News of Swindon's bid to try and lure Ronan Murray away from Portman Road this week, has got me, as well as many other Ipswich fans, hugely concerned. Quite frankly the whole thing wreaks of another Jordan Rhodes saga, truth be told.

I am going to keep this one short and sweet, but really it is a follow up to my blog I wrote last week, regarding Paul Jewell's transfer policy.

Players like Murray are just the sort we need to be keeping at this club. As Paolo Di Canio, the Swindon manager described him, “he is a young, talented player” and that is precisely the reason why we should be making every effort to keep him. Even if it is at the risk of upsetting Mr Di Canio.

In my last blog, I pointed out how important I felt it would be for the Ipswich manager to look for young, hungry players in the transfer window – ones who have everything to prove, and would be prepared to put everything on the line for this football club. Essentially, players that would feel honoured and proud to hear a club like Ipswich were interested in signing them.

What I failed to point out, however, were some of the examples of players that we should be considering. This week, I have been closely following the reports of various players that have been linked with us with a great deal of interest.

One that did excite me in particular, was that of Crawley's Matt Tubbs. I used to have a small job working for Mansfield Town as a matchday reporter, and I first came across Tubbs back in March 2010, whilst he was still a Salisbury City player. One thing that stood out about him, although he did not score that day, was the amount of work he got through in the game.

He would always play on the shoulder of the defender, and for someone playing in non-league, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the runs he was making. I seem to recall he fired in a stinging freekick that sailed narrowly wide of the Mansfield goal, and also forced the Stags keeper into a superb save with a header in the second half. He was a constant threat, and full of energy.

That is precisely what we need at Ipswich Town, and there are plenty of extremely talented players in a similar mould out there just waiting to be snapped up for a pittance. Town have the resources to get scouts down to lower league and non-league games to watch these players, yet it seems the only scouting that happens at this club at the moment is through Match of the Day archives.

Few other names have been mentioned, surprisingly. One other was the tricky Luton winger, Jake Howells (20). A left-footer, he would add a nice balance to the team, and would compliment what we already have at the club.

Anyway, I did say I wouldn't go on too long, but at the last check, this had already flown past 500 words, so I'll give you all a break now!

tractorboy2434 added 14:36 - Jan 13 The big problem is they are unlikely to let him go on loan are they ? and Jewell has confirmed that we are not going to bid for him, I think a more correct statement would have been we are not going to bid for anybody but he has been told not to say it, as I have stated before its only loans because there is no transfer budget, that's just a smokescreen from Evans and Clegg.

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rugbytomc added 17:13 - Jan 13 I don't think Murray has the same sort of scoring record in our reserves and youth teams as Rhodes did - but with his contract up at the end of the season I would say this is decision time for Jewell. Either play him and drop Scotland (maybe), Ellington (definitely), Chopra (until he's fit) and see what he can do. Players need a run of games - how about Big man JET alongside little man Murray with 2 wingers getting the ball into the box high and low? Otherwise, just sell the lad, and see if we can get a sell on clause - or, as I wish we had with Rhodes, a buy back clause (like Barca have on pretty much every player they sell!). In fact - I wish Rhodes sale had a clause saying if a manager can make you successful then he comes back with you too!

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Sorry added 17:58 - Jan 13 I think the Murray situation just speaks volumes about the change of emphasis at the club. There's no attempt to develop players over time at first team level. You come in, you have a bad game, you disappear, either to surprisingly reappear at a later date, or never to be seen again. Makes you wonder how long this club will stick it out with Smith, Hyam and Carson, tbh.
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