Portsmouth manager Michael Appleton admits that he’s concerned that the Blues may make renewed overtures for their trio of Pompey targets - keeper Stephen Henderson, centre-half Jason Pearce and midfielder or defender Joel Ward - with Football League clubs able to sign players on ‘emergency’ loans from today. Town had offers accepted for Henderson and Ward on the final day of the transfer window but with the deals breaking down over personal terms, while the Blues were unable to agree a fee for Pearce.

Appleton says that with Portsmouth’s financial crisis appearing no nearer a resolution — the players still haven’t been paid for January — he continues to fear losing players: “You are going to be just as concerned as January with the opening of the loan window.

“I would imagine — I don’t know but I would imagine — there were plenty of people there last night [at Pompey’s 1-0 defeat at Birmingham] having their eye on a few of our players. You would expect that because people know the situation we are in.”

Last week, Blues boss Paul Jewell didn’t rule out further moves for the trio, presumably loans becoming permanent deals in the summer, although not unless Ward and Henderson reduce their “excessive” contract demands.

Appleton says he will have to plan for possible exits: “Ipswich might come back in but if that is the case, we just have to use a contingency plan in terms of having players ready to get on loan from other football clubs.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

Ipswichbusiness added 15:40 - Feb 8 I'd like to see us make a big effort so sign Pearce; he's the sort of centre-back we need to strengthen our "defence". OK so it would have to be a loan with a view to a permanent summer signing, but that's better than nothing. I know he made remarks about not wanting to leave Portsmouth, but that has to be understood; if one of our best players went public to say that he was desperate to leave, imagine what the posts on here would be like!

0

irishtim added 16:12 - Feb 8 would try again for pearce. we need cb.
0

legoman added 16:33 - Feb 8 I hate loans with a view to buy. If a player turns out to be useless it was a waste of money and if he is a great success he is snapped up by another club.
0

Super_Cooper added 16:34 - Feb 8 They don't want to come so why keep going after them? We don't want people who don't want to play for our club!
0

strikalite added 16:55 - Feb 8 Take Pearce on loan, the other two didn't want to come here that's obvious..we still urgently need a centre back which hasn't changed for a long long time..
0

WickedBlue added 16:58 - Feb 8 Is it me? I read the words but all I could get out of what Appleton was saying is: "Ipswich please come back, we fooked up and we really need a deal done."
0

fourth added 17:01 - Feb 8 The Manager hardly counts. It's the Administrators that decide. Money, cash NOW is the essential. Go there with a suitcase. Show them the cash. Give them 12 hours to decide. Get them at half price
0

alljezer added 17:26 - Feb 8 Give them f..k all!! Let the greedy sh..es rot. We don't need them and don't want them.
0

markw added 17:49 - Feb 8 Forget about em,leave them all to rot along with portsmouth
0

jas0999 added 17:55 - Feb 8 Unless we are 100% guranteed to sign these players PERMANENTLY in the Summer (i.e. Clegg needs to establish whether we can afford ther wages/if they actually want to sign) then this is largely pointless and goes completely against PJ's 'I have learnt my lesson' speech. I still have no idea why we signed that Reading keeper - who made it clear his future lies firmly with Reading. No point. No point. PJ and Clegg seem unable to sign players on fees - this must improve in the Summer.

0

bournemouthblue added 18:10 - Feb 8 Too late now Pompey, you shouldn't have got greedy should you?
0

Radlett_blue added 18:53 - Feb 8 Lock, stock and two press-ganged mariners.
0

stoofer added 19:41 - Feb 8 Jas 0999 have you ever enjoyed one day of supporting town I've got my doubts
0

Blue041273 added 19:45 - Feb 8 There are two distinct points of view here; both of which are valid. The first is that there is no risk to taking these guys on loan as, if they don't hack it we just send them back. Thus, if they are looking to a future with us, they need to succeed in what is effectively a trial. Of course you would assume that if the loan was with a view to a permanent deal the salary package on offer was acceptable to the player. The second viewpoint is that players on loan, particularly those from the Premiership, are a waste of time as, they have no commitment knowing that they always have the security of a contract with their host club to fall back on. This could also have a detrimental effect of the existing squad. The Pompey players could fall into either scenario as presumably Portsmouth would want them back if and when their financial difficulties are resolved. For what it's worth my view is that we shouldn't take any player on loan unless there is agreement by all parties that a permanent arrangement is the desired objective. Otherwise we should stick with the players we've got.

0

walberswick added 19:53 - Feb 8 Good idea, kick out Bullard, Bowyer, Chopra, Scotland, Edwards, Jewell, Hutchings and McCarthy and start again.
0

tractorboybig added 20:22 - Feb 8 NO didnt want to come here without ripping us off. Let them p*** Off and let the greedy b******s go unpaid. mEre mercenaries.
0

ian_marshall added 20:27 - Feb 8 Pj 4 england
0

howdonblue added 20:28 - Feb 8 hear hear bury blue77... they did not want to come here in the first place ........ let em face the cosequence of staying at pompey ... we need players who wanna play for the shirt just like drury and hyam and such like
0

dugoutdave added 20:52 - Feb 8 Walberswick - is your avatar a picture of you answering the question " how many brain cells have you, jas099. H32 and daleyITFC got between you?"
0

gilo1973 added 22:17 - Feb 8 welcome back jas0999 - havent been able to write a negative post recently about the team so now use this route - why dont you become a Millwall fan as Keano is rumoured to be going there
0

Tractastic added 22:38 - Feb 8 Despite our recent excellent run the defence clearly needs 'fixing' as we have all pointed out for months and months and therefore i for one would welcome all three Pompey lads on loan with a view to permanent signings in the summer. Loyalty shouldn't be a dirty word and i bet if we get them down to PR i'm sure they will quickly love the club and the supporters and be big hits on the pitch hopefully for many years. PJ please no more dodgy keepers or past it prem players on loan. PJ for England ?

0

Pessimistic added 07:51 - Feb 9 Just ignore the lot of them and look elsewhere. They are not worth all this attention anyway.
0

walberswick added 08:33 - Feb 9 @dugoutdave Why do you always have a go at aother posters, BTW you can metion football on here. Perhaps a blue tie or do you really support Naarwich?
0

dugoutdave added 10:28 - Feb 9 @walberswick. pot ..kettle !! Just for info I and 2 family members are season tickets holders and have been a supporter all my life. Have seen all the ups and downs and will continue to support no matter what and no matter how stupid some of the managements decisons appear to be. What I and I suspect most people dont either know or fully appreciate is all the complexities of running a club from the finances down to the demands of players and their egos & the handling the parasitic agents etc etc - the list of potential pitfalls is endless. I run a company of 32 staff in 3 countries and god knows I would like to bang their bloody heads together sometimes and say "if you think to can do better get on with it". So when you see posters simply saying Jewell out, Evans out, Cleggs out everyone out, without any validating reasons it gets right up my nose. It must be a nighmare trying to keep all ITFC employees happy never mind the 16000 + supporters (incl those armchair ones) all of whom know better than anyone else. I'm all for banter and discussion about how we played, who should play etc but can't we stop the.... OUT .... OUT OUT all the time.

0

walberswick added 11:00 - Feb 9 Red tie?
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls