Carson to Keep Place in Team - If He Remembers to Turn Up
Tuesday, 12th Apr 2011 07:48

Blues boss Paul Jewell says 17-year-old midfielder Josh Carson is likely to be in his side for tonight’s game against Middlesbrough — if he remembers to turn up. The Northern Irish youngster completely forgot to show up at training on Sunday, his head apparently still in the clouds after his two-goal performance in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Jewell confirmed that as far as he’s concerned the U21 international will keep his place for Boro’s visit: “That’s if he remembers to turn up. He forgot to go to training on Sunday.

“I was counting the numbers as they were walking out and there was one missing. ‘Where’s Josh Carson?’ None of the players knew, so I rang him. ‘Where are you?’, ‘I’m at my house’. ‘ What are you doing?’, ‘Making a cup of tea’. ‘Where are you?’, ‘Why, are we training? I didn’t know!’

“He was here five minutes afterwards. He probably had every newspaper there, he had his mum turning one page over, his dad the next. He was soon down at the ground and suitably sorry. The new George Best I’ve called him.”

The Blues boss says word of the Sunday session must have passed him by in all Saturday’s excitement: “Everyone else was here, what I must have done was whispered it in everyone’s ear and not told Josh.

“I think what happened was that after the game he was on such a high that he didn’t hear me. It was a genuine mistake but that’s what he’s like.

“It’s typical of him. That’s part of his make-up. I said he was a scallywag and I meant it in the nicest possible way. He’s got an edge to him.

“He’s a lovely kid but he’s got to make sure he gets his head switched on. He was here five minutes after everyone else having been sat in his house around the corner, having a cup of coffee and getting a pedicure from his mum.”

While delighted with the Antrim-born youngster’s display at the weekend, Jewell says it’s just a first step: “He’s just got to be bright because in this game you can go one of two ways. You can be a two-minute wonder and everyone talks about you for a couple of weeks or you can do it the hard way and be a top player for the next 10 or 15 years.

“At that age, whether it’s Connor Wickham, Joe Whight or Josh Carson, they can have their two minutes of glory. That’s the easy part, the hard part is maintaining it.”

The Town manager says his two first team teenage protégés are very different characters: “Josh is more outgoing than Connor. Connor’s very quiet. It’s not that I think Josh isn’t level-headed, he’s just a bit more up and at you.

“Connor’s a laidback person, which in a way is a huge strength with all the headlines he’s had to deal with.

“The way he deals with it is terrific, he doesn’t let it affect him at all and he’s a really good kid. Josh is a bit more of a cheeky chappy.”

Returning to Carson’s now famed boot-cleaning duties, Jewell says Sunday’s AWOL incident led to an improvement on that front: “The boots were done yesterday. He wanted to see me three times to apologise but I refused and told him I was busy.

“He came back and I was busier, and he came back again and I was busier again. I let him sweat last night, so he’ll probably be mooching around the office now.”

Photo: Action Images

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

Page:
1
2

Fixed_It added 07:58 - Apr 12 You've got to admire Jewell's style. Keane would have sent him out on loan, or made him train with the kids - even though he is one!!!
0

ALF added 07:58 - Apr 12 Sounds like quite a character - just as well PJ is Manager - not sure how previous ones would have handled the situation???
0

JoshTheLad added 07:59 - Apr 12 Jewell actually has a sense of humour!
0

socrates added 08:03 - Apr 12 Paul Jewell - what a lad!
0

bedsitfc added 08:12 - Apr 12 Yeah can imagine keane ripping up his contract, i think all the players even those out of the team are glad pj is the manager. It seems like they are a unit rather than players and management and if they all know where the line not to cross is, i can see very good times ahead.
0

pioneer added 08:14 - Apr 12 I dunno, cant trust anything PJ says.. what was it he was drinking at home... was it a cup of tea, or was it coffee?
0

lurcher added 08:32 - Apr 12 When I walked past the training ground Sunday he was at the gates talking to the car park attendant, so don't believe all you read.
0

CL4CK! added 09:09 - Apr 12 Lurcher - As stated.. “He was here five minutes afterwards" Probably explains it....
0

tractorblue99 added 09:09 - Apr 12 Keane would have slaughtered carson if he did this. PJ just laughs it off.
0

bluelady added 09:11 - Apr 12 Something tells me jewell is seeing a younger him I'm Carson ie cheeky chappie
0

Wallingford_Boy added 09:11 - Apr 12 lurcher - what's your point?
0

MaySixth added 09:14 - Apr 12 Good management. Make the youngster sweat.
0

joshuanelli added 09:33 - Apr 12 I absolutely love how Jewell is handling the press and the way he's taken the youngsters under his wing!! To come out and openly joke about it gives me the impression he gets the respect from his players and at the same time can add some light humour to it without letting situations linger. Under Keane i'm sure he would have ignored them for the next 3 months!!
0

GreenwichBlue added 09:47 - Apr 12 "...getting a pedicure from his mum" !!
0

corshamblue added 09:55 - Apr 12 got to admit I was wrong about PJ. The more I read and the more we play like a team fitting of ITFC, the more I realise that maybe PJ will be good for Town. Best read for ages . . . . brilliant management, and a controlled reaction to a genuine mistake. At least he'll get his boots cleaned this week.
0

Karlosfandangal added 10:03 - Apr 12 The new George Best Let hope so and Wickham is the new Van Nistolroy, just need a new Muhren and Thijssen and Champions League here we come lol
0

Garv added 10:13 - Apr 12 Classic
0

SouperJim added 10:24 - Apr 12 Roy Keane is long gone lads, please can we let go? A fantastic read, great man management from Jimmy!
0

yun added 10:36 - Apr 12 Nice to have a manager who knows it's all about entertainment. PJ certainly gives good value at press conferences.
0

thechangingman added 11:04 - Apr 12 Goodness, slow day for 'news' or what?
0

Blue92 added 11:12 - Apr 12 "...He was here five minutes after everyone else having been sat in his house around the corner, having a cup of coffee and getting a pedicure from his mum." That made me laugh. It's great to see such an easy going, yet brilliant manager at Ipswich Town.
0