New signing Jimmy Bullard is confident that the Town squad has what it takes to challenge at the right end of the table this season, despite the less than impressive start. The 32-year-old signed a two-year deal on Thursday and will be in the squad for today’s game against Leeds United.
Speaking on Thursday, Bullard said: "There’s something like 126 points up for grabs, we’re so early in the season. Obviously you want to get off to a flying start and that hasn’t quite happened, but there are plenty of games to go and I’m sure we’re going to be in the mix.
"I don’t think the squad needs major surgery. I’ve had a look round today and there’s a lot of competition for places. Whether the manager brings in another one or two I don’t know, that’s entirely up to him.
"There’s competition for places here, no one’s guaranteed a shirt. That’s what it’s about — if you want to be successful that’s what you’ve got to have in your squad.”
The midfielder says the mood was good when arrived on Thursday morning, despite the poor recent results: "It didn’t feel at all downbeat. There was no sulking, there was none of that. It was all upbeat.
"We’ve signed another couple of players as well, so the manager’s bound to be happy. That’s how it felt. Training was good, everyone had a smile on their face.
"It wasn’t like we’d just lost 7-1. It was just like when I left last season. It seems like I haven’t been away really. I suppose I haven’t! It’s only the start of the season, isn’t it? Even though it’s five months it seems like it was three or four weeks ago.”
The former Hull City man says Paul Jewell got the ball rolling on his return to Town at the end of last week: "It was about six or seven days ago he called me and I said to him that I was planning to call him. That was the first chat.
"As soon as he called me, I went home that evening and thought about it and in my mind Town were always the club that I felt I wanted to try to make happen.
"I left it to my agent Simon Dent, who has been absolutely brilliant. He talked to Marcus and they made it happen for me. I thank Marcus, I thank everyone at the club that’s helped it happen and I’m so happy to be here.”
Bullard clearly loved his loan spell at Town: "I just enjoyed my time here. It’s pretty local for me and all my family are Ipswich fans now after last season. I’ve got to get a dozen shirts already!
"I scored a few goals, had a great rapport with the fans, made a lot of friends here over three or four months, and I was Player of the Year from the fans, which was brilliant.
"It was a collection of things really, knowing Paul as well. He’s been great and I had some success with him at Wigan. I said to him I want to win things as a football player, so we’ll see what we can do.”
Bullard says there’s a good spirit in the camp and the banter is by no means always down to him: "There are a load of characters here. I sort of get put on the firing line with all that. They load bullets for me and I’m the one saying it! Loads of boys here have a joke, even the staff. They’re just good boys.
"It helps because you’re in it together. Every day when you come into training there are 25 or 30 boys, it gets hostile at times! It’s good, it’s where I want to be. You stick up for yourself, you have to with 30 men in there!
"You have a joke when you can, but at the end of the day we’re here to try and do as good a job as we can for Ipswich Town Football Club and get as many points on the board as we can.
"It feels comfortable here. I enjoyed my time here immensely. Let’s get it right, this is a massive football club. For me it’s a Premier League football club, that’s where it should be.”
Were there any notable tales to relate from Thursday’s training session? "Not really, you’ve got to take it easy on your first day!”