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Jewell: Connor Has Great Maturity
Jewell: Connor Has Great Maturity
Friday, 18th Feb 2011 08:51

Boss Paul Jewell has praised 17-year-old striker Connor Wickham for his maturity and the way he is coping with being in the media spotlight at such a young age. The England U21 international made more headlines when he netted his first ever hat-trick at Doncaster with Tottenham subsequently reported to be the front-runners for his signature.

Jewell said: “He’s very mature, it doesn’t seem to bother him, although I think his tattoo’s spelt wrong!

“I think he comes from a good grounding at home and he’s a nice laidback lad, sometimes a bit too laidback. I’d like him to be a bit more aggressive at times.

“When he’s on the pitch he’s learning all the time. He’s only 17, but he’s quite mature around the place.”

The Blues boss says the academy product gets on well with his team-mates, who treat him as just another member of the squad: “I’ve only known him a brief time and he’s just one of the players, they don’t consider him a young player, they consider him one of their team-mates and that’s the way it should be.”

The Town manager has no doubt that Wickham has a bright future as a central striker ahead of him, but at the moment he’s an important cog in his side playing out wide: “I think he’s got it all, he’s got everything. He can run, he’s quick, strong. He needs to improve in a lot of areas and he knows that himself.

“He’s playing in a role which is a little bit foreign to him at the moment in the three up front on the left, but he’s doing a great job going back as well as going forward.

“Connor’s been a vital part of the team, but what I’ve been trying to stress to everybody is that it’s not just a team effort, it’s a squad effort.

“What goes on on the training pitch Monday to Friday is important and the togetherness that the squad have got. Sometimes you’re only as strong as the players out of the team. If they’re good characters that can transform things through the club, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

For all the talk of a move to the Premier League, Jewell hopes the Hereford-born player can fulfil at least some of his ambitions at Portman Road: “He’s 17 nearly 18, so he’s got a long way to go, but he’s got a bright future as long as he keeps doing what he’s doing and as long as he stays clear of injury. There are a lot of pitfalls in football.

“I’m pleased with his progress, but he has a lot to learn and hopefully he can learn it here and go on to be an international player here.”

Jewell, speaking prior to reports of a clause in Wickham’s new contract until 2013 which would see him move on if Town receive a bid of a set level, says the Blues are in no hurry to sell their prize asset: “Connor should just get on with his job and if an offer comes in for any player that doesn’t suit us we won’t sell them.

“I haven’t come here to sell players. Hopefully he can progress with us and we can keep hold of him.”

Meanwhile, Wickham himself is looking to add to the five goals he has scored since Jewell took over at Portman Road last month: "The first half of the season was frustrating. I was desperate to score but I got my head down and worked hard and I always felt that when the first goal came, then I would go on a run.

"It worked like that last season when I scored the winner against Scunthorpe and then got a few more after that and now I've got five in the last few games, so it's followed the same.

"Scoring goals is part of my job and now I just want to keep finding the net as much as I can over the rest of the season and help the team finish as high as we can."

Elsewhere, a report this morning claims Town target Habib Beye will turn down his loan switch to Portman Road to remain at Aston Villa to fight for his place. Yesterday, Blues boss Paul Jewell confirmed his interest in the 33-year-old right-back.


Photo: Action Images



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GiveusaWave added 08:57 - Feb 18
Shame Habib Beye turned down the loan deal
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bluestu71 added 09:21 - Feb 18
The Sun has reported he is going to Spurs, I know it's a Mickey Mouse paper but their football stories are normaly very accurate.
Hope this time they are wrong tho...........
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DiamondGezzer added 09:21 - Feb 18
It is a shame about Habib but, I'd sooner someone come in that really wants to play for us. They're out there, Andy Drury and Jimmy Bullard to name two, and I feel alot more confident these days that our scouting network has widened [ saying that we're looking at the boy from Southend - but you know what I mean ] and is stronger
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muhrensleftfoot added 09:23 - Feb 18
Don't know about Wickham not being agressive enough. He worries me whenever he lunges into tackles. I keep thinking it's only a matter of time before he takes an opponent out and gets a red card
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DiamondGezzer added 09:30 - Feb 18
muhrensleftfoot; I totally agree with you. Just sometimes, I think he's a red card waiting to happen !
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Behind_Enemy_Lines added 09:35 - Feb 18
Last thing I heard was Beye would never play for Aston villa again while houllier was in charge due to poor attitude and work ethic !!!
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Tractorog added 10:17 - Feb 18
if we don't land Beye it is not the end of the world.
Connor would be foolish to move to Spurs and he does not come across as foolish.
He has all the time in the world and he is getting regular first team football.
The longer he is at this level scoring regularly the higher his wages will be when he does move.
If we have not been promoted and he is 20/21 then will be the time for him to move.
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SouperJim added 10:30 - Feb 18
I hope we can hang on to Wickham for next season's promotion push, but I fear he will be sold in the summer. It would be a real shame, as we haven't had a full season of form out of him yet, unlike Benty for example. He could be the difference between us quickly storming our way out of this division under Jimmy or having to battle for it over several years.
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stringtheory added 10:50 - Feb 18
Amazing - no witch hunt yet against Simon Clegg for Habib Beye seemingly turning down the opportunity to play for us!
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Jnr1988 added 10:51 - Feb 18
If he doesnt want to come its no big loss....at this time we have players who are playing for us because they want too not because we are paying them silly money. We have players playing with passion and desire.....COYB!!!!!!!!!!!
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Karlosfandangal added 11:09 - Feb 18
We are playing so much better at the minute and things are looking very good for the future.
However its a good possiblility that we will lose Wickham and Bullard will return to Hull, there is also the 20 players out of contract of with 3 are the core of the team.
I have that feeling that next year will be a rebuild with the money coming from Wickham's sale and it wont be until the following season that we will be able to push for the prem, again this will be a very tall order as the teams coming down will have 80 million to spend over 4 years with the prize money and paracute payments
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We8Norwich added 11:50 - Feb 18
Clegg can't really be blamed for loan deals as the wage is already set. He still needs to learn about negotiating deals for permanent players though.
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JewellintheTown added 12:25 - Feb 18
Jewell said: “He's very mature, it doesn't seem to bother him, although I think his tattoo's spelt wrong!

- Anyone know what his tattoo says?
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Worcester added 12:26 - Feb 18
Ooooooooooohhhhhhhh Stringtheory don't pick that scab!

I thought we were bored of that one....still it is a fun topic
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JewellsRimet added 12:35 - Feb 18
Jewell said: “He's very mature, it doesn't seem to bother him, although I think his tattoo's spelt wrong!

- Anyone know what his tattoo says?

"Norwich - land of the rising scum" ?
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sereneblue added 12:40 - Feb 18
Habib Beye has completely the wrong attitude, as money seems to be his only motivation. Lets keep looking for a young eager right back who wants to play for us and impress.
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BlueThai added 12:41 - Feb 18
Connor's tattoo roughly translates as ‘being close with family and friends'

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/ipswich_connor_wickham_s_new_tattoo_thanks_family_and
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stringtheory added 13:20 - Feb 18
Worcester_Worrier - I think Clegg's a ringer! How many goals has Austin scored since his transfer, Cleggy knew he was going to be rubbish at this level!

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legoman added 13:44 - Feb 18
I reckon we will sell him for 30 million in the summer after scoring 20 goals for us.
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Worcester added 14:35 - Feb 18
Ha ha Thats the spirit!
Simon Cleggs blue and white army!.....no?.......ah well I tried
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bobble added 02:59 - Feb 19
a lot more mature than our previous manager
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Back_The_Boss added 08:27 - Feb 21
He will only get better in time and it is important that he stays at ITFC. COYB!
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