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Jewell: Still Work to Do
Jewell: Still Work to Do
Friday, 22nd Jul 2011 09:11

Boss Paul Jewell says he still has a lot of work to do before his Blues side is capable of competing with the best in the division during the season ahead. Town travel to Southend United tonight for another pre-season friendly (KO 7.45pm).

Jewell told the club site: "I'm looking forward to the new season, just as the players and the supporters are, and if we can get the extra three or four players in that we need, then we will be competitive.

"Of course I'm optimistic about the season, but I've been in the game a long time and I'm also realistic. You don't get success overnight in football. It takes time. This club has finished well outside the top six in, what, five of the last six years?

"Last year we were still in a relegation battle until the final few games of the season. We're coming from a long way back when you look at how far we were adrift of the top six places last season. Look at the points we have to make up.”

The Blues manager says a number of other clubs will be building on more successful previous seasons: "When you look at the top six last year, Cardiff, Swansea and Forest have been in and around the play-offs for a few years, QPR spent big and Reading were in the Premier League two years ago.

"OK, people might point to what Norwich achieved in coming up from League One and winning promotion, and there's no doubt that was a terrific achievement, but they carried over the momentum of winning games from the year before. Momentum, confidence is everything in football.

"Leeds were the same last year. Leicester finished in the play-offs the year before after coming up. That is what we've got to create - the momentum of winning football matches.

“If I'm honest, we are some way from that at the moment, but as I said from the first day I came here, it's a building process.

"Getting the players in that we have done in the summer is all part of that and I think the signings we have made have given everyone a lift.

“I'm hopeful that we will have another three or four to follow and that will help take us on to the next stage, but we know there is a long, hard battle ahead. Make no mistake about that. We're still a long way from where we want to be."

Former Blue Reggie Lambe won’t be facing Town this evening despite having been on trial at Southend for the last week but Darren Currie, who is currently training with the Shrimpers but is not expected to join them, could be in the line-up.

Town’s U18s are in action in the annual friendly against Southwold Town on the Common this evening (KO 6.30pm).


Photo: Action Images



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meekreech added 09:26 - Jul 22
Please sort the needs for CB RB or we will struggle , the rest will do a decent job !
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blueblood66 added 09:26 - Jul 22
managing expectations
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Special_A added 09:29 - Jul 22
Can't argue with anything here. I agree with it all, very tough league. You only have to look at who Leicester have signed and the sort of team West Ham could field!

Thomas from Arsenal would be a great addition! But still need to sort that defence out.

I think PJ has got us covered!
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Tractorog added 09:34 - Jul 22
I am looking forward to the season ahead with more optimism than for the past few seasons, but I suspect PJ is right. I think it has been a shock how bad we were. Jimmy Bullard basically made the difference last year between survival and relegation. I'm looking forward to seeing chops play, but above all not having to cringe when our manager opens his mouth.
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cornishnick added 09:58 - Jul 22
"You don't get success overnight success in football"?? If Ipswich challenge for the playoffs this season, I would hardly call it overnight success
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DiamondGezzer added 10:11 - Jul 22
Great Expectations !
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naa added 10:16 - Jul 22
cornishnick: why not? He's saying that we've been nowhere near the play offs for some time. So to turn us from lower mid-table/relegation to play-offs would constitue an overnight success.

He's just trying to point out what a truly terrible team Mr Keane built here.
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wrightyblue added 10:17 - Jul 22
We need a RB-CB-CM-RW-LW-ST 6 more players mr PJ.
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Karlosfandangal added 10:24 - Jul 22
Hope people take note of what Jewell is saying and they dont get on his back when we are not top of the table.

We have lost the best 4 players from last season, Bullard,Wickham, Norris and McAuley. We have replaced 3 of them Chopra, Bowyer and Ingarmarsson, However still think we are a weaker side than last year because we are light in numbers.

Chopra and Bowyer will do well for us,
Worried about Ingarmarsson as looks injury prone, Ellington has done nothing for the last 4 years and could be no better than Scotland/Priskin only time will tell as he has a point to prove and Cresswell is one for the future

We have not really spent any of the transfer budget and have extra money from the sale of Wickham, so Jewell could still bring in 3 or 4 players
We need another CB for sure plus another 20 a season man up front and a class midfielder. It looks like Jewell wants a keeper too
Give Jewell 6 Million of the Wickham sale and go get these players, then i think we will be in with a good shout of the play off's
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Surco72 added 10:26 - Jul 22
How about looking at Anthony Gardner at centre back ,i always thought he was a solid player and is on a free
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robdaful added 10:31 - Jul 22
Still need a few players.

But trust PJ to do what is needed.
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Chicago_Blue added 11:20 - Jul 22
I saw a headline saying "Signed Pennant" out of the corner of my eye and thought we'd signed Jermaine Pennant. But it's for an auction for a signed pennant. Oh well.
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jas0999 added 11:29 - Jul 22
I completely agree. We are nowhere near ready. At LEAST four new players away from a realistic challenge. Need an attacking creative midfielder, striker, RB, CB and arguably another keeper (as ALB isn't up to it - although personally I think Fulop can do a job).
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John_Portman added 11:46 - Jul 22
I think he's got it all sussed out! he seems to have an endless list of players who cld do the job, hes just walking through it doing it 1 by 1! But i wanna no wat happened to Anouir Hadouir!?? any1 got any idea? he looked very decent indeed, reminded me of Adel Taarabt!
I rekon if we bring in say....Jobi McAnuff or Junior Stanislas or something along those lines, they can play both wings, then get a RB in like Jonny Spector from recently down hammers...we cld have somwthing ther to challenge for the title!!
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pazelle added 11:52 - Jul 22
Keane didn't buy bad players, he just totally mismanaged them and destroyed morale. Bullard, a winger and a centreback and we're guaranteed the playoffs - especially if Priskin and Chopra are our starting strikers for the season. I wonder if Tamas will finally get a start with Chopra tonight? He's the only striker who hasn't had this opportunity.

Come on Jewell give him a whirl!
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Tractamatt added 12:10 - Jul 22
Do you ever feel that we the fans are some how being managed as well
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Lightningboy added 12:19 - Jul 22
Without the 3 or 4 quality players that we still need I think we'll do well to finish in the top 10 this season...hopefully we'll get those players in before the end of august.

So long as we progress and are challenging near the play-offs i'll be happier.

PJ's doing a fine job..I hope he's getting the backing that he needs though.
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blue_em_away added 12:49 - Jul 22
Tractorog

Get it right please.... PJ made the difference between staying up or going down, not Bullard.

What is with people wanting to sign Bullard. Yes he did well for us on loan. Only because he was in the "shop window". Do you really think he would do so well as an ITFC employee?
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itfc1981 added 14:07 - Jul 22
Operation Dampening Down Expectations, well underway I see.

we do really have a poor squad
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h32 added 22:56 - Jul 22
............. much still to be done ! - some of us have been saying that since the end of last season - and what's been done ? - not much really.
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h32 added 23:37 - Jul 22
pazelle - Priskin and Chopra up front on a REGULAR basis could be a potentially good pairing - because of that - it won't happen.
Chopra won't be happy playing a lone role up front - and will become disillusioned very quickly - remember you saw it here first.
Yes, I'm cynical - BUT CORRECT.
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