New boss Paul Jewell said the chance to manage Town was too good an opportunity turn down after signing on at Portman Road until 2013. The new Blues manager says the opportunity with Town ticked all the boxes.

Jewell said: “It’s great being back in the managerial hotseat. I’ve been out of work for two years but you’re never out of football, you’re either working in the media or travelling watching to Spain or Italy and watching other teams and trying to improve your knowledge for when you do get back into the game.

“I’ve had a few opportunities to come back in, but this one ticked all the boxes and I’m really excited and looking forward to getting going.”

The 46-year-old says he was attracted by Town’s lack of short-term thinking: “We’ve got a lot of hard work to do, we’re involved in a bit of a battle at the moment and confidence is at a low ebb.

"Every league game’s going to be a cup final and hopefully we can build for the future, get the confidence back with the players and get smiles back on faces. Everyone will start with a clean slate.

“Hopefully, we can consolidate and who knows that’s going to happen this season. One of the reasons this appealed to me is that it’s not a quick fix, it’s long-term objective, trying to build the club ultimately to the Premier League.”

Jewell, who is yet to finalise his backroom staff with his usual right-hand man Chris Hutchings having been sacked by Walsall last week and West Ham coach Wally Downes linked on Saturday, says he is yet to meet his players: “The deal was only signed last night after dinner, incidentally I paid the bill, which I think was what swung it!

“It’s been a whirlwind, I got the phone call on Thursday evening from the owner, I met him in Ireland on Friday and I had more meetings with Simon Clegg on Friday and Saturday. It’s gone really, really quick.”

With that mind, Jewell says he won’t be picking the team for Wednesday’s Carling Cup semi-final at home to Arsenal: “I think it would be in the best interests of the team to let the two lads who are running it at the moment, Tony and Charlie, who are fine professionals, run the game on Wednesday because they know the players better than I do. And come Thursday morning, we’ll be taking over. “I’ve got a lot of DVDs of the team to watch this afternoon and tomorrow. The less distraction the players have the better, they can just get on with the job of playing on Wednesday.

“I don’t want them to feel as if people are looking over their shoulders, so I’ll watch the game from the stand and start work on Thursday morning.”

Jewell outlined what he wants from his players, having spent the last couple of years assessing where he got things right and wrong at his previous clubs: “I want people to give everything they’ve got every day and while out of the game for two years I’ve studied myself and where I’ve made mistakes, trying to improve as a manager and as a coach.

“Hopefully, the good experiences and the bad experiences I’ve had in football will help me become a better manager. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I’ve had some ups and I’ve had some downs and I’m really looking forward to taking this battle on.

“As a manager, I want my players to enjoy training, to enjoy playing and if we’re doing that we’ll be doing OK.”

The ex-Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday, Wigan and Derby boss has been promised money to spend by chief executive Simon Clegg, but doesn't appear to be in a too much of a hurry to spend it: “Sometimes if you’re busy in the transfer market in January, you can be desperate buyers. I think it’s important that we take our time and obviously the loan market is there to be exploited.

“I’m not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes here and say I don’t know how much I’ve got to spend, but if there’s somebody out there that I think can improve our team, then I will do it.”

A product of Liverpool’s famous youth system, the former striker says his aim as Town boss is clear — to get them back in the Premier League: “That’s the goal, that’s what we’re hoping for. There are a lot of things in place here can give us an opportunity to do that.

“But looking at the division, there are an awful lot of big clubs in the Championship with the same expectations as Ipswich.

“It’s a very tough league to get out of, but I think we’ve got a lot of good players here, we just need to try and get them to believe in themselves, that’s the first objective.

"If we can do that, hopefully in two-and-a-half years’ time we’ll be talking about moving out of this league.”

Photo: Action Images

bluelady added 19:35 - Jan 10 Jas nearly always agree with you mate, however 7% of what? how many people voted? not really relevant in my honest opinion, but you are very right to have and voice your own! Ok back to PJ.... wasnt that excited, read up about him over weekend got a little more enthusiastic, after press interview was really very impressed with his honesty and his realism and finally what it for me was his interview with Radio Suffolk and then a further radio suffolk interview with David Wright. Why..... well on Suffolk he again spoke about wanting a happy team (how many smiles have you seen on players faces recently??) He came across as a genuine nice bloke, one who is actually here to make friends (unlike a certain previous manager).... then he spoke those words we all want to hear - he wants to bring more width to the game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yipppeeee bring on the natural wingers! Finally David Wright played under him at Wigan and had nothing but praise (when asked about keane young Mr wright diplomatically refused to answer in any real fashion!). DW loved being in PJ's team, said he was very hands on, got involved with the every day running of the club (not like Keane who left numpty Clegg to do all the negotiations). so all in all from last week when i first heard it may be him i have gone from luke warm to rather hot!

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Guthrum added 19:48 - Jan 10 Not my top choice, but still IMO one of the better options discussed over the weekend (and at least we escaped Curbishley). What the club needs now, after the highs (!) and lows of the last year-and-a-half is some calm and stability. Hopefully Jewell will give us that. Certainly his comments sound reasonable and sensible - especially that he has kept his attention on the game since his last managerial job and is not getting over-excited about new signings or Town's instant promotion prospects. Interesting having a non-midfielder as Manager for the first time in a while. Wonder if that will make a difference? Not expecting a miraculous resurrection of our fortunes, but a spell of retrenchment and rebuilding would do fine at the moment. Keep Ipswich in the Championship this season, lower mid-table will be ok in the circumstances, and start climbing from there.

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bluelady added 19:50 - Jan 10 Guthrum, think it will make a differance, as a striker he knows how important supply is and already he has spoken about wingers, width and supply into the box! just wonder what he will think of our collection of strikers, if he can get the best out of them then he will be very successful as evidently keeps a very tight ship at the back too.... ohhh getting really excited now!

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Lardy11 added 19:54 - Jan 10 Good luck PJ ITFC needs a good manager and the fans need a lift. Let's all get behind the team COYB
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blueherts added 19:59 - Jan 10 Great appointment -
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Wearside_Blue added 20:07 - Jan 10 Got to be good news. Good track record with some of his previous clubs, honest reflections at the press conference today AND a joke or two...Seems like we've forgotten how to laugh! COYB!
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Crazee added 20:16 - Jan 10 Not my first choice if I am honest. But after the turmoil of the Keano months - and I don't lay all the blame at his door by any means, everyone involved with out fine club should be looking at themselves on that subject - now is the time for EVERYONE to get behind the club. So very good luck and best wishes Mr Jewell and COYB
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alfromcol added 20:21 - Jan 10 Pity we can't get Andros Townsend back. His valuation has gone up since his appearance for the Tottenham first team on Sunday. Another of RKs mistakes in not giving him time on the pitch and pissing him about while on loan here. Given the right encouragement he could be a star of the future. Harry R knows a start when he sees one
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bluelady added 20:23 - Jan 10 alfromcol and just the kind of player Paul Jewells likes a natural winger! he talked today about playing to his teams strenghts, finding out where players played best and putting them there i.e no more colbacks as left wing, Eastman at right back etc etc etc.
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crazycomfort added 20:46 - Jan 10 I'll start with Welcome to Portman Road Paul Jewell, I am hopefull this is a good choice of manager the fact he has been on sky sports watching a lot of different players may turn out to be a very good thing, he will know who to look out for when you play against them and also may have noticed players we could do with.
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huntingdonblue68 added 20:53 - Jan 10 He sounds like the right man for the job lets all get behind him , and if he likes a winger i hope that if he is fit he gives Civelli his chance .
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YoungTownFan13 added 20:58 - Jan 10 Paul Jewell is the right Manager for us, he has plenty of contacts and has experience on getting championship sides into the promised land, look what he did to wigan, he made them the side they are today.
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docsavage52 added 21:31 - Jan 10 Welcome PJ. As fans we all have out ideas who we would like to manage our club. But the dicision has been made for us. Hopefully Wednesday will be a sell out, to welcome you to the club and hopefully the fans can get the team up and fighting for a win. There are some good players, lets hope the others are more willing to fight for there place in the team now. Good luck COYB

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bluberry added 21:35 - Jan 10 Great appointment did gr8 at wigan and bradford needs 5 players tho
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runaround added 21:40 - Jan 10 Welcome to ITFC Paul, all the best of luck to you. I like the things you have said so far, it makes it sound like you want both players and fans to start enjoying football again. I hope everybody gives you and the team the backing they need, both us the fans and the owner and CEO. C.O.Y.B!
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BlueBadger added 21:48 - Jan 10 Rubbish press conference. Full of cliched hoary old soundbites. Jewell is taking this club backwards! AND he's not even that famous.
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OceanSpaceman added 21:55 - Jan 10 Was Bobby Robson sacked by Fulham before joining Ipswich?
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Blandford added 22:01 - Jan 10 Having read most of the posts on Paul Jewell's appointment I woul like to welcome him and congratulate ME and Cleggy on making their first swift positive decision since taking over. To those that say 'he wasn't my first choice' please remember that on two ocassions he led very mediocre sides into the premiership and kept them there, both times at the expense of an Ipswich side that many of us remember fondly. Best of luck to PJ and the players.

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MazzaCOYB added 22:09 - Jan 10 Welcome to a great club Paul. I am hoping you can bring a little bit of confidence to a very fragile side and a lot of belief to a fantastic set of supporters. Keane seemed to seperate the fans which is not the way it should be at PR. Anyone who is already writing off Jewell then please do as you are threatening and dont renew your season ticket as Ipswich Town do not want you there. COYB lets see this fresh start, this is not going to happen over night, give the man time he is a proper football manager who needs to establish himslef and his team keep the belief and support there, the success will eventually come. ITFC Death Before Dishonour.

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denhamblue added 22:16 - Jan 10 not my first choice,but welcome paul.
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reuser90 added 22:21 - Jan 10 Well, i have to be honest, PJ was not my fist choice a long with many others. but for some strange reason i'm starting to fell very positive about this appointment! as stated often on here,we must be patient, back him and the players AND LIFT THE VOLUME @ PR!!!!!! welcome Paul all the best, some tough times ahead, but iets all be positive!!! as for first choices, well, it's a bit like thoses Sun £9-50 holidays!!! you don't get your fist choice........ but you come back surprised that you had a bloody good time!!! one bit of advice PJ YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 21st OF APRIL!!!!!! COYB!!!!

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marauderblue added 22:38 - Jan 10 Reading and listening to some of the amzingly negative comments this evening, why don't we wind the club up now and save ourselves a lot of trouble and money. Alternatively we could ALL get behind the the new manger and the players and look for a brighter future at Portman Road. I think Paul Jewell will do a good job for us. Best of Luck. and I look forward to being entertained again.

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WarkyWonderLand added 22:56 - Jan 10 Lets transfer the noise we made at Stamford Bridge on Sunday and bring it to PR. We (and that is all Town fans) have to get behind Paul Jewell and support him. He will do what RK didn't do and bring in an experienced assistant and if Wally Downes that would be a great team. His Wigan and Bradford teams played football. Got a feeling he will do his job efficiently and without fuss and actually build a team for Ipswich unlike the last 20 months. Has an uncanny likeness to Joe Royle in his manner and lets hope he makes the players and supporters smile. Lets get behind the manager and the players AND MAKE SOME NOISE AT PR.

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NathItfc added 22:59 - Jan 10 Hopefully by the end of this season i would like to see us around 12th-15, and the following season just beneath the playoffs, and the 3rd season promotion either through the play offs or automatic promotion. The chelsea game really shows how much we need to improve in order to stay up in the premier league if we do every get there. Good luck Jewel, and welcome.
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needhambluepeter added 23:03 - Jan 10 Not my first choice, but only one thing to do, get behind Paul Jewell and the team starting on Wednesday. good luck to Paul and the lads.
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