Blues boss Paul Jewell says French trialists Plaisir Bahamboula and Soualio Bakayoko have impressed during their week with Town. The pair came on in the second half of yesterday’s 1-1 friendly draw at Helmond Sport.
Jewell said: "Soualio and Plaisir have been with us since last Monday and they’ve trained very well. They’re only young boys, 21, and it’s a good opportunity for us to have a look at them.”
Left-sided winger Bahamboula started his career with French club Souchaux during which time he attracted the interest of Newcastle United after impressing in the final of the Gambardella Cup, which is much like the FA Youth Cup.
Having spent three seasons in the Souchaux B side, which plays in CFA Groupe B (fourth tier), Bahamboula joined Royal Antwerp in Belgium last year but failed to break into the first team and was released.
Born in Corbeil in France and capped by the French three times at U19 level, Bahamboula also qualifies to play international football for the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Left-back Bakayoko began his career with hometown club Paris FC before joining Châteauroux and playing for their B team in CFA 2 Groupe D (fifth tier).
Bahamboula
Jewell is pleased with the way all his squad are applying themselves at their training camp: "Coming to Holland for a team like Ipswich is almost like a home game — it’s less travelling than anywhere in England. "It’s a really good facility we’ve got. We’re only here for five days. We worked them exceptionally hard, morning and afternoon yesterday. "But it’s not about today, it’s about getting them fit, getting them in the right condition and frame of mind and getting the new players - although we haven’t got as many as we’d like but that will be changing - to bed in during some time away.” Bakayoko While Jewell says it’s nice to win pre-season matches, it’s not the main issue and last night’s opposition have been back in training longer than the Blues: "They’ve been training for four weeks, so they’re ahead of us.”
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Jaden Philogene hit a hat-trick as Town ended their long wait for a home league win by thrashing Sheffield United 5-0 at Portman Road. Philogene opened the scoring in the 20th minute, then added an even better second on 51, before George Hirst made the most of dreadful defending to net the third in the 61st minute. Philogene completed his treble with his best of the night seven minutes later, before Jack Clarke completed a great night for Town, whose last home league win was against Chelsea on December 30th, on 78.
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Jaden Philogene’s first goal at Portman Road has given the Blues a 1-0 half-time lead against Sheffield United.
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The deadline for pre-orders of the new John Wark book He’s Here, He’s There is today.
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Have you predicted the Blades score yet? Seventy six per cent of TWTD members are predicting a Town win this evening, 14 per cent a draw and ten per cent an away win. The most commonly predicted result is a 2-1 win to Town with Hirst the first scorer but what do you think?