence??..you destroyed any element gained form the Bristol game the following tuesday..well done gaffer!! you are clueless - if not you are average at best..please turn the light out behind you... regards Chrips. x

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alfromcol added 15:06 - Aug 22 4dy Norris was on his way out of Portman Road in January. He had already made his mind up to go. Not a lot the club could have done. Liam Trotter u must be joking. All very easy to pull names out of the hat and say they could have done better. But they were not good enough at the time and hence have left the club. McC is the big loss for me. Dont panic, things can only get better. Remember the Great Bobby, he started with threats of the sack as he began to build ITFC into the great side they became.

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DiamondGezzer added 15:06 - Aug 22 As already posted, Premiership or Championship or who pays the best.
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Bleedingblue added 15:07 - Aug 22 Should have kept Liam Trotter. Young, fit and hungry midfield player is just what we need! Did we have a sell on clause as he's being linked with Arsenal or did Keano let him go for free?
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marc96 added 15:17 - Aug 22 Surely its bullard's decision at the end of the day which club he goes to and no one elses, so if it is true that he would give anything to come back to ipswich then surely if we offer him 20 grand a week he would accept it? Just shows the lies these players tell to please the fans
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4dy added 15:29 - Aug 22 hi ya alfro,see what your saying about norris,for me trotter was not playing in his natural position(town trait!)with all due respect when magilton left i thought that we were only two or three signings away from being a top six side.now surely when your not the worst side in the league you put your hungriest youngsters out to blood them and give the seniors something to think about.did you realise that when we played soton that there wasnt one player who came through our ranks on the pitch.can you tell me the last time that happened?yes your right about robson,but football is not that patient anymore my friend,that is not just for us but a lot of clubs not a very good sign for the future

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Back_The_Boss added 17:04 - Aug 22 Get rid of Grant, and spend that fee on Bullards Wages!
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Hockley added 17:16 - Aug 22 In the past few years we have seen quality defenders such as Bruce, MacAuley, Harding, David Wright and youngsters with potential like Eastman leaving the club whilst Wilnis and De Vos retired. With no strategy to bring in quality replacements is it really surprising that we cannot defend at Championship level. We shouldn't be blaming PJ because the damage was being done before he joined us. Apart from 3 defenders we need wide midfielders who can get back and defend

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paulnstar added 18:11 - Aug 22 how on earth would bullard help 35yrs old ,no pre season ,get lost jewell you were crap at derby ,sheff wed and now ipswich ,u took the glory for chris kamaras bradford ,utter crap
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paulnstar added 18:12 - Aug 22 ipswich are better than everybody(in the ridgeons league ) ,just
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strikalite added 18:13 - Aug 22 Bullard will certainly lift the players heads I'm sure because he's a great charactor to have no doubt. I live in Peterborough and have had everyone coming up to me today, ffs even people who never usually mention bloody football! Keep the faith....things can only improve :/
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