Former boss George Burley has confirmed that he will be applying for his old job at Portman Road. The 56-year-old Scot took the Blues into the Premier League and then the UEFA Cup in a successful spell in charge between 1994 and 2002.

Speaking to Radio Suffolk, Burley said he would be applying: “Of course. My life has been around Ipswich all my football career virtually, since I was a 15-year-old. It’s in my blood.

“I’m moving back to Suffolk soon as well. Anything you can do for the club, you do. When you’ve been involved with it for so long it’s something you don’t forget.”

The former full-back recently left Cypriot side Apollon Limassol after a brief spell in charge.

Two of Burley’s team-mates, Mick Mills and Terry Butcher, have also been linked with the role.

The former centre-half looks more likely to be a potentially serious contender — terrace rumours having circulated about a Town approach earlier in the month - while Mills has been out of management for some years.

Striker Michael Chopra has suggested his former Newcastle team-mate Alan Shearer as Paul Jewell’s replacement and says he wishes the ex-Blues boss well: “A disappointing day yesterday with Paul Jewell leaving. I want to wish Paul all the best in the future.

"Now a massive game Saturday, need to get this great club back where it belongs. Who do the fans want as manager?

“I would love to see Alan Shearer as manager such a good person and worked and played under some great managers including Sir Bobby Robson.”

Former Charlton and West Ham boss Alan Curbishley is seen as the favourite by most of this morning’s national newspapers.

As reported last night, Dougie Freedman has completed his move to Bolton.

Photo: Action Images

RedDust added 11:07 - Oct 25 BURLEY should be placed within the club to help a new manger understand the general ethos of what the ipswich fans want from there football club kind of a club representative of the ipswich way..
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Blue_Poison added 11:08 - Oct 25 Unsure about getting Burley back. I think we need a young manager on a long contract say 5 years, with a very long term plan. This season should just be building confidence and playing OUR youngsters. If we go down we go down. Maybe then we could bring in some decent lower league players and get rid of those here for a free ride. If that happens the plan should be promotion straight back up to the championship and then promotion to the Premier League within the next 3-4 years. Thats the 5 year plan. Longer term, within 7-8 years (from now) be established in the top flight and with in 10 years be pushing for Europe. Would that really be that hard to lay down?

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dalianwasexciting added 11:08 - Oct 25 Someone needs to connect with the fans, Burley would do this. I agree about the earlier post on Dale Roberts being the power behind GB and the successes, maybe the time is right to get GB back, and perhaps with Matty Holland learning under him.
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StowTractorBoy added 11:11 - Oct 25 Really surprised how in favour Burley is. People don't seem to remember that it took him years to build success and then when he got it he threw it all away with ridiculous signings at massively inflated prices thus leading to the downfall of this Club. Not all his fault I know because Sheepy supported his moves but Burley completely lost the plot at the end of his tenure i.e. playing players out of position making dreadful substitutioins. Where have we heard that before - Magilton, Keane, Jewell. In my opinion we need a man completely unconnected with the Club in the past perhaps supported by a guy with ITFC connections who knows how the Club works. Sorry but its McCarthy or Curbishley for me and an outside punt on Freedman.

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Brazils_Hair added 11:13 - Oct 25 For what its worth, I would give Burley serious consideration. He did'nt half build a good team. With the obvious exceptions of Finidi George et al, he bought and sold really well and above all, he really really brought on the younger players. In fact his younger players ended up being spread out across the Premiership for many years after his departure. ITFC was the staple source of young players in those days. Now Those Were The Days!

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itfcham added 11:14 - Oct 25 Dont think Burley be a a bad replacement for what we've had the past 2-3years. need somebody who would have the passion for the club. Curb's I just dont know he's been out a long time. Maybe Mick Mc would be good, he's a great battler and knows how to get a team together.
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naa added 11:14 - Oct 25 cutmeibleedblue: err, check your facts about the 9-0, it was about 7 years earlier than you suggest! Burley was not responsible for 10 years of pain, no way should you put that at his door. However, I do agree that it probably isn't right for him to come back
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BluJu added 11:20 - Oct 25 cutmeibleedblue: wrong: that was 94-95 season wasn't it?
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JimBaxter added 11:21 - Oct 25 Has to be a Glaswegian or a scot at least....wee Strachan would sort out this team and give clegg a run for his money...if not a scot then curbs is my shout cant believe the numpties on here questioning his record and comparing it to jewells....!!
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Doctor_Albran added 11:23 - Oct 25 Tony Mowbray wouldn't leave Middlesborough for town - as much as he is a Town Legend to us, HIS love is for Middlesborough. GB, no for me, as cutmei... said, he hasn't suceeded in any job since he left Town (under a cloud, one has to say). Mills - no, lack of recent experience. Butcher could be interesting, but he hasn't exactly set the managerial world alight at any club (and been down right shocking at some). So a no, and somebody gag Chopra - Alan Zzzzzzzhearer? no chance - we want somebody who will work for the club, not just use us as an experiment until he can get a bigger job in a years time... My 3 preferences would be: Billy Davies (be interesting to see how Clegg handled that one!), Owen Coyle (he tries to get the teams playing the right way) or Paul Ince (only just thought of that one, but the more I think about it the more I like it...!)

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hughesuk123 added 11:23 - Oct 25 we have to get real about who runs this club on a day to day bais , ITS TURNIP HEAD NO2 clegg and when asked would you ask advice from people ie ipswich legends mills etc he said no i would nt , so he is never going to get burley butcher mills mariner holland muhren thyssien come to this club so it will have to be someone new well he s tried young upcoming manager keane FAILED a manager with experience jewell FAILED so what is it to be this time CLEGG , harry rednapp decision as he seems to be evans advisor get rid of CLEGG mr evans and bring in someone like HOLLAWAY or totaly change the club back to how it was EVANS owner a director of football BURLEY or MILLS then bring in terry butcher as manager and lets build this club on the foundations it was always built on passion pride youth the IPSWICH WAY

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BlueBob added 11:23 - Oct 25 cutmeibleedblue; The 9-0 at Old Trafford was just after Burley had taken over from Lyall and the club was in free-fall from the early years of the Premiership.
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John_Portman added 11:25 - Oct 25 i realise his more recent record has been poor, and they say never go back...but maybe its better to go back sometimes!? Quite clearly the path we've gone down just hasn't worked out and maybe the reason for burleys more recent failures is that he just hasnt been able to have passion for the team he's in charge of...like sime cypriotic team!?
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howdonblue added 11:27 - Oct 25 please come home George
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planetblue_2011 added 11:28 - Oct 25 Itfc1981. I agree with u all the way. And Mick Mills to guide Clegg please he knows what to do he's ipswich thru & thru & knows everything about football. COYB
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irishtim added 11:29 - Oct 25 Would have no problem welcoming him back. Would win back the crowds & communicate with the fans. would also throw in some of the young lads in. A young no.2 with passion for the club to take over after 2-3 years. Mattie Holland would be ideal imo if interested.
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John_Portman added 11:29 - Oct 25 i wouldnt be against a vahuely unknown foreign manager with a different style of play to over here...may be tough for some sides to cope with the change
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Wickets added 11:32 - Oct 25 Sorry but fowards not backwards.
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statto72 added 11:37 - Oct 25 Butcher? No thanks. Doing reasonable (at best) at Inverness but disastrous everywhere else, especially Brentford. If we're having an ex-player, I've always thought that Frank Yallop would be worth a go.
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tollernator added 11:39 - Oct 25 WELL WELL ........ mixed views on this one ...i agree letting your head rule not the heart... but have to be honest is it that we need manager that loves the club not just as a job but as a part of it across the board... i dont think since the leaving of Magilton have we had a manager with the passion or lust for town as a club. All i have seen is managers doing a 9-5 job and that is it... sometimes going back to what you know is the safest way to start again.... But there is never going to be a quick fix from this point

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R_LAMB3 added 11:44 - Oct 25 Bob added 11:25 oct25 I was born in Ipswich and now in live in Gt yarmouth but i will be a blue forever but it sickens me that the canaries down the road from me are playing teams in the premier and we are doing rubbish Bring kevin Keegan in with a young guy helping him he will teach how to score goals PS do anybody know where the money went for young conner and rhodes

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trundle180 added 11:46 - Oct 25 Karl Robinson is the man, could be our next (GB), has continued to work wonders at (MK DONS) with the coaching staff of Mick Harford and Ian Wright. Very adaptable, managed to continue his good work, after the departure of John Gorman his assistant, having had 2, 5th place finishes in the last 2 seasons.
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KernewekBlue added 11:48 - Oct 25 I mentioned GB in connection with a return to the manager's job a few weeks back and out of those who voted in the poll, nearly half said it was a good idea or was worth considering. Having now had the time to fully contemplate the dire situation we're in and thinking more long term given the state of football today and all the restrictions being placed on clubs to adhere to FFP rules etc, perhaps we need to look forwards rather than back at past glories. I think GB could do a job for us short term but feel perhaps now is the opportunity to get someone in with fresh ideas and a new, dynamic approach to management. Someone who wouldn't be prepared to bow to the inferior knowledge of Clegg on a daily basis. Someone with some heart, a passion for the game being played the right way and the character to instil the will to win into the players. It's all very well assembling what looks like a good team on paper but the manager needs to be able to get them playing well on grass! Whatever anyone says, I think Paolo Di Canio would be a good acquisition. I don't give a flying **** about his politics! If he could bring out the best from the players on the park and secure our season and status in The Championship then I'd welcome him with open arms. Please, please, please not Curbishley, McCarthy, McLeish or some other retro-thinking, out of touch has-been just turning up for the pay cheque!

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WickedBlue added 11:55 - Oct 25 @slowtractorboy you forget his team was challenging each and every reason we lost 4 times in the playoffs. So you summary of his team is wrong. As for buying the players you blamed Gb you blamed Sheepy you didn't blame 98% of the fans all screaming to spend the money and get these players in. We all have collective blame for that period. And the collapse of the transfer market where Holland was cited during the World Cup to be worth 12 million to getting just a million when we sold him. Not bad business just that was what the values had dropped to all over football. Yes a lot of mistakes were made but funny thing about mistakes most people learn from them.

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onetowatch added 11:57 - Oct 25 George Burley No No No, Never go back! Hartlepools manager Neil Cooper got Hartlepool to play offs then moved on to other clubs. He came back and they are in exact position as Town- bottom of the division 12 games without a win and he has got bullet.
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