Blues boss Paul Jewell says Academy Player of the Year Gunnar Thorsteinsson is if anything too focused on making it as a professional footballer. The 18-year-old Icelander is likely to feature in next season’s new U21 league, an aspect of the EPPP that the Town manager doesn’t particularly welcome.

Thorsteinsson received his gong at last week’s End of Season Dinner but Jewell thought he was far from the youngest looking award winner: “When he went up there on Tuesday I thought Cressy had won the Academy Player of the Year because Cressy looks younger than him!

“He’s done well, he’s a terrific professional. He lives, eats and breathes football. He’s one where you think ‘get a life, you boring bastard!’," he joked.

“I had a word with him because you can get too intense. He wants it so much, he trains hard, he’s got a fantastic attitude.

“The award wasn’t just for playing, it was for being a scholar in general. They have to go to school and it's for the way they are about the place, their manners, so there was the whole package taken into consideration and it’s a credit to him and his family that he’s won it.

“He’s a talented boy, he plays the guitar, he’s good looking, he’s got a lot going for him. If he had a yard of pace he’d be all right!”

Midfielder or defender Thorsteinsson joined the club last summer after coming through the ranks at Icelandic club Grindavik, where his dad Thorsteinn Gunnarsson is the chairman, making two senior appearances in 2009 and becoming their youngest-ever first team player in the process.

His father has been an avid Town fan since childhood and passed his passion for the Blues on to his son.

Despite his success in his first year as a scholar, Jewell says the Icelandic U17 international is not in line for an early elevation to the senior side: “He’s not ready for the first team squad yet.”

Having made a handful of reserve appearances in the ad hoc friendlies the Blues have played this season, Thorsteinsson will hope to be a regular in next season’s new U21 league. Town will enter the competition as a result of committing to Category Two in the EPPP reorganisation of youth football.

Jewell isn’t a big fan believing that if players are good enough they should join the ranks of the first teamers rather than being seen as part of an U21 squad: “It’s like me saying to Byron Lawrence, who’s 16, that he’ll have to go into the development group.

“If they’re ready to go into the first team and play with the first team, they should do that, they develop far better.

“I think what’s going to happen, and this is only my view, is that we’ll end up keeping players for the sake of it.

“I don’t want to just keep players so we meet the criteria for the U21 league. For me, that’s not the right way to do it.

“I think if you’re training with the U21 group at 18 or 19 or 20, I’m not sure it develops you that well, but they’re the rules, so we’ve got to abide by them.”

Jewell doesn’t believe the players will be sufficiently tested in the new U21 league despite the likelihood that clubs will be able to field two or three overage players: “We’re going to be able to test ourselves against the U21s of who? Colchester? Even the Premier League sides, why do we want to play against U21 teams from the Premier League?

“I think if you’ve got young players playing against men, from the Premier League or Colchester, it’s far more beneficial to them than playing on a level playing field.”

Photo: Action Images

WarkOn added 10:58 - May 2 PJ - this is the sort of banter you have with an older pro - not a focused youngster who shows precious and rare enthusiasm to be all he can be in the game (contrast that attitude with our own older pros as others on here have pointed out!) I haven't seen the lad play so cannot comment comment on his ability - but I can say that his attitude is exactly what we have been sorely missing this season. Well done Gunnar - ignore the banter and carry on as you are...

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ThatMuhrenCross added 11:00 - May 2 I appreciate that his comments were a joke, and I do like Paul Jewell as well. But I think he should have kept that quiet, as with the Joe Wight business. Young players will respond better to praise than criticism.
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Superfrans added 11:12 - May 2 I'd rather give the manager the benefit of the doubt in most cases, but this is just a bit odd. "Don't be too focussed"? Effectively, "you're a boring bastard"? What kind of thing is that to say to a devoted professional. Very odd. Can't imagine the boy is particularly impressed with that. By all means think it, Paul, by all means talk to the boy about balancing commitment and devotion to the profession, with a broader life view. But talking to media about it in this way just seems odd and, on the part of Jewell, unprofessional.

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Suffolk_n_Proud added 11:15 - May 2 Some of you have had sheltered lives. Get a sense of humour, its called banter
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Keaneish added 11:30 - May 2 Um er, Paul Jewell said a swear word! Get a grip you muppets! He's here to stay so give up your pathetic whining about nothing. On a football note, I see Luke Chambers is on a free from Forest!! As we've missed out on Pearce, he's the perfect centre back and skipper for next season to partner tommy for me! Go get him Clegg! And so is Joe Lewis at Posh! Go get him Clegg!!

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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 11:34 - May 2 So 'SOMEONE' told Jas that PJ "was an arm around" manager and SOMEONE tells newboy pretty much everything newboy posts. I must meet this SOMEONE , sounds like he knows an awful lot. Oh and newboy PJ didnt slate Whight , try actually reading the article without your "i hate PJ' specs.
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itfc1981 added 11:35 - May 2 Clegg getting a player before someone else do me a favour.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 11:42 - May 2 newboy - this is what pj said “I think Joe has found it tough at times this year. We stepped him up from scholar to a pro and he'll be better when he comes back next season. He'll know exactly what's expected of him. “We've got high hopes for Joe but this season for different reasons he just hasn't really got into a rhythm, which sometimes can happen with young players. “In training and in matches for the reserves and the youth team, he just hasn't quite lived up to his expectations, but I'm sure with a year under his belt knowing what it's like to be a pro, he'll be far better and we're hoping that Joe one day will be pushing Cressy to get in the team.” that to me sounds like constructive criticism and advice and to be honest if a player cant take hearing this sort of appraisal then they are in the wrong profession.

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buryblue77 added 11:43 - May 2 Whilst I'm a pro PJer, I'm going to be criticalof him on this one. Not because of what he said, but that he said it in public. I don't believe there's anything wrong with that and if anyone has ever played sport at a team level, (I've played football and cricket) the banter is often a lot worse, and often almost offensive but taken in the tounge in cheek manner in which it was intended. I'm sure professional football is no different, but the problem here is that the press could pick up on this and make a meal of it and it's certainly got the anti PJ brigade going. They love the fact that PJ doesn't involve the youth and is apparently trying to ruin all our kids, well how about the fact our youth just aint good enough! You can count on one hand the amount of players who have come through our youth system and fully made it, I think some fans are dillusional about our youth system and assume we should be producing Dyers and Bents year in, year out.

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Blue041273 added 11:49 - May 2 Completely pointless comments by PJ. Banter maybe, but totally unnecessary. The season's over now and he seems to be struggling to find new things to say. Perhaps he should be persuaded to adopt a low profile until he has something positive to report.
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Keaneish added 11:49 - May 2 Fair point ITFC1981! I think the fact that we didn't renew our interest in Pearce shows that Evans doesn't want to fork out the 1.5m needed. If this is the case then passing up on Chambers for a free who is in the same mould as Pearce would be very naive in my opinion. Joe lewis Joel ward, Luke chambers, tommy smith, Aaron Cresswell Looks good on paper to me and all under the age of 26 costing us next to nothing in fees!! No brainer! Here's hoping PJ and Clegg see it!

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newboy added 12:12 - May 2 aahhh dozzels whatsit i still think you are one of his cronies and yes I do know someone who has been at the club for nearly 2 years so yes I do know and yes i could say alot more the public have no idea what a moron he and his cronies are but i am sure they will find out very soon. Ooooh by the way WHAT HAPPENED TO JACK SIMMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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bedsitfc added 12:41 - May 2 bunch of sad twits on here.. HE WAS JOKING its called having a laugh its good management.
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PJ_Needs_Duncan added 12:47 - May 2 Maybe if Jewell had a sliver of Gunnar's ambition we might do well under him. This speaks volumes to me seriously if this is the type of message he wants to send out to his players no wonder why we ended up in the bottom half of the table. Utter disgrace, get rid of him now Evans he is a joke and he has no class whatsoever. He is not the right man for Town. He's had almost a year and a half and we are in a far worse position than we were under Keane. Cut our losses before we turn into Coventry. Its a good job he isn't in the public spotlight as Keane was otherwise we'd be a laughing stock. Jewell Out

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PJ_Needs_Duncan added 12:48 - May 2 Jeez and to think people said Keane was bad at man management!
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bontcho added 12:52 - May 2 The boring bastard comment is clearly lighthearted. And it is possible to be over focused and therefore become stressed. But I'd rather someone like that at my club than the other extreme. Good luck Gunnar. Wish you well. Hope to see you near the first team soon. Love it he's a Town fan!
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Blue041273 added 13:03 - May 2 Bedsitfc He may well have been joking but there is a world of difference between laughing with your subordinates and laughing at them. The first might well be good management; the second may well be construed as bullying. Either way PJ didn't need to put this particular topic into the public arena.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 13:03 - May 2 bedsitfc - sensible post - thank god. Keanish - like your defence , but still not sure on Lewis. Westwood for me. newboy - i will tell you again, i am not pro PJ, i am pro common sense. I dont know what happened to Jack Simmons ? Are you him ? Or is that your source ? to be honest i dont really care.
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chripswich added 13:05 - May 2 jewell in comedy of errors shocker... *sings* "clowns to the left of me.. jokers to the right..here we are... stuck in the middle (of nowhere) with you!!..."
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ITFCOYB added 13:08 - May 2 Oh no! How many people on here are jumped-up self-important idiots? Most of you, by the looks of it. PJ works with these lads all the time- he knows them and their parents, they know him. This is just how PJ speaks- a cheeky scouse chappy that doesn't take himself or anything too seriously- i for one am glad to read this type of stuff as it shows a bit of personality and a level of closeness to his players. He is fostering an atmosphere where players are encouraged to enjoy their privileged existences and know there is more to life. You all moan when we get PR spun nothingness fed to us, yet anything that could be taken out of context and you grab it, search for sinister meaning and say PJ is not fit to manage. As for the constant spouting by people like 'newboy' about being a season ticket holder (though not reflective of the majority of them) and putting your money where your mouth is... "GET A LIFE YOU BORING BASTARD!" If the only people qualified to love this club were season ticket holders, we'd have fewer fans than AFC Wimbledon. As a season ticket holder most of us envy you the time, proximity and lifestyle that affords it. If you don't think it is worth the money, time or effort, don't buy one. But it's my club just as much as yours, buddy- and what's more, it wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the army of fans like me who make it to a few games a season.

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mawwam added 13:08 - May 2 Thank SPIVVY and TOMISAMOS for their comments, agree 100% Backing PJ all the way!! Cant believe some fans are still asking "Do you even have a season ticket" (NEWBOY) I remember when I couldnt afford the season ticket I have now, and only went to a hand full of home games a season, I was as much a fan then as I am now.
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Dozzells_Bobblehat added 13:12 - May 2 ITFCOYB - very well put
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mawwam added 13:14 - May 2 ITFCOYB - Also, very well put!!
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awayfan added 13:29 - May 2 Where else but TWTD could you learn about Icelandic naming conventions? ("Gunnar Thorsteinsson.... his dad Thorsteinn Gunnarsson...")
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AbujaBlue added 13:47 - May 2 H-U-M-O-U-R A foreign concept to some TWTDers judging by the opening comments here.
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