Boss Paul Jewell says the Blues could still bring players in on loan before the end of the season, despite Town’s campaign appearing all but over with both relegation and the play-offs now appearing unlikely outcomes. Additional centre-half cover is the priority with the Town manager confirming that Middlesbrough’s Stephen McManus was a target prior to his loan switch to Saturday’s opponents Bristol City.

Jewell says further signings could yet happen: “It’s a possibility. All of a sudden we might have a situation where we get two centre-halves injured and we really are light.

“I’ve spoken to one or two managers about players, made enquiries trying to get a couple of players in, but everyone’s in the same boat — people aren’t quite sure whether they’re safe or they’re still in the cup if they’re in the Premier League. No one wants to let their players come.”

The Town boss says McManus, who is a doubt ahead of Saturday’s match with a thigh strain, was someone he asked about before his move to Ashton Gate: “We tried to sign Stephen McManus, I spoke with Steve. Tony Mowbray wouldn’t allow him to go on loan but obviously he had a change of heart and he’s gone to Bristol City.”

Jewell has reiterated that his transfer policy in the summer will look more towards younger players, admitting that he got it wrong by recruiting too many older signings during the last close season: “I’m not dismissing the experienced players, what I’m saying is that I probably had too many experienced players in the group at the same time.

“Some of the best signings you make are a year’s deal or players who are at the back end of their careers, but I hold my hand up, I’ve made mistakes.

“Not all of them have been mistakes, I’m not going to name anyone or go into it, although obviously Ívar Ingimarsson didn’t work out and there are one or two others who haven’t worked out.

“I think in the main we want to try and go forward with players who really want to come here and are at the start of their careers, not near the end of their careers. As I’ve said before, I haven’t quite got the balance right between experience and youth.”

Meanwhile, the Town boss says 17-year-old Dutch trialist Jordy ter Borgh has returned to his club Almere City: “Jordy’s gone back. We’ll keep an eye on him.”

Photo: Action Images

Photo: Action Images

gibbo added 08:43 - Mar 2 Everyones in the same boat, nobody else seems to have trouble, Birmingham brought in 3 yesterday, forest, Bristol city and even Portsmouth have all used the loan window
0

Tractorcookie added 08:47 - Mar 2 What is it about players not wanting to come to Portman Rd?? McManus has opted after "a change of mind" to join a club 5 places and 9 points below us in the league! I really hope that there is a structured plan being put in place NOW for the summer so we don't end up appearing desperate again. The plan needs to include looking abroad as well.
0

irishtim added 08:57 - Mar 2 Dont say anything pj till we have signed someone as tis dross is ongoing.
0

DurhamTownFan added 09:14 - Mar 2 Signing no players is better than signing a load of bad or underperforming ones! Just saying...
0

jas0999 added 09:26 - Mar 2 I wouldn't bother. It's a real shame PJ has failed to address the keeper and the CB situation. He's had since April 2011 - when he knew McAuley was leaving - whilst it was he who released other players along with our two main permanent keepers (and failed to replace). Bringing in a loanee now would be completely pointless and 100% against PJ's 'I made a mistake by rely on loans' speech. It's March and the season is all but over. Tomorrow should see us thrash a Bristol team with over half their team injured, but other than hoping for some decent showings before the end of the season it's all something in nothing. Jim Magilton was sacked for less.

0

Tractorog added 09:49 - Mar 2 Can we loan Jas0999 to another club?
0

Essexnblue added 09:53 - Mar 2 Tractorcookie-look at the management at Bristol City, that might give you a clue why he decided to go there? Also Jewell stated that he spoke to McManus and at the time Mowbray said no, we then start winning have a settled team,so there is no emphasis on getting players in, hence probably why McManus went to Bristol city. Anyway just as the report states he is injured which is a normal place for McManus.

0

walberswick added 10:06 - Mar 2 Looks like our current plan is to trim squad, make do with what we've got, don't splash cash at Jan window, Don't pay out on extras like loans or the academy, Keep Pj and save having to pay him and his backroom staff lots of compensation. This season has been a short term plan getting in experienced players and loans and going for a quick promotion, This hasn't worked and there isn't any signs that ME is now investing in the long term. Could be the run up to ME extracting himself from ITFC, especially after the Olympics.

0

naa added 10:14 - Mar 2 Tractorog: just what I was thinking. jas's constant moaning is getting incredibly tiresome. Jas - we all know how you feel, you say it often enough, now please say something else or say nothing. Thanks. At least when you were blindly supporting Roy Keane you weren't the only one doing so, now your comments stand out. You aren't even big enough to admit when PJ gets something right, or says something sensible. Everything has to be twisted to be an attack on PJ. It's tedious in the extreme, and incredibly childish. I'm not defending PJ, he's clearly made mistakes but at least we seem to be a defence away from being a good team. Under Keane we were a whole team away from being a good team. I'd be willing to give him another transfer window and half a season at the very least and see where we get to from there. You also say he failed to address the defence. That's partly true, but he did sign Ingimarsson who I'm sure I'm not the only one here, thought would be a good signing, and plenty on here were loving Sonko earlier in the season.

0

WillTheBlue added 10:20 - Mar 2 PJ IS KING, BACK UR TEAM AND STOP MOANING! COYB
0

Essexnblue added 10:43 - Mar 2 Walberswick-I dont know why I am biting but Evans CONTINUOS monetary support of this club is keeping us from becoming a Port Vale, Portsmouth, Rangers, hartlepool whoever that you want to name. He was going to pull 1.6k out to Portsmouth 2 weeks ago for the purchase of 3 players , so does that suggest he is about to either not back the manager or walk away. Support Evans as he is keeping our club alive!!!

0

tractorboy2434 added 10:49 - Mar 2 Article says Jewell COULD still sign loan players, he COULD do lots of things but most of what we here is COULD, why can't we just stop these nonsensical non stories that mean nothing and report some actual news, if there ever is any !
0

oldbri added 10:52 - Mar 2 well said ,Essexnblue
0

Surco72 added 11:03 - Mar 2 Jas 0999 ..Keane wasnt sacked for far less though was he ? He was sacked because he was even worse than Jewell ,less points ,less wins ,less goals scored lower league position ,awful signings . Is it still hurting that Jewell is still doing better than Roy did ?
0

TractorTrog added 11:41 - Mar 2 Well I am hoping that things will be better next season there are still allot of ifs and buts to be sorted through ... i.e. wage structures and weather players want to sign contracts, how long next season PJ has to finish his project (personally I would give him at least half of next season to shape the team) right now the trends would suggest that PJ has addressed some serious issues with the team and there focus....the boys know there is probably little chance than getting further than mid table but the challenge laid down is to climb the table and to use that as a bench mark for next season. Ipswich are looking a bit more tidy at the back and if you saw the Brighton game it was actually closer than you may think...so going forward I would say we have the beginnings of a very very good team work rate is good passion is good performance is good and as a consequence results are good...I am seriously hoping that ME is not getting cold feet as walberswick suggests as without him we are in fact doomed...lets see a good result this weekend and build I am happy with the way we are represented on the pitch right now and I think the players have been terrific in there attitudes....but please don't play Ledbetter the team are good the way they are and are learning each others movements...lets not loose momentum gathered now the players are enjoying there football and working with each other on match days and it shows....COYB.

0

StowTractorBoy added 12:46 - Mar 2 If Pompey go under the season is certainly not over and tomorrow is a vital match for us particularly with two very tricky away games coming up. I was not too impressed with some of the things the Pompey boys said when we were chasing them but there is a new scenario now and I would not be adverse to going back for the 'pompey 3' We would at least have the players for next season and not have to wait months before we get a decent squad as is the norm with our Club. No complacency tomorrow please.

0

NITFC added 13:17 - Mar 2 Assuming (and I know that is a big assuming) we are all confident that we are safe, I see no logic in loan players at this stage of the season when we could be using our own youth players and maybe unearthing some gems for the future. It happened with Josh Carson this time last year (I hope he gets another chance soon), so why not a few more this season The only way I would want loan players would be if they were better than we already have and "with view to purchase in the summer"

0

menacinho added 13:42 - Mar 2 so jas0999, if we thrash Bristol City tomorrow you will just say "well so we should" but if we don't it will be a failure and you will just use it as another reason to have one of your rants about PJ. So basically, you won't praise us if we win well and you will moan about us if we don't. What an awful attitude for a fan to have. PJ has done good things and some not so good things since he has been here; it would be nice to see you acknowledge the good things for once instead of saying (as you recently have been) that Marcus Evans was behind our recent upturn in form etc.

0

NITFC added 14:13 - Mar 2 I wonder if jas0999 is that moany bloke that sits near me in the North Stand. In fact I think I will punch the moany bloke tomorrow just in case he is jas How many people on here will help me pay my fine? Most, I suspect
0

Garv added 14:26 - Mar 2 Magilton was sacked for less in terms of league position but he spent a fair bit more than Jewell has. Remains to be seen how much wonga Evans will give Jewell to spend in the summer.
0

BROTHERBLUE1974 added 15:51 - Mar 2 How about Matt Mills jewell, get in there before Leeds.
0

Blogs 297 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls