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

shefkuqi32 added 10:25 - Aug 1 I think a lot of people need to get realistic at the situation we're in. Good players don't grow on trees and with every one in the same boat scrapping over the same players you can't win them all. PJ is trying his best to get what he can in and I'm sure he isn't working his arse off in doing so. The signings so far I think can be looked in 2 ways. Glass half full or empty. It seems most people on here see them as the latter. 'Chamber released by Forest, Loach dropped, unproven Spurs player'. The way I see it....a former England under 21 international, previously linked to Premier league clubs, Nottingham Forest's captain and player of the year and simply a Tottenham Hotspur youngster...a top 4 premier league club. With respect to other clubs signing player after player, especially in Watford's case. They were recently taken over by the same people who own Udinese and Granada and will basically use Watford as a feeder club hence why they signed about 7 loan players from Udinese and Granada. Keep the faith. Up the Town

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BYRNE_16 added 10:30 - Aug 1 At least he is being honest, so the fans don't get to over excited about the new season an get their hopes up...
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Seasonticketsteve added 10:35 - Aug 1 With no money to spend, its hard to see where the re-inforcements are going to come from, where has the money gone? Wages?, FFP?, im guessing that Evans is just tightning the purse strings yet again and if he is then Jewell will do well to still be here come the end of the season. We havent had a story about how well Jewell and Evans are getting on lately, is Evans maybe giving Jewell 10 games to prove his worth hence why the lack of transfers and money available, I remember the same thing happening to Keane in his second season in charge and I do fear the same happening to Jewell. As for the Southend game, poor result but I would much rather we have these types of problems in pre-season so we can iron them out in training and the remaining pre-season games so they do not happen when the real season starts. I still think we have the makings of a decent team, if we can get Lee Martin to sign his new contract and add a couple more players to the squad then I dont see why we cant have a half decent season. I just hope Evans backs Jewell otherwise its going to be another season of upheaval and a season wasted!

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Warkys_Tash added 10:42 - Aug 1 @ PauloJulio ; Mindless comment. Lets be honest what resources does he have available if we sell our best striker to Sunderland for £8M and can't even spend £1M to get Davies in. Jewell has no chance - give him a break.
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thechangingman added 10:48 - Aug 1 Sigh. I think it'd be better if I just stayed off TWTD for a while. I just popped in to see what was going on pre-season and it appears that we're just continuing on from last season (and the season before that and the season before that and...) Getting our hopes up???? Who among us has high hopes at the moment of the Town???? I will just stay away for a bit now and enjoy my summer hols and pretend that everything is just fine down at Portman Road. Denial? Yup - it's worked for PJ and Marcus and Clegg - it's time for me to give it a go (I wish I could still be getting paid a shed-load of money whilst doing so like those three!!!)

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Guthrum added 10:50 - Aug 1 Managing expectations.
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SuperReuser added 10:53 - Aug 1 Cannot believe the negativity on here because we lost a friendly! Its absolutely ridiculous. The managing acknowledging that the team is not good enough and looking at how to improve is surely a good thing? Also with regards to the 'where did the Wickham money go' comment. Do you realise the debt Marcus Evans took on when taking over this club? It was millions! So whilst we may have received £8million for Wickham, we still owe Evans about £30 million (not sure of the exact figures here but the principal is correct). We should all be getting behind the team with the season just about to begin, not saying 'Jewell Out' because we have lost a friendly. Hes brought in some good players recently in Chambers and Luoungo (plus the promise of Hewitt) along with a good chance his signings from last season improving (the likes of JET, Cressy, Chops and Bullard). I just dont think its fair to say we will be battling relegation because of poor friendly performances and Jewell highlighting this fact. COYB

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RaymondovicBlue added 10:54 - Aug 1 This is the reality - Paul Jewell is in the last year of his contract and so we do not need to worry and get excited about whether he is good enough or not ... Marcus Evans will make that decision by Christmas and act accordingly - even if it is simply to refuse to extend his contract. PJ has made mistakes. He has gone SOME way to reverse them, but I have to agree that it is down to HIM as manager to get the best out of HIS players (many of whom he has chosen). I'm not going to get onto his back nor demand he be replaced ... anymore than I'd like everyone to complain when my work does not bear fruit - but I will watch with interest as this first half season unfolds and try my utmost to support the whole club along the way. One thing for sure - we have to use Bristol Rovers as a run out for our best 11 and not "play premiership premadonna's" by putting out reserves. PJ HAS to get it right and cannot afford to miss the chance to have his 11 firing on all cylinders as soon as possible.

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bluetown added 11:04 - Aug 1 stowtractorboy have u actually seen any of those young players?. Good grief give them a break not all of them have played yet. Jewell may be trying hard but get behind ur team and stop bitching and moaning.
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Lightningboy added 11:11 - Aug 1 Jewell..u r proving yourself to be a managerial clown. Personally,I believe that our first choice 11 (Loach,Edwards,Chambers,Delaney,Cresswell,Drury,Hyam,Jet,Martin,Bullard,Chopra ?) are good enough to be challenging for a play-off spot..so for PJ to come out 2 weeks before the season begins and start declaring that we're nowhere near good enough is not only beyond belief but very disappointing..not the sort of thing the fans want to hear. I can't see him being here much beyond October unless we're in the top half of the table AND playing well.

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Garv added 11:11 - Aug 1 I find it funny that so many fans spend all of their time telling other fans how under-prepared we are and that we need 'at least another four players', but when the manager comes out and says the exact same thing you all fall over in despair and claim we are to be relegated.
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BigAlsMate added 11:16 - Aug 1 @thechangingman Actually I do have high hopes - hoping that we can survive in the Championship this season!! Frankly, I fear the worst! But I guess that just means I'm a bitching moaner rather than a true blue?
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BigAlsMate added 11:17 - Aug 1 Oh how I wish I could afford to buy a pair of those blue tinted glasses that so many on here own!
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Lower_North added 11:22 - Aug 1 Thank you Doctor. Don't bother I won't ask for a second opinion...
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itfcbam added 11:45 - Aug 1 Too many of people on here are in another world. We are not the big club many of you think we are, our attendances for the division are only average. I can think of about 12-15 teams who will have a higher average attendance than us next season. Also how many clubs in our division are in as much debt as us? We don't have a bottomless pit of money. To many people think it's easy pick a player and they will sign, this is not the case. I want success as much as the rest of you, however, it's a very competitive Market and we are not as well placed as many think so there has to be a sense of reality.

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rickw added 11:50 - Aug 1 I think Jewell's comments are just designed to send a message to the players. You can't worry too much about pre-season results, you'll often get teams lose every pre-season game then go on to have a brilliant season. I agree with some others, Jewell's made some good signings so far and addressed our biggest problems (CB + GK) and our starting XI is good enough to challenge for play-offs. I think if we could sign another CB and someone to replace Murphy (targetman who can play left wing or attack) then we'll have a squad with decent chance of promotion, if we then don't challenge you would have to say then it's down to the manager and coaches not getting the best out of our players.....

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Blue041273 added 12:08 - Aug 1 While it's difficult not to have some sympathy with PJ particularly with the difficuly in recruiting the players he feels he needs, his frustration is borne out of a situation of his own making. During his 18 months in charge he has brought in more than enough players to build a foundation to develop a structure and playing style to progress in this league. But instead of having an established core to the squad with new recruits required only to spice up/reinforce the squad we are, yet again, in a position where major adjustments are necessary, not just to the composition of the squad, but to the perceived starting eleven. At this point in the football year this is a desperate situation to be in. The PJ management model is not working. Football is not just about bringing in a shedful of players every transfer window; it is also about making the players you have better players both individually and collectively within a team. Our younger players, for whatever reason, have not sufficiently progressed under PJ and are as far away from an established place in the squad as they were when they made their debuts. This cannot be acceptable in a club with limited resources.

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BrandonsBlues added 12:14 - Aug 1 At this time I aint buying no season ticket either. This does not make me any less of a fan, it makes me not waste my money or time.
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NoelTheDub added 12:34 - Aug 1 just reading the comments from yesterday and agree that its sad to see watford, burnley,and bristol getting players in that are championship guality. our club has been damaged over the last few years with bad managers and bad players getting overpayed and doing a bad job.look at the lower league for players to clubs that are crying out for a few bob like lutons cb or southends forwards that done a job on our team.

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wrightyblue added 12:37 - Aug 1 clegg OUT. What a joke!
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Southamptonblue added 12:54 - Aug 1 I can't understand why there haven't been more new signings. I mean, it's not as though Evans and Clegg are going to be distracted with anything else at the moment. Oh wait...
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Pabloisgod84 added 12:55 - Aug 1 CLEGG - seriously what have you done with all the money!! i dont understand it? we cant even compete in transfer market for a £1 million player. theres no way our current squad are on that big a wages so where is the money! JEWELL - please sort the defence out Jewellio, you've only had 18 months to realise its terrible, i think our midfield/attack is reasonable and with a solid backbone we could damage some teams! i was really excited about new season but now im very worried, i know there only friendlies but the defence is still bad and luton and southend, seriously?? well im gonna go to col u game next week and see if things can only get better! who esle is going?

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blues1 added 13:00 - Aug 1 while i wasnt unduly concerned a few weeks ago when no signings had been made, as i was certain they would come, and to be fair they have, its clear now that we need at least 3 more signings for us to stand a chance. i also have to say that its rank bad management to make a statement such as this in public so players will hear or read this comment. to bigalsmate tho, & all the others who keep asking on here where the £8m pounds from wickhams sale has gone? we signed, either permanent or on loan, 14 players last season. each & every one of those included either a transfer fee, or a loan fee, or a signing on fee + of course, wages. where do you think that money came from? thin air!!!

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Pabloisgod84 added 13:02 - Aug 1 Stowtractorboy, be fair mate i dont think magilton really wasted that much money in the scheme of things, worked miracles on no money for 2 seasons and it is fact hes been our best manager by a mile compared to the last 2 clowns, get him back in! we actually played some half attractive football when he was here.
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simonsays added 13:03 - Aug 1 No kidding Sherlock!
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