Town boss Paul Jewell admitted he’s still some way from assembling the team he hopes to field on the opening day of the season. The Blues have fallen to disappointing pre-season defeats to Conference side Luton and League Two Southend in recent days

Jewell says he’s a long way from knowing the team which will face Blackburn Rovers on August 18th in the Blues' opening Championship match: “It won’t be what it was today, let’s be brutally honest,” he said after last night’s 2-1 loss at Roots Hall.

“It’s nowhere near good enough at the moment, let’s be honest about it. I think everybody knows that.

“Everyone knows that we need two or three players in. We’ve got to make sure we get the right type of players in.”

So far this summer Jewell has signed right-back Elliott Hewitt, who is out for another few weeks having undergone hip surgery while with Macclesfield, central defender Luke Chambers, keeper Scott Loach and loanee midfielder Massimo Luongo.

In addition to those players, Jewell is after a big striker and, judging by last week’s bid for Doncaster’s George Friend, who subsequently decided to join Middlesbrough, and the Blues’ continuing defensive woes, another centre-half, amongst others.

The Liverpudlian says he’s constantly working to add to the squad: “I wish sometimes people would come and sit in my office. I’m never off the phone trying to get players in.

“I spoke to three Premier League managers today about players but they all said the same old thing — we’ll see what we’ve got left come August 31st.”

He admits he’s frustrated, adding: “I must have tried for 20 players but for different reasons it hasn’t happened and I’ll continue to try and improve the squad.

“I know that the team we’ve got now isn’t good enough to get us to where we want to get to.”

But the Town boss is confident he’ll get at least some of the players he’s after before the campaign begins: “We will bring someone in before the start of the season, at least one, if not two, if not three.”

Meanwhile, Jewell played down the chances of former striker Connor Wickham rejoining on loan if he were to be made available by Sunderland, as was reported over the weekend: “I think we’ve got first call on Connor if he becomes a loan, but I also think we’ve got to pay three-quarters of his wages, and we haven’t got that type of money.”

Photo: Action Images

Keaneish added 06:10 - Aug 1 These aren't the noises I want to hear! For any of you on here still wanting to build a team if kids, think again! We need experience in this side and now. I still make it 5 players we need... This doesn't look good.
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ianpeace added 06:22 - Aug 1 Great another relegation battle. Cant wait.
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PauloJulio added 06:40 - Aug 1 Excuses...excuses just get off your big fat scouse @r5e and do something about it then!
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Mr_Evans added 06:49 - Aug 1 I wish people will stop thinking real life football is like Championship Manager!! I think if any of us sat in his office we'd understand that it's a tough environment atm to try and sign the right players at the right price.. Get off his back, we've signed 3 players, potentially 4 including Karauoma for less than £500,000. And also Luonga on a season long loan. If we can get another CB, LM and a ST before the season starts then I think we should have a squad capable of challenging top 10.

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Len_Brennan added 06:54 - Aug 1 Not good. It makes sense that managers want to wait until the end of August before releasing players that they may need in their squad, but they don't have to be Premiership players that we bring in. Friend was Division 1 & Davies is with a Championship side, while Murphy is known to be available from Scotland and these are 3 players from the 3 key areas that we need to fill. It does sound worrying like he has some loans in mind, but I'll wait to see who arrives before criticising over something that might not be the case.

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are_these_the_days added 06:58 - Aug 1 Those who waxed lyrical about the victory over mighty Cambridge must be feeling a bit silly now
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Cattee11 added 07:08 - Aug 1 Ugh.. I dont like moaning especially during pre season, BUT when your manager comes out and says, we are nowhere near good enough, 2 weeks before we start is worrying. The club has had all close season to prepear... yet 2 weeks before they have only just realised. Everyone can say "stop moaning etc".. but we are ALREADY being given excuses by the manager. ITS PRE-SEASON and hes saying we aint good enough.. ME doesnt want to invest in player..a and tbh who can blame him, but when teams like bristol city are buying players we are chasing then something needs to be done. In football 1 Million is nothing what so ever SURLEY we have atleast that?? we cant keep offering teams 200k and so on for players. I will be behind the team and there every game this season again.. but im far from happy that our own manager admits we are far off what is takes.

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townietilidie added 07:11 - Aug 1 With all due respect Mr_Evans the players we have signed (and thats 4 potentionaly 5) are average championship at best who may just be up to keeping us in the championship , accept from Luongo who is looking like a little gem . I dont doubt that getting players in is hard work but if Jewell , Evans and Clegg dont snap out of it and wake up to the real world then we just wont sign the higher quality players we need to make us a sucessfull team . Watford signed 7 players in one day i beleive so it just goes to show that wrapping up a deal is possible . Its disheartening to continously here your manager tell you that we are not good enough and we need to strengthen but then to do sod all about it and keep making excuses is starting to bore . We as fans deserve more , we pay good hard earned money to keep supporting the club we love but im starting to think they are just taking the p**s now . 4 or 5 QUALITY signings still needed or else its another mid - bottom table finish im afraid ...

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raycrawfordswig added 07:16 - Aug 1 Sort it out then .
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itfcjay added 07:20 - Aug 1 You aren't going to sign anyone decent if you can't find 1million for a davies.Being beaten to a transfer by Bristol city if it happens says it all really. Although I agree that we shouldn't pay for the asking price but how are we gona move forward and get players in with a low spending budget and a tight wage budget. Who's gona come ?? I was looking forward to the Bristol Rovers game but I'm not so sure now !!

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BigAlsMate added 07:25 - Aug 1 Total negativity - and I'm not talking about members views on here!! We can't afford Wickham (fair enough) ... but we can't afford Davis and many others we have been linked with. I ask again .... where the hell has the £8m we got for Wickham gone? Come on PJ, Clegg and Evans .... sort this joke out or we will be lower mid table yet again and too many supporters will start voting with their feet. But then again, I guess according to so many on here, this posting only proves that I am not a true blue!

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Wickets added 07:30 - Aug 1 And some of the "everything is great" crew on this forum moan about the the neg's on here!!!!
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dirtyboy added 07:50 - Aug 1 We've found it difficult enough in the past to get one decent employee, let alone assemble a whole bunch of decent employees. A lot of people on here don't live in the real world unfortunately.
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JustSpivvyChops added 07:55 - Aug 1 Said it a thousand times before, but how do you expect a manager to put together a promotion contending squad with no money? Jewell has done extremely well and uncovered a couple of gems, but there's only so many times you can find the end of the rainbow..............ME and SC are more interested in balancing the books and have openly said as much. You can't balance the books and expect to be challenging for promotion at the same time, but of course telling the fans that wouldn't sell season tickets.

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Wickets added 07:56 - Aug 1 'av a word with him Jet!!
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ArnieM added 07:58 - Aug 1 So after the longest summer break ever , we still havent assembled a team anywhere near good enough . Brilliant !
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Mark added 08:05 - Aug 1 Perhaps it is better that our weaknesses are apparently now so we can buy the players we need and work hard, rather than cruise to wins and be under a false sense of security. I think we will need to spend a bit more than the £500K we have so far, and remember Jewell is charged with reducing the wage bill too.
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Wickets added 08:09 - Aug 1 Sack Bullard that will reduce the wage bill, He strolled about again last night!!
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TimmyH added 08:10 - Aug 1 sounds great for the new season...here we go again!
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muncer added 08:12 - Aug 1 I support Jewell to the end - but this is getting old now. We DO have a decent enough squad, albeit needing 2/3 signings to make it a side that could potentially do something from the off. If it is so difficult to bring players in maybe have a look at who you are trying to sign. Look in League 1/2. Or, put some trust in the players we have at the club. Play Hyam, Carson, Murray. Sort a system that works for us (18 months and he still hasn't managed it consistently). And see where we go from there.

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petieboy2011 added 08:13 - Aug 1 Time is running out before the start of the season Jewell.....if we are no where near good enough then its on your head why we arent! JET sad we shouldnt worry too much about pre-season friendlies, but how can we not be when this is said? This is hardly a confidence boost is it?? Not the best start to a morning!!!!
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airliner added 08:15 - Aug 1 Will some people just get off Jewells back its clegg and Evans we should be having a go at for lacking ambition in not supplying the cash needeed for a promotion challenge. They bear responsibility for bringing FFP rules in a year too early when other clubs are spending big now as they know the next season will see them having to cut expenditure drastically. The thing is PJ has got clubs promoted before on a shoestring but this is just ridiculous £500k spent on 4 players. Shame on you clegg and ME.

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irishtim added 08:19 - Aug 1 We need to spend or we wjll be in big trouble. Cant believe he didnt give Ronan a run out last night.
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unknownicr added 08:27 - Aug 1 Just go Jewell. Put Klug in charge or at least someone who wants a bit of pass-and-move instead of clog it up to Heskey or let JET try one from 50 yards. Karl Robinson needs to be sounded out.
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mark1969 added 08:30 - Aug 1 Clegg and Jewell both stated they wanted to get things done early and what has happened ? For whatever reason we are not signing players . Its time to get a grip , clegg needs to get a grip with Evans and really support the manager not watch the Olympics with a mobile on standby just in case. Jewell needs to sort his players out less tweets and more concentration on what you are paid to do please .It is okay telling us supporters to support do not worry we will just do your job.Supporters still provide income for the club not just Mr. Evans and the overall performance at the moment is not satisfactory.Sort it !

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