Town boss Paul Jewell says he will speak to trialist Ricardo Rocha tomorrow, but has confirmed that he won’t be offering terms to ex-West Brom and Bolton defender Abdoulaye Meite, who spent last week at Playford Road.

Jewell says ex-Portsmouth and Spurs man Rocha is one of a number of trialists currently at the club: “He’s been training with us for a week. There are a few players that we’ve had training with us for a week, lads that are out of contract. I’ve told him I’ll speak to him tomorrow.”

He confirmed that Meite, who told the French press he was still waiting to hear from Jewell earlier in the week, won’t be joining the club: “We won’t be pursuing that, I don’t think.”

Plenty of trialists have come and gone from Playford Road in recent weeks which Jewell says is nothing unusual: “Every club has them, it’s just that they don’t get reported like ours!

"The way that football is now, there are a lot of players that are out of contract who haven’t got clubs. Michael Owen was one, Emile Heskey was another one.

“The word trialist makes it sound as if you’re desperate. Sometimes we’ll just have a look at these lads in training for a week. It doesn’t cost us anything, it doesn’t do us any harm. We can assess their fitness, see where they’re up to and you might get one that works for you.

“You don’t want to just be taking anyone willy-nilly. We obviously know a bit about Rocha and Meite. Sometimes you’re looking at them to see what shape they’re in fitness-wise.”

Photo: Action Images

h32 added 18:53 - Sep 27 'We won't be pursuing that' - yet again, and again - and Mr Jewell, no one will be pursuing you, when you (eventually) get thrown out on your ear.
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cantona11 added 19:55 - Sep 27 Like I said a few days ago get a grip those people that jump on the band wagon I think rocha will be ok if we sign him but unfortunately defence is a position where u need experience fact I watched him a few times at spurs and he looked ok spurs fans I know didn't like him though I think some players suit / get on well at one club but not at another Hopefully he gets on well at Ipswich and gives us a bit of stability sorry to see LC or TS get dropped though and it's right wot de vos said as we need leaders and Carlos isn't a leader a centre back is a leader as they see everything from the back and they r normally mouthy look at Luke he is always shouting ( normally at tommy) but I think it's a gee up more than anything though

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StuartBrett8 added 20:08 - Sep 27 Rocha in Central defence with Chambers and Higginbotham at left back to give Cresswell a break? With Ainsley at Right Back? I think defenders playing in their preferred position would work? :)
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kuyski added 20:16 - Sep 27 if good，sign him asap，i wish can see him on saturday.
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WickedBlue added 20:42 - Sep 27 People calling Rocha rubbish? I swear most Ipswich Town fans have a collective IQ of a retarded gnat!
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bluey123 added 21:23 - Sep 27 Rocha must be hard up to come to PR suppose no one else wants him so he must be good . Is this Jewell building for the future
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Skip73 added 22:45 - Sep 27 I suppose these people who are calling Rocha crap are the same people who said we should've kept Peters.
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Michael11 added 00:21 - Sep 28 Couldn't agree more that we need a bit more experience in defence to mentor the young lads and keep them strong under pressure. The last time we had a real commanding centre back was Jason De Vos and he was around 33 years old when he was bossing our back 4! If they're good enough they're old enough IMO whether that's an 18 year old or 35!
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