Town boss Paul Jewell says left-back Joe Whight needs to show greater self-belief. The 18-year-old former Copleston pupil, who signed a two-year professional deal at the end of last season when he was an unused sub on a number of occasions, was back on the bench for the final game of the campaign at Doncaster on Saturday but is still to make his first team debut.

Jewell told the club site: "Joe has not progressed as much as we - and he - would have liked this year.

"He is a different type of character to Byron [Lawrence]. He's got to believe in himself a bit more. He's only 18 though and we think there is a good player in there. He has to start thinking that as well - and showing it."

The comments echo those made by U18s coach Russell Osman earlier in the season: “I keep telling Joe what a good player he is. I think the only person that doesn’t believe it is Joe himself sometimes.

“I think it’s a little bit of that Suffolk upbringing. He’s a terrific lad, a great lad and I think if we all keep telling him he’s a really good player then one day he might start believing us.”

Photo: Action Images

Surco72 added 07:52 - May 2 Jewell obviously thinks he is a good player that is why he got a two year contract that should have been confidence enough compared to others? Both he and Osman have said he is a good player ,confidence boosting again ? At some stage the lad has too take responsibility for himself and start proving he is a good player ,he is 18 not 16 and needs to man up to become a professional . It does make a refreshing change from all the young players ,agents and family relations who all think they are the new Ronaldo's and Messi's and are far too over confident when in reality they are nowhere near professional standard

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:15 - May 2 I haven't really seen the U18s in action, so I can't criticise the training methods. But generally speaking, I think it's now pretty old-fashioned to just yell at people and point out faults. Encouragement usually works best, even with awkward cases. Sometimes if young players get too cocky, then they may occasionally need taking down a peg or two, but mostly I believe in building them up, not breaking them down.

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newboy added 09:35 - May 2 Up the town four you are clearly a man in the know Whight only got a contract because jewell fell out with o'connor early on and had to get cover and now as you and others have watched him and know he was not up to it and as you rightly say jewell has then come out and and publicly put him down. Jewell and Osman are a couple of no hoper clowns who will bring the club and academy to its knees and they are completely incapable of saying anything positive to anyone one of the boys came out after saturdays game and said to his dad osman had said dont think you are any good because you beat chelsea you are still all s**t

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i_like_that_bolder added 13:49 - May 2 Slightly funny thing for Jewell to say, I'd imagine that pointing out someone's lack of confidence publicly may serve to make them even less confident in that environment. But I'm no psychologist.
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bluetown added 16:59 - May 2 up the town4 and newboy; just what have you got against the lad, Jewell had seen him for the reserves, and had him training with the first team. He has been played out of position all year for the youths, it does not matter what you 2 think what the academy staff and coaches think counts. Get behing the team and club ffs and encourage not disparage.
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Hoppersblue10 added 21:22 - May 2 It is a shame that jewell has not progressed....at all this year, glass houses and all that.
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up_the_town4 added 08:44 - May 3 Bluetown I have nothing against the boy I want him to do well but fact of the matter is he clearly aint good enough and has been a victim of PJ pathetic stupid ways in "biggin" up a player just purely to make it aware to fans he has an interest in youth when in fact all he is doing is destroying the lads confidence now i think its wrong and the best thing for this boy now is to be sent out on loan and get . Yes you are right he's seen him play for the reserves and train with the first team so on the last day of the season in a nothing game with Cressie being injuried the only actual left back we have is White why does he not play him???? That on its own says alot of things to me. Obv you no him better then me does the lad deserve a 2 year pro contract is he good enough? Lets hope they have seen some potential in there and they just havent got it out of him which makes me then question them and the job their doing.

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bluetown added 20:30 - May 3 up the town4. I have to agree with you on the loan side, i think it`s a along with carson, As i just don`t think the coaching set up is good enough. They both need games, and regular games at that.
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