Town boss Paul Jewell says loan midfielder Jimmy Bullard will be given every chance to be fit for Saturday’s trip to Leeds. With Bullard having a hamstring injury, skipper David Norris suspended and Colin Healy out with a stomach problem the Blues manager has looked to the loan market, but so far without success.

Jewell said: “I don’t know whether Jimmy’s going to be fit. We’ll give him every opportunity, but we have to leave that decision with Jimmy because with hamstrings only the player knows whether he can play.

“On Tuesday Jimmy had a fitness test and was very positive until he started trying to sprint and he could feel it.”

While the Blues boss could look to youngsters such as Luke Hyam, he believes his side needs more experience: “We are very stretched and we’ve made a couple of enquiries trying to get some players in on loan but unfortunately we’ve not been successful at the moment.

“We’ve made a couple of enquiries for Premier League players but a couple of them have been knocked back by their managers because they’re in their 25 and they want to save them until after this weekend with a couple of cup matches going on and stuff like that. We could do with a couple in though.”

Healy will be assessed at training this morning having missed the last few games with a torn stomach muscle. The former Cork City man and full-back Mark Kennedy (hamstring) are unlikely to be involved.

Captain Norris is unavailable for the next two matches having picked up his 10th booking of the season in Tuesday’s defeat to Reading.

Photo: Action Images

CaptainObvious added 10:45 - Mar 10 very positive until he started trying to print - paper jam? toner low?
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triggs21 added 11:01 - Mar 10 Starting to sound very familiar .... Key players injured... Might have to play more youngsters... Looking at loan players to come in but having no luck... Keane had a good start to the season then things started to go wrong, not all his fault. Loans didn't happen when needed. Key players got injured. Jon Walters acted the tit and was sold. Had to play the younger lads more than he would have hoped. Now look at Jewell since he took over. Had an excellent start, but things starting to go against him, with injuries, suspensions and not being able to attract loan players. I will say come the summer he will work to ship some out and some in, should the club fail to get Jewell at least half of his targets then next season will be the same story as this. I hope Marlon King will not be one of those players, if Ipswich and Paul Jewell are serious about promotion they need a better quality player.

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Pessimistic added 11:15 - Mar 10 I dont think it was a paper jam or low print Catain Obvious. What Phil was trying to articulate is that when you are standing on one foot at a printing machine - presumably making copies of something it puts a lot of pressure on the other leg which was probably the one that was causing him the problems. It is a medical fact that if you stand on one leg it can aggrevate hamstring strains. He is a sensible lad though and if he keeps both feet on the ground between now and Saturday I feel sure he'll be fine.

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Basil_Smallpiece added 11:16 - Mar 10 Hyam was a fixture in the team in the early part of the season when they had great success. Why is he now a pariah? Why has he not been given a run in the team? Why do these managers prefer old gits like Kennedy, Edwards, Scotland, Bullard, McAuley, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?
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sonian_blue added 11:24 - Mar 10 Why the obsession with loan players, surely this is the time to give the youngsters and squad players a run. We arent going up or down so why doesnt PJ use the remaining fixtures to assess what he has before a clear out or not in the summer. Loan players will only cloud the issue, particularly those from the prem who we have no chance of signing. Agree with a post above, Hyam was our best player early doors this season and what about Peters, what has he done wrong. Then there is O'Connor. Give them a go, they may just suprise you.

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I_AM_GOD added 11:26 - Mar 10 Do I sense doubters starting to appear after a great run and then some not so great results?
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Millsey added 11:41 - Mar 10 smallpiece Breast
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DiamondGezzer added 11:44 - Mar 10 Doesn't take long for the knives to be sharpened and the negative tongues to wag. Whilst I agree about using those we have, is it possible that this is an ADVERTISEMENT to any interested parties out there [ loan then buy come summer ] ? And how do we know we have no chance of signing up premiership players.....Jimmy Bullard! Don't ask, you don't get.
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Basil_Smallpiece added 11:49 - Mar 10 Will someone please tell me what is wrong with this argument? Here it is: ITFC are mid-table. They cannot get promoted whatever happens. It is impossible. They cannot get relegated, given the desperately poor teams in the bottom three. ITFC will end up in the Championship at the end of this season, come what may. Why not then, as a manager, experiment with the playing assets you possess? Give young players with potential and enthusiasm a chance to perform on the big stage. Drop those players who are slow, past it and able to give only 30 minutes effective play and only in town to collect a pension and talk to hacks eg Scotland, Kennedy, Edwards, in no particular order. And Fulop and Norris (can't be bothered). And McAuley and Delaney (out of their depth). And Bullard (money grabber, who is never a long-term asset and who disrupts the build of the team). Let's have a true ITFC team on the pitch and not a bunch of cobbled-together old has-beens. Let's have a strategy, Mr Jewell, and not a match-to-match, fingers-crossed, select-and-hope type approach. I was prepared to give you time when you arrived, Mr Jewell, and continue to be tolerant. But I want to see an improvement in your personal performance. Jolly Scouse banter in front of hacks is fine, but not enough. The occasional win is fine, but not enough. Let us have a team.

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muhrensleftfoot added 11:50 - Mar 10 Hyam can do a good job in the midfield holding role as he proved earlier this season. We've also got Peters available. Drury is a tidy player. Tell Leadbitter to start hitting the target with his long range efforts. Do we need to bother with loanees? Strikers maybe, but certainly not in midfield.
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PhilTWTD added 12:16 - Mar 10 Oops, print error solved!
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Vic added 12:29 - Mar 10 Basil_Smallpiece - I'll bite! I'll also tell you what's wrong with your argument - it's a load of rubbish at pretty much every point you make. Kennedy has been excellent steady player at the back; Big Mac & Delaney have not been out of their depth and there isn't a shred of evidence that Bullard is a money grabber. He has been the single most important player for us over the last 2 months so why the need to criticise him. You then say "Let's have a strategy, Mr Jewell, and not a match-to-match, fingers-crossed, select-and-hope type approach." I can only hope you are joking and I've been seriously trolled because if you're not then you clearly haven't haven't read or seen anything of the team recently. Reply over - I'll go back to the big boys and girls in the forum.

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bluelady added 12:36 - Mar 10 Basil bullard could sit on his butt at hull and get paid the same instead he comes to play football his passion in life. Hyham has only just got back from injury and appendix as for the rest of your dribble flawed isn't the word. I do agree we need to give youngsters a turn let's see if that happens in next few games I suspect it will..
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hollywoodginge added 12:36 - Mar 10 I say play your strongest team and play to win every match, I don't buy all this nothing to play for 'let's throw the ressies and kids in' for one fans pay good money to see us win and play well not practice matches, also it could have negative impact on confidence if we go on a losing streak. I'm all for bringing these on for 10 mins maybe 20 if the situation allows but ultimately the best team should be played each week.

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ipswichwag3 added 12:44 - Mar 10 bluelady - Hyam has been back from injury for a while now and it is O'Connor that had suspected appendicitis but who is now fit to play again. Like many others have said, Hyam was a tremendous asset in the team at the beggining of the season and it would be great if Jewell rested the likes of Leadbitter just to give the guy a shot. Regarding loanees, is it really worth it at this stage of the season?

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rightwinger added 12:53 - Mar 10 I'll back you Basil. Long term you are right!
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brian_a_mul added 13:13 - Mar 10 Jewell has done a wonderful job of restoring confidence in the players and starting to get them playing football again. Bullard was an inspired loan signing and has shown the players that they are capable of playing well and winning games. As for player selection, PJ and his staff are training and coaching with all the players every day. All we get to see of the players is 90 min on the pitch. He immediately brought Martin back in, got Bullard, has Wickham playing well, bought Druary for peanuts and has made Healy look like a player again. Dont forget we played in Cardiff on Saturday night with the players stuck on the coach for hours going cross country before and after game. Wickham had a strain and Bullard too. There is very little rest on a bus and no physio room! The work they put in Saturday evening followed by all the travelling sat night, a rest on Sunday and ready for game on Tuesay!! Is it any wonder they are tired and a little flat! Give them a break!!

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broomfield123 added 13:21 - Mar 10 Im free this weekend.Any chance i can get a game
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Pessimistic added 13:26 - Mar 10 I blame the print machine.
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bluelady added 13:41 - Mar 10 Ipswich wag your right having a dim moment!! I also agree on the loan front unless try before by plan. basil just winds me up with his drivel!!! I like hyham and hope he gets chance soon.
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sotd78 added 14:02 - Mar 10 Play the players we have. Give some of those who played under King Keane a go = Peters, Brown, Hyam. Start Civelli
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stinkiusminkius added 14:42 - Mar 10 Yes, I also would like to see the likes of hyam, peters and o'connor given more playing time. Not just to give them experience, but because they are damn good players. This is the only part of PJ's management where I've not been happy with his decisions so far, so can't really complain. He's still moved us on light years from the days of Keane.
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bluebobble added 14:52 - Mar 10 @sotd78 why would anyone start civelli? he wouldnt get a game at a league two club let alone starting him here. he's awful and needs to be sold in the summer. agree with giving hyam peters and troy brown a run out though.
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DJ_Kesgrave added 15:27 - Mar 10 PJ and Wigan had the good luck to have Ellington and Roberts who scored 50 goals between them in a season. Let's hope we can find one striker that can get into double figures.
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Ipswich24 added 16:18 - Mar 10 Civeli does look very lightweight and appears very slow and fragile I would love to see him prove me wrong but every time he has come on has looked non league!
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