Loan midfielder Richie Wellens laid into Town’s permanent signings after Saturday’s dismal defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, claiming he and his fellow temporary signings are the only ones who care. Caretaker-manager Chris Hutchings similarly pointed the finger at players in his post-match press conference after the game.

Wellens, who is with the Blues from Leicester until November 10th, said: “A new manager needs to come in and put a rocket under their backsides because there are not enough people who show they care about losing or even their own careers.

“One of the coaches said that the old manager got stick for bringing in loan players, but it is the loan players who are showing they care and that is a sad indication of what is wrong.”

He refused to blame those coaches for Saturday's display: “There is a full week to get someone in but everything Chris [Hutchings] and Sparky [Mark Kennedy] have said and done in the days before the game were spot on.

“If we are allowing balls to drop in the box and not clearing the ball or not stopping shots, or winning a header, you are going to get beat and that is not down to the coaches.”

He added: “We need people to show passion, to show they care. It is difficult when you are getting the ball and no one else wants it. It is human nature when you are under pressure to go and hide but we need a better attitude, and to act like men.

“I have always thought of Ipswich as a nice club and that was confirmed when I got here. It is a little too easy, too cosy.”

The 32-year-old former Manchester United trainee continued: "Defensively we were a bit of a shambles. We did not compete with their physicality and they won every headed ball in both boxes.

“When you go a goal down after 40-odd seconds in the situation we are in. We showed some character and came back for a while after going a goal down and were the better team.

“The second half was terrible. It is difficult to put a finger on why but we need to sort it out."

He says he takes defeats such as Saturday's to heart: “I care — I care about football. The easiest thing for me would be to let the game pass me by but that is not me.

“I have had four games and lost four and that hurts me. I won’t speak to the wife and the kids will be put to bed. It ruins my week.”

Wellens says he wouldn't have been out in the circumstances some of the other players were in midweek: “In training when we are asked to work they do put it in.

“It is not for me to say when people go and have a drink. But if it was me I would have looked at the situation.

“Do I need to go out and be having a drink? If I was a supporter I would not have been happy. It was about six or seven and you can’t judge the whole group by those players."

He also issued a warning for the future: “I can’t see Ipswich ever winning a game unless they are at their best and everything is going for them.

“To be a strong club in the Championship you have to win when things are not going well. I can fully understand why the club have been done by five and six goals this season.”

In terms of the new boss, he wouldn't be drawn: “It is not my place to say about that. They need to get to get the decision right because we had it at Leicester.

"They sacked Nigel Pearson who was doing a good job but then we had to go through two or three managers before we got him back and now he is doing very well. Whoever it is needs to get the players on board as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, interviews for the manager's job continue with this morning's papers again mentioning Blues interest in Blackpool's Ian Holloway. However, as of this weekend, Town had not made contact with the Seasiders regarding their boss.

Mick McCarthy and Alan Curbishley remain the two frontrunners for the job.

Photo: Action Images

skyblue23 added 09:12 - Oct 29 Im glad he's come out and said this!! Maybe this will get rid of some of the dead wood in january and we can bring in some real players who want to play for our club!!
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LancsBlue added 09:13 - Oct 29 With Leicester going so well is he looking for a contract? Even so a damning indictment of Jewell's players.
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suffolkpoker added 09:14 - Oct 29 WOW i am shocked a loan player has come out and said this. It just goes to show what a mess we are in. We need an old hand to get us out of this mess ASAP
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ButchersBrokenNose added 09:17 - Oct 29 Well said! And finally someone tells us what is really going on in the dressing room, and confirms what we've all suspected for some time. Clearly, Jewell didn't have the stones to grab a few of the players by the scruff of the neck and tell them some home truths, and he paid with his job. It's also worth pointing out that Edwards as captain didn't do him any favors either. Hopefully, the next manager will have the ability, the experience and the support from Evans to come in and clear house. Otherwise, as Wellens rightly points out, we're looking at a long season of failure.

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chunkymunky added 09:17 - Oct 29 I'm sure that has made him very popular with the permanent signings........sad but true, I see tough times ahead for once great club, we need a "check up from the neck up", as hard as it is to admit, I think I might be what we need to go down a league, get a sense of reality back and perhaps realise we have no divine right to win every game unless we play the right way doing the basics, properly and playing as a team. COYB

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Wickets added 09:17 - Oct 29 Most fans have been saying this for a while,out late on a Wed eve just after the manager has been sacked that was hardly the actions of a pro footballer and then to say" whats the fuss about" Yes a damming indictment of some of our well paid players.
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Daleyitfc added 09:17 - Oct 29 This is PROPER news : one of the players slagging off the others! That's more like it. Shame the one doing so is so unfit he shouldn't be anywhere near anyone's first team, but there you go. Should make for an amusing training session with his team-mates today.
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suffolkpunchdrunk added 09:17 - Oct 29 I guess you won't be hanging around beyond 10th November for a few more games and the players' christmas party then? A shocking indictment of the poor state of the club from someone who has only been here for such a short period of time - shows what a major job the next manager has on his hands. By the way if there are any plans to have one the players' christmas party should be cancelled - they have nothing to celebrate but their own inadequacies.

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PimsNumber1 added 09:18 - Oct 29 bRAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN he is not due to go back to leics for a few weeks . certainly looks like hes hit the nail on the head. It seemed obvious they didnt want hutchings hanging about. He trried to rally them but it looks like they didnt want to know. Shocking really this player power craze.
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spanish_archer added 09:19 - Oct 29 Confirms what we thought.
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Michael11 added 09:21 - Oct 29 Name and shame them!! It's nice that you seem to care Richie but you have been so unfit you shouldn't even be in a reserve fixture!
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Blue_Poison added 09:23 - Oct 29 It's about time someone came out and said what most have been thinking for a while now. The only way I can see us going forward is by bringing in lower league players who will be proud to put on the shirt.
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LordMamu added 09:23 - Oct 29 Thank god someone had the balls to come out and say what a lot of us suspected for a while....
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Bergholtblue added 09:27 - Oct 29 A bold statement and has others have suggested, brave too, especially as he has to play with some of these permanent players on Saturday. I assume his generalisation wasn't aimed at the likes of Hyam, who I thought was one shining light out of Satuarday's fiasco. I also wonder whether all loanees are pulling their weight, Henderson for one seemed disitnterested, or perhaps he is just inept.

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roytheboy added 09:27 - Oct 29 That's an eye opener, we need every player to think like that, I believe I speak for most supporters when I say to the players, "if you can't give 100% then please leave asap. we don't need wasters at our club thank you".
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itfc1981 added 09:28 - Oct 29 Plus the squad is overated, shocking combo.
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Raedwald_625 added 09:29 - Oct 29 Honesty. Brave lad. Breath of fresh air.
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tiredandbored added 09:29 - Oct 29 Well said Wellens. Chopra should be a leading senior member of the squad but his attitude on the pitch, (and it appears off it), stinks. I was particularly watching him when he came on on Saturday. The number of times he made a run to hide behind a defender and make himself unavailable was untrue. Get shot of him and anyone else who won't give blood for this great club of ours.

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not_a_witty_name added 09:30 - Oct 29 Wellen for manager! Magilton and Keane tried the rocket-up-the-arse method and it didn't work with the prima donnas. It is a difficult balancing act, smaller wages and they won't sign, bigger wages and they turn into spoilt brats. If I knew the answer to this then I'd apply. COYB
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Sindre94 added 09:30 - Oct 29 Hes so right, thank you Richie
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Sindre94 added 09:33 - Oct 29 Chopra is always tweeting about him self and HIM scoring goals. We need more people like Loach (with a bit more quality) and Hyam
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Cakeman added 09:34 - Oct 29 With the content of these comments, it is clear to me that it is important to get a club that are all pulling together. This includes Owner, Chief Executive, New Manager, Coaching staff, Players and us supporters. Until we have unity, we shall continue to decline. Hopefully we have now reached the bottom so can only look ahead and up but the players who evidently do not wear the shirt with pride must go. Championship or League One status is irrelevant at the moment.

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StuartBrett8 added 09:34 - Oct 29 To make matters worse... what if the players don't like the new manager? Player power gone mad!
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havinit69 added 09:34 - Oct 29 Well, well, well, what I have been saying for MONTHS has finally come out in to the open. I got slated on the forum for saying that the players are a waste of space and don't care and that the fans anger should be directed at them more so than Jewell. Get rid of all the big time charlie's and start again, I don't even care if it means we have to get relegated! For what it's worth, you may care Wellens, but you are turd anyway and this is probably your best contribution in your months stay thus far. Confirming what we've know for ages.

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StuartBrett8 added 09:37 - Oct 29 I feel sorry for P.J... lost his job because of the overpaid over rated diva's
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